Letters to the Editor

I am a Nevadan, born and raised in Carson City, who is currently deployed to Iraq with the U.S. Army. As I write this, I'm seeing the news of the tragedy at Fort Hood, Texas.

The soldiers who died at Fort Hood are veterans, as are all current soldiers as well as those who served since the establishment of our nation. Being a veteran doesn't just mean someone who has gone to war, but anyone who has stood in uniform, raised their right hand and sworn an oath to each and every one of us. An oath that they would sacrifice themselves for each and every passerby they come across in daily life, for complete strangers, in the defense of our nation. Honor their sacrifice. Honor their commitment to each and every one of us.

I carry a picture of my grandfather every day, and everywhere I've gone with the military. Homer "Mike" Anrig was a retired civil engineer for the Nevada Department of Transportation, and an airman in the Army Air Corps in WWII. He passed away 14 years ago, but every day I remember the sacrifices he made selflessly for our country and do my best to live up to his example.

Remember our veterans when legislation is being passed. Support America's best. While enjoying your holidays, remember that there are those of us who are working 15-18 hour days, seven days a week overseas. Please keep those who have served in the past at the forefronts of your minds throughout the holidays.

Anthony Anrig

Multi-National Corps-Iraq

I-Corps

Whee! Whoopdy-doo! I am so thrilled that Obama's stimulus bought Douglas County 8,600 light bulbs. Isn't that exciting? And it created one temporary job for someone to screw them in.

I would also like to ask Marilyn Clemenza if she ever heard about the Vikings farming in Greenland 1,200 years ago. Between 800 and 1200 A.D., it was warmer on average than it is now. Oh. Wait. The Vikings had animals expelling gas to keep it warm. Funny how there are more people and animals now and we are not as warm as it was then.

Last, Janice Ayres must think that just because she says something about Obama's health care that it must be true. She did not provide any data or statistics of proof about not raising our taxes, or eliminating private insurance companies, reducing Medicare benefits and generally taking away our freedom. It is all just more of Obama's lying spin.

Rita Bentley

Carson City

Kudos to Rex Norman ("Killbuck") for his brilliant cartoon published Nov. 4, showing a gun-toting teabagger holding a sign saying: "Obama is a Marxist Socialist Commie Fascist plotting to destroy America" while telling a reporter, "I don't understand why the White House all of a sudden started this name calling attack campaign against Fox News ... Seems kinda paranoid if ya ask me."

That should be an award winner. I'm wondering if there's a Web site where we could review Killbuck's past work. If not, could you create one?

Rich Dunn

Carson City

Let's put patients before politics. As the health care debate has grown louder and more contentious, I believe that the focus has shifted away from the people who need comprehensive reform the most - patients.

As someone who has lost a number of family members just this year to cancer, I know that cancer patients can encounter all of the major problems in the health care system today. They are often denied coverage because of pre-existing condition exclusions or charged more than they can afford for critical care simply because they have cancer. Many are forced to delay or skip screenings because they cannot afford them.

For health care reform to work, it must make quality health care affordable for all Americans, guarantee that no one can be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition, set limits on the amount a patient must pay for in-network and out-of-network care, and ensure that leaving or losing a job does not create a gap in health coverage.

Health care reform should be about patients, not about politics. Let's tell Congress that we must fix the broken health care system, and we must do it this year.

Congressman Heller - please do what is right for your constituency.

Allison Stephens

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

North Las Vegas

I recently took a bicycle ride up old Clear Creek Road; I haven't been up that road in quite some time. The signs blocking access up that road have been recently removed and the public now can go up there. But, I now understand why the residents up there would like to close that road to public use.

A couple of miles up at a turnout on the left, just above the creek, is a pile of roofing rubbish discarded over the embankment. This pile of old shake roofing and tar paper goes all the way down to the creek.

This pile of old roofing was recently discarded. I could see drag marks in the sandy gravel along with tire tracks. I could also tell that the person who tore that old shake roof off was an experienced roofer. The way that person rolled that old shake tells the story.

Being that the material was recently placed there, just maybe, the person who had a small shake roof recently replaced might know who this puke is. It would be nice to catch this (person).

Bottom line, it is really a shame to see that some inconsiderate lowlife trashed Clear Creek like that. That person needs to step up, be a man and take responsibility for his actions. I hope they catch you and make you pay for what you mindlessly damaged. Maybe you'll have to eat all the fish that come out of the fishing pond when it is finished - if the fish live from the toxins from the tar paper and shake roofing.

Bob L. Logan Jr.

Carson City