On his mental fitness
This letter is in response to the most recent one by Coralie Koonce, which my husband and I both rated as "spot on!" The unfortunate presidency of Mr. Trump and his ill-conceived policies have dramatically increased the number of superior, well-written, passionate, well-researched, funny and deeply compelling letters and columns recently. Most are detailing everything from mistakes, lies, insulting tweets, disastrous Cabinet choices, nepotism, disrespect to allied world leaders, rambling and incoherent press conferences and inhumane travel bans all the way to horrific, juvenile grammatical errors, costly "victory tours," and don't-get-me-started on "the Russian connection" or Nordstrom's.
People considering voting for "Mr. T" were warned repeatedly about his mental fitness for office, and we are now seeing clear evidence that the modern scholarship regarding behavioral health (i.e., DSM 5) was right.
Now what do we do?
LINDA A. FARRELL
Bella Vista
That's show business
Easter time is coming soon and once again the Hollywood Jesus arises to life in the holy temples built in his name. Gaudy, overdone costume productions of his final days backed with overpowering music will obliterate the senses and common sense of the viewers into thinking that Show Business Christ is the authentic Christian faith. God will look down upon people not doing any work to help others but instead they'll be sitting on their hindquarters, patting themselves on the back and watching the "Big Show."
Now I know a few locals have some mighty big extravaganzas planned for Easter and I hate to burst their pride bubbles. Christianity, properly done, is not an outward act, but it is an inner motive endlessly revealed by your conduct and actions for others and unto others. Sitting in your church pew, nibbling some holy munchies, and watching a theatrical spectacular complete with special effects and 100-decibel music may please the Hollywood Jesus crowd, but I doubt it makes the real Jesus happy.
Modern-day holy-rollers have learned that the secret password to religious success is Jesus. Using that name gets you rich, famous, thrills, entertainment, and the hook to control the minds and pocketbooks of millions of people.
These counterfeit Christians make it their business to put on a grand show, a blockbuster about Jesus; these false prophets try to convince us honest folks that they have a "special relationship" with God. And in doing so they have turned worship into a racket--a profitable one and a noisy one as well. But, hey, that's show business.
Folks need to be more interested in what goes on outside the church than inside it. Real religion works in the real world, not on a stage.
JEROME TIDMORE
Little Rock
Advantage of privilege
Re Eva Adam's letter regarding the toilet: Much ado indeed!
For starters, if you were born a white boy, you are the most privileged person on earth. Why would you want to become a disenfranchised girl just because you identify with that gender? That said, why would you expect to be allowed to use a public restroom consistent with that gender identity?
Ms. Adams' apparent lack of support for basic civil rights is impressive, but not surprising, assuming she was born a girl who has been taught to sit down and shut up.
BEVERLY JACOBS
Little Rock
Consequences on way
As a consequence of eating a second piece of apple pie, the cook is pleased, I have enjoyed another piece of apple pie, and I have a more satisfying sense of fullness in my tummy.
On the other hand, my blood sugar level goes up, the excess sugar eventually gets turned into fat, adding to my risk for cardiovascular disease, and I feel less like exercising to remove the small but additive weight gain from that piece of pie.
Actions have consequences, and consequences may be ignored in the short run, but will have to be dealt with at some point, often by innocent needy people.
As our so-called president removes limitations on coal mining and the disposal of waste from those operations, consequences will follow. Some people go back to work, earn subsistence-level salaries, are further exposed to dust and chemicals, and will suffer and die untimely deaths from these exposures. The president and Congress are currently attacking the Affordable Care Act, which had begun to provide medical care for these people.
There's also the added expense for cleaning up polluted areas and water that has been rendered unsafe for human consumption. Billions of taxpayer dollars have been required to address pollution-cleanup costs. Additionally, the continued use of coal contributes to the problems of climate change.
Did I forget that, as a primary consequence of coal mining, a few mine owners will make large profits from their operations and provide financial support to politicians who support continued coal mining and other polluting activities? Coal-mining families continue lives tied to and limited by coal usage and the so-called generosity of mine owners. Fair?
REBECCA K. RUSH
Bryant
Could be helpful to us
With the news of President Trump's lies about the murder rate contrasted with official FBI figures, voter fraud in the face of Democrats and Republicans calling it not true, and his fiction of his so-called travel ban not being a ban on Muslims into America--I would like to suggest to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that a new feature be started to be used as needed (daily, perhaps).
The main heading: "Trump vs. The Truth." The subheadings, divided over two columns: "The Lie"--"The Truth," with the relevant quotes under each heading, perhaps laid out along the lines of a baseball game box score. On some days, it may need to entirely replace the "In the news" column on the left side of the page, as it would need to run from the top to the bottom of the front page on Trump's busier days.
RICHARD MOORE
Little Rock
Editorial on 02/21/2017