Letters to the editor

Parents, be wary of rare form of childhood cancer

Over the last three weeks an aggressive form of childhood cancer has become part of the reality of my six-month-old grandson, Quinn, a resident of Carson City. All parents need to be aware of the simple warning signs that doctors won't necessarily catch.

The cancer is called Retinoblastoma and impacts 300 kids annually. In my grandson's case, it is even more rare as he has tumors in both of his eyes. The simple warning sign for parents to watch for is a white, as opposed to red, reflection in pictures or Leukocoria. Once we knew what we were looking for, we were able to go back and see that there was evidence of his tumor as far back as six weeks old. Had we known, we may have been able to save his eye and may not have been fighting now to save his left.

Last Thursday, his right eye was removed and today he started his first chemotherapy treatment. He will have treatments for six months and is such a happy baby, it is sometimes difficult to tell that anything is going wrong with him.

Nevada is not equipped to handle children like Quinn, so he must go to UC Davis in Sacramento for all of his treatment. However, his parents are doing their best and the people at UC Davis have been great. Many have already been so supportive and for that I am eternally grateful. Thank you.

Tammy Lancaster

Minden

Second Amendment not for fighting government

Responding to those who mistakenly maintain that the Second Amendment was intended to give citizens the wherewithal to protect themselves against government tyranny, no such intent was meant by the framers. Rather just the opposite, for the government to protect itself against angry mobs, rebellion and insurrection.

This point is expressed on the first page of the Constitution, which sets forth the main pillars upon which our new nation was built, specifically, "We the People ... in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare...do ordain and establish this Constitution..."

The key here is the phrase, "insure domestic Tranquility," which the Second Amendment relates to with the words, "security of a free state." To achieve this task of "security," a "well regulated militia" was to be formed and allowed to own "arms" as the tools to carry out that task. There was absolutely no intent to give an individual citizen the capability to own firearms for his or her own pleasure and use as he or she saw fit.

Furthermore, if you truly believe you must have guns (AR15, AK47, UZI, etc.) to fight the U.S. government (tanks, missiles, jet fighters, helicopter gunships, nuclear subs, atom bombs, etc.) then you are mentally unfit to own guns!

Vince Agamenone

Carson City