Letters to the editor of the Pahrump Valley Times

A heartfelt thank you to the Highway Patrol

On Friday, Oct. 6th, my father Gary Bennett went on a ride-along with officer McElroy with the Nevada Highway Patrol. Officer McElroy was nice enough to take the time to meet up with my mother and 3-year-old daughter so she could see his patrol vehicle up close.

For her, this was a very exciting experience because she is very aware of first responders and the roles they play in our community by keeping us safe. I think in this day and age it’s important to bring these small events to light as law enforcement is constantly painted negatively in the media and so many people have an innate fear of law enforcement these days.

She got the opportunity to sit in his patrol vehicle, see the lights up close and even wear his Smokey hat! Officer McElroy gave her a bracelet and some Buckle Up Cadet badges as well. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the NHP and Officer McElroy for making my daughter’s day!

Laura Tynan

Pahrump Museum definitely worth the trip

To the Pahrump community:

My sisters and I visited the Pahrump Museum on Basin Avenue last Sunday. What a very special place this is.

Showcasing early Pahrump, old buildings have been fully restored: a frontier cabin, schoolhouse, store, and much more. Inside the museum is an array of glass cases with early articles of the last 50 or so years. We were fascinated. The entrance to the museum contains desert plants and trees and is beautifully done.

Our museum guide shared that the volunteers are working on a railroad exhibit soon to open.

This museum is close by and I plan to visit again. Go by and check it out.

Betty Cotner

A president takes an oath to serve his people

I am ex-military. I took an oath as do the police and the president to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States.

It’s not about my opinions or anyone else’s opinions, it’s about your rights. You might not like it when someone kneels during the national anthem but no matter what you think, it doesn’t matter, they have broken no laws.

What right does the president have to pick on people he took an oath to defend as long as they were breaking no laws? Where do we draw the line? I know he is a very important man doing a job that’s not easy but part of that job is to protect our rights as Americans. You asked for the job and got it. We want a president for “we the people”, not a dictator who wants to fire people that don’t work for him or tell others to fire them because they disagree with him.

Mr. President, I pray for you because you are my president. I love you because God loves you and I serve Him that says do my anointed no harm.

Please remember for the people, by the people, united we stand.

Edward Foxx

We should all be careful with political labels

Some of us should be more careful with labels like ‘liberals”. I am a retired business person who happens to have a considerable net worth and a comfortable living. I get no income from government and pay a substantial amount in taxes every year.

In my previous writing I was upset over the Republicans who had attempted to strip away health coverage for the poor people so that the super-rich could pay less in taxes. I think some interpreted me as saying that the government should supply everything else to the poor. I believe every person should pay for health care when he can afford it, but there should also be a stop-gap for those who cannot afford it. I don’t remember discussing hunger or feeding the homeless.

For the individual who questioned me about donating to the hungry, let me assure him that I donate substantially to a local charity whose main purpose is to feed the hungry. Hunger should be taken care of on a local level. No centralized government, in my opinion can access the needs of the hungry people as well as our individual localities.

Again, it is unintellectual to use labels toward a person of any given party designation. In many cases, party membership only means that we like one party more than the opposite one. It doesn’t necessarily mean we like everything the party advocates. If a label has to be used, I would describe myself as a conservative Democrat. And it is not just the Democrats who waste tax dollars. That is the reason I have stressed that we (all political parties) need to recognize what is wasteful, unfair, and negligent, and then cross party lines and bring about reform. Neither party is all good or bad. Battling among ourselves serves the interests of politicians more than it does us.

Jim Ferrell