Letters to the Editor, June 27

Return to friendly ways needed

Recently, we were driving through the beautiful northwest Montana countryside, near the Hungry Horse Dam. I saw a sign welcoming us to the town: “Welcome to the friendliest Dam town.”

Our thoughts turned to home — Boulder City, also a “dam town.” We remembered past years when we could have said “welcome to a friendly Dam town.” But alas, not so today. We see the divisive bitterness. The hatred. The bullying. The use of lies and half-truths. The vicious personal attacks, which sometime are obscene, especially those hiding within the place of nonaccountability — social media.

We remembered that one of our native sons of Nevada, who was an extremely successful politician, when confronted with using campaign strategies that were false and malicious, said, “It worked didn’t it.” This was his justification for lying and bitter vicious attacks. Is this now the way of our town?

There is a huge concern for historic preservation, and that can be a good thing. But what about the “historic preservation” of character, integrity and respectful differences of opinion? Certainly intelligent people can respectfully disagree without vicious personal attacks, bullying, obscene accusations and lies.

Yes, it is sad to see the disintegration of a standard of truth and decency become the norm for Boulder City.

What a pleasant relief it would be to hear people speak of the good they have done and not resort to the abandonment of truth and respect even though there are differences of opinion.

We resolved to do our part in making Boulder City (our town) a better place in which to live. We will work to preserve not only buildings and things, but to preserve honesty, integrity, respect and the old Boulder City way. Maybe then we will become a friendly “dam town.”

Ross Johnson

Quiet Fourth benefits pets

Some folks seem to have an almost animalistic urge to blow stuff up. What better excuse than in celebration of our nation’s birth?

But animals don’t blow things up, do they? In fact, they are terrorized by the pyrotechnic noise and flashes of light associated with these make-believe memorials of a war more than 200 years ago.

Pet owners do their best to mitigate the anxiety experienced by our gentle animal family members during the Fourth of July. (And lately, that seems to include several days before and after the honored day.) Some of us even resort to medicating the unfortunately sensitive dogs, cats, birds and more. (Please see your vet before administering Benadryl, CBD or any other chemical to your pets.)

So, an appeal to Independence Day celebrants: Please observe the law and don’t blow stuff up in our otherwise calm and quiet neighborhoods.

Our best friends will appreciate it. Thank you.

James Sheldon