Remembering the courage and dedication

To the editor:

A day does not go by that I don’t think of my oldest brother. Sgt. William Barnes of the U.S. Marine Corps was wounded on Guadalcanal in August 1942. He was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy.

He recovered from his wounds and was killed in action in Iwo Jima. I think of family, marriage, children and old age that he will never see.

We can never forget their strength, courage and dedication. Honoring them is the least we can do, now and forever.

ROBERT J. BARNES

HENDERSON

Double standard

To the editor:

Many people are complaining about possible teacher layoffs and worrying that the new best and brightest will be gone while the older teachers will stay because of seniority.

But I look at other professions – such as doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. – and conclude we all want the older, more experienced professionals. As the professional gains experience, he is perceived as being better because of that experience.

When the professional is a teacher, however, the opposite is believed. The younger the teacher, the better she is. The years of classroom experience are apparently meaningless for the older teacher.

Why is it assumed that a teacher with experience is automatically not as effective as a younger teacher?

RICHARD TELLIER

LAS VEGAS

Pay up

To the editor:

Your Wednesday editorial, "Punishing expats," basically says that someone who was born in another country – Brazil in this case – became an American citizen, moved to Singapore and makes his money from American businesses (holds a 4 percent stake in Facebook, becoming an overnight multibillionaire) should be entitled to renounce his citizenship so he can escape taxes.

When people fled Russia during the Bolshevik revolution or Nazi Germany and left everything behind, they did so in fear of their lives, not taxes. To compare fleeing a regime that will take your sons and daughters, or your very life, to fleeing the country that provided you with opportunity by renouncing your citizenship so you can retain more obscene wealth simply by evading taxes is wrong.

Yes, this is a free country. Leave it if you will. I have no problem with Eduardo Saverin leaving. In fact, I hope all of his kind leaves. Just leave your American-earned taxes behind.

When Emma Lazarus wrote her famous poem housed in the base of the Statue of Liberty, I’m sure it didn’t contain a line that says, "When you get what you need, feel free to leave. Renounce us now, you’ve gained your sheave. Leave behind this golden door, stay away, return no more. Leave behind freedom of trade, and leave a fair share of the wealth you made."

Perhaps it should.

I disagree with the editorial – after all, this is a free country.

ROY M. YORK

HENDERSON