An escalating trend
There is an amendment to the Arkansas Constitution in the works which, if passed, would legalize alcohol sales in all 75 counties.
I believe the issue here is not the sale of alcohol per se, but rather the rights of local communities to decide for themselves whether or not to allow it. This legislation would sweep away those rights and trample underfoot the legitimate concerns of a significant number of Arkansas citizens.
The motivation, of course, is money. Large business entities stand to reap great profits, leaving local municipalities to suffer the negative social consequences. I think it is yet another instance of greed trumping all other interests.
But even more ominous is the escalating trend away from local control and toward bigger and more centralized government and the continuing erosion of freedom. Supporters say it will bring more jobs and prosperity, but at what cost? Have we learned nothing from Washington and the reign of King Obama?
Every citizen, whether a drinker or teetotaler, should oppose this effort.
GENE SAUGEY
Little Rock
Should represent us
We are in a time when it seems our political leaders are influenced more by big-money corporations rather than the people they represent.
I have sent letters and contacted Mark Pryor, John Boozman, and Tim Griffin a while ago and still have yet to receive a reply. When I do get responses, it's a canned response typically expressing why they are voting the way they do.
These gentlemen can tell me all they want but, ultimately, you can watch contributions and know how they will vote.
Here is the problem: We believe that the issue isn't with our senators and representatives, but with everyone else. We experience a kind of bystander effect. This coming election, we can change this.
With such a low approval rate, no one in Congress should be re-elected. However, we saw a 90 percent (House) and 91 percent (Senate) re-election rate in 2012.
Let's take a stand and make our political leaders start representing us. Pryor, Boozman and Griffin are all at fault along with the rest of Congress. They need to go.
JEFFREY CASTEEN
Little Rock
An idea that fumbles
I couldn't agree more with your editorial about not moving up the beginning of secondary football season one week early.
Not only does it threaten the football players with potential health problems during the typically hotter days of August, it also threatens the same of band students wearing uniforms including hats during pregame and halftime shows and in the stands during the games, not to mention exposing to the higher thermometer reading older parents and grandparents who pack the stands to see their progeny perform during the gridiron challenges.
Whoever plans to vote for the moving up of football season is not only putting everyone involved at risk, but simply stupid, stupid, stupid!
TYLER THOMPSON
Little Rock
Showing compassion
Yes, there is an illegal-alien tsunami that has hit our southern border. However, I believe moving these children to cities and towns around the U.S. only invites crime, higher school taxes for those communities, and more illegal aliens arriving in our future. We do not have enough foster-care families to take care of American children now, so are we going to slight our own in favor of non-citizens? That is ludicrous!
No Mr. President, you are wrong. You do not need $3.7 billion to solve this problem. You do not even need $2 billion or even $1 billion. I think it should take between $30 million and $50 million to fly these kids back to where they came from and perhaps another $150 million to temporarily move judges to the border for expedited hearings that should not take more than 20 minutes per illegal alien. Line the planes up, load them within hours of judicial review and get these kids back home where they belong.
Parents will quit hiring coyotes to transport any future children if they know the kids will only be returned home after a horrendous life-threatening journey.
RALPH PATTERSON
Bella Vista
Reasoning behind it
"Putin arms Ukraine rebels--Airliner downed, 298 dead."
Maybe this is the reason Mr. Obama didn't arm the Syrian rebels.
GENE GARNER
Hot Springs Village
Ditch welcome mat
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free ..."
The Statue of Liberty failed as a lighthouse, and as a messenger of welcome to immigrants, I think it's a sick joke. Turn the light off and post a big "Keep Out" sign.
With global conflicts adding to the number of war refugees, and weather changes creating climate refugees, we need an immigration policy that makes sense and plans for what will certainly happen in the future.
Yet members of Congress do nothing, concerned primarily with keeping their seats when they were sent to Washington to steer the country in the right direction.
BETTY HUNT
North Little Rock
Must-see production
Next to Normal, the Weekend Theater's latest musical, is a must-see for people in Central Arkansas who relish a theatrical experience that grabs you in an emotional choke-hold from the first scene to the last.
No doubt the topic, mental illness, will put off those looking for an artificial sweetener, but this is an emotionally honest and gritty work that won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Superbly cast and directed by Ralph Hyman, the music, singing and acting are uniformly strong across the board.
GRIF STOCKLEY
Little Rock
Editorial on 07/26/2014