On political loyalties
In his recently published piece, Paul Krugman writes in part: "The point is that we shouldn't ask whether the GOP will eventually nominate someone in the habit of saying things that are demonstrably untrue, and counting on political loyalists not to notice. The only question is what kind of scam it will be."
When taking into account the following--Gitmo (I'll shut it down in my first year of office), health care (If you like your current insurance you can keep your current insurance, period) and Syria (There'll be no American boots on the ground)--I think Paul would have been just as accurate in writing: The point is that we shouldn't ask whether the Dems will support someone in the habit of saying things that are demonstrably untrue, and counting on political loyalists not to notice. The only question is what kind of scam it will be.
SCOTT D. STUBENRAUCH
Roland
That plural problem
Well, sorry. Grammar is not that hard. Dr. Earl Babbie in his "Picky pronouns" guest column might have us believe otherwise, though, based on his description of what he called "the Third Person Pronoun Dilemma (TPPD)."
At issue is what pronoun to use when referring to a singular noun. Okay, real easy now: Singular means single, just one. A noun is the name of a person, place, or thing. A pronoun is a noun substitute. For example, if we were writing about a man, we would use "he," "his," or "him" sometimes instead of "The man ate the man's dinner by the man's self."
Because a pronoun is a stand-in for a noun, it has to fit that noun perfectly. Easy stuff. One guy is a he and one woman is a she. But what if we were talking abut a student? Just one. A student is a singular noun so we could say "he or she" and be correct. Until we weren't. Until we slipped up and wrote "they" instead of "he or she" because saying "he or she" every time is so clunky that it sounds wrong even though it isn't.
Dr. Babbie seems to be suggesting that we just go straight to the mistake. Poof. "A student" is a "they." Here's his example: "When a student comes to explain why their paper is late, I ask them to sit down for a chat."
Nope. Ain't right. "Their/them" are not perfect fits for "a student."
Hmm. We don't want to write clunky sentences by using "he or she" every time or verbally perform possible gender reassignments by using just "he" or just "she," nor engage in cloning by turning one student into several.
The easiest fix is probably the simplest. Go plural. Dr. Babbie himself suggested this but he ended up with an error in pronoun antecedent by going plural in the wrong place. He cloned with his "their/them."
To be right, you have to go plural with both the noun and the pronoun: When students come in to explain why their papers are late, I ask them to sit down for a chat.
TOMMIE LACKMAN
El Dorado
Whatever will he do?
I see John Walker lost his last suit against the state. Does that mean he loses his fair share of the state school taxes?
LEE ROGELSTAD
Greenbrier
Neanderthal thoughts
Mr. Robert L. Hudson's voluble letter, excoriating Paul Greenberg re his column on Planned Parenthood, was so circumlocutory in composition, so rife with mockery, ridicule, and invective, that determining his point took not a little tortuous mental slogging through. But finally it was made clear to me that he apparently considers the marketing to the highest bidder of miscellaneous baby body parts via Planned Parenthood, and made possible by gross imaginative and manipulative surgical techniques on the unborn and almost unborn good--but considers anyone who might oppose that view unenlightened, cretinous, indeed Neanderthal.
Well, please pardon me, for now I must go look for my favorite oak club. Me hungry!
JAMES H. BARRÉ
Little Rock
Voting for third party
With Joe Biden's decision not to enter the 2016 presidential race, I believe that has taken away any good choices from the two traditional parties. I generally vote split ticket anyway.
So now my support goes to the Libertarian presidential candidate, Steve Kerbal. Why not a fresh face in the White House? At least Kerbal is working on his own agenda rather than trashing his opponents.
I have only watched one primary debate, which was nothing but a glorified Punch and Judy Show. It seems Donald Trump is a shoot-from-the hip reactionary, lacking the judgment needed to govern; Hillary Clinton is tainted with scandal; Bernie Sanders is a dirty old man; and all others are no more seasoned to be president either. This is where third parties come in handy.
LESLIE PUTMAN
El Dorado
TV hosts doing it too
I have raised my children to understand bullying and being bullied. Bullying has gone on for many years, but it seems it was never addressed outside the home until the last 10 years with the Internet and teenagers committing suicide, leaving the schools where they had been going. Schools are punishing students caught bullying, but now we are seeing it from grown women on TV.
I was angered by the comments made about Carly Fiorina on The View and began to research this show. It seems the bullying on this show doesn't start or end with Fiorina. Do these women on the show not have sleepless nights for the things they say about people?
I believe this show should be taken off the air or carry a rating of "adult only" and late night.
SANDRA KUYKENDALL
Little Rock
Editorial on 11/04/2015