MELLOW OUT, MCMURDO

Doug McMurdo's statement on page one of the November 8 issue of PV Times in
an article titled "Conservative country" just rubs me the wrong way. He
wrote:" and potheads were told unequivocally to look elsewhere for a place
to light up without fear of arrest." Roughly one-third of Nevada voters
voted for Question 9. I know one elderly couple who voted for it because
they have a terminally ill son, and he may need to use it for pain someday.
They have never smoked a joint in their life, nor are they gardeners and
can raise their own, which is exactly what the law requires them to do now.
Had Question 9 passed, you would be able to get it from a state run, taxed
and regulated source. I find referring in a news story to all that voted
for Question 9 as "potheads" insulting and very journalistically
unprofessional. That is like a reporter covering a wine tasting event and
referring to all that attended as drunks.

And why has Mr. McMurdo suddenly forgotten that page one of the paper is
for news reporting? If you want to editorialize, Mr. McMurdo, please
confine your comments to the editorial page. You handled the story of the
former Public Administrator that way, and did it well.

Then maybe McMurdo was just having a bad day. Maybe he was filling out a
resume so he could keep his job, working for the new owners of the PV
Times, the Review Journal. Here's a tip Doug: the RJ endorsed a yes vote on
Question 9. I would be real careful around them calling everyone in favor
of Question 9 a pothead. Good jobs right now are hard to come by.

Sincerely,

Johnny Walker