Letters

Greater threats there

President Barack Obama said recently, "There's no greater threat to our planet than climate change." I think that's rather hypocritical in that he created a sizable carbon footprint, burning close to 10,000 gallons of fossil fuel traveling to the Florida Everglades to make the announcement.

I agree that the president should identify the threats we face as a nation. I have a few other candidates for consideration as our "greatest threat." I would place climate change down at the bottom of this list.

  1. Defeat Islamic terrorism in general and ISIS specifically by whatever means necessary.

  2. Stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon by whatever means necessary.

  3. Secure our borders by whatever means necessary.

  4. Solve our immigration dilemma.

  5. Have our nation become energy-independent by developing all feasible energy sources. We should evolve from being one of OPEC's biggest customers to being its biggest competitor.

  6. Restore our military to the status of strongest and most respected in the world. Follow the Reagan philosophy of the '80s, peace through strength, with strength being both military and economic.

  7. Reorganize and appoint new leadership to restore the integrity of government agencies such as the IRS, the Veterans Administration including the VA medical system, the Justice Department, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Secret Service.

PHIL PHILLIPS

Fayetteville

A waking nightmare

I dreamed that my girlfriend and I were planning to get married. The photographer showed up and told us he no longer wished to take pictures of our wedding. "The best man is gay," he said, "and I refuse to take pictures of gay people. They are abominations unto the Lord."

Moments after the photographer left, the florist showed up and said she could not provide flowers for our wedding. "The mother of the bride and one of the bridesmaids are lesbians plus the best man is gay," she said, "and I cannot in good conscience have my flowers being used in their presence. They are abominations unto God and evil unto my sight."

Then the baker arrived and told us that he was sorry but he could not fix a wedding cake for us. "Some of your guests are transsexual and bisexual, plus the bride's side of the service has lesbians and your best man is homosexual," he said, "and because of my faith in a vengeful God I cannot have such wicked people eating my cakes. They are sinners and abominations of the worst kind."

All of them said before leaving, "If you will just omit these people from your wedding, we will be glad to serve you."

After waking, I looked up the word abomination to see what was wrong with the people whom the baker, the florist, and the photographer did not want at our wedding. The dictionary said that such folks were "greatly disliked, abhorred, loathed, detested, vile and shameful." Which I found disturbing. To me they were just my good friends and my kind family.

At the breakfast table, my girlfriend listened to my story. "Darling," she smiled and said, "the real Christ preferred the company of sinners over religious bigots. I bet he'd help us at our wedding no matter what those small-minded Pharisees told him was the right or wrong thing to do."

JAKE TIDMORE

Little Rock

Pregnancy not illness

I was extremely dismayed reading about the Arkansas Senate denying women paid maternity leave. Is it because men aren't granted the same benefits? Are men eligible to have children? Do they understand both the physical and mental changes women have to go through?

I personally believe men are just plain jealous of women being able to leave the workplace for a legitimate condition and they don't have anything comparable. Are these lawmakers penalizing women?

Maternity shouldn't be equalized with "sick" leave. It seems only the backward male legislators in Arkansas feel the need for such legislation. My goodness--what a state to live in for women! I never believed I was "sick" when pregnant.

ELAINE BURKS

Little Rock

Redefining marriage

On Tuesday, the United States Supreme Court will hear oral arguments that could lead to the legal redefining of marriage in America.

I believe marriage was instituted by God at creation and is clearly defined as being a union between one man and one woman. No court has the right to redefine the marriage covenant of our creator. This seems to be an orchestrated attack on the authority of the Bible. It is a frontal attack on religious freedom. We must not quietly allow what so many have died for to be taken away.

So why is this decision so important? I believe marriage is the very fabric of society. It has knitted societies together for thousands of years. We know that children need a father and a mother. Heather Barwick, raised by two "moms," had this to say: "the best and most successful family structure is one in which kids are being raised by both their mother and father."

It appears that if same-sex marriage is made law and if a preacher or justice of the peace is asked to perform a same sex ceremony and refuses, they will have broken the law and could soon be subject to criminal charges. Speaking openly in public or from the pulpit against homosexuality could be against the law.

This is happening in America. I believe the very freedom to preach the complete gospel message hangs in the balance. Followers of Jesus must be prepared to speak the truth in love regardless of what the court might rule.

BRUCE SHORT

Nashville

What's best for kids

Something has to change in Little Rock, especially when it comes to the Little Rock School District. This issue seems to draw out the most divisive and mean-spirited sides of people on all sides, whatever the current argument might be. It's been destructive as well as disheartening.

The most recent outcome of this negative energy is the departure of Dr. Dexter Suggs. I don't condone plagiarism, so if that accusation is true, it was wrong and a sad mistake. Others list additional faults with the man. Few of us are without fault or past mistakes, and they're fairly easy to find when one is set on it.

For my part, I attended at least nine meetings with Dr. Suggs over the last 1½ years. During each, in his soft-spoken way, he always put the educational needs of students first.

I'm not writing this as a defense of Dr. Suggs, but as a plea for our community to come to grips with where we are and what we are facing. Anyone who is going to lead our district out of the condition it is in will have to make drastic changes.

Instead of immediately bad-mouthing each change, it would be so refreshing if everyone would take a deep breath and look at the larger picture through the lens of what's best for students--if all came to the table ready to do what it takes to move this district forward, not simply to defend their turf and/or long-held positions.

JULIE JOHNSON HOLT

Little Rock

Editorial on 04/27/2015

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