Nov. 18, 2021, R-C Letters to the Editor

School board decision an insult

Editor:

The Douglas County school board’s unanimous decision to close the door on the subject of Critical Race Theory being taught in Douglas County schools is an insult to the intelligence of the citizens of Douglas County. Teachers and employees are being trained to live every moment, think every thought, and make every decision through the lens of Critical Race Theory. It is not logical that our children are escaping from the trickle-down effect of being pressured to acquiesce to anti-white ideology.

Concurrently, the education community of Douglas County is being coached that CRT is not being taught in Douglas County.

Getting back to the Nov. 9 school board decision, their action has been described as “taking no action” or “tabling the subject.” No, this is not what happened. They approved the statement that CRT is not an issue in Douglas County and to put this subject to a rest. This is not non-action. This is flagrantly ignoring the concerns of the community that preaching anti-white racism in the form of Critical Race Theory to our children Is enormously destructive to our society.

Jeanne Shizuru

Gardnerville

Prefer Indian to indigenous

Editor:

I'm not a professor emerita of political science at Berkeley - thankfully (RC Guest Opinion Nov. 11), but I did use Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary: "Indian" 1) a native inhabitant of the subcontinent of India or of the East Indies. 2) American Indian: from the belief held by Columbus that the lands he discovered were part of Asia." That explains why he called them "Indians," just as they are today. At face value, an innocent "misnomer" (inaccurate name or designation) on the part of this schoolgirl's hero, hardly seems reason to feel "insulted or disrespected." If it is a "generic" title, it's because it is simply 'characteristic of a group' like Webster's defines, much like any of us in Irish, Jewish, Chinese or even retirement "native communities." I'm sorry the Indians of today find it so demeaning.

For the record, a lot of us in this Valley grew up with the Washoe Indians; some as best friends. We never knew one of them to consider themselves inferior or ashamed to be "Indian." They were proud and strong and carried themselves with dignity. I wouldn't be surprised if they saw the sign "Indian Creek Reservoir" on Hwy 88 as a tribute. As for "Indian Creek's" history, I am not qualified to comment. The column was well written and researched. However, the "white" explorers who followed Columbus were painted with too much what sounded like prejudice to this reader. I wonder too if professor sees the irony of denouncing "erasure" (of native culture) but simultaneously approving of "erasure" (the word "Indian" from rivers and lakes, churches and schools etc.).

The past is history and it's good to "restore" something that was "lost"...Da-ek Dow Go-et Mountain. But not at the expense of losing history. If there is such coveted "power in names," let it be new history, not changing history. I like the name “Indian." I think it is a beautiful word. Indian summer, Indian corn, Indian paintbrush, Indian wrestle.

It is much nicer sounding than "indigenous."

Joy Uhart

Minden

Are we to change names to numbers?

Editor

As I say eating lunch today, I was reading the guest column by Beverly Ames titled “It’s time to change the names of Indian Creek and Indian Creek reservoir.” While not having the academic credentials as Ames and being described as one step below unremarkable, I concluded that this is a much bigger problem than one creek and one reservoir. The number of times the word Indian is used in this country is overwhelming. Then to be fair, add in all the other names attributed to other races, nationalities, religions that surely someone would find offensive, and you begin to see the scope of the problem.

As I pondered this delirium I began searching for answers. Going through every color Crayola produced, I concluded that no color could encompass all of mankind. As I slurped my soup and took a bite of my cracker, it hit me. We could all be generic crackers. Although there are multiple kind of crackers including saltine, Ritz, rye, graham etc. we could all just be known as crackers. No racism, no bias, no inequality, after all we are just crackers sharing this world.

Now the problem of names that no one will find offensive. I have never found myself or anyone I know, being offended by the I-80 sign as I drive that highway. (Just remember the I stands for interstate.) Nor have I been offended by 580, 395 etc. So there in lies the simplicity of the answer. Indian Creek becomes C101. Indian Creek reservoir becomes R102. How can anyone be offended by that? Alpha numeric names to infinity. Jobs Peak, named after Mormon settler Moses Job, now P101. Sometimes we hold the answers to the most complex problems right in our own hand. Happy Holidays to all my fellow crackers.

Gary Wendland

Gardnerville

Investment Act will benefit all

Editor:

To thrive our country needs opposing political parties that seek to find common ground through compromise; no one has all of the answers. To hear one of our senators say, "One-hundred percent of our focus is on stopping this new administration," and offering no cooperation, should be a wakeup call.

The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment Act that was just passed is going to benefit everyone, every state and the country. For Nevada, more than $4 billion has been designated to create good-paying jobs rebuilding crumbling transportation and water infrastructure, improving drought resilience and forest fire prevention, expanding the state’s Electric Vehicle charging network, investing in broadband to bring high-speed internet access to underserved areas, and more.

But some House members from the opposing party who voted for it are facing backlash from colleagues for supporting something they think is best for their state and constituents. No Republican supported the American Rescue Plan, but many took credit when their districts benefited.

On his website, Rep. Mark Amodei states that he believes "transportation infrastructure is one of the most important elements in creating a thriving, job-creating economy." Yet he voted against the Infrastructure Investment Act.

We still face a lot of challenges and need to work on legislation that promises a secure and hopeful future for everyone. We’re not going to agree on everything, or get everything we want, but our representatives need to work together in good faith to create legislation that best serves the country regardless of their party affiliation.

Elizabeth Valdes

Minden

Pass For the People Act

Editor:

Last year during the 2020 general election, a Nevada Republican claimed someone voted as his dead wife. His name is Donald Kirk Hartle and his case was used on the right as a prime example of voter fraud in our state. Tucker Carlson was outraged, dead people voting in Clark County.

On Oct. 21, the Nevada Attorney General filed two counts of voter fraud against Hartle for allegedly voting twice in the general election including once for his dead wife. Hartle is the CFO for Ahern Rentals. The owner, Don Ahern, is a prominent Trump supporter.

Dubious Republican claims of voter fraud have become the pretext for all the recently enacted voter suppression laws in over 20 states. This is why it is so urgent to pass the For the People Act introduced as H.R. 1.

Some of the bill’s key provisions would require states to offer same day voter registration for federal elections, to hold early voting for at least two weeks ahead of the election and also establish automatic voter registration for all eligible citizens. The bill would also make Election Day a federal holiday. It would also require election officials to notify a voter in a timely manner when their name is tagged for removal from the voter rolls and gives them the opportunity to contest the removal. It would also restore the voting rights of felons who complete their prison term. This bill covers ethical considerations like requiring presidential and vice presidential candidates to disclose the last 10 years of their income taxes and, would prohibit partisan gerrymandering and require states to use independent commissions to draw congressional districts.

Our constitution guarantees our right to vote. The right to vote is not more or less important than any other rights we have enshrined in the constitution, including the right to bear arms and free speech. Please support the For the People Act, H. R.1.

Alice Meyer

Gardnerville

Thanks for passing infrastructure bill

Editor:

When I, along with some Douglas County Democrats joined fellow Democrats from Northern Nevada for the Nevada Day Parade, we were somewhat perplexed to hear many in the crowd shout, “Let’s Go Brandon.” We did not know who Brandon was nor where the crowd wanted him to go, but the chant seemed popular.

Imagine our surprise when we realized that BRANDON is an acronym for all the many wonderful things that will greatly benefit Nevada in the recently passed Infrastructure bill. These are Broadband; Rail; Airports; Non-Gas Vehicles; Development of Mass Transit; Our Roads and Bridges; and No Lead Water Pipes. These efforts will provide jobs, strengthen the economy, place our state in a better position to compete in the 21st Century, and protect the health of our citizens.

Thanks to President Biden, Vice President Harris, and the bipartisan legislators, which, inexplicably, did not include Congressman Mark Amodei.

Patricia M. Cuocco

Minden