In dangerous position
Regarding the letter "About those voices" by Randy Blakey comparing Mike Pence hearing and following God's guidance to mental illness: We Christians have a personal relationship with our God. He does speak to us through his word, the Holy Spirit and the Bible says, through a "still small voice."
The God of the Bible can speak in visions and dreams and his shepherds--our pastors, ministers, songs. In other words, he loves us, desires a relationship with us, and is not limited in his ability to communicate. He is not a mute, deaf, and dumb idol. He is real, alive, and active in the world and our lives.
It takes a fair amount of arrogance and nerve to demean someone else's personal belief. If you don't know the difference in the voice of God and the voice of Satan, God help you. You are in a very dangerous position.
PHYLLIS FARISH
Bella Vista
Shouldn't be driving
The question that I have: "Is there one justifiable reason that a person that is found guilty either of DUI or DWI should ever be allowed to drive in Arkansas again?"
Do any of our lawmakers have the nerve to propose a change in the law? I think that these convictions are just used as moneymakers and that our legislators don't really care about the constituents.
KEN HOFELICH
Russellville
Youthful obedience
One can sympathize with those who think it's better for students to obey their teachers to stay in their seats rather than launch protests for gun control to end slaughters like those at Parkland, Fla., and elsewhere. Youthful obedience is the glue of culture.
Yet a friend reminded me recently of historian Arnold Toynbee's argument that civilizations don't fall as a result of social or ecological disaster. They fall when the creative minority who founded them is replaced by a dominant minority absorbed in sustaining its own privilege rather than addressing contemporary problems.
In our own time, who is addressing the availability of murderous firearms in the hands of civilians? Global warming and ecological disintegration? Nuclear proliferation and global wars? State collapses and forced migration? Divisive archaic ideologies like nationalism and racism? Transmission of ancient lore rather than contemporary knowledge?
One must be genuinely thankful for our youth, whose identity, status, and wealth aren't so embedded in traditional culture that they can't think beyond it.
DAVID SIXBEY
Flippin
Reap what you sow
Approximately 50-60 years ago, a vocal minority began to demand, "Get your God and his morality out of our public life: out of our public schools, out of our civil laws, and out of our public discourse."
So now, our inner-city streets are battlegrounds for gangs, opioid addiction is an epidemic, and the suicide rate is increasing for nearly all demographics. The traditional family is a vanishing class and our "gun-free zones" are becoming killing zones.
And the people demand, "OMG! Government, do something. Government, save us [from ourselves]."
In Galatians, it says, "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. You will reap what you sow."
JIM GOINS
Berryville
Give us our liberty!
We lovers of liberty are tired of all the rules and regulations government imposes on us. For instance, traffic lights, stop signs, speed limits, DWIs, and one-way streets. Why not let the American people decide where, when, and how fast they want to drive?
This increase in individual freedom would also be a great boon to our economy. Think of all the business it would generate for hospitals, funeral homes, auto companies, body shops, insurance salesmen, lawyers, and grief counselors.
Another area of oppressive laws is government inspection of our food. Instead, let the buyer beware. If you don't want rat droppings or toxic chemicals in your food, then you should set up your own chem lab at home. As for warnings about allergens, who cares? Only wimps have allergies.
Let people have their hobbies. If you want to collect hand grenades or rocket launchers, it's your right. Same with setting off recreational explosives. So a few windows get rattled down the block, whatever.
Everybody should do their own thing--that's what democracy is all about.
Taking responsibility for your own life would allow business to surge. With such a booming economy, we could lower taxes on the wealthy even more. I wonder that Paul Ryan hasn't thought of this.
CORALIE KOONCE
Springdale
Waiting for decision
Could someone please tell me why I'm still waiting to receive my Social Security disability?
I applied approximately three years ago and waded through a battery of tests. However, the wait just gets longer.
I've been declared terminally ill due to pulmonary fibrosis and now reside in a nursing home and am under hospice care. I feel as though they hope I'll die before they reach a resolution to my case.
Whatever happened to the taxes they took out on me for over 30 years?
MICHAEL TAYLOR
Judsonia
What was wished for
Remind your bosses that if they like Trump's tax-cut plan, they ought not be upset with the newspaper tariff.
DALE GOSSIEN
Little Rock
Editorial on 04/14/2018