Letters

Net-surfing homeless own Las Vegas Library

The only thing worse than the smell at the Las Vegas Library is trying to get a reservation in the small, stinky room where the computers are ["Five Things That Absolutely, Positively Must Change Right Now in Las Vegas," Sept. 23]. Finally, after two weeks of trying, I was able to get a reservation. As I waited to use the computer with a disk drive so I could update my resume and find a job in my field and better my life, what did I see? That's right, smelly people looking at porn, gambling and signing up for swingers' clubs.

Give that library to them, hell! They have already taken it over.

--Lee C. Smith

Ten billion animals abused each year

The American media's preoccupation with our presidential candidates' Vietnam service and similar distractions has robbed our nation of the opportunity to debate and act upon more deserving national and global tragedies. These include genocide in the Sudan, global hunger and environmental crises, as well as homelessness, deteriorating public health and animal abuse in our own country.

Yes, animal abuse. While most Americans lovingly embrace cats and dogs, their food dollars pay for appalling abuse of other animals in factory farms and slaughterhouses. Each year, more than 10 billion cows, pigs, chickens and other sentient animals are caged, crowded, drugged, mutilated and manhandled in U.S. factory farms.

Conditions are so extreme that nearly 10 percent die before slaughter. Baby cows are chained by the neck in filthy wooden crates. Breeding sows are immobilized in metal gestation stalls. Laying hens are crammed into tiny wire mesh cages. At the slaughterhouse, the animals are frequently skinned, dismembered, scalded or drowned while still conscious.

World Farm Animals Day on Oct. 2 has been alerting American consumers to these atrocities since 1983. According to the organizers' website (www.wfad.org), 400 communities in 50 states and 20 other countries are arranging vigils, exhibits, information tables and marches to expose the devastating impacts of animal agriculture.

The date marks the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, who stated that "the greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." We should remember that on our next visit to the supermarket.

--Martin Batinez

Hollywood execs shouldn't greenlight Gatsby remake

Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing the article about the absurd supposed remake of The Great Gatsby ["Dear Young Hollywood," Tod Goldberg, Sept. 23].

From the moment I heard about it, I was not only baffled, but sickened! What a sad state of affairs Hollywood must be in that a notion so ridiculous even made it from an office at some film studio to the gossip columns in any paper at all.

Does the "Emperor's New Clothes" jar any brainiacs into speaking the truth? Hollywood is becoming sadder and sadder. Next thing you know we'll hear about a remake of The Philadelphia Story with Mary-Kate or Ashley in the Hepburn role, or worse, Kate Hudson!

Hollywood is full of (for lack of a better word) shitheads.

--S.M. McManus

Alternatives to Bush, Kerry make good reading

I am a regular reader of the Las Vegas Mercury. Thank you for Vince Keenan's coverage of Michael Badnarik, Libertarian candidate for president ["Remember Freedom?" Sept. 9]. I am always interested in reading about alternatives to the Republican and Democratic candidates.

--Lara Nelson

President Bush is either dishonest or incompetent

George Orwell was a prophet. His doublespeak in 1984 has become Bushspeak in 2004. Bush promised us fiscal responsibility and then gave us by far our biggest budget deficit ever, breaking the previous record, which was also set by him. He said he would increase the number of jobs, but he's the first president since Herbert Hoover during the Great Depression to have a net loss of jobs during his term.

He claimed he'd be the "environmental president," but the Sierra Club says he has "one of the worst environmental records of any president in the history of the U.S."

Bush bragged that he wanted Osama bin Laden "dead or alive"; but when he failed to catch him, he became Osama bin Forgotten. He told us he was sure Iraq had WMD--well, so far over 1,000 Americans have lost their lives for that one. "Support the troops," he said, while he tried to cut their combat pay. He touted his "No Child Left Behind" schools program, but underfunded it by billions.

Is Bush dishonest or just incompetent? America deserves better.

--Doug Long,

Rio Rancho, N.M.

U.S. should learn from British experience in Iraq

Now that we've officially had 1,000 American soldiers killed in Iraq, maybe we should consider what happened to the British in 1921. The situation was nearly identical to ours now, the British fighting the Iraqis.

The British were driven out in 1921. I understand their departure was similar to ours from Saigon, panicked retreat.

What's happening today is eerily similar. We're in armed enclaves surrounded by 25,000,000 Iraqis. The Iraqis can easily drive us out when they decide.

We must talk, we must stop the slaughter. Intelligent dialogue is the only solution. John Kerry is willing to talk and listen. Bush shoots first and talks later.

--Dan Lavielle,

Seattle, Wash.