Letters

What’s the difference?

Hillary and Bill Clinton have protection now and for the rest of their lives by Secret Service agents who have guns. Why would it be any different for law-abiding citizens to have guns for their protection?

DORIS JONES

Ward

Common sense gone

Everyone has an ability and right to have an opinion; however, it is the government by way of the Constitution that allows you to express that opinion in public. I believe that we all can recount many instances of late where certain persons have tried to suppress the rights of other individuals to speak or to exercise their right to public expression. It may well be that the early years of the 21st century will be remembered as the age when the United States of America abandoned all common sense. I continue to struggle to identify with the country of my birth, the country whose principles molded my life, the country I fought for and for which I was willing to give my life. I do not have the words to express my dismay when I read the paper or watch the news.

It is obvious that the vast majority of the members of Congress have never served in the military nor have they any idea what it is like to serve, let alone participate in combat. I have completely lost confidence that they have the ability or competence to make decisions that affect me and the ones for whom I care. The members of the GOP have lost confidence in their leadership because the elitist leadership has lost its way. Meanwhile, the Democrats are being splintered by Bernie Sanders who professes the ideology of socialism that has been proven to fail time and again.

How did we become so obsessed with political correctness? And at what point did it become the job of the government to involve itself in matters not provided in the Constitution? The Supreme Court may make it the law of the land, but they can’t make it right.

My father told me that he wanted two things out of the government. He wanted the government to make the mail to run on time and to keep the enemy off the shores. My father was a very smart man with plenty of common sense.

ROBERT W. BEST

Greers Ferry

A mess on both sides

Some final thoughts about the recent presidential primaries: I actually feel sorry for candidates like Mike Huckabee, John Kasich, Chris Christie and all the other experienced governors who knew how to run a state but got bumped out of the presidential primaries by Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz.

The entire state of Florida knew about Rubio’s credit-card scandal. Why did the drive-by media virtually

ignore his character flaw? And most voters knew Cruz was born in Canada, causing widespread doubt about his presidential eligibility. What a waste! No wonder Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee. At least now Speaker Paul Ryan can see his Atlas Runs for President Ayn Rand fantasy come true.

Things look worse for the Democrats. It seems FBI Director James Comey is just waiting for his prompt to release information about his investigation into the Hillary Clinton email controversy. This prompt will likely come from Sen. Chuck Grassley, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who is probably waiting for Hillary to eliminate Bernie Sanders at the Democratic nominating convention in late July. With Sanders out of the way, Grassley and Comey can defame Hillary with FBI charges and practically guarantee a win for the Republican presidential candidate (Trump?).

Even if Hillary wins the November election, it’s possible the Electoral College may vote against her in December. Congress may also disqualify her on Jan. 6, 2017.

GENE MASON

Jacksonville

Can’t ignore the issue

Karl T. Kimball opened a conversation on utopian philosophy recently in order to critique Democratic socialist Bernie Sanders’ run for president. He argued that the idea that society can be perfected by the use of the coercive power of the state is contrary to human nature and doomed to failure. I agreed and suggested we also abandon religious and capitalist utopian philosophies and, instead, rely on pragmatic solutions to current problems.

Kimball’s next letter disregarded considerable evidence that religious communities slaughter one another in the name of faith. And he recited the neoliberal creed: “Capitalism not only makes each of us more free and more prosperous, but provides all of us with incentives to protect our environment.” So much for abandoning utopian philosophies.

Sir Thomas More’s Utopia—a word that means “nowhere”—contrasted the horrors of 16th century England during the enclosure movement when peasants were driven from the land so landowners could increase profits by raising sheep to life on the island of Utopia where property was held in common and all were equal.

A contemporary “Utopia” featuring Western capitalism would, I believe, also offer striking contrasts between the ideal and the reality. Capitalism has brought immense wealth and benefit to some, but fails to address a world system in which colonial lands, resources and peoples are exploited for profit. Contemporary students of capitalism, such as Thomas Piketty, note that income inequality is not only an inevitable feature, but accelerating in 21st century capitalism.

These raise interesting questions, but the one I think fundamental is overwhelming evidence that the extraordinary efficiency of capitalism will soon destroy the ecosystem and make the life of 7 billion people unsustainable. To acknowledge that is the most critical political and moral issue of our day, not one to be postponed or ignored by recourse to utopian fantasies.

DAVID SIXBEY

Flippin

Exercise your rights

I am not writing about politics, religion, no quotations from the Holy Bible, no condescending language about alternative lifestyles, nothing about hurtful speech, no attacks on people or things, nothing about “I know what is best for everyone” attitude, no condemnation of that consumption, right versus wrong, nothing about the rightness or wrongness of fighting in foreign wars, nothing like that.

I am writing about the future of the United States of America for perhaps the next 100 years.

You are correct. I am writing about the United States Supreme Court and how it will be dramatically changed forever regarding subjects like the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights. Should the United States be fundamentally changed as the president has said? I submit not.

You can make a difference for posterity and the lives of your children and grandchildren forever. Exercise your rights while you still can. Good night and good luck!

LOUIS R. BURNETT

Little Rock

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