OPINION

MIKE MASTERSON: Reader feedback

Listening to you

You, valued readers, are giving me ample feedback, edited for space.

Please keep it up.

Lost virtues

Anita writes: "Thanks for a great article this morning. Many virtues and morals are lost ... There is too much evil everywhere--lives, media, publications, garbage all of it. We have been torn down by it all. Raise up one voice crying in the darkness, light a candle, shine high on a hill and sing Alleluia."

'Nailed' Alinsky

James says: "Loved your article on Saul Alinsky. I'm a Vietnam vet who grew up in New York, got drafted and became a country boy in Vietnam. The G.I. Bill enabled me to finish college in New Mexico. (Couldn't get in any NY area colleges). After much prayer, and gratitude for being alive, I was accepted to graduate school in Springfield, Mass. When I didn't know what to study, an adviser said, 'Why don't you try Community Leadership and Development?'

"After a few weeks with that, I had an uneasy feeling in my gut. We were studying Alinky's book, Rules for Radicals. I stuck with it because I didn't want to be a quitter. The thing that got me was [for Alinsky] 'the end justifies the means.' I screamed, 'That's wrong!'

"On exams, I gave the professors what they wanted to hear, but added my views at the end of the test, mainly to salve my conscience. They knew where I stood. After two years, I earned a master's degree. You nailed it in your article.

"Sadly, I see Alinsky's evil at every turn in government, especially on the left. Alinsky's gospel is like pernicious anemia, or a not-so-obvious malady ... we've followed the doomed pathway of the Alinsky-ites."

Our declining virtues

From Ann: "Appreciated your article, Oct. 3, 2017. I think this is more true than I want to believe.

"Sixty years ago, my father said, 'One day our country will fall without a shot being fired.' I didn't understand or see how it could happen.

"Your article (originally published 10 years ago) outlines how that could happen. Understand, I don't like that idea."

'Oppressed' NFLers?

Robbie wrote: "I thought you and Bradley Gitz did a great job on the NFL oppression issue ... Most citizens of this state and country spend a lifetime working to make what these arrogant beings make in a few games. To be so oppressed! How would their salary compare to what people across most of earth make?

"The New York Times on Nov. 26, 2014, described how many manufacturing jobs left America between 2000-2014. By 2000, those jobs had been gone from Arkansas for many years. The small Southern states had the low-wage factory jobs until big business found Mexico, China and India ... Several from one family worked in a single lost factory ... Multiple plants leaving one area made the situation really grim ...

"It would be interesting to find out how many people in Arkansas work more than one minimum-wage job to stay above water. ... I found out early how much I enjoyed poverty so I went to college 10 years and worked another 38 to live another way."

Autumn Ozarks jaunt

And from Muriel: "Years ago you had a column about fall colors that included a day trip with a breakfast stop--visiting the Maplewood Cemetery in Harrison--and a drive along the Buffalo River (side trip down to the river and horse-campers and tent campers. It was so beautiful! We've done it more than once.

"You also had an article about the Low Gap restaurant--another beautiful drive from here. Please do another article about those two--maybe incorporating them so we would end up eating another meal at Low Gap on our way home. Time's running short for a color tour. Don't wait too long to republish the information."

Dear Muriel: From Fayetteville, head east along Arkansas 45. Stop to breakfast at Granny's Kitchen in Huntsville, cut across at Kingston toward Ponca deep into God's Country along the magnificent Buffalo. Watch for elk herds. Spend an hour poking around Jasper, perhaps a cup of coffee or a soft drink at the popular Ozark Cafe on the square. Head to the top of the mountain on Scenic Arkansas 7 south and stop for a first-class lunch at the Cliff House Restaurant and Inn, taking in the truly spectacular view of the Arkansas Grand Canyon through her window. Then head back down past the former Dogpatch Theme Park and into friendly and charming Harrison. There, head up the hill to Maplewood Cemetery where the maples are aflame in fall colors, creating one of the prettiest autumn sights you'll find anywhere. Get out. Take it all in.

At this point you can head back to the Fayetteville region via 412 through Alpena, on past Huntsville and finally home, or you can return along Scenic 7, making the right turn at the Jasper bridge that leads you back along the route you took through the Buffalo. This way you can stop for dinner and live music at Chef Nick Bottini's Low Gap Cafe on the right. This world-class chef turns out incredible gourmet-styled meals in the most unlikely place, as you'll see if you go. Check for his opening times since he limits his open hours to the last days of each week.

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Mike Masterson is a longtime Arkansas journalist. Email him at mmasterson@arkansasonline.com.

Editorial on 10/17/2017

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