His rush to a blunder
Even "the worthy Homer nods," as Horace notes in Ars Poetica; and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Paul Greenberg apparently nodded when he scolded U.S. Senator John Boozman for allegedly stumbling by turning "a noun (impact) into a verb."
It is too bad that Greenberg rushed into making that blunder without pausing to consult a dictionary. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (10th edition, 1996) actually devotes a bit more space to the meanings of "impact" as a verb than it does to that word as a noun. Merriam-Webster also discusses the adjective "impacted," as when a dentist speaks of an impacted tooth; and the ending of the adjective "impacted" reflects its derivation from "impact" used as a verb.
Thanks to columnist Philip Martin for reminding this former Ohioan that Cleveland's "Terminal Tower ... was the second tallest building in the world when it opened in 1928." After the Terminal Tower no longer held that rank, Clevelanders for decades could still make the claim that it was the tallest building in the United States west of New York City.
RICHARD FROTHINGHAM
Little Rock
A little cherry-picking
Cherry-picking (as metaphor, the fallacy of using incomplete evidence to confirm a particular position) has become a national obsession. In his belief that the Bible is the whole truth and nothing but, my neighbor has a Bible quote for every occasion. However he never mentions its exaggerations, inconsistencies and inaccuracies (the earth is 6,000 years old, etc., and that's a very big etc.). And it seems Donald Trump and his campaign manager have raised this affectation to Olympic proportions, particularly when it comes to cherry-picking his memory.
So it is not surprising that Clinton's "deplorables" remark has been a battle cry for those who cherry pick their information. One recent letter-writer declared that she must be one of Hillary's "deplorables" because she was a Christian.
That's not what she said. What she said was: "To just be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trump supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. Right? The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic, you name it." So first, she said "grossly generalistic," then she named the various characteristics that do describe some Trump supporters and are not characteristic of Hillary's. "Christian" is not among them.
She recently apologized for the use of "half." So why aren't you accusing Hillary of bad math? Check out the recent AP/GfK poll to get the snapshot you obviously need.
MICHAEL PREBLE
Hot Springs
On guilt and remorse
In her recent letter, Jenny Shreve suggested that the death of Lina, a police dog in Madison County, was the result of "callous wrongdoing" by Deputy Cornelison, the dog's owner, who accidentally left the dog in a hot car.
The definition of "callous" is having a cruel and insensitive regard for others. To me, this infers that the deputy intentionally left the dog in the car. This is a terrible indictment of the deputy, who is probably already suffering from feelings of guilt and remorse about the incident.
GLENDA PERRY
Hot Springs
Women need the facts
Mr. Bradley Gitz writes that we should not use sexism or race in the political campaigns. If Hillary Clinton uses gender it is wrong, but Donald Trump can parade his wife and daughter at rallies. Women need facts that highlight legislation against them. A state bill introduced last year would make it a felony for a pregnant woman to introduce a controlled substance into her system. The penalty is 40 years in prison. Suffer from migraines, in a car accident and need pain medication, sorry, you are a woman. Prisons would be filled with pregnant women who will need expensive medical staff for prenatal and birthing. Orphaned children would swell the ranks of foster children and a second wage-earner would be gone, which will increase welfare. Doctors will be unable to decide on the best medical care, as medication could put you in prison.
The U.S. failed to ratify the international treaty that highlighted all forms of discrimination against women. Our failure means we join Somalia, Tonga and Sudan as the countries not ratifying.
Please, Mr. Gitz, sit in court while wives and mothers try to get child support. The father states he is unemployed, but usually works under the table. The judge declares there is nothing he can do, and she doesn't have funds to continue.
To all successful women in politics, CEOs, doctors, research scientists and university staff, you did not get there because of your gender or skin. It was your hard work, intelligence and perseverance, but Gitz would have you think it was feminism. Mr. Gitz seems terrified of women's new role in America. Both viewpoints are needed in a newspaper, but not prejudice.
CONSTANCE NUNNALLY
Fayetteville
Build bonds, not walls
The current UN General Assembly is perhaps one of the most significant gatherings of world leaders in recent years. Timed well with the coming U.S. election, the assembly has convened in a period marked by tumultuous global relations. Terror cells pose an acute global threat, North Korea's nuclear arms seem to increase monthly, and Aleppo is under siege.
A U.S. presidential candidate's inability to recognize the latter city's name is a painful indication of how out of touch we are with the severity of these matters. Another candidate's response to these issues is to build a wall, literally and figuratively closing off the U.S. to battered and needy nations.
What if we responded differently? What if national security could be increased by foreign aid? Instead of covering up in a false-security blanket made of 40-foot concrete walls, what if U.S. international aid was increased from its current paltry 1 percent of the national budget? Research shows this would be a more effective solution.
According to the 9/11 Commission, poverty and oppression around the world threaten U.S. security. Combating terrorism via investment à la Harry Truman's Marshall Plan is a diplomatic and secure road to a safer United States--and world.
DANIELLE NEIGHBOUR
Fayetteville
Editorial on 10/03/2016