Letters to the editor for Sunday, Nov. 3, 2013

Who funds governor’s overseas trade trips?

I was appalled when I read the Associated Press article about our governor’s travel under the guise of “trade missions.” In office for two years and on his fifth out-of-country trip? Yes, five! Count them: Korea, Mexico, Canada, Chine, and now Israel.

I would like to know the names and occupations of all the governor’s entourage and also the spouses who accompanied them. I would also like an accounting of who paid all the bills. And I would like a report for each trip defining the benefits to the state of Nevada. And I would like it published on the front page of the Sunday edition of the Nevada Appeal! What it looks like to me is five fantastic vacations (all paid for), during his first two years in office. If all our state employees received this benefit, no one would ever retire. Instead, they are forced to take unpaid furlough days, less benefits and no raises. Tell me, what is wrong with this picture?

Mary Bunch

Carson City

Face-to-face time is key to good parenting

I so appreciate Monte Fast’s article in the Oct. 26 issue of the Nevada Appeal regarding the importance of parenting. The tone of his article was not harsh and condemning, but offered a real solution to the violence and hopelessness of the times that we live in. I totally agree that the solution to our current state of affairs cannot come from the government. Those of us who have been blessed to have been brought up by solid parents who taught us the value of hard work and kindness toward others — or even those of us who did not have a good childhood, but have been able to receive the love of God and healing for our own lives — need to come alongside the generations behind us and give them the love and support they need to raise children who are secure in their parents’ love and their own value.

We are blessed here in Carson City to have many avenues where we can touch the lives of younger generations. We need to start with our own grown children who are trying to make it through with the impossible demands of work and family life. We can spend time with our own grandchildren. And beyond that, there are organizations that support the younger generations. We have church Sunday schools, Circles Initiative, Boys & Girls Club mentoring program, The Literacy Group. These are just a few of the ways that we can touch lives.

The parents of this community need help. It is not enough to send money to your favorite charity. People need hands-on, face-to-face interaction with those who have gone before them and have so much wise counsel and practical advice to give.

Barbara Caron

Carson City

If a case is canceled, let the jurors know

On behalf of the several people who were inconvenienced Oct. 28 and showed up to jury duty as instructed to find out the case was canceled, I wanted to say thank you for wasting our time! I know most of us followed the instructions provided and called the listed number to find a recorded message from Oct. 24; I myself called three times the night before and once the morning of.

As part of our obligation, Carson City citizens have to be available for this type of service. I am not opposed to this but feel an increased frustration that our time was not respected in this circumstance. I am sure if I did not show as instructed, the powers that be would have issued out the warrant and fined me $500 for contempt. What about the contempt shown for the people of Carson City who showed up to serve? Thanks again.

Michael Ferretti

Carson City

Government mucks up many things it touches

It’s interesting that people don’t want the government in their lives, yet they don’t take responsibility for themselves. Laws had to be passed for car insurance, seat belts, cell phones in use while driving, to name a few. Now we have the Obamacare issue. Is this law for people who don’t take responsibility for themselves and the large employers who don’t provide their employees with healthcare? Will Obamacare take care of the Medicare fraud that is depleting our Medicare system? Who is paying now for the people who don’t have health insurance? Taxpayers? What about Gov. Mitt Romney, who introduced Romneycare in his state which is working very well and is almost identical to Obamacare?

The government shutdown is because of the fuss over Obamacare. It seems to me that both issues need to be addressed, but not at the same time. Congress does this all the time, and I sight an issue that I am compassionate about. The 1971 Wild Free-roaming Horse and Burro Act protected them for over 30 years, until in late 2004 Sen. Conrad Burns slipped an amendment called the “Humanitarian” Amendment into the huge year-end federal appropriations bill which robbed thousands of horses of protection they had for over 30 years, and the Bureau of Land Management started selling them. I am not happy with the way our government does things. Are you?

Dixie Horsmon

Carson City

Christians’ beliefs differ from history on Columbus

In her recent column, Barbara Jones provided more proof devout Christians need to spend time studying history.

Jones states Christ led Columbus “here.” Unless she was writing from the Bahamas, she should know Columbus never set foot on the North American continent. Certainly Jesus didn’t lead Columbus to allow his crew to brutalize and spread disease amongst the native people.

She goes on to say Benjamin Franklin called for Congress to pray when they were in confusion. Many did, but it is speculation to claim the Constitution was born of prayer, and they may not all have been praying to the Christian God. Franklin, Jefferson and Madison would be more accurately described as deists. They believed in a higher power but were skeptical of any religion claiming a path to the only truth.

Jones goes on to display un-Christlike arrogance with the belief that prayer is exclusive to Christians, completely disregarding the freedom of religion the founders felt was crucial to avoid abuses by organized religion in Europe. Yes, Christians were tortured for their beliefs. However, organized Christianity shed rivers of blood to force Christianity on various populations. Ever hear of the Crusades, Inquisition or the Burning Times? How about colonization with its attempted genocide of native populations?

There is a reason religions are called belief systems. Followers of any religion believe their path to be the truth. Believe. None of us will know the truth until we leave our present incarnations ... and all of our truths may be correct.

Paula Richards

Stagecoach

Put parade on Admission Day

Now that our annual government employees’ three-day weekend is over, I have a wish. I would like to see genuine Admission Day parade on Oct. 31, 2014. It would be a fitting way to celebrate our 150th.

Diana Weaver

Carson City