Isn't funny anymore
Every year this comes around about this time.
Elected officials that knew what the salary was at the time they spent a lot of money to run for their office express surprise that they are to receive salary increases. The standard prose is that they appreciate the work of an independent commission. To suggest that these commissioners are independent is almost a slap in the face to intelligent people. They were appointed by the very people that are reaping benefits approved by them. What is wrong with this picture?
I wonder, were this sham of an amendment up for another vote, if it would be approved again. Unfortunately there is not a line of lawyers waiting to file lawsuits overturning this amendment. Guess they feel their money isn't at stake here since it's public funds.
LLOYD KASSLER
Bryant
Priorities are in order
Bob Ballinger is pro-gun, pro-life, pro-family, pro-Constitution.
(His words on his promotional material.) (The ones up there, not down here.) (Those are my words.) (Don't you just love the First Amendment?) (Is that too many parentheses?)
Pro-gun: He certainly has his priorities in order. You can rest easy; well, your guns can rest easy. He'll protect your right to hold and cherish your firearms until they have to pry them out of your cold, dead (from a lack of health care), undereducated, underpaid, Christian, alt-right hands.
Pro-life: Is he personally volunteering to adopt all of the unwanted, under-loved children of Arkansas and orphans of gun violence? That is great.
Pro-family: If you are white, heterosexual, Christian and not poor, he's for you.
Pro-Constitution: Is that any particular constitution, or all of them?
MARK EASTBURN
Eureka Springs
He deserves a Nobel
Well, folks, he is about to pull it off. That's right, like him or not, it seems Donald Trump has done something no other president in the past 60 years has done. He has created the environment for the president of South Korea and the leader of North Korea to come together for a dialogue regarding the reunification of the South and North, plus an agreement beyond the armistice after the cessation of combat operations in the 1950s.
President Trump has also arranged for a summit between all interested parties and the possibility of having the North Korean leader terminate aggressive initiatives toward the United States.
President Trump has created, through strength, possible peace in Korea. I believe if anyone deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, it is certainly Donald J. Trump. Praise the Lord!
LOUIS R. BURNETT
Little Rock
Make a visit to elderly
A few days ago I visited with my friend Robert K. He is 102 years old, born in 1915. I asked him about his youth in Perry, Okla. He explained that as a 14-year-old boy he made grocery deliveries in a Ford Model T for McCoy's Grocery. He was driving back before driver's licenses were required. So what is so new about groceries being delivered to the home today?
Another time we were watching a football game on television. We saw an overhead shot from one of the blimps. He turned to me and said, "I saw the Graf Zeppelin fly over Perry when I was a boy." Robert also delivered newspapers and had read about the scheduled flyover. He was up at dawn and saw the great airship go directly over Perry. The Graf Zeppelin was the sister ship to the Hindenburg that famously was destroyed by fire while attempting to land in New Jersey.
I researched the history of the Graf Zeppelin and discovered it did take an around-the-world trip in 1929, starting from New Jersey and traveling east to Germany, Tokyo, Los Angeles, and back to New Jersey. On the morning of Aug. 29, 1929, it flew over Perry. I would wager Robert is the last person standing who has this recollection.
He also met Lou Gehrig when a group of ballplayers came though town on a barnstorming tour.
Please take time to visit with the elderly and discover some fascinating stories from their life.
ROBERT J. LAIRD
Magnolia
Prove his existence
Rick White of Bentonville asks in his letter to the editor on April 12 that we give him a break on the existence of Jesus Christ.
White will get a break when, and only if, he provides evidence to substantiate his claim. White asserts his claim on the existence of Jesus Christ without evidence.
White shouldn't let the fact no one in human history has ever proved his God stop him. He could then pick up his Nobel Peace Prize with its million-dollar reward.
STEVE FOSTER
Fayetteville
Familiar description
Bradley Gitz, in his April 16 column, offers a group of disconnected observations. Two comments stood out.
Gritz said most people, meaning normal, well-adjusted people with real lives, have never used Twitter because they have better things to do. He also quoted Derek Hunter: "A good rule of thumb in politics is to ignore the musings of anyone who hasn't completed puberty." This was directed at Parkland student David Hogg. However, I think the comments more accurately describe the antics of our president!
BETTY IRENE McSWAIN
Fort Smith
Editorial on 04/26/2018