Letters

Ignored full context

Mr. Mike Masterson's recent column concerning the Freedom of Information lawsuit filed against the Fort Smith School Board ignores the full context of the dispute with Attorney Joey McCutchen.

While the Freedom of Information law is essential to the proper functioning of newspapers, it should not be used as a cudgel to beat up largely volunteer citizen boards. There is no evidence that the board was trying to circumvent the law.

It seems McCutchen was the rabble-rousing organizer of protests against the board's decision to dispose of Johnny Reb. It was a decision that was properly aired and with which at least 70 percent of those at the public hearing agreed prior to the decision.

PATRICK T. LYNCH

Fort Smith

Proved untrustworthy

On Friday, Jan. 20, 2017, Donald J. Trump was sworn in as our 45th president.

I was brought up to respect our president, and I have tried to do that over the course of my life. I was also brought up to never trust a liar, and I have tried to do that over the course of my life.

Unfortunately, President Donald J. Trump has convinced me he is a liar.

During his campaign, Mr. Trump pledged to us, the American people, that he would release his tax returns when the IRS had completed their audit. During his press conference on Jan. 11, President-Elect Trump stated he would not be releasing his tax returns as promised, because only members of the press wanted to see them.

I am not a member of the press, yet I would like to see his tax returns. I want to see for myself whether or not he has financial ties to Russia or some other foreign country. I will consider President Trump to be an untrustworthy liar until such time as he honors that pledge which he made to all us American citizens several times during his campaign.

I am outraged and offended by his lie, and I hope every American citizen will be too!

DAVID GOODSON

Paragould

Voices will be heard

I was uplifted and very gratified to participate in the Women's March for Arkansas. My husband and dear friends and family who have been disheartened by this past election and rhetoric (racism, sexism, insults, lies, and the like) were very glad to see such a movement here in Arkansas. We joined millions of others from the U.S. and the world to make our voices known to this administration that we will be heard.

Today I see that our president tweets about the marches: "Watched protests yesterday but was under the impression that we just had an election. Why didn't these people vote?"

Sir: We marched because we voted.

ERIN POWELL

Little Rock

On 'alternative facts'

Is it my imagination, or is Kellyanne Conway's nose growing longer by the day?

MARY N. WATERS

Little Rock

Where we are headed

Three things happened this weekend about which we should all be deeply concerned, even though taken by themselves, they seem minor.

  1. The president's press secretary tried to convince us that aerial photographs of the National Mall during the inauguration were false.

  2. The president's counselor tried to convince us that the press secretary had not lied to us about those photographs, but merely presented "alternative facts" (whatever those are--I think perhaps they are lies).

  3. During his visit to our national spy agency, the president referred to the news media who published those photographs as "enemies."

What is happening in this country when the president and his representatives insist that we reject factual evidence presented by the news media and accept their "alternative facts" instead? In Nazi Germany, it was common to express one's loyalty to Hitler with the expression, "If the Führer wants it, two plus two equals five." Is that where we are now headed?

I believe it is time for all of us, whether we voted for Trump or not, to call him out when he insists that we accept his "alternative facts"--because once we all settle into the habit of allowing the government to tell us what to believe, our freedom and our republic are dead.

JOHN KAMINAR

Bryant

That is not your job

President Trump, your inaugural address began with these words: "We ... are now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country," and you lost me. I thought of the low unemployment rate, the near-record stock market, and the record numbers of people with health insurance and said, "Wha? Do you not read the statistics?"

You don't have to rebuild the country. We have done very well without you. Your job is to not mess it up. Sit on your hands and don't tweet anything and don't sign anything, and maybe in four years we can say that you did OK as a president.

JOHN SENNER

Little Rock

Why? They're just bad

I keep hearing--and reading in the news--why Hillary Clinton lost. Some say because Hillary was a bad candidate. Others say because Barack Obama was a bad president.

I say, why not both? Hillary Clinton was a terrible, no good, rotten, really, really bad candidate. And despite the great hope of most Americans, even most of those who voted against him, and his serving two terms as president, I believe the best thing Barack Obama has ever done for this country happened on Jan. 20.

I nearly forgot "the Russians did it." Maybe that reset button Hillary and Barack sent to Vladimir got lost in the mail.

FRANK FLOYD

Berryville

Editorial on 01/24/2017

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