They can fight battles
I read that Arab states agreed to form a military force because they can't count on That Man to send American troops to fight their battles.
That Man seems to think Arabs are just as able as regular people to deal with their own problems. He even seems to believe African Americans are as smart and capable as European Americans. As if he could declare God's curse of the Hamites null and void. Talk about overreach. Somebody needs to Stand Up to That Man. Get off your rear and do something, Tommy.
Seriously, in my warped liberal mind (WLM), bigotry involving race, ethnicity, national identity, religion, gender, sexual orientation and probably hair length and make of automobile is at the root of many of our problems. Overreach--I prefer "messin' an' gommin'"--in fighting Middle Eastern wars is one of them.
I say, "You got this, Nabil" (Elaraby, Arab League Secretary-General). "Go get 'em."
Another of my WLM ideas is that greed (love of money/oil/cheap labor/power) and bigotry go together like a horse and carriage used to. I could be wrong. But having grown up in the deep South and lived mostly in the shallow South, I do have some context, WLM notwithstanding.
HOWELL MEDDERS
Fayetteville
Wow, an admission
Aha! Suspicions confirmed.
According to the Democrat-Gazette: "During floor debate, Rep. Dave Wallace, R-Leachville, said he and some of his colleagues were "too dimwitted" to file reports ..."
As it's been said, "better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."
SKIP HOLLAND
Hot Springs
Not well thought-out
Like many of us in the state, I was pleased that we put in place a pro-business legislative body and governor. Then along comes House Bill 1228 that I believe would cost this state dearly in revenue and in the eyes of the nation.
It goes beyond what other states have done to protect religious freedom and seems mean-spirited and petty. There is no limit to how this could be applied!
Bringing it close to home, let's say state Rep. Bob Ballinger, R-Hindsville, sponsor of the bill, wants to have lunch at Anderson's in Hindsville, a fine establishment with great breakfast and lunches. When he arrives he finds that the good folks at Anderson's, due to their strongly held religious beliefs concerning the sin of gluttony, refuse to serve the morbidly obese. Not that the good folks at Anderson's would be so petty, but under HB1228 it would have been within their rights.
Not a well thought-out bill, Bob, but there is always the Kum and Go.
J.E. ROBERTSON
Hindsville
All in interpretation
Mr. Bob Ballinger wanted us to believe that his House Bill 1228 had nothing to do with discrimination, yet he refused to put a nondiscrimination clause in it.
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is a duck. I think the title should have been the "Discrimination Restoration Act."
He apparently wishes to make people outcasts, which started me thinking. What does the Bible say about outcasts?
"Give us advice, make a decision; cast your shadow like night at high noon; hide the outcasts, do not betray the fugitive. Let the outcasts of Moab stay with you; be a hiding place to them from the destroyer. For the extortioner has come to an end, destruction has ceased, oppressors have completely disappeared from the land."
I guess it is how you interpret it, kind of like ISIS interprets the Koran.
PHILIP SHERLIN
Little Rock
Bring back bobwhites
This paper has carried many articles recently concerning the shortage of bobwhite quail in Arkansas. I have a suggestion that may help remedy this situation.
My wife and I once owned about 19 acres in South Mississippi. We went to a quail breeder and bought four pairs of quail. We then released two pair in each of two acres, which provided suitable habitat, food and native grasses, water, cover, etc. We put them in cages and quietly opened the doors after dark, allowing them to emerge on their own the next morning.
Although the breeder had told us these birds could not survive in the wild, we were rewarded a few months later by seeing two different pairs, with the young following, drink at our pond and eat around our feeders. We never saw the other two pair, but we felt satisfied that 50 percent of our quail had mated and hatched broods of chicks. We were further rewarded by hearing their calls from that time until we sold the property several years later and moved to Arkansas.
If every Arkansas sportsman would release four pairs in appropriate areas, we might be able to repopulate the state at no cost to the Game and Fish Commission, and the quail would be located in those areas, statewide, preferred by individual hunters.
It worked for us. What have we got to lose by trying?
HENRY C. BRUNE
Russellville
Frontiers of prejudice
Regarding the bill of discrimination hiding itself as a religious-freedom bill, if you think it is a sin, why stop with the LGBT community? Why not refuse service to all sinners? Let's see how this works out.
ED PARKS
Rogers
When we need light
I am gratified to see (by letters in Voices) that I am not the only citizen that abhors the biannual changing of the clock. It seems to me that if we need to save some daylight, it should occur during the winter months when we have less of it.
Here is my suggestion: Come October, when we "fall back" ... let's just split the difference, move the big hand back 30 minutes and leave the darned thing alone forevermore.
BOB STROUD
Jacksonville
Editorial on 04/05/2015