Letter: President was disrespectful, not Sen. Reid

Monday, March 18, 2002 | 9:02 a.m.

This is in response to Douglas Bryant's March 4 letter in which he faults Sen. Harry Reid for having dared to speak up and "tell it as it is" regarding President Bush's approval of Yucca Mountain as the nation's nuclear waste dump. Bryant calls it a personal attack by the senator for having said that GWB lied and by calling him a liar.

The definition of a liar is "one who has told a lie or who lies." The definition of a lie is "a false statement or action made with the intent to deceive." Does this not accurately describe the entire scenario to a "T" Mr. Bryant?

You assert that Mr. Reid was disrespectful. The office of the presidency does (and should) command the due respect of all ... but where is it written that respect is "unequivocally guaranteed" to the person who occupies (in this case "appointed to") that office? Respect is a virtue to be earned and maintained and is a two-way street.

Where is the respect that GWB should have extended to the residents of Nevada by considering our justified concerns, fears and objections? We have been completely ignored in favor of his darlings in the energy industry. Are our lives, welfare and future well-being worth less than those who live in the other 49 states?

For you to infer, Mr. Bryant, that Nevadans will come across to the White House and the rest of the nation as name-calling, unpatriotic desert-renegades is as insulting as one can possibly get.

LAVERGNE UZARSKI