Letters

In shadow of the flag

I believe no one has the right to show disrespect to the Stars and Stripes, and to do so exemplifies the height of rudeness and stupidity. It is my opinion that anyone deliberately desecrating the flag such as undignified burning or stomping or dragging the flag should be found guilty of treason and severely punished.

The U.S. flag does not belong to Republicans or Democrats or conservatives or liberals or blacks or whites or tans. She is an independent symbol and bows to no person or thing.

She represents the U.S. Constitution, and if you do not believe this, then step from her shadow and go to North Korea, for example, and show disrespect to their flag or to Kim Jong Un, and as they drag you off to incarceration or worse, tell them of your rights under the U.S. Constitution. That might help you to escape as they roll in the floor with laughter. My friend, you have no constitutional rights when you step from the shadow of Old Glory.

If you feel that you have a legitimate grievance against the government of the United States or any individual state, then you should be the first to stand at attention, face the flag and give the proper salute, military or civilian, when our national anthem is played.

Just remember, you have no guaranteed rights unless you are standing in the shadow of that flag.

FLOYD E. FRY

Star City

If it were anyone else

In regards to Hillary Clinton's health event last weekend, I noted that the news headlines went something like: Clinton leaves 9/11 event early and stumbles; Clinton ignores doctor's orders; and Clinton fails to disclose pneumonia diagnosis.

I believe had it been anyone else, the headlines would have said something like: Clinton powers through pneumonia to pay her respects to 9/11 victims; Clinton attends 9/11 memorial in spite of serious illness.

This country, and particularly its press, still has a lot of work to do on equality and objectivity.

DON EVANS

Little Rock

Shut up and be happy

If I understand Bradley R. Gitz's column last week correctly, Americans should shut up and be happy since 95 percent of what goes on in America is just fine. The other 5 percent Americans disagree with should be tolerated since America's status quo is so great. Shut up, blacks, America is doing just fine for white college professors who write for newspapers.

BILL FRITZ

Hot Springs Village

Just male dominance

I believe it is no stretch to say this impetus for unisex public bathrooms coming from the gay lobby reflects a very ancient concept: that the female is not a separate kind of human being at all, but a lesser kind of male.

How else explain it? It is womankind who would be most affected by doing away with normal bathroom rules, permitting men to enter their bathrooms. In reality, it's just one more example of male dominance, which by now I think most women recognize.

CATHERINE WILSON

Morrilton

Where oppression is

I have read Voices letters, con and pro, inspired by Colin Kaepernick's sitting or kneeling protest. He has been denounced with the claim that he had "no right to do that." Then, after learning or being reminded of his constitutionally protected freedom to express his thoughts, however unpopular, the advice to CK went to "OK, you have the legal right, but shut up anyway," then to "Why would you, you highly paid athlete, protest against the society that has blessed you with this opportunity?"

Freelance columnist Bradley Gitz proposes that CK's freedom to protest is prima facie proof that there is no oppression deserving of protest, as we have "probably the least oppressive society in history." Acknowledging some of our past sins, he claims that comparison to more oppressive regimes is what counts. "After all, the three most important words in any study of human society and governance are 'compared to what'." Seriously?

The standard we should be comparing ourselves to is known to most American citizens, at least by its name. But while many of us know of the Constitution, I seriously doubt that most have done more than a quick reading of it, or have committed even the short preamble to memory, or gleaned the deeper meanings and purposes expressed therein.

Gitz's Pharisee-like stance that we are better than the rest of countries is untenable in light of the guidance provided by our founders' writings. Further, saying they knew they were setting an unreachable bar is no reason to be smug about our painfully incomplete and slow progress.

Oppression springs from human traits wrongly applied. It's uncomfortable to face and may be difficult to see. Only continuing to face its causes, both blatant and subtle, will allow us to approach the founders' vision.

DENNIS A. BERRY

Bryant

Suffering not known

Until Bradley Gitz suffers some/any oppression, he needs to shut up! What is his proof that anything Colin Kaepernick spewed about American oppression is unsupported nonsense?

How does Gitz know, "If America were as remotely oppressive as Kaepernick claims, he'd have attracted the attention of goons in trench coats rather than adoring media liberals and would be moldering somewhere in an unmarked grave rather than holding down a $20 million-per-year gig in the NFL"?

Who is Gitz to determine that the United States is probably the least oppressive society in history? We're only 240 years old. What the U.S. is founded upon is what the writers of the Constitution hoped it would be for them and their progeny. Gitz apparently received his knowledge of history from books that don't tell the whole truth. Ask any black person what he has suffered, is suffering, and will suffer since he was brought to America, "the land of the free." If we manage to survive and rise above or not, we will always be black and the lowest class. We will suffer as long as there are Gitzes and his right-wing supporters.

HAZEL A. SMITH

Pine Bluff

Editorial on 09/19/2016

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