Promise disappearing
Tick, tock! Time is running out for the do-nothing, know-less group currently known as the president and Congress.
It seems he might shut down the government, being of the mindset that it is only a tool for further dividing and reshaping of the electorate for his personal aggrandizement and enrichment. And Republicans, who control Congress, believing that they now have a powerful partisan tool and no actual opposition from him, are using the situation to further their own goals.
Where are the voices demanding that balance be returned to the government? And demanding consideration of--if not a balanced annual budget--at least a plan to address current needs as well as infrastructure maintenance and future augmentation?
Rather than "Making America Great Again," the current plutocracy is undermining our international position and relations and interfering with many necessary functions of government except when their personal goals are served.
It is evident, given the exhortation by Sen. Ted Cruz for all to come together in the wake of Hurricane Harvey and join in a nonpartisan effort to rescue and rebuild southeast Texas, that government can--and should--serve both urgent and long-term needs of America. It is noteworthy that, in 2013, both Senator Cruz and Sen. John Cornyn of Texas strongly opposed legislation to provide funds for similar efforts in the wake of Superstorm Sandy and its widespread damage along our eastern shores.
The wasteful path that partisan politics has taken us on in recent decades must come to an end. If not, the promise of America, already diluted, will be in danger of disappearing.
DENNIS A. BERRY
Bryant
At the top of my list
I spent three days and two nights at the VA hospital in Little Rock. I would like to thank the staff and all the workers for the excellent care I received before and after my surgery.
The people there were so kind and thoughtful to me and my family. They are a very professional group of people, especially those working in vascular surgery. A special thanks to Dr. Story and her group for making my stay as comfortable as possible. Also a big thank you to nurse Laura Gossage, my post-op nurse, and also Dr. Jay.
The VA is at the top of my list for health care. Thanks again.
DANNY ATCHLEY
Fayetteville
Fearing other voices
Bradley Gitz's column on free speech/hate was outstanding.
Free speech is not cheering the Razorbacks at Fayetteville. It is cheering Auburn in downtown Tuscaloosa on game day.
If we fear hearing other opinions, it may mean we are afraid our own arguments lack merit. Defending the right of "contemptible little men" to voice their opinion is what separates the USA from the proverbial South American dictatorship.
CARL LOEWER
Wynne
Affordable health care
Thank you, Mr. Glen Hooks, for your eloquent response to the recent editorial "Death loses in court." I too stand with Planned Parenthood.
It offers professional, confidential medical services to men, women, children and families. They have a primary-care physician on staff to address all non-reproductive services. They offer STI screening, conception counseling and birth-control services for men and women. Wellness exams, pap smears and breast exams for early cancer detection are available. The vast majority of Planned Parenthood's work (96-97 percent) does not involve abortion services.
Many people depend on Planned Parenthood to provide them with straightforward, affordable medical care; some come from Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas and even Texas (where some of these services are unavailable). Many are the less fortunate and more vulnerable members of our society. It is very arrogant and disrespectful to deny Americans health care based on someone else's personal beliefs, thus possibly condemning them to even harsher outcomes with which to deal.
Attorney General Leslie Rutledge appears to have only one project on her agenda, to deny women the right to a safe and legal abortion. Perhaps Ms. Rutledge is not old enough to remember when women were shamed and sought back-alley practitioners and questionable clinics in Mexico to obtain abortions. I am! As long as women can become pregnant, there will be a need for safe and legal abortions.
I think if Ms. Rutledge and her office would task themselves with supporting frank and open sex education, promoting safe and responsible sex, and making birth control available to all who need it, we might have fewer unwanted pregnancies and thus a need for fewer abortions.
And where is her understanding, encouragement and support, her heart, for the prospective parents who find themselves in this unwanted, troubling and precarious situation?
HARRIET NEIMAN
Springdale
Of fantasies and facts
Pertaining to the verdict of the O.J. Simpson fiasco, Philip Martin says, "I was not terribly disappointed with the not-guilty verdict because there was some question as to whether some of the investigating officers acting improperly." I'm assuming he was referring to the accusation that one of the officers or detectives used the "N" word.
With our super-sensitive rules of political correctness, many people such as Martin evidently believe a comment such as this is worse than a brutal murder of two people.
Martin admits he's convinced Simpson "butchered those people," but explains it this way: "The O.J. Simpson jury acquitted the Juice for the same reason that a significant minority of Americans voted for Donald J. Trump for president: because they prefer their fantasies to the best sourced facts."
How do you like that for trying to compare the O.J. Simpson disgraceful episode to us rednecks in Arkansas who live outside "The Heights" and don't understand the best sourced facts? And to think Martin gets paid for writing this snob-trash.
Moving on to the Voices page, I am amazed at the majority of letters that continually attack President Trump and our two Republican senators. This doesn't seem to jibe with the overwhelming vote Arkansans gave to these three. Then it hit me--those people in Arkansas who voted so heavily for Republicans are busy trying to make a living while the liberals writing letters have plenty of time once they bank all their benefits from the government.
JERRY B. JACKSON
Heber Springs
Free-speech question
He's done it again! My husband has me re-evaluating a point of view.
I felt I understood and respected Colin Kaepernick's right (freedom of speech) to sit out the playing of the national anthem in his protest of discrimination against persons of color in the United States. I thought I also understood that it was the NFL teams owners' right not to hire him if they didn't want to.
What if the owners are trying to interfere with his right of free speech, and also punishing him as a means of coercing other players who may agree with Kaepernick but may not have the financial ability to resist the owners' pressure?
It almost seems that the national anthem is played before athletic events as an unofficial test of patriotism.
Hmm ...
REBECCA K. RUSH
Bryant
Editorial on 09/04/2017