Mr. Justice wrote on August 10, 2007 04:39 PM: Brian,
A reasonable definition of satire is "a literary manner which blends a critical attitude with humor and wit to the end that human institutions or humanity may be improved." Sharon's letter had neither wit nor humor. Nor common sense for that matter. I believe Sharon was sincere, not sarcastic.

Nothing in Sharon's letter was funny. It was rather sad, as Sharon's fuzzy illogic is emblematic of teachers in general, who, it has been said, along with journalists, consistently receive the lowest grades in school.

Those who can do, those who can't teach.

Bill Schoen wrote on August 10, 2007 02:30 PM: Sharon,

You're a prime example why I'll be sending my daughter to a private school. Why teach our children how to be successful in school if there's no reason for them to BE successful in life? You'd have them making 15 bucks an hour for doing some brain-dead job that even if they did manage to screw up due to their own poor choices in life, they can just blame someone else, get a government bailout and then check into rehab with Lindsay or Paris to make them all better.

Plus, what would the incentive be for taking an idea like the telephone, automobile or airplane and running with it? Do you think people push their businesses to greatness or invent things SOLELY for the greater good of humanity? Do you think that the computer you use everyday would have ever been invented if Bill Gates knew he could only keep 250 grand of the profit for starting Microsoft?

We're a superpower because we are DREAMERS and DOERS, not because the government sees fit to give us just enough of an allowance to keep us fat, dumb and happy. People like you are trying to change that, though through your campaign of teaching personal IRRESPONSIBILITY.

By the way, I'm sorry for calling you a socialist. I meant to call you a communist.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot wrote on August 10, 2007 02:25 PM: The only person I hear whining that Las Vegas isn't a world-class city is our gin-swilling mayor when he's in his "we need a pro team" mode. Las Vegas is a tourist town, pure and simple. As for world-class, very few cities in the world have the name recognition that Las Vegas has. We don't need zoos, aquariums or museums. We have gambling and shows. Besides, what good will all the above be when the water situation worsens to critical and strict rationing is imposed? Sucking the rural counties dry for a few more years of unrestricted growth will do NOTHING but increase the effect of the draconian water restrictions that will be needed.

jk wrote on August 10, 2007 01:20 PM: Sharon your views do a very good job of summing up what is wrong with the public education system, which is people such as yourself are hired to teach. If you are so enamored with communism why don't you head over to China or Cuba to teach, or better yet your 'hood in the land of fruits and nuts to our west.

As for your second point, there is a much easier solution, it is called target practice, Mr .45 would be more than happy to relieve these idiots in jail of all their problems.

Have you ever thought about why/how the poor got poor in the first place ? The reason is they are lazy, uneducated, make bad decisions, and have no motivation other than asking for a government hand-out.

DJ wrote on August 10, 2007 12:30 PM: The difference between Christianity and Communism is that theoretically the benevolent changes for societal's ultimate good are brought about by two opposing perspectives.

While true Christianity believes that when the inner man sincerely changes, he will, in turn, change his own behaviors and by so-doing, ultimately change his society to reflect his altruistic views, Communism is the forced imposition of a "more compassionate" system on all humankind.

Theoretically, genuine Christianity should involve voluntary compassion emanating from the inside out, while Communism works from the outside in, forcing "compassionate" behaviors on the individual and society without changing the underlying deficits of character that fueled the majority of cruelly unfair inequities in the first place.

It must also be remembered that genuine freedom allows for the freedom to fail along with the freedom to succeed, the freedom to be selfish and the freedom to be generous, the freedom to be a productive citizen and the freedom to be a predator. However, real consequences always follow those choices. As long as that principle holds true, there will always be vast differences between the members of a free society.

JL wrote on August 10, 2007 12:03 PM: I have to totally agree with Cody's letter. This isn't really a city. A city supports the arts. This city supports nothing that doesn't attract the tourists who visit simply to gamble. We can't even have a full-length Broadway show here because of the casino's mindset that 90 minutes is the longest they will allow the show to run. Back to the casino, kiddies.

Oh, and David before you get your blue-collar up, I do support the arts community by volunteering in it. I do visit Red Rock (that's not really part of the arts, you know that, right? Riiight.) I have gone to community theater--what little there is of it. But we will never be a world class city and that's due to the mindset of the population and its elected officials. I will not leave because you tell me to. That's just a silly, illogical statement.

Brian wrote on August 10, 2007 11:12 AM: To MIke, Mr. Justice, Patte, etc.:

You guys need more education. You don't understand what SATIRE is, do you? I suggest you all go back to school and pay attention this time.

Emily wrote on August 10, 2007 11:10 AM: Sharon Stephens in '08!

Jen wrote on August 10, 2007 11:08 AM: Sharon, May I be your running mate?

Mike wrote on August 10, 2007 10:33 AM: Regarding Ms. Stephens letter with the most twisted logic I have ever read, the school district should require that all teachers have to take basic economics and early American history to become a licensed teacher. This person has no business teaching youngsters as there is simply no way that she could possibly motivate them, nor teach them personal responsibility. I can't even count how many things are wrong with her logic. I want her out and will file a complaint against her with the school district. I hope others will follow that example. We need teachers who motivate and not those who want to perpetuate a victim mentality into our children. Hey, Sharon, since you want to "outlaw greed", how about outlawing "jealousy", "laziness", "thinking","speaking", etc. But then, what would be your punishment for violating the law?....oh, yeah, rehab! Truly, the dumbest letter I've ever seen.

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