Letters

Thuggery at its worst

The people of KATV, Channel 7, seem to be fine and honorable people. It is a shame that the company they work for (Sinclair Broadcast Group out of Baltimore) is not an honorable company. This Trump-supported bully of a company is forcing the employees of its 193 stations across the U.S. to make public statements that support its conservative agenda, even if they do not agree with it. If an employee stands on principle and refuses to make the statement and resigns, the Sinclair employment contract can force the employee to pay up to 40 percent of his salary back to the company, effectively silencing him. This is corporate thuggery at its worst.

We can stand up to this bullying in a quick and effective way. Simply change your channel from 7 to 4 or 11. They will feel the pain.

KIRK DIXON

Little Rock

Apocalyptic future?

It was with some amusement that I read Mikki White's second doom-and-gloom jeremiad highlighting all of the terrible things that might befall the city of Clarendon should the historic bridge be permitted to stand as part of a tourism development plan. Among the plentiful weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth envisioned in this dark future was the warning that if the city failed to follow through on required maintenance down the road that the bridge could then have to be removed with "taxpayers' money."

Huh? Do we have a free "demolish a historic bridge of your choice" voucher that we could redeem now but if not, taxpayers will have to foot the bill later? Obviously not. The taxpayers will foot the bill whether done now or later. But if not done now, we may find it need not be done at all. Taxpayers, say thank you!

I don't mean to make light of the sort of responsible considerations that should go into a decision like this. It's important that the city of Clarendon act responsibly, which includes having a plan to deal with the many contingencies the author highlighted. But it's also important that Clarendon move forward with a bold vision to reinvent itself, even if it that means stepping out a little beyond its comfort zone. Because you want to know what kind of future is really scary? Much scarier than Clarendon taking on the responsibility of the bridge? Clarendon just doing more of the same. That's a future that would be positively apocalyptic.

EDDIE HAMILTON

Clarendon

This feels familiar ...

In 1957, Gov. Orval Faubus deployed the National Guard to enforce a policy of hate and division. President Dwight Eisenhower had to federalize those troops and remind the governor that American values were about love and inclusion.

In 2018, President Donald Trump wants to mobilize the National Guard to enforce a policy of hate and division. One would hope the governors who are in charge of those troops will remind the president what American values really are.

ALBERT J. LARSON

Eureka Springs

Costs of Trump tariff

Trump has recently instated a 25 percent tariff on steel in an effort to "stop losing" and "start winning" the trade war. But who is affected by the tariff? Well, most obviously, American steel workers are better off, as the steel companies will now be doing more business since foreign steel is now far more expensive.

But what about the steel buyers? One may initially think that only a small minority of people in the U.S. are buying steel, and the average citizen has no interest in buying foreign steel, so maybe the tariffs help more Americans than they hurt. But consider for a moment who is now paying higher prices for steel.

Any company that makes stainless steel products is paying more, so whoever buys stainless steel products will also have to pay more. Companies who make appliances use steel, so they will also be paying more, which means appliances will be more expensive too. Steel is widely used in construction, so those prices will go up, and a large part of the steel market is occupied by car manufacturers, so anyone who buys cars will be paying more as well!

These are just a few products that use steel. It is easy to see how many people will be affected negatively by these steel tariffs, so the question becomes: Is it worth it to help the small minority of steel producers at the cost of hurting nearly every other American?

JAKE BASS

Conway

Act on climate change

After Donald Trump's first year as president, it is clear that he plans to do nothing about climate change and that he thinks it is a hoax. But it is a real problem and needs to be solved.

Some argue the earth warms naturally, and if we leave it alone, it will fix itself. This was true in the distant past, but the human race has released too many chemicals and the damage is too extreme for it to self-correct. Some also believe that climate change is a hoax invented by politicians to scare and distract us from real issues. This excuse is also used by people who believe Elvis is still alive and that the U.S. faked the moon landing.

Another reason President Trump needs to recognize climate change is that eco-friendly projects, such as renewable energy sources, recycling, and zero-emission cars can create revenue and hundreds of thousands of jobs. Many companies and cities, despite actions by the president, are enacting green initiatives to reduce emissions. Just recently, Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan pledged his support for 100 percent clean energy, and he is the first one in Arkansas. If President Trump worked with Congress to provide tax benefits to companies and cities that transition to renewable energy, it would reduce the carbon footprint and help control the amount the climate change in future years.

In conclusion, there are many reasons that President Trump and his supporters should believe in climate change and work to stop it.

MATTHEW THOMPSON

Little Rock

Editorial on 04/09/2018

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