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In his own words
Guns for everyone!
Welcome to this week’s Reno News & Review. Congratulations to our news editor Dennis Myers going all viral with his news story about Ira Hansen. Myers basically went back and read all of Hansen’s columns in the Sparks Daily Tribune and published some of the Speaker-elect’s racist, homophobic, sexist and inflammatory comments. I was one of the many recipients of Hansen’s sorrynot-sorry apology. “I am deeply sorry that comments I have made in the past have offended many Nevadans. It is unfortunate that these comments, made almost 20 years ago as a newspaper columnist and talk radio host, have been taken out of context and are being portrayed as intentionally hurtful and disrespectful. These comments were meant to be purposely provocative in various political, cultural and religious views. I have the utmost respect for all people without regard to race, gender, religious or political beliefs.” Let me ask a question. When the context is, “These are some comments Ira Hansen made in years past,” how the hell was anything written “out of context”? And if those comments weren’t “intentionally hurtful and disrespectful,” just what were they? So, I’ll be honest. I thought it was a great story, a classic Dennis Myers story from start to finish, but I had no idea anyone outside of our community would care. I’ve known of Ira and his family for more than 20 years, and I just kind of thought of him as a part of the Nevada woodwork. I thought of him as crazy— in that detestable but familiar Mississippi of the West way—but principled. In other words, I thought he’d double down on his statements, not back away. His sorry-not-sorry chicken walk shows me that I didn’t really understand him at all. I wrote all that before he stepped down as Speakerdesignate. And now I’m going to double down: I don’t think he should step down as Speakerdesignate. He’s a duly elected representative and a duly nominated “designate.” He should serve in the capacity he’s asked to serve.
Re “I’ll be back pain” (Film, Jan. 24, 2013): Leave your PC politics out of this. I love seeing guns! Jack Batra Dickinson, North Dakota
he states that the Public Employer Retirement System, is on the brink of disaster. Where does Trainor get his information? The fact is that Nevada PERS is one of the best funded and managed retirement systems in America. PERS is over 70 percent funded and holds $31 billion in assets and the unfunded liability is being retired over the course of the next 23 years. I am sure that the Republicans who now control the Nevada senate and assembly are salivating at how to defund the pension system and get their hands on all that money. Just think of all the corperate welfare they could fund with it. Look at the disaster that Detroit and the Illinois and the Rhode Island retirement systems have become to see what would happen. There is an aggressive movement afoot in this country to aggressively attack state and municipal pensions. This war isn’t just about money. It’s also about blame. In state after state, politicians are using scare tactics and lavishly funded PR campaigns to cast teachers, firefighters and cops—not bankers or the Wall Street crowd (who brought you the great crash of 2008) as the budgetdevouring boogeymen responsible for the mounting fiscal problems of America’s states and cities. You only have to look at the recent biased articles by the RGJ regarding the PERS system and state employees to see that this process has already begun here. Let’s not let that happen to the PERS system in Nevada. It is not broken and needs no interference or fixing by politicians. Philip Hawkrigg Reno
And now a word from our sponsor Just a note to all disenchanted X listeners: Try a new FM station at 89.1. You might be pleasantly surprised. Pretty good mix of music and no commercials! Bob Blake Sparks
Sorry, not sorry. Re “Nevada went red. That sucks” (Left Foot Forward, Nov. 13): OMG, Mr. Editor! You have used trite and trivial teenaged slang to describe Ms. Leslie’s bitter account of the recent election. In doing so, you must realize the tragic and pathetic consequences to her. The seriously overused word suck(s), formerly used to describe a certain action reserved for various living organisms and vacuum cleaners, is routinely avoided by astute speechwriters and journalists as indicative of a seriously deficient vocabulary. Ms. Leslie has denied association with the slur and writes to me: “I don’t write the headlines, the editors do. I would never use that word in my writing.” You have placed the already not so sweet Little Sheila in the realm of stupid hillbillies and rural hicks, a voting group that she despises and Jonathon Gruber celebrates. So why don’t you do what politicians rarely do? Take responsibility and apologize. You’ll know her when you see her. Don Bachman Reno
Don’t expect rationality Re “Nevada went red. That rocks.” (Let Freedom Ring, Nov. 13): I’m generally an optimist, and I would be so happy if Brendan Trainor’s wish for the newly elected Republicans would come true. Brendan hoped that the Republicans would not “squander their new political capitol on abortion, flag burning, drug wars, or gay bashing.” Instead, he is hoping for economic liberties restored (good luck with that one), and really proving they
If it ain’t broke Re “Nevada went red. That rocks.” (Let Freedom Ring, Nov. 13): In regard to Brendan Trainor’s comments in his recent column,
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OPINION
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NEWS
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GREEN
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FEATURE STORY
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ARTS&CULTURE
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ART OF THE STATE
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FOODFINDS
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FILM
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MUSICBEAT
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Right around January, the ground fell out from under my feet and the change didn’t become familiar until his call. You are right where you belong because you are there for him. Other than that, I think the Earth is spinning faster! Montana Vincent Hayden, Idaho
can govern by accomplishing immigration reform, corporate tax reform, and reforms of Obamacare [for Nevada]. Does anyone really think the tea party will now slink away and allow rational Republicans any room to govern? No, my friend. Abortion, gay bashing, Obama bashing—all will sadly continue because the far-right continues to blindly follow an extreme ideology without ever fact checking for the truth. They will blindly believe Hannity (as an example) when he says, “Obama’s debt more than previous 43 presidents.” False! That lie has been circulating for a couple of years. Constantly repeating it does not suddenly make it true. You can hear something like this on Fox every single day and if you don’t bother to dig for the truth, you are simply repeating a lie at the water cooler. Sorry, Brendan. I sincerely hope you are right and Republicans wake up to the fact that they really can govern effectively for the American people if they pull back from the extremes and accomplish meaningful legislation with their president who, they may find, is willing to work with Congress if it benefits our citizens. JR Reynolds Reno
You ain’t seen nothing yet Re “On paper” (News, Nov. 20): This is a clear case of indecent exposure. You’ve exposed Hansen’s character to those of us who didn’t know much about him, and this collection of his viewpoints seems rather indecent. I shudder to think what commentary he might have been holding back in self-censorship, realizing that it would come off a bit extreme. Gary Marks Reno
Cops are the judges One thing has not been disputed about Ferguson. Brown and Dorian Johnson were walking in the middle of the street, a citable offense. Cop tells them to get on the sidewalk,. The two blow him off and then events took their course. It would be interesting—strike that—it would be appalling to learn how many people think that this initial contact was an instance of “racial profiling.” Att. Gen. Eric Holder would no doubt be among them. While not beyond dispute, evidence/leaks are suggesting rather strongly that Brown got highly confrontational with the cop. You do this, in my experience, you’re probably going to get hurt, and there’s a decent chance of getting shot. I know this from the 40 plus times I’ve been accosted by cops, including the time I had three Glocks trained on me. (Wow, what a grabber of a headline that would have made: Some Guy Shot And Killed By Cops.) My opinion on this whole Ferguson thing? Well, put it this way. You could file it under Boo Effing Hoo. Jim Toops Reno
Family matters Re “On paper” (News, Nov. 20): It bothers me that Hansen will carry on his narrow and restrictive views in a larger forum than a newspaper column and on radio. He will actually be in a position to affect my life ... now, that is terrifying. He is related to Janine Hansen Triggs, who fought so vigorously, and successfully, against the Equal Rights Amendment. Ann Henderson Las Vegas
Hope for homesick Re “Time passages” (Editor’s note, Nov. 20): I remember the selfish relief I felt when my boy phoned from California State University, Long Beach, homesick. Senior year was filled with events, awards, team celebrations.
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THIS WEEK
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Web site www.newsreview.com Printed by Paradise Post The RN&R is printed using recycled newsprint whenever available. Editorial Policies Opinions expressed in the RN&R are those of the authors and not of Chico Community Publishing, Inc. Contact the editor for permission to reprint articles, cartoons or other portions of the paper. The RN&R is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. All letters received become the property of the publisher. We reserve the right to print letters in condensed form.
Cover and feature story design: Hayley Doshay
NOVEMBER 26, 2014
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