Not what Dad carried
Mary Dee Taylor, do I agree with you! These military weapons are not rifles and shotguns like my dad and husband, avid hunters, had. Why can't this murder be stopped by prohibiting the sale of such guns? Even handguns "for personal protection" are meant to kill or maim. They are not hunting weapons.
When I hear a friend say they carry, I pray they know how and know they kill. Bully-scaring with a weapon is not the personal protection one is capable of in a panic situation. It may be a loved one you "scare" or kill.
BONNIE HOOKMAN
Fairfield Bay
Think about columns
Thanks to Mike Masterson for his columns. They are always good. Two of the recent batch are "Growing Greater" and "Our universe."
As an Arkansan, a Razorback fan and, above all, as a Christian, I love the movie Greater. I wondered why the title--what could that mean? The answer is in the final scene--"Our loss is great, but God is greater."
"Our universe" is an excellent statement of many facts and much information that the reader is encouraged to think about. I have!
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us ..."
BRENDA LEOPARD
Calion
Get back on the floor
Now that Jeff Long has split, can we please get that big slobberin' Hog back on the floor of Bud Walton Arena and some ice-cold Coca-Cola?
BARRY THOMAS
Fayetteville
Cannot comprehend
In reference to Mike Masterson's column "Our universe": Mike, it is no doubt entertaining to speculate on the subject of God, but my opinion is our finite minds cannot know or comprehend such an entity. Of course we as humans can often assume a great deal. However, the fact that some infinite deity possibly exists does not imply that it probably does. Unfortunately, the argument from design cannot prove the existence of such a creator, because we must first know he, she, or it exists before we can know anything is designed by said God.
It will not do for religious folks to claim God is the first cause because a cause cannot be the efficient cause of itself. The law of causality must exist before a cause could be effective, therefore the law of causality cannot be the result of any cause, including God.
The fact remains, our human concept of a god is totally inadequate. That is why many insist on worshiping the tyrant who stalks the pages of the Christian Bible. One would think, after reading the Genesis story of creation, they might discern the subtle hint that it was a rigged game from the beginning. A book written by the hand of men and filled throughout with the light of God is as inconceivable as a square circle. Semper Fi.
AL CASE
Onia
Trump-Clinton choice
I would like to respond to Peter Pulay's observation about the "right-wing" religious voters who helped to make Donald Trump president.
As a member of that group, I agree with his objection to comparing Donald Trump with Jesus. I confess to having labored over my vote decision, but the obvious, myriad negatives of Trump did not, still do not, and cannot make Hillary Clinton look good or worthy of such an honor.
YVONNE SAMONS
Little Rock
Ascended to the stars
The ancients believed, and it helps me sometimes to think that they knew, the best parts of people ascend to the stars. And when stars collide, as stars in their courses will do, they rain down gold. Some few precious people can somehow hold this stardust in their hearts.
My friend Rita had been living on what could reasonably be called borrowed time. The memorial service was on what would have been her birthday. While the medical complications that took her came out of the blue, in fact she had lived something like twice as long as had been expected in her youth. Her diminutive stature and petite build belied her inner strength and determination. Her life was not the stuff of splashy obituaries, but she was an inspiration to me.
Rita found the study of astrology helpful in her efforts at self-development. She was born under the sign of the scorpion and strove to nurture the eagle that some astrologers say is the more spiritual side of the sign. You needn't be a devotee to see the beauty of the night sky. The scorpion is a lovely curl of stars with a fiery red heart, Antares. In the sky directly above Scorpio stands the Serpent Handler. The Serpent Handler used to be considered a distinct asterism, though the stars delineating serpent and handler are rather woven together. Aquila, the eagle, rises with the stars that form the sting of the scorpion.
A nearly universal story is told of how all the birds of the air congregated in an heroic assault against Sky to bring down fire to the peoples of earth. The eagle soared highest but was still coming up short. Just as he flagged and failed, out from between his shoulders flew the tiny wren, who easily made the final distance and won the day.
Rita was that delicate wren with a heart of fire, as everyone who knew her knows. Paraphrasing an old epitaph, "If love could have saved her, she would not have died."
STANLEY G. JOHNSON
Little Rock
Answer to questions
John Roach of Yellville asked a series of questions of us who believe dropping turkeys from aircraft or throwing them from stages is inappropriate civic behavior. He asked if we object similarly to rodeos, greased-pig catching contests, and recreational hunting and recreational fishing.
It's a thoughtful question that deserves a thoughtful response. I don't know if I speak for the others, but I have come to believe this: That it is morally, ethically and spiritually inappropriate and demeaning for a human to abuse, to inflict pain or to exploit any living creature solely for entertainment or recreation purposes.
That is the lens through which I, and perhaps others, view the activities Mr. Roach mentions.
RANDALL WARD
Garfield
Editorial on 11/19/2017