Letters

Do not veer for a deer

It's that time of year when we need to be ready for increased deer presence on our highways. If a deer suddenly crosses in front of your car or truck, remember: Don't swerve to try and avoid it. Do not veer out of your travel lane.

No one wants to hit a deer, but it is better than losing control of your car and injuring yourself or other motorists. Apply your brakes firmly, hold on to the steering wheel, and bring your vehicle to a controlled stop.

Crashes involving deer will often result in serious injuries or even deaths if the driver tries to avoid hitting the deer. If a driver tries to veer to avoid the deer, he will often lose control of his vehicle and either cross into the opposing lane of traffic, drive into a ditch and roll over, or hit a fixed object, like a tree or power pole.

However, motorcyclists should first try to steer away from deer to another path of possible less risk.

TOM WELCH

Fairfield Bay

Editor's note: Tom Welch is a highway safety engineering consultant.

Feeding xenophobia

Your subheading under the headline "Police nab suspect in blast" incorrectly labels the suspect as an "Afghan." While the suspect was born in Afghanistan, he came to the U.S. as a child and is a naturalized American citizen.

While his acts are deplorable, please do not add to the xenophobia that already exists in our country and has been fueled by the Republican candidate and right-wing media.

NANCY MILBOURN

Little Rock

Talented shutterbugs

Little Rock has been blessed with some talented newspaper photographers over the years, from the late great Larry Obsitnik to Steve Keesee to Karen Heller to Michelle Posey to John Sykes and on and on.

Case in point: Ben Krain's clever shot of a welder installing a sculpture with a stainless steel reflecting ball on it (Sept. 14, Arkansas page). Technically interesting angle, sparks flying, azure sky, and he even managed to put a little bit of Ben Krain into the picture if you look closely.

RAY WHITE

Little Rock

Won't let nation down

Though it is not for me to judge whether a person is a Christian, especially in the heat of a political contest, I do turn to scripture as I consider the character of candidates for office.

I recall a line from a great old hymn we sing occasionally at my church, Little Rock's First United Methodist, where Hillary Clinton and daughter Chelsea were faithful members for years: "We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord ... and they will know we are Christians by our love, by our love ... and we'll guard each man's dignity and save each man's pride."

Of the two major-party candidates for president of our great United States of America, I find only Hillary meets this standard of consistently showing love for others and respecting their dignity and pride.

No person is perfect and neither candidate is perfect, but she clearly lives out her Christian values in her personal behavior, her commitment to marriage and family, and in the causes for which she has devoted her entire life, both personally and professionally. To note a few: advocating for services to children and families, promoting dignity in attitudes toward and services for the poor, the disabled, the elderly, and the imprisoned, all of whom Jesus called us to love and to serve in His name.

I ask your prayerful consideration of casting your vote for Hillary for president in November. She will not let our country down!

PAT LILE

Little Rock

Divine intervention

With our nation claiming to be Christian, our coinage inscribed "In God we trust," "under God" added to the pledge of allegiance to the flag and declaring corporations to be persons together with our pre-election turmoil and the anger, prejudices, fear and dread being expressed over the issue of human sexuality, have we made scripture witness against us?

It is written, "I also will choose affliction for them, and bring their fears upon them; because, when I called, no one answered, when I spoke they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight.

"So will I choose to mock them, to bring on them the very thing they dread. For I called and none responded, I spoke and none paid heed. They did what I deem evil and chose what I do not want."

Even so, is it possible with divine intervention for there to be enough voters clothed and in their right minds on election day to avoid disaster?

Are not the people with election before them like the crowds that Jesus saw, "... harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd"? Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

BETTY LOU OLSON

Calico Rock

On law enforcement

Whatever happened to Southern hospitality?

Arkansas drivers consistently exceed the speed limit, cut in and out of traffic, do not use turn signals, run red lights and honk at me at the slightest hesitation.

We need more police to enforce the laws, yet it seems that the Little Rock Police Department has many unfilled positions. How to correct it? Raise the pay! I believe that would attract many more applicants. I suggest that Mayor Mark Stodola start a fund to do just that. I would contribute to it.

And furthermore, police officers should be allowed to live outside the city limits where the schools are better.

RICHARD B. CLARK

Little Rock

Editorial on 09/24/2016

Upcoming Events