Letters

Patriots

Welcome to this week’s Reno News & Review.

I’ve probably mentioned this in the paper before, but I made the deliberate choice a few years ago to start following sports more closely because I wanted to improve my metaphors. Of course, that’s a bit like going fishing because you want to get better at swimming. (Shit. Sorry. Still haven’t improved much.) But it was serendipitous timing because it was 2010, and a great time for a fair weather S.F. Giants fan to jump on the bandwagon. (They won the World Series that year and twice since then.) Now, seven years later, it’s become a bit of an obsession.

Hearing that Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote to confirm Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education felt exactly the same as the Patriots winning the Super Bowl with an overtime touchdown that didn’t really even look like it broke the plane of the endzone. Except that Pats star Tom Brady is just a pretty boy who’s fun to root against, and DeVos is an oligarch who wants taxpayers to help rich people pay to send their kids to religious schools.

She also thinks some school officials should carry guns in case of “potential grizzlies,” which is hilarious, and I had to double-check to make sure I wasn’t reading The Onion or Andy Borowitz or something when I first read about that, but it’s not really nearly as troubling as the fact that she’s a “school choice” advocate, and another unqualified billionaire appointed to lead a department she wants to dismantle.

Back to the Super Bowl: I was only half-heatedly rooting for the Falcons. And honestly, it was a pretty impressive comeback victory. And I’m happy for my cousins who grew up in Boston and other New England fans.

It feels nice to write about sports. It’s so inconsequential in the grand scheme that it soothes the soul to bury the head in the sand and think about sports or video games or, hell, even music. But we can’t forget about the things that really matter—like the fact that, despite appeals from his constituents, Nevada Sen. Dean Heller voted to confirm DeVos. Remember that when you see his name on the ballot next year. —Brad Bynum bradb@newsreview.com

Biases and blind spots

Interesting comment by U.S. Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, from his book on assisted suicide: “This is not to say that all persons would always make a similar choice, but the fact that some people have made such a choice is some evidence that life itself is a basic good.”

He could as well have chosen the complementary set of people who did not make such a choice and said: “This is not to say that all persons would always make a similar choice, but the fact that some people have made such a choice is some evidence that life itself is not a basic good.” One is just as logically valid as the other, and either is simply evidence that some people feel one way, some the other, not evidence of some fundamental principle—which demonstrates that no matter how educated and intelligent, we are all subject to biases and blind spots, and are quite facile at subconciously self-justifying to frame things to conform to our worldview. We all do so regularly while priding ourselves on being rational, logical beings, certain we do not do so.

Some of us are fairly good at recognizing this in other people. Far fewer of us are successful in recognizing it in ourselves.

Tom Wicker Reno

Inclusion and tolerance

With all of the rhetoric and policy coming from our White House at this time it is important for us to remember where we came from. We are a nation of immigrants founded on the principle of religious tolerance.

Our president has turned his back on this aspect of our heritage. Amidst the very public and international outcry against President Trump’s recent immigration ban our country has shown remarkable solidarity. The last count I saw showed 85 airport protests in more than 40 states.

I, for one, think that it is time for our country with all of our varied backgrounds and affiliations to come together to reject President Trump’s dangerous and divisive policies.

Ryan Budman Reno

Forcefully feeble

Re “The Twitler watch” (Notes from a Neon Babylon, Feb. 2):

Thanks to Bruce Van Dyke for once again proving that Spencer W. Kimball was right when he said, “Profanity is the effort of a feeble brain to express itself forcefully.”

Keith Wood Elko

Damage at an early age

Betsy DeVos, President Trump’s candidate to manage our schools, advocates for local control/management with elimination of many protections that federal oversight provides.

Consider Kansas where, because of the decisions of their Republican governor and legislature, they can’t afford to keep their schools open, let alone adequately provisioned and staffed. Consider also that gutting federal oversight and putting significant decision-making at the local level means that school districts can teach whatever the local population wants. How long has the universe been around? Now, consider the child that has to move to another state where the fundamental foundations of knowledge are not what they were in his or her prior education.

We’ve been down this path before, and the reason that we put those regulations in place was to fix real problems. And always keep in mind that when the damage happens at such an early age, the consequences are long-lasting and typically become widespread. Call Dean Heller. Call the President. Put a bumper sticker on your car. Make sure that the deciders know that you, as an American citizen, disagree. Michel Rottmann Virginia City

Correction

Re “Spirit in the sky” (cover story, Jan. 26):

The photo of Spirit Cave should have been credited to Vivian Olds. We regret the oversight.

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, Josie Luciano, Eric Marks, Jessica Santina, Todd South, Marc Tiar, Brendan Trainor, Bruce Van Dyke, Allison Young Design Manager Lindsay Trop Creative Director Serene Lusano Art Directors Brian Breneman, Margaret Larkin Marketing/Publications Designer Sarah Hansel Production Coordinator Skyler Smith Designer Kyle Shine Sales Manager Emily Litt RN&R Rainmaker Gina Odegard Advertising Consultants Brit Johnson, Myranda Keeley Distribution Director Greg Erwin Distribution Manager/Operations Coordinator Kelly Miller Distribution Assistant and Driver Jennifer Cronin Distribution Drivers Alex Barskyy, Bob Christensen, Debbie Frenzi, Gary White, 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 Executive Coordinator Carlyn Asuncion Project Coordinator Natasha VonKaenel Director of People & Culture David Stogner Director of Dollars & Sense Nicole Jackson Payroll/AP Wizard Miranda Dargitz Sweetdeals Coordinator Courtney DeShields 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: Brian Breneman Cover Photo: Kris Vagner 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

Editorial Policies: Opinions expressed in rn&r are those of the authors and not of Chico Community Publishing, Inc. Contact the editor for permissions to reprint articles, cartoons, or other portions of the paper. rn&r is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or review materials. Email letters to rnrletters@ newsreview.com. all letters received become the property of the publisher. We reserve the right to print letters in condensed form and to edit them for libel.

Advertising Policies: all advertising is subject to the newspaper’s Standards of acceptance. The advertiser and not the newspaper assumes the responsibility for the truthful content of their advertising message.

rn&r is printed at Sierra nevada media on recycled newsprint. Circulation of rn&r is verified by the Circulation Verification Council. rn&r is a member of CnPa, aan and aWn.