Help local groups

First off, let me make it clear that I have absolutely nothing against Best Friends. I think what they do is amazing and if I didn't need to work for a living, I would probably go to Utah and volunteer seven days a week. I mean that with all sincerity.

The thing that irks me is how this town responded to them being here.

There are many rescue/spay/neuter/vaccination/adoption animal groups -- past and present -- that have been in Pahrump for years trying to help the animal problems. None of us have ever gotten front page coverage (unless it was something bad). None of us ever had a casino open its doors to us for adoptions and fund raising opportunities. None of us have ever had a famous car racing person, or anyone famous for that matter, come and raise awareness and money for our groups. None of us have ever gotten volunteers flocking to our doors to help when we ask for it. None of us get supplies, food, money, etc., donated to us on a regular basis.

Best Friends comes to town and in less than a month gets all of the above.

I have to believe that the publicity Best Friends generates is a bigger draw than the non-recognition one would receive working with a smaller, local group.

Before I get angry responses from the people who volunteered at FLOCK, I commend you for doing it. It takes a hardy soul to be out in this heat. It just get very frustrating trying to raise awareness and money to help people who can't otherwise afford to spay/neuter their pets or get them the vital vaccinations that they need, or a bag of food so they can feed their pet for a month. That might be why some people just give up.

Others who have nothing but the best interest of the animals at heart and pour their heart and soul and money into taking care of them are run out of town by red tape, complaining neighbors and plain old envy.

I've been here almost 12 years. Long enough to see the petty crap that has and still goes on. All I'm saying is, the next time you see a blurb in the paper from your local animal groups asking for help, answer it. We're not in it for the riches we make or the publicity we get. We're in it for the animals welfare and educating the people who own them. The exact same thing that Best Friends strives for (well, maybe with the exception of the publicity).

It's all about the animals, people. They can't speak for themselves and sometimes we can't speak loud enough for them.

TERI LOTTEN

S.N.A.P.S. Spay and neuter all pets and strays

What makes a hero

As a three-tour veteran of Vietnam, I must take objection to the photograph that ran on your front page of the Sept. 5 edition of the Times.

I realize that the photograph was of the board in Taco Bell and I feel for the family that lost their son and grandson.

It is probably true that the Army should not have sent the young man back to Iraq while he was under psychiatric care. And it is most likely true that the young man was too young to accept the responsibilities of being a soldier and should have been separated from the military as unfit for duty because of his youth and condition.

But my father was only 17 when he joined the Marines and fought in the Pacific during World War II, and I was only 19 when I went over to Vietnam the first time. Chronological age has little to do with maturity.

My objection has to do with the concept that this young man died a hero. A self-inflicted gunshot wound does not constitute a "Fallen Hero" as the photo indicates. There were no heroics involved.

Again, I feel the family's loss and will pray for them and their soldier, but cannot accept the fact that he died a hero.

STEVE JOHNSON

Don't believe it

I am not so naive that I believe the federal government will eliminate income taxes, but they certainly could simplify the process.

As it now stands, we save everything that justifies our deductions and then keep our returns for years in case we are audited. Many pay others to do their taxes and some have people on retainer to make sure they comply with the law -- a law that even the experts can't agree upon, yet we are expected to file correctly.

Congress created the tax code and the myriad of regulations that govern the code. Congress could easily simplify the system.

Over the years there have been various proposals made relating to such things as a graduated flat tax, percentages and sales. The government seems to have created the facade that it needs these taxes to operate. I disagree. Our money used to be backed by something of value like gold and silver. However, it is now backed by nothing. We have pure fiat money. If the government needs money it only needs to crank up the printing presses.

Of course, that would dilute the value of the dollar. Perhaps that's why a dollar today buys what five cents bought less than 100 years ago.

It's my opinion that we have been brainwashed into believing the government needs our money to operate.

Well, I don't believe it.

LEONARD J. COENEN