For better newspaper
I have the opportunity to travel throughout the middle of the United States, visiting cities including Denver, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Louisville, Lexington, New Orleans and Shreveport. The newspapers provided in those cities are pitiful. We are fortunate to have the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. In comparison to papers in other cities, the Democrat-Gazette is excellent. The paper does a much better job covering sports, world events, business, political, and local events.
The letters to the editor in our paper cover all aspects of Arkansas life and range from the ridiculous to thoughtful and rational. Letters in other papers are generally few and uninteresting.
With this in mind, let me offer some suggestions that will make the Democrat-Gazette even more interesting and better representative of the strong majority of Arkansans. With Arkansas now "hopelessly red," as John Brummett complains, why do we have five columns each week by Brummett and Philip Martin and only two columns by Bradley Gitz and Dana Kelley? Even more lopsided are the cartoonists. During a two-month period around the last election it seemed the political cartoons were almost exclusively anti-Trump and anti-Republican.
A conservative like me wonders if Democrat-Gazette really wants to cater to the Little Rock Hillcrest group. Philip Martin, in one of his convoluted columns, expressed bewilderment on the last election because in Hillcrest he saw only Hillary Clinton's yard signs.
JERRY B. JACKSON
Heber Springs
His modus operandi
It seems the topic of almost every media news event is attempting to explain or at least rationalize Donald Trump's self-contradicting statements from one day to the next. One of the obvious effects of his behavior is to keep everyone, even his friends, Cabinet appointees, and supporters, off guard.
If I reject the obvious, that he is simply deranged and out of touch with reality, then there must be a coherent explanation. It has become my belief that this behavior has become so embedded into Donald Trump's personality that he no longer is even aware of it.
Donald Trump is, by all accounts, a businessman, a "deal maker," as it were, and we must see his actions within that context. I have sat on the boards of several organizations and have been witness to their "closed door" discussions. A basic element of most "deals" or negotiations is to keep the other side guessing (kind of like playing a game of poker).
It is my thinking that, in Donald Trump's case, this approach has become the core of what may be called the Trump modus operandi. While this MO may give one an advantage in negotiating a deal with a business competitor, it does not strike me as a successful way of conducting the nation's business. In business, acceptance, cooperation, and mutual support are not required, but in government, these are the essential elements of success.
For this reason, if Donald Trump becomes a successful president, I will not only be pleasantly surprised, I will be amazed and flabbergasted as well.
JAMES VANDERGRIFT
Little Rock
Respect others' views
It would help all of us as a local and world community if we could keep in mind that many people try to carry out their lives within the spirit and teachings of the Ten Commandments, but have differing opinions about how to regard those as a document.
Recognition and acceptance of differing viewpoints is foundationally representative of our country. The intent was never that we all think alike about anything, so let's offer each other respectful space.
KAY CARPENTER
Little Rock
Injustice to memory
I write this letter on the holiday celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday; however, being as this is Arkansas, the feeling of celebration is tainted.
This state contradicts the honor and esteem due this great man of peace and progress by combining the holiday unnecessarily with a birthday celebration for Robert E. Lee, commander of the Confederate army. I realize all the Confederate flag enthusiasts will condemn me for daring to bring up the fact that slavery and the legacy of racism in the South are intricately tied to the Civil War. But that's like saying if you don't admit to something, it doesn't exist.
When is Arkansas going to eliminate this shameful denigration of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday celebration? As quoted in numerous contexts throughout our nation's history, both in the North and in the South, "United we stand; divided we fall." Perhaps this year the Arkansas Legislature will be principled enough to eliminate this gross injustice to Reverend King's memory, in acknowledgement of the inherent equality of all people.
SUSAN BRADLEY POSPISIL
Fayetteville
Abominable vulgarian
I believe to the majority of Americans, Donald Trump's shortcomings were glaringly obvious from the beginning. That this abominable vulgarian literally insulted, bullied and lied his way into the presidency by flaming the fires of division and promising the impossible is an American tragedy.
Surely there's a pathology that describes his condition. Seriously, is there a doctor in the house? Let's recall how he promised to act "so presidential" if elected that we'd all fall asleep with boredom. Yet it seems he continues to act less presidential than anyone in the history of the office.
When will he tire of the ridicule he heaps upon himself? It has got to be wearing on his thinnest of skins.
Surely this emotional adolescent will wake up one morning and get it. You act like a clown and people will call you out with a zeal befitting. Respect him as the president? He should try respecting the office! Until he starts behaving like a president, he'll be continually brutalized in public discourse. And bit by bit he will lose credibility, even with those who voted for him, excepting of course the David Dukes and Dylann Roofs of the world. He'll be their man to the bitter end.
PAUL JEROME
Little Rock
Editorial on 01/20/2017