Letters

I appreciated Robert Pearson’s letter to the Optic of Jan. 13, which highlighted the legal quagmire at the Guantanamo Detention facility.

U.S. citizens should be very concerned that our country has acquired some of the undesirable characteristics of military dictatorships. Our constitution insists on innocence until proven guilty, speedy and fair trials according to established rules of due process, and respect for the human rights of everyone, including prisoners, even when proven guilty.

Remembering diversity

Regarding Work of Art, “That fourth floor,“ of Jan. 4:
There were no Mexicans on the fourth floor where I grew up. No buildings were that tall. There were indeed countless Mexicans in the fields and orchards, and I was right there with them. Chopping sugar beets, picking apples, tomatoes, peaches, pears, black berries, quinces, crab apples and etc. I dreaded working in the endless rows next to a Mexican lady. She would arrive at the noon time lunch truck long before me. And the boss noticed.

This Christmas holiday was the most memorable of all. First of all, I would like to say “thank you” to everyone who went out of their way to make a local family here in Las Vegas have a very Merry Christmas.

My husband had called me at home one evening to say that the Fire Department was passing out ham dinners to families in need and did I know of such a family. I looked on my phone list of children that we see in the clinic and called the first family I saw.

It seems to this writer that our council and mayor are always shooting from the hip without consideration for input from the people. A resolution was passed against the Air Force flights in three days because the mayor said there wasn’t any time for public input. That was a year ago and the Air Force hasn’t made its decision yet. Now it’s about water and asking for grants.