Use better judgment
I take great exception to the photo on Thursday's front page showing the murderer with a gun pointed at the reporter seconds before her death and the cameraman's. I believe it shows very poor judgment by your staff.
For others disturbed enough to do such an action to see this picture brings a horrid publicity to this act. My concern is this will promulgate copycats who want similar publicity.
Use better judgment and common sense before you publish it. Remember who is seeing this and reading your newspaper.
JIM AGAN
Jonesboro
Honor dead, not crime
I'm outraged that you chose to use a photo of a gun pointed at the victims of Wednesday's live-on-air tragedy. While other news outlets have chosen edited versions of the day's events, the Democrat-Gazette chose to show a gun pointed at the victims, in color, above the fold, on the front page.
Why not a photo without the gun? Why not a photo of the victims?
Instead of honoring the dead, you have honored the horrific crime and the man who committed it.
ANNE McMAINS
Little Rock
Provide adequate care
Silly me. I thought Medicaid expansion was to cover the working poor in addition to the really poor who are already covered. I recently realized that the really poor were really poorly covered in Arkansas.
From what I gleaned on the Internet, prior to Medicaid expansion, only Mississippi, by a tiny margin, provided less state support to go with federal Medicaid funds. The effect of our miserliness was, among others, very limited access to care.
Why?
The state determines, among other things, how much to pay doctors under Medicaid. In Arkansas, it was too little to persuade most doctors to take Medicaid patients.
Apparently--though I might have this wrong--our private-option version of Medicaid expansion makes care more accessible to the very poor, plus the working poor. Of course, we have a task force assigned to rein in such profligacy.
So, let's keep the private option.
Our politicians and pundits seem to accept the politically correct assumptions that Medicaid is horrible, and giving money meant to provide care for the poor and working poor to private companies is wonderful.
Maybe it's the only way to get a cup of tea in this rabbit hole. But it would be nice to have leaders focused on providing adequate health insurance for those with such a clear and legitimate need, rather than ideological purity and penny-pinching.
HOWELL MEDDERS
Fayetteville
Put them on all cars
Isn't it strange that a Wisconsin group has asked two Arkansas law enforcement agencies to remove decals saying "In God We Trust" from their police cars? I would like to see them on every police car.
I wonder if this Wisconsin group knows that Jesus often got angry with the Pharisees for keeping people from God when they were supposed to be helping them know him better. Woe to Wis-con-sin.
D.J. EADES
Morrilton
Any better than him
Re Lyle McBee's letter: Many do not agree with his description of President Barack Obama--his charisma applies to folks as Lyle that share his mindset, his superior intellect used to change America, sidestep the Constitution and Congress to form this great country into his vision, and what dignity is Lyle speaking of?
I believe a "good liberal," as Lyle states, does not make a great president. After Obama leaves office, the damage will still linger, the debt, the poverty, the threat to Americans, the open borders.
Sorry, Lyle, any running on the GOP ticket would do better for this country than Obama has.
ED HENRY SR.
Mount Ida
Fails the community
The recent decision to deny the application at 1001 McMath for an exterior siding change was, in the opinion of this commissioner, a failure by the Historic District Commission in its representation of MacArthur Park and shows clear bias in applying the guidelines.
If we, as commissioners, can't see past our own prejudices toward modern design, then we are doing a disservice to the community and do not deserve our position. Furthermore, during the presentation city staff suggested the proposed material is similar to corrugated tin roofing, which is a ridiculous comparison and was a completely inappropriate comment. When asked to provide justification for their denial, the dissenting commissioners simply offered "the material is not appropriate for the district."
The design guidelines state very clearly that "new construction should not be too imitative of historic styles so they may be distinguished from historic buildings." They go on to state, "new materials may be used if their appearances are similar to historic building materials." They say nothing about the physical properties of the material itself. The proposed metal panel would have a profile which closely mimics the predominant profiles of the district and is superior in its durability and structural stability.
If our goal is to preserve the character and the charm of our historic districts, then we have to understand that our historic districts are not frozen in time, nor created in a vacuum. In order to sustain that charm and character it is important that we continue the tradition and add to them in a way that is reflective of our time and place in history.
It is long overdue to allow modern development in our districts. The health and future sustainability of our city depends on it.
JEREMIAH RUSSELL
Little Rock
Wages not the issue
Wages went up at Wal-Mart recently, and you know what changed? Nothing. The taxes stayed the same and so nobody is really making more money and what apparently got worse is the culture of treating employees like animals. Until the culture at that company changes, the turnover will remain high and the morale will remain low.
I have worked at three separate Wal-Marts; it is not the money that is the problem. It is the sad fact that so many get treated so poorly for so little. Managers talk to associates as if they were children, there is a holier-than-thou attitude going on, and customers are going to suffer along with the associates. Customers will not be treated with respect by associates who are not treated with respect--it is a trickle-down problem that has been going on for decades. I'm sure nobody cares enough to work at Wal-Mart for the sake of keeping customers happy; they do it for a meager paycheck, and many have quit because of the poor treatment, wages aside.
Wal-Mart is not the only company accused of mistreating employees. Hopefully there is a cultural shift to treating employees with respect and showing appreciation with more than dollars and cents.
ANDREW DZIEDZIC
Berryville
Editorial on 08/28/2015