Letters

For your rights

Welcome to this week’s Reno News & Review.

Well, shit. Holy shit. Sweet merciful crap. I didn’t think this was possible. I didn’t think that enough U.S. citizens were gullible, ignorant and hateful enough to elect this shady con artist to the presidency. All year, I obsessively checked the polls and read the analysts. This fascist victory seemed impossibile. I told my friends, family and coworkers not to worry. Now, I’mthe sucker—a sucker who believed the numbers instead of recognizing the hate in Americans’ hearts. That’s the only explanation for why the numbers were so off. The surveys and exit polls had Clinton well ahead— but some people were either hiding the racism that allowed them to vote for a xenophobic bigot or concealing the sexism that prevented them from voting for the most qualified candidate.

Part of me that just wanted to write the word “fuck” over and over 400 times in this column. This election result had reduced me to a simpering, braindead ball of fetal anxiety, curled up under the covers with a pint of ice cream.

But screw that. Instead, I searched for a silver lining. The good news is that Nevada and Washoe County both voted for the more progressive presidential candidate. And we elected Catherine Cortez Masto to the U.S. Senate, and many qualified candidates to state and local offices. And Nevadans and Californians voted for recreational marijuana, which, as many of my stoner friends have pointed out, we might need to get through the next few years. Of course, with that demagogue in the White House, there’s a strong possibility of the rekindling of a totalitarian federal War on Drugs. And that’s just one of the many wars to come.

This fearmonger has already launched his wars on women, Muslims, Latinos, African Americans, Europeans, Jews, the LGBTIA+, the disabled, environmentalists, journalists, academics, artists and many others. And he won a major battle yesterday. But it’s time to dust ourselves off, revive punk rock, start serious investigations, write, rally, sing and protest. Time to fight. —Brad Bynum bradb@newsreview.com

HOA, HOA, HOA

Re “Western hospitality” (letters, Oct. 27):

This is in response to Gemini Devi’s letter regarding, in part, homeowner associations (HOAs).

First, welcome to your newly adopted state.

Second, I respectfully suggest that had you requested, or known to request, and read a copy of your HOA bylaws (your realtor could have provided you a copy), you may have understood any and all boundaries imposed by the HOA. It is my understanding that few, if any, HOAs allow anyone to “leave cart parts and engines laying around everywhere.”

Last, an HOA works (volunteers) to keep the residential community presentable to all.

I regret the discrimination Gemini Devi receives, but I believe that is a separate, albeit sad and unfortunate, issue likely not HOA-related.

Connie Smith Reno

Or the candidates weaker

Re “Take it home” (endorsements, Nov. 3):

I am an independent who has generally enjoyed your publication and was looking forward to checking out your political endorsements and then the endorsement issue came out.

How sad. You could have just said “Vote Democrat” as every single endorsement you made, where a political affiliation is listed, was Democrat. Guess the “Media Liberal Bias” is stronger than I had realized.

Glen Hudman Sun Valley

Editor’s note: In fact, there were plenty of Democrats we did not endorse, and we endorsed only in selected races. These were hardly indications of “liberal bias” since so many Nevada Democratic candidates are not particularly liberal. In addition, we opposed some ballot measures in violation of the prevailing liberal narrative. As for our failure to endorse Republicans, we can only work with the candidates Republican voters nominate. We have often endorsed Republicans in the past.

Black letters matter

I’d like to stress something to those readers who have never spent more than passing time in the south of America.

Down there is the country’s highest concentration of folks for whom black lives do not matter. Now that “the north” has made it illegal and downright uncomfortable for the South to do their own lynching, most of these folks are quite happy, or at least acquiescent, to have our officers in blue thin out the herd on their behalf. No muss, no fuss, no rope burns.

God’ll sort ’em out. Trust me, no tears have been shed over the killing of Eric, or Freddy or stupid little 12-year-olds with BB guns.

Until the asshole cop-murderer in Dallas assassinated our men in blue (and really, “blue lives matter”? What the fuck is a “blue life”?), the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement had focus and empathy nationwide.

After the Dallas tragedy, the world’s richest junkie on the radio, Rush Somebody pronounced the BLM people “terrorists.” And off goes Amurica. Now we’re supposed to hate those that hate the killing of unarmed citizens?

My point is that there are many millions of abject racists in this country. I doubt they are in a basket, but they are definitely closeted.

By sheer force of numbers, we need to out the bigots into the public opinion stockades and make racism as taboo as cannibalism.

Find a bigot, slap a bigot—unless they are armed, then laugh at them for being the absurd assholes they are.

Lazlo Sheen Gerlach

ERIK HOLLAND

Our Mission: To publish great newspapers that are successful and enduring. To create a quality work environment that encourages employees to grow professionally while respecting personal welfare. To have a positive impact on our communities and make them better places to live. Editor Brad Bynum News Editor Dennis Myers Special Projects Editor Jeri Chadwell-Singley Arts Editor Kris Vagner Calendar Editor Kelley Lang Contributors Amy Alkon, Matt Bieker, Bob Grimm, Anna Hart, Ashley Hennefer, Shelia Leslie, Eric Marks, Jose Olivares, Jessica Santina, Todd South, Luka Starmer, Brendan Trainor, Bruce Van Dyke, Allison Young Design Manager Lindsay Trop Art Directors Brian Breneman, Margaret Larkin Marketing/Publications Manager Serene Lusano Marketing/Publications Designer Sarah Hansel Production Coordinator Skyler Smith Designer Kyle Shine Senior Advertising Consultants Gina Odegard, Bev Savage Advertising Consultant Emily Litt Distribution Director Greg Erwin Distribution Manager/Operations Coordinator Kelly Miller Distribution Assistant and Driver Denise Cairns Distribution Drivers Alex Barskyy, Bob Christensen, Debbie Frenzi, Gary White, Jennifer Cronin, Jennifer Gangestad, Lori Ashley, Lori DeAndreis, Marty Lane, Marty Troye, Patrick L’Angelle, Tracy Breeden, Vicki Jewell President/CEO Jeff VonKaenel Director of Nuts & Bolts Deborah Redmond Project Coordinator Natasha VonKaenel Director of People & Culture David Stogner Director of Dollars & Sense Nicole Jackson Payroll/AP Wizard Miranda Dargitz Accounts Receivable Specialist Kortnee Angel Sweetdeals Coordinator Courtney DeShields Nuts & Bolts Ninja Christina Wukmir Developer John Bisignano, Jonathan Schultz System Support Specialist Kalin Jenkins N&R Publications Editor Michelle Carl N&R Publications Associate Editor Kate Gonzales N&R Publications Writer Anne Stokes

Cover Design: Margaret Larkin 405 Marsh Ave., Third Floor, Reno, NV 89509 Phone (775) 324-4440 Fax (775) 324-2515 Website www.newsreview.com Got a News Tip? Fax (775) 324-2515 Calendar Events www.newsreview.com/calendar Want to Advertise? Fax (775) 324-2515 or rnradinfo@newsreview.com Classified Fax (916) 498-7910 or classifieds@newsreview.com Job Opportunities jobs@newsreview.com Want to Subscribe to RN&R? renosubs@newsreview.com