Why should women get free birth control?

I would like someone to explain to me why it is the right of all women to be able to obtain free contraception.

Sexual intercourse has only two purposes. One is conception of a child, in which case contraception is contraindicated. The second is physical and mental pleasure, which is extremely important to the overall well-being of men and women. However, I do not understand why I, as a taxpayer and/or owner of a health insurance policy, should have to pay for someone else’s pleasure.

Pregnancy is not a disease, and contraception is not preventive medicine.

If a man and a woman decide to have intercourse, they should pay for the contraception necessary, or they should abstain. Oh dear, there I go using that terribly incorrect word, “abstain.”

If this letter is published, Planned Parenthood supporters will be at my doorstep with their knives out.

Incidentally, I am not a Catholic, and the motivation behind this letter has nothing to do with religious beliefs.

Walter F. Wegst

Las Vegas

No victim

To the editor:

Patrick Buchanan’s Sunday column, “A victim of a new blacklist,” was a pretty laughable example of a vocal partisan trying to masquerade as a victim of liberal politics.

Anyone who has occasionally read his column could hardly be shocked that he is accused of racism and homophobia. Mr. Buchanan has made a career of writing diatribes against liberal causes, testing the limits of tolerance, sometimes sounding ideas that might have drawn attention even in 1930s Germany. His assertion that his espoused Christianity somehow validates his extremist views and shields him from any hint of racism is pure nonsense.

Perhaps book sales of “Suicide of a Superpower” have been slow, or he is tired of appearing on MSNBC. In any event, after pushing the envelope of propriety to the edge, he has finally achieved some sort of status as an outcast — and I suspect he is reveling in his latest publicity stunt.

We have hardly heard the last of this right-wing demagogue, but will anybody notice?

Eric Stefik

Las Vegas

Money well spent?

To the editor:

We spend $42 million of taxpayer money to renovate a building, design and outfit a Mob Museum when we have schools that need roof repairs, air-conditioning and heating-system repairs and funding for early childhood education? We also have a higher education system that is asking students to spend more for tuition because of funding shortages.

When are our exalted leaders going to get their priorities straight and stop the self-aggrandizement — and, instead, spend tax money for the needs of the community?

Jerry Steffes

Las Vegas

Oscar and scum

To the editor:

I was a commander with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department during the years when Oscar Goodman represented mob figures. I sat in his office during that time, and he told me in no uncertain terms there was no such thing as organized crime. There may be individuals who commit crimes, but there was no Mafia or organized crime, he said.

Now he has spent $42 million in taxpayer money on the Mob Museum to glorify killers, thieves, dope pushers, extortionists and bookies — none of whom have any socially redeeming qualities or skills. These people are literally the scum of the earth.

Tony “The Ant” Spilotro killed many people. You had to kill someone to be a made member of the organization. They stole from the Culinary fund, the Teamsters fund and anyone else they wanted to.

It is a sad day in Las Vegas when we do not have anyone other than the scum of society to honor and to use to say, “Look at us.” This is the same as New York City building a shrine to Osama bin Laden for killing 3,000 people. They are all scum of the earth, and mobsters are not people we should honor for any reason.

Mr. Goodman called critics of the museum “monkeys.” I I am not a monkey any more than you are, Mr. Goodman, and I and others who don’t like your shrine to organized crime have a right to our opinion, just as you do. But you had no right to spend our taxpayer dollars for your shrine.

Kent Clifford

Las Vegas

Henderson pioneer

To the editor:

In response to the Review-Journal’s Saturday story about the retirement of Henderson’s police chief, Jutta Chambers:

It is being claimed that Ms. Chambers became the first female police officer in Henderson’s history when she joined the department in 1983. Let’s set the record straight.

As many of our old-timers may recall, in the mid-1950s Joy Frank became Henderson’s first policewoman. Henderson was incorporated in 1953, and George Crisler came from Minnesota to become its police chief. Ms. Frank was commissioned to take care of records and assume policewoman duties as the only female in the department. She retired in 1964.

I hope the record will be changed to reflect this fact.

Betty Wagner Daley

Henderson