Choice we must make
Some choices are easy and some are difficult. In the wake of the violence and murder of a young woman in Charlottesville, Va., we as Americans have some choices to make.
These choices go beyond the religion we practice, the political party we support, or the groups and clubs with which we identify. We are social creatures and these institutions are important to us. Sometimes they unite us, sometime they divide us.
There is, however, a choice that we can make that transcends the boundaries of these institutions. We can make this choice because there is such a thing as basic human decency and it exists in our core being, making us uniquely human.
We must make the choice to resist people who hate and resort to violence to suppress and subjugate, to disenfranchise, and cease to recognize others as human beings. Those who embrace the Nazis, KKK, and white supremacists are surrendering their decency and humanity to these destructive forces. We must be a better people and choose to stand against this darkness for ourselves, our children, our grandchildren and those that come after who will bear the burden of manifest hate.
It is an easy choice to make.
JOHN RITCHEY
Camden
Group can't hide past
Regarding Wayne Pacelle's response in Perspective on Aug. 20--his reaction to "Strange bedfellows," my Perspective guest column of Aug. 13--I appreciate Pacelle giving me 15 minutes of fame in the zoo and animal world.
My column wasn't scattershot, as he claimed. It was a direct hit.
I'd be thrilled to give him citations on every word I quoted him on. But that's not necessary because he knows he stated them. I was surprised that his response didn't address the statements regarding his beliefs about being anti-animal-in-captivity; rather, he offered comments about how the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has shut down puppy mills and other feel-good things HSUS has done over the years.
He didn't mention that HSUS had to pay Ringling Bros. a court-ordered $15.75 million in 2014 for allegations of animal-abuse charges. Ringling prevailed, HSUS failed.
HSUS can't hide from its past of anti-animal-in-captivity beliefs no matter how hard its PR department tries to deflect past behavior.
RANDAL BERRY
Little Rock
Who is saddest of all
As usual we humans--purported to be the smartest animals on the planet--get it wrong on even some of the simplest, unimportant issues: A New Yorker (not a place that I would go to find a saint or Messiah) who has been elevated to the most powerful job on earth--backed up by giga-tons of atomic weapons--has stated that he is "very, very sad" to see the Civil War statues removed.
Well ... on that grand issue it is clear to any logical person that it is the pigeons that are truly "very, very sad" about the removals of their places of congregation. They understand the real significance and best use of statues.
DANNY HANCOCK
Lonoke
At behavior's source
To better understand where we are today, we need to comprehend the past. Newton's third law says that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. With that in mind, let's look at an oversimplified view of American history.
From the beginning there were forces in free states that wanted to eradicate slavery. As these forces grew stronger, the South became alarmed it would lose the machinery that propelled its economy--slavery. Most Southern states felt that they were sovereign entities and withdrew from the Union. Many Yankees said good riddance.
Following the war, punitive Reconstruction treated the white South pretty despicably. After about 15 years, white Southerners regained power and passed Jim Crow laws to protect their status. Blacks again were relegated to subordinate positions that led eventually to the civil rights movement. Civil rights laws designed to compensate and advance black lives created another backlash from many whites who felt they were being unfairly treated. Couple this with other threatening developments like prayer in school, globalization, abortion and gay rights and you have--Trump.
When will the push and push-back end? Not anytime soon. There is far too much misunderstanding as well as those who are quite willing to take advantage of the situation.
ED HUDNALL
Bryant
All can speak freely
Freedom of speech is not given by any government. It is given by the creator who gave us the ability to speak. The First Amendment protects that freedom by forbidding the Congress from abridging the freedom of speech. The 14th Amendment extends that restriction to the states.
We may not like some of what we hear--we don't have to listen to it, we can vocally disagree with what we hear, but we do not have the right to say that some have freedom of speech and some do not. God gave us all the ability to communicate and therefore gave all of us the right to do so. No man can rightfully take that away.
That is not to say, however, that persons should not be held accountable by law or society for what they say, but still, they have their right to say it, like it or not.
TED HOOD JR.
Fairfield Bay
Editorial on 08/23/2017