Letters to the Editor

No more gun-control laws needed

This is in regard to your online opinion poll which appeared on the front page of your paper Dec. 10. Is that an attempt to help out the anti-gun Brady campaign addicts?

Your own paper on Dec. 8 carried a front-page article to report that the shooter, Harvey Ex, was killed by the Douglas County Sheriff's deputies acting in the line of duty at Harrah's Lake Tahoe Casino Dec. 3.

Mr. Ex had tried to purchase firearms from legitimate gun dealers in Reno and Gardnerville and went away empty handed until he located the antique store in Tahoe where he bought the old pistol used to shoot the deputies.

This was a technically legal purchase under the 1968 Gun Control Act. which is enforced by the federal government.

He could not buy a modern firearm due to his past record as a felon from our neighbor state nor pass a background check nor furnish proof of residence in Nevada.

So my answer to your online opinion poll is no. Nevada does not need more gun-control laws. Please read your own paper.

JAMES PATTON

Wellington

Alito nomination was one-sided

Most Americans would agree that the appointment of a justice to the Supreme Court is a matter that should be given thoughtful reflection and broad consultation in light of the importance of the position and its lifetime tenure.

Obviously, this is not the view of President Bush, who chose to listen to only right-wing pressure groups when deciding to nominate Samuel Alito, a conservative extremist, to the Supreme Court.

BARBARA HOWE

Carson City

We need to uphold the Geneva Convention

My father was a World War II veteran who fought in the South Pacific.

When I was 17, he showed me pictures he had taken while overseas.

The first set of pictures were of American GIs who had been captured by the enemy and then later freed by the Americans. The pictures were disturbing. The men had suffered tremendous cruelty.

Then he showed me another set of pictures. These were of enemy prisoners being held by the Americans.

They were fully clothed, well-fed, and were smoking cigarettes.

My father had me put the pictures side by side and explained to me that no matter how the enemy treats our soldiers, as Americans we abide by the Geneva Convention, taking care of prisoners, allowing them necessary protection and basic human dignity. He explained how our country holds itself to a higher standard than the rest of the world, and told me to be proud of that.

Since Sept. 11, I have been listening to the politicians and political pundits debate whether or not we should torture enemy prisoners.

I have listened to them discuss whether or not torture is effective, and what the definition of torture should be. I've listened to how our country contracts torture out to other countries, seemingly to keep our own hands clean.

I think I am glad my father is not alive to hear this debate.

I implore all citizens, especially the veterans, to stand up and remind the president and other politicians that we want our country to set the higher standard.

It is wrong to condone or participate in the torture of any human being. No matter what the threat, we need to keep our humanity intact. For it is our humanity which ought to define us as Americans, not cruelty.

COLLEEN JANES

Carson City

Employers won't hire qualified ex-felons

My son is a felon, an otherwise good man who got caught up in the drug environment in this town.

He has been clean for 31Ú2 years now, and can't find a decent job.

Why are so many employers afraid to give him a second chance? Even after being employed for a few weeks, eventually the home office gets hold of his application, which is truthfully filled out, and fires him.

I'm sure that there are many more men and women out there in the same predicament.

If employers in town continue their exclusion of decent jobs where people like my son have to depend on poor-paying jobs or, worse, aid from the government, how many more will continue to be recycled into the system and never become the good and productive citizens they could be?

P. SHANKS

Carson City