Cult becomes a religion
As I drive around Northern California and Nevada, I notice Trump and American flags flying happily together. It kind of reminds me of a religion. I believe the Trump thing has gone beyond being a cult to being a religion. Trump never was religious, and his behavior indicates he eschews those beliefs advocated by any Christianity that I understand. Except, perhaps the prosperity gospel, which is the antithesis to the teachings of Christ.
Trump’s fanning the flames of insurrection and promoting an absolute lie regarding his loss of the election are an important belief of his congregants. Somehow, I think he is playing his followers as lambs being led to the slaughter. A less politically correct way of putting this is “playing them for suckers”. After being defeated in the election he plays these poor folks for money for his “re-election fund” his “defense fund” and then he tries to play the victim. This would be funny if it were not so tragic. How he pulled this off is what befuddles me. We know before 2016 he had cheated workers, his wife and other women, gone bankrupt several times, and paid a $25 million settlement for his fraud of Trump University.
And as the conservatives are pretending to be victims of poor people, the Democrats are passing laws to strengthen our Democracy and extract us from another Republican economic catastrophe (funny how these financial ruins always work out well for the wealthy, you’d think they planned them). One thing the Dems are doing is strengthening private pensions in the recent recovery plan. This will help working people… a lot! NO HELP at all from Republicans, not one Republican vote to help ordinary Americans. Why does anyone vote for Republicans? Oh gosh! I forgot to mention the insurrection and the Republicans ignoring the public health professionals which gave us 500,000+ American deaths.
Don McKechnie, Sparks
GOP can’t take a hint
The Nevada Republican leadership has been bonkers for the last decade, ever since they ran a Tea Party/Scientology fan against Sen. Harry Reid, who would have lost against a half-way decent candidate. The leadership, but not all the state’s party rank-and-file went full ga-ga MAGA over the past four years, but just when you’d think they would be slinking away in shame, they manage to top themselves yet again.
I’m talking about the state GOP leaders and hangers-on who showed up at the State Legislature this month with boxes of “proof” about a stolen election. It doesn’t matter that every court in the land has tossed out their nonsensical accusations of “thousands” dead voters (RN&R, “Zombies didn’t vote in Washoe County) and mysteriously-appearing ballots. They kept a straight face as they dropped off the boxes full of recycled tripe and demanded that Nevada’s Secretary of State investigate their claims.
An elephant is the wrong party symbol for these wackos. Instead, they need to commission an artist to sketch out their new logo: a group of drooling jesters beating a dead horse.
Ed C. Bowen, Carson City
Art and music festival comes back
Get ready to Chalk and Roll! The Reno Chalk Art & Music Festival is back and bigger than ever a year after being canceled due to COVID-19. This year’s fun-filled event will run from Friday, July 9 through Sunday, July 11 in the west parking lot of the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa. Over the course of three days, amateur and professional artists will transform pavement into spectacular masterpieces while they battle for prizes in categories such as Best Use of Color, Best Use of 3D and Best Reproduction of a Master’s Work.
Reno’s fastest growing art event will also feature local arts and craft vendors, a variety of food and drinks and live entertainment. This year’s musical lineup includes Jeremy Cornwell, Whesli, Eddie Cotton, Eric Anderson and Henry Undercover, JP Soars, David Gerald and Onoleigh Pommier.
As the Reno Chalk Art & Music Festival approaches, the Atlantis will continue to work closely with local and public health officials to ensure the latest mandates are being strictly followed.
Artists can register for the Reno Chalk Art & Music festival by visiting atlantiscasino.com/chalk. The deadline to apply is July 1st and there is no cost to participate in the event.
For questions or inquiries, please contact chalkart@atlantiscasino.com.
Joel Villanueva, Reno
Eliminate Indian mascots
The day of the Native American mascot is over. In 2020 & 2021, Blue Georgia has gone a long way towards proving “The New South” is for real. Step up again, Atlanta.
Make this the final season for the Atlanta “Braves”, and feel free to choose from any of the following ten new team names for Atlanta’s Major League Baseball franchise: Atlanta Raves; Atlanta Backwoods; Atlanta Knaves; Atlanta Anabolics; Atlanta Caves; Atlanta Barbarians; Atlanta Saves; Atlanta Barbarellas; Atlanta Super Daves; Atlanta Bandits.
Jerry Reed’s “East Bound and Down” can be the team’s theme song, and Kenny Powers can be the new team mascot.
Jake Pickering, Arcata, CA.