Letters to the editor March 8

Legalized controlled prostitution is OK

Sen. Harry Reid and Las Vegas hotel-casino mogul Steve Wynn have at least one thing in common: They are both hypocrites. Both know that illegal prostitution flourishes in Las Vegas hotel-casinos, and dozens of massage parlors, but they only want to kill legal prostitution.

Sen. Reid's calling for our Legislature to outlaw legal prostitution jogs my memory back to 1987, my third term as your District 37 assemblyman. I received a letter from Steve Wynn requesting, almost demanding, that I sponsor a bill to abolish legal prostitution in Nevada. I am not aware of any of my colleagues receiving that same letter.

I responded that when he could prove that he and his Las Vegas hotel-casino colleagues had eliminated their own stables of call girls operating inside their hotels, I would sponsor legislation doing away with prostitution in the rest of the state. Prostitution has never been legal in Las Vegas, Reno or Carson City.

But Reid has a point when he says that legalized prostitution sends the wrong message to companies considering locating here. When I served on the original Committee for Economic Development, I worked with two companies that were on the brink of relocating here, but when the wives of the presidents found out about our legalized brothels, they killed the move.

They, too, were hypocrites. Prostitution is OK if it's kept under cover as it is in every major city, but legalize it so it can be controlled, and most people just can't handle it.

BOB Thomas

Carson City

Harry needs to focus on bigger issues

Harry Reid, are you kidding me? Legalized brothels are a deterrent to new business in Nevada? Why? Because they conjure up visions of an unspeakable word - sex? Let's grow up.

Why are you not addressing the actual problems that families face; exposure to drugs, gangs, bullying, unemployment and a sub-standard education? I am tired of hearing puritans crying about the brothels in Nevada. It is part of our history and quite frankly, part of the charm. There are 49 other states that do not legalize brothels, why don't you lead the exodus out of Nevada?

The brothels are legal, strictly regulated, contribute a lot of money to the counties - unless $500,000 is pocket change to you - and employ 1,500 people. The brothels are in the business of pleasure and contributing to the pursuit of happiness to those who frequent them. Aren't we all guaranteed life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?"

Your speech exemplifies exactly why we need term limits for all politicians. You don't gain knowledge the longer you are in office, you just get arrogant. You don't live in the real world and you each have your own agendas, which are not with our best interest at heart, but yours.

It's time you read the Nevada Appeal. The poll - whether Nevada should outlaw legal prostitution - results show that 90 percent say no. Got that? You are bucking 90 percent of your constituents. Talk about arrogance.

Sandy Madeiros

Stagecoach

Site is mind-boggling to reader

America's truth slapped me in the face today as I was waiting at my local grocery store's checkout to pay for the few items I'd gathered up for dinner.

I was quietly waiting in line, reading the vast collections of magazine covers to pass my time. I was hoping the nicely dressed couple ahead of me having their two carts of groceries scanned would go quicker.

With their last item being scanned, I figured it would be moments now and I could finish up and venture back out to the frozen tundra of Carson City.

But as things go, once again everything would slow down. Why, you ask? Are they writing a check? Not enough cash to pay for their haul? Nope, they were having problems using their Nevada-issued food stamps debit card because of their lack of understanding the debit machine's prompts written in English. Finally, they figured it had another feature they could understand and finished.

After I finished paying, It happened that I was behind them while leaving the store. While walking, they were approached in the parking lot by a homeless person wearing a U.S. Navy vets cap, looking like someone from the "Grapes of Wrath." He politely asked for some change for food. They answered "no English," and walked away.

While talking to this homeless vet about his service to our country and giving him 5 bucks, I noticed the couple loading their bounty into their new Escalade.

Could someone please help me understand?

Donald Jackson

Carson City