Letters to the Editor Nov. 14

Editor:

The flat out rejection of the Park Ranch proposal bothers me. I am a 38-year resident of the Valley and I have seen this happen before and the county was sorry it let the deal go down the road.

In the 1980s the county had the chance to deal with another large landowner to secure rights of way for freeways, rail routes and pave the way for future infrastructure needed in the Valley today. That land owner came to the county and offered a trade of sorts. It was denied, the ranch was split up and sold to different entities and the ease of getting those rights of way was gone.

We now have had another chance at getting the same thing from one large land owner and again the commission and staff were short sighted and could only think of the master plan. What about the future master plans that we will face? Wouldn't it be prudent to have secured some of the needed infrastructure now for the future?

Yes, I am a real estate agent, but I am also a long time resident of Douglas County and I plan to be here for quite a while longer. My father was a Douglas County planner and he always complained that the county never looked past their noses and needed real long-range planning to maintain the quality of life of Carson Valley.

He was and still is right.

I am not suggesting we make the Park's property worth more by handing out zoning. Rather, make a deal to acquire what this county will require for future traffic management, a light rail system, etc. The growth issue will be handled by free markets as we have been experiencing. We need to take advantage of situations when they arise in spite of current master plans. If we are going to be that strict then why even offer master plan amendments?

I hope that the Parks and the county can come to some agreement in the near future that will benefit us all and our future generations.

Lastly, the commission in the 1980s also denied the high tech business Carson City enjoys at the north end of their city. I hope this new commission doesn't repeat the mistakes of over 20 years ago.

Scott Smith

Minden

Editor:

Let's see how the criminal justice system works for the people. A person has a long history of criminal conduct. He has no desire to change his conduct. He is again caught and found guilty of crimes and his punishment is restitution in the amount of $26,600. Payable at $100 a month. To be adjusted upward in the future.

Hmm, if that is to be added to his back child support, which he has obviously not been paying and the fact that he owes money on an auto repossession. That makes him unable to pay his debt to society in the same timely manner in which the criminal justice system treated him.

At $100 a month it will take 22 years to repay. Long time for victim justice to be served isn't it? And that is if he doesn't resort to his already established pattern of living. I'm sure that his victims did not get 22 years to pay for the damage to their property. How safe do the victims feel now?

Oh yes, the criminal justice system could double the monthly payment and then it would only take 11 years. And all this justice for someone who does not show that he can be trusted.

W. Rogers Sr.

Minden

Editor:

One could hardly fail to be moved by seeing the outpouring of pride and excitement among African Americans on election night when one of their own was elected president of the United States for the first time.

How far that part of our population has come in the past 50 years toward being treated as equals in the schools, workplaces, and government settings of our country.

What an irony it is that Democrats narrowed the candidate fields in the primaries down to a choice of a black man or a woman. Either candidate would have been a solid choice, but only one could make it to the top job.

Another woman did make it to the "final four," and now it will not be surprising when one actually does occupy the oval office, probably in the not-so-distant future.

But another, sadder irony played itself out on Nov. 4 in our neighboring state. While African Americans were experiencing long-awaited and overdue empowerment, another large group of tax-paying American citizens was disenfranchised by the electorate.

A majority of voters in California voted to overturn a recent supreme court decision of their state and amend their state constitution to ban gay and lesbian couples from experiencing the personal joys and civil benefits of legal marriage.

Excuse us, but aren't state and federal constitutions supposed to grant and protect civil rights, rather than ban them?

It's any given church's right not to perform marriages for gay or lesbian couples under its roof if doing so is against its religious beliefs. But it is against democratic principles and constitutional rights for governments to disallow full and legal civil marriages between any two consenting, tax-paying adults. This is yet another example of why there needs to be clear and total separation of church and state in our country.

Perhaps one could say that gays and lesbians haven't yet "paid their dues" - they've only been publicly fighting for civil equality for about 40 years, whereas blacks and women have struggled far longer for the same thing. It's probably amazing that this kind of issue was even on the ballot in California and other states. After all, who would have imagined such a thing only 20 years ago? Progress is made one step at a time.

We will wait, albeit impatiently. Our day will come, just as it did for other groups who have struggled much longer. But it won't happen until senseless, hurtful discrimination is finally addressed head on by enough people who see it for what it is and act to end it. Many - both gay and straight - are trying, and that gives us hope.

None of us is truly free until all of us can be treated with equal respect under the laws of our land.

Dave McAllister and Dick Beamer

Minden

Editor:

Hey, can't we all just get along? The election is over, Obama will be our president, so can we please come together and support him now. I cannot believe my eyes as I read the after election nasty letters written to this paper whining about this. I'm a Democrat and I voted for Obama, but if John McCain had won, I would have supported him as the man this country wants, without question.

This country has some serious problems, we all know this, but let's give our new president the support he will need to get things on the right track. Name calling, like "he's a Marxist, a Nazi," are you kidding me? We're Americans, this is not the way we should be talking and it will certainly not be helpful to this nation.

Give this man a chance, support the idea that we need changes made, and put the "party line" away for a while. We are not blind sheep either, in this country remember, we are the government.

Kent Taylor

Gardnerville

Editor:

Among the major concerns of our Founding Fathers was assurance of religious freedom for the people. Having been subject to the Church of England they actually prohibited Congress from making a "law respecting an establishment of religion." It was clear to them, and should be clear to anyone cognizant of their motivation, that there was to be no "Church of America." What is totally ignored is the very next clause which prohibits the Congress from limiting the "free exercise" of religion.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. This clause is anathema to the "intolerant left wing" in our country. Consider how your right to express your religious beliefs have been abrogated by liberal laws and court decisions that are indefensible constitutionally. This has been achieved by the determined infiltration of our judicial hierarchy by liberal ideologues (Prime example: Justice Ginsburg, former ACLU lead counsel). Consider the 9th District Court of Appeals (San Francisco). Can you "out left" their decisions? It's unlikely, but some do. The ACLU and social progressives (liberals) have chosen to ignore or attack this clause because it it is rightfully viewed as threatening to their power and agenda. Their agenda would have you believe your rights are dependent on the government and not your Creator. Our Founding Fathers, wise and couragious men, were careful to identify the Creator as our benefactor while enumerating the powers of the central government and ceding the remainder powers to the states (most of them unequivocally sectarian). Please note that the divergent religious rights were well known, honored and protected. (Unfortunately the God- given civil rights of all people at the time were prohibitive to our union (please review the history), but they were anticipated by our founders and provided for in the Constituion. Thank God. No other country has aspired to or accomplished this goal, ever).

The usual argument for deluding the public is predicated on the "doctrine of separation of church and state." This verbiage is not to be found in the Constitution. It is a malignant misinterpretation of President Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptists reassuring them of their freedom to practice their religion. Jefferson has been deliberately and wrongly accused of being hostile toward religion. He sanctioned religious ceremonies in public buildings including the capitol and attended services therein. He also recommended the Congress provide $100 from the federal treasury for the support of a Catholic priest ministering to an Indian tribe. His understanding of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution is definitive. Please review our Declaration of Independence and Constitutuion and you will rejoice in your heritage of freedom.

As is always the case you must defend your rights.

Dick Witzig

Gardnerville

Editor:

Taking fourth place among an amazing field of 160 teams registered for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure that took place on the UNR campus this year, gives me so much pride in our Valley Girls team. This couldn't have been accomplished without a team of 29 dedicated individuals comprised of breast cancer survivors, families, friends and employees of Carson Valley Medical Center.

Additionally, support from the Carson Valley Medical Center booster club; they held a very successful silent auction to benefit our team, also the businesses and individuals that donated items. Our community that came out to our rummage sale, CVMC, for allowing us to have it there and the local soccer team families that purchased snacks to support us. Angie at WalMart on Topsy Lane that assisted in getting us a corporate grant and last but not least our family and friends personal donations.

We can truly say we have personally helped provide assistance to local breast cancer survivors; 75 percent of race proceeds go to the Northern Nevada Komen affiliate to provide grant funds to local non-profits and 25 percent goes to Komen national for research. Carson Valley Medical Center is a recipient of grant funds to provide mammograms to underserved, uninsured and underinsured patients and another grant goes to the breast cancer resource center.

Thank you Valley Girls.

Susan Sanford

Team Captain

Minden

Editor:

I want to take this opportunity to thank the entire Douglas County community for your overwhelming support of our school bond. I sensed that when I moved here and accepted this position that this community was indeed very supportive of education. This is my third year and I must say that you have proven that to be true over and over again.

The KIDS committee, under the leadership of Cheryl Blomstrom, has been a joy to work with, and truly represents a cross-section of this community. They are committed to working closely with the district and the school board and will provide input as an oversight committee is developed and put in place. I assure you that our books are always open and our actions are transparent. We welcome public input and fully understand that we are accountable to the taxpayers.

Your school board was designated last year as the School Board of the Year by the Nevada Association of School Boards. That award was well deserved. They have worked untiringly in support of this bond. I cannot tell you how proud I am to serve as your superintendent. Thank You.

Carol Lark

Douglas County School Superintendent

Minden

Editor:

I would like to thank everyone for supporting the fundraiser for the families of the three firefighters that passed on. They had been fighting the fire at Burnside Lake. They had great success getting the fire under control. The firefighters had taken the plane to Sparks airport to refuel.

Then they were called to a different fire and the plane crashed after take off. Here in Markleeville and Woodfords located in Alpine County, we received donations then sold raffle tickets, received cash donations from many locals and local businesses. Alpine County has the smallest population in California, but we raised over $3,300.

This money was mailed to the three families of the firefighters. I am very excited to send this money before the holidays. Thank you again everyone for participating. If you have any questions you may send an e-mail to Hope Valley Outdoors. The e-mail address is joyce@hopevalleyoutdoors.com.

Joyce Coker

Hope Valley