LETTERS

LITTLE ROCK — Actions were unacceptable

Letter writer Linda Massey obviously does not understand the military culture, its laws or the requirement for civilian control of the military.

Were Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s First Amendment rights violated by the president? No. Military officersgive up a certain amount of freedom when they swear their oath of office. In fact, Article 88 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice makes it a military crime to use “contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress” and a whole host of other officials.

McChrystal not only made such comments, he created and allowed a command climate that tolerated, if not encouraged, such open and utter contempt. The example he set was beneath the dignity of an officer. He could disagree with the president and other U.S. officials all he wanted, but when he made and allowed his subordinates to make such comments, he crossed a line from which there was no return.

The UCMJ is not some sticky-pad set of ideas subject to the whim of the president. It is set in law by Congress as required by Article I of the Constitution, which gives it the power to “make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces” of the U.S.

As a retired military officer, I know that President Obama was right to accept McChrystal’s resignation. He could have subjected him to a court martial, as was his right as commander-in-chief.

LEE ZIMMERMAN North Little Rock

Back-door amnesty

Word is the Obama Administration is considering deferred action or parole to millions of illegal aliens in the United States. This essentially grants amnesty through the back door.

Eight courageous senators are protesting this effort to circumvent the Congress’ constitutional authority to legislate immigration policy. Arkansas’ two senators are not on the list of eight protesters.

EARL MORRIS Conway

Dream job now open

Not often in a person’s lifetime does a dream job become vacant, so get your application, dust off your résumé and get in line. The czar of the U.S. budget office has officially resigned and this amazing job could be yours for the asking.

This has to be one of the most coveted and ridiculous jobs in the world, and obviously the qualifications are minimal. All you would have to do is produce a yearly budget that is not a budget. You can even make up the numbers if you want to. Who cares?

Is there anyone left in the world who actually thinks we have a budget? Is there anyone left in our entire government who can even spell budget? Does the concept of a budget apply only to American families and not our government?

I’ve come to the conclusion that the people responsible for the direction of our country all come from backgrounds where the term “we can’t afford it” was never used. It must be nice. There are millions of children in the United States who understand this concept, so what seems to be the problem with this particular group of adults? How do they intend to teach these children the value of a budget when they have no intentions of following one themselves, or are they only intending to give these children the bill?

We are $13 trillion in debt with no end in sight, so I wish they would quit using the word “budget.” There is no budget.

MICHAEL PHILLIPS Dardanelle

LR zoo is a disgrace

I was visiting the Little Rock Zoo with four of my grandchildren. It cost me 50 bucks before I even saw the first animal. Also, it cost me $2 to park.

The cost is prohibitive for the average family of four. There are more construction workers than animals. Most of the walkways have ropes across, preventing entrance.

After walking for an hour in the heat, my little ones were hot, thirsty and tired. We went to the African Cafe for a cold, frosty ice treat. I waited for about eight minutes and no one waited on me. People were going around me to another register. I finally asked the young girl if she would help me with five drinks. She said no, that was not her station. Thepeople in the kitchen could see I was not waited on, but made no attempt to help me. We left still hot and thirsty.

We went to the carousel and could not find the operator and had to ask for that person. The girls selling tickets were short with me and not at all helpful. Most friendly was a construction worker who gave me directions through the work site.

We saw the same old worn-out animals that have been there for years. Most of the cages around the bear section were empty except for the otters. If you want a really good zoo and it is free, go to St. Louis or even the Memphis zoo. They are really great zoos.

Our zoo is a complete and total disgrace and a shame.

JIMMIE M. TREADWAY Little Rock

City needs guidelines

Regardless of motive, Little Rock City Director Erma Hendrix’s proposal to have guidelines for street naming are needed.

Naming a street for someone who has done good things is nonproductive. The best honor is to perpetuate that person’s good works.

WINIFRED BAKER Little Rock‘Tea’ return welcome

Kudos for bringing back the Sweet Tea column. It is one of my favorite parts of the paper. When it was announced that it would not be featured for several months, I thought it might not make a comeback.

EMILY K. HARRIS Rose Bud

Election was proper

A frequent topic flaring around the Internet and in a recent letter to the editor is the non-native-born allegation toward President Obama.

He was duly elected president. Get over it. He inherited two foreign wars [in places] that few Americans could locate on a map and whose ephemeral rationale acutely embarrassed Colin Powell.

Give the guy a chance, for the sake of our country.

JOE O’BRIEN Little Rock

A step back in time

How often have you gone back to revisit a scene from your childhood, only to find it much altered or probably gone altogether?

Well, I spent Memorial Day in Hot Springs. I decided to go by Tiny Town on Whittington Avenue to see if it was still there. And it is, and better than ever. I first visited it when I was 10. (I won’t say how long ago that was, but it was several decades.)

In this day and age of computer this and computer that, it’s so refreshing to find something that runs on one family’s ingenuity. It is one large room filled with five trains that you can run, a carnival with a Ferris wheel, a Wild West show, a waterfall, bears in a park raiding a picnic basket, Mount Rushmore, a carpenter sawing a little plank with a tiny saw and much more. (Yes, about every 25 years the carpenter actually saws through the board and starts on a new one.)

You have to walk around the room several times, and then you still can’tsee it all. Be sure to leave plenty of time for your children to look to their heart’s content. Let them try out all the buttons and run all the trains.

Oh, yes, two doors down is Santa’s Workshop, where you can see an actual glassblower making intricate little animals, angels and other items.

Tiny Town is open March through November, so start a tradition with your children. It’s something they’ll never forget.

MARSHA HEIEN Stuttgart

End isn’t written yet

Land Commissioner Mark Wilcox doesn’t think he has to answer to the people? We’ll see about that. Using tax-paid state equipment for personal purposes and one vehicle that sits on his farm? We’ll see about that, too.

CAROLE LONSWAY Greenbrier

Good now in doubt

The community organizer conundrum: Find a way for the have-nots and the dispossessed to rise and get a piece of prosperity without disturbing that prosperity. Unfortunately, the everyday A team that exists in every endeavor all over America is worried-worried that future prosperity and even safety in America are in doubt.

So instead of turning to the A teams and saying, “Let’s get it done,” the president is relying on his roots in community organizing and circumscribing the people who can best pull us out of whatever mess of the day we happen to be in. Mind you, community organizing or helping the poor is noble;however, nobility and getting it done are not necessarily one in the same.

Who are the best community organizers? Corporate America, small business, the churches, the military, social clubs (Lions, Rotary, Kiwanis) and labor unions. Good government is on the list, but these days “good” is in doubt in many places.

CHARLES VERMONT Prescott

One term for Obama

The ACORN sympathizer doesn’t like to be crossed. Instead, he likes to surround himself with yes-men, as Gen. Stanley McChrystal found out.

How do you like the change promised you? You now are saddled with the largest debt the U.S. has ever had from his generous gifts, including to those who don’t want to work, debts your grandchildren will have to pay.

This miracleworker won Nobel Prize after a month or so in office-for what? You must admit, he is a glib snake-oil speaker; even you fell for him. He has given “my way or the highway” a new meaning.

Now it has been stated that the White House is thinking of offering amnesty to thousands of illegal aliens. Do you really want that? Food for thought: If the president was traveling in Arizona, could he offer legitimate proof of citizenship?

Grit your teeth and vow to make Barack Obama a one-term president.

JAMES B. LOVETTE Little Rock

Feedback Attaboy, Entergy

Hurray for Entergy. They deserve congratulations for standing up to the rabid tree-huggers and their courtroom-based war on civilization.

I find it difficult to accept that this power plant is going to destroy the only patch of swamp in the world. As a matter of fact, I can show them wetlands being created as we speak by industrious beavers.

If these wackos want to destroy civilization, I suggest they go first. Quit polluting, sell polluting homes and move into a teepee. Eat only the non-animal products they can scavenge and live a “pure” life. But no campfires, please. They create carbon emissions.

Understand, I strongly favor conservation. But instead of showing up in a suit in a courtroom to harass people who create jobs, why aren’t they in the woods building nesting boxes with Ducks Unlimited? Want to directly contribute to resource conservation? Buy hunting and fishing licenses with every available stamp. Those provide the only money solely directed at conservation efforts.

But no, these creeps would rather harass and intimidate than really make a difference. If they are so rabid about coal-fired power plants, let’s ship these idiots to China; they’re building them wholesale.

WILLIAM ZELLMANN Searcy