Letters to the Editor

Pahrump ready to celebrate our country’s birthday

Towns across rural Nevada are planning events to celebrate the Fourth of July. Pahrump will have a parade, followed by a Family Fun Day at the Calvada Eye, with free food and games; in the evening, Deutch Park will host fireworks from 9:00-9:30 p.m. All over the valley I am seeing flags and red, white and blue displays. Pahrump is all dressed up and ready to celebrate our big 250th birthday.

Some will get together with family and friends to go boating, have a picnic, or a backyard barbecue. Some may just want to sit back in their living rooms to view the patriotic events that are happening all over the country. PBS will be showing the special events from Williamsburg, Virginia, and the massive fireworks display from Washington, D.C. CBS is showing the New York City fireworks, which will be almost as large. CNN, C-Span and even the Disney Channel plan 24-hour coverage of all activities happening on the fourth. The whole world can see Americans united in harmony to enjoy this special day.

What makes us Americans? Our country was founded to guarantee the rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to individuals, not a king or a noble class. Not everyone counted at first, but over the past 250 years we have extended these rights to citizens of every race, sex, and religious group. America was a vast untamed continent where an individual born in a log cabin like Abraham Lincoln could end up as President.

When I think about the U.S I think about all the things America has given the world. In transportation, Americans invented the airplane, mass production of cars, and highways and transcontinental railroads to unite the country. Communications like the telegraph, the telephone, phonograph, camera, and computer transformed our lives. We created leisure time like weekends and the 40-hour work week and then entertainment like radio, television, motion pictures, computers and the internet to enjoy our leisure hours. Americans invented the ice cream cone, hot dogs and potato chips, candy bars and fast food. We gave the world blue jeans, the cowboy and much more.

So on July 4 take time to enjoy the holiday and thank God for our choices. Let us strive to be one nation under God with liberty and justice for all.

Betty Cotner

Reader points out a few facts in answer to PVT letter

In response to Arnold Breitenbach’s letter in the June 19 PVT, it’s important to point out facts that have not been addressed. Here’s just a few:

Our almost $40 trillion debt has been incurred by both parties, mostly to fund wars and our military complex. Sen. Dwight Eisenhower warned the U.S. decades ago that any country that spent over 50% of its annual budget on wars, that country will fail. The U.S. is now doing this!

The Republican Party has now decimated Planned Parenthood that uses 90% of their funding to prevent unwanted pregnancies and provide healthcare to uninsured women. The reality of today’s housing, food, child care and health insurance means both parents must work just to pay for the basics. In the U.S., about 1% of the people control 95% of the wealth.

Yes, socialism, to the young is attractive. The workers pay almost the same in taxes as socialist democratic countries do. For slightly more in taxes, the citizens have covered health insurance, child care, education and a livable retirement. Capitalism is no longer working for the masses.

Respectfully submitted,

Judith Beay