Stop the childish bullying
This newspaper traces its roots to before Las Vegas was Las Vegas.
We've seen cattle ranches give way to railroads. We chronicled the construction of Hoover Dam. We reported on the first day of legalized gambling. The first hospital. The first school. The first church. We survived the mob, Howard Hughes, the Great Depression, several recessions, two world wars, dozens of news competitors and any number of two-bit politicians who couldn't stand scrutiny, much less criticism.
We're still here doing what we do for the people of Las Vegas and Nevada. So, let me assure you, if we weathered all of that, we can damn sure outlast the bully threats of Sen. Harry Reid.
On Wednesday, before he addressed a Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Reid joined the chamber's board members for a meet-'n'-greet and a photo. One of the last in line was the Review-Journal's director of advertising, Bob Brown, a hard-working Nevadan who toils every day on behalf of advertisers. He has nothing to do with news coverage or the opinion pages of the Review-Journal.
Yet, as Bob shook hands with our senior U.S. senator in what should have been nothing but a gracious business setting, Reid said: "I hope you go out of business."
Later, in his public speech, Reid said he wanted to let everyone know that he wants the Review-Journal to continue selling advertising because the Las Vegas Sun is delivered inside the Review-Journal.
Such behavior cannot go unchallenged.
You could call Reid's remark ugly and be right. It certainly was boorish. Asinine? That goes without saying.
But to fully capture the magnitude of Reid's remark (and to stop him from doing the same thing to others) it must be called what it was -- a full-on threat perpetrated by a bully who has forgotten that he was elected to office to protect Nevadans, not sound like he's shaking them down.
No citizen should expect this kind of behavior from a U.S. senator. It is certainly not becoming of a man who is the majority leader in the U.S. Senate. And it absolutely is not what anyone would expect from a man who now asks Nevadans to send him back to the Senate for a fifth term.
If he thinks he can push the state's largest newspaper around by exacting some kind of economic punishment in retaliation for not seeing eye to eye with him on matters of politics, I can only imagine how he pressures businesses and individuals who don't have the wherewithal of the Review-Journal.
For the sake of all who live and work in Nevada, we can't let this bully behavior pass without calling out Sen. Reid. If he'll try it with the Review-Journal, you can bet that he's tried it with others. So today, we serve notice on Sen. Reid that this creepy tactic will not be tolerated.
We won't allow you to bully us. And if you try it with anyone else, count on going through us first.
That's a promise, not a threat.
And it's a promise to our readers, not to you, Sen. Reid.
Sherman Frederick (sfrederick@
Over 3,000 people replied to Sherm's "opinion". How is that for ratings? What is really crazy? They will probably succeed in voting Harry Reid out-only to vanish into nothingness-once again. Honestly, just put Yucca Mountain back on track. Nevada can't get any worse.
Senator Reid had every right to punch Bob Brown in the gut and then drive his knee into Mr. Brown's nose as he doubled over. Unfortunately, Senator Reid is far too gracious to do what was deserved. I too hope your rag goes out of business. Who cares what your paper has reported in the past or how long the paper has been around. Wow, I am in awe--your paper actually reported the first day of gambling in Nevada. Amazing!. Recounting your paper's long history reminds me of a senile grandfather retelling the same story over and over to grandchildren who could hardly care less. Fortunately, your paper will indeed go out of business--probably sooner than you expect. Even the best papers will continue to struggle in the internet era. A second class paper run by thin-skinned tools like you have no chance at all. So, Mr. Frederick, take your feigned shock and choke on it. No one cares about your opinion, your paper or your indignation. I am sure Bob Brown does indeed toil everyday because he has the unfortunate job of pitching something no one wants to buy. But, if Mr. Brown insists on making his living selling rubbish, he should not be surprised if someone rubs it in his face from time to time. So, not only do I support Mr. Reid's wish to see your paper fail--on a personal note--I hope that your remaining days are spent coming to the gradual realization that you life was spent on something that hardly mattered. The war is over. You and your ilk lost. Good day Mr. Frederick.
Do we as a people not see that the liberal agenda and its minions are rapidly taking our rights, our freedoms, our heritage, our history away and replacing it with asinine nonsense. Reid is among many who are telling us to our faces how stupid we are and how stupid we will be for: electing these liberals and then supporting them by NOT throwing them out of office as the traitors to America that are.
In closing, we have a long way to go...but the pain to endure as America falls will not be easy, especially for those who know the TRUTH and want it.
