Letters

To protect our nation

In reference to Mr. David Sixbey's letter to the editor, I'm a Vietnam veteran who loves his country. I've had firearms since I was 11 years old; so had my brother. We love to squirrel hunt and deer hunt, and we also shoot raccoons and possums at night trying to get Mom's chickens. I still have my guns and will the day I die.

I believe if you take the guns away from the honest people, the Nazis, the drug gangs and dishonest people would take the government and rob and kill the honest people. Also, we don't want a government of socialism, or a Nazi or communist government.

I am a proud member of the NRA.

JOHN BOSTIC

London

Real issue is ignored

More schoolchildren have been killed than members of our military in combat operations so far this year. It would be funny were it not so very tragic that many leaders will blame everything possible except guns in the school massacres.

Why can't some common-sense measures be taken? You can't drive a car without a license and insurance. Have we learned that those with the power to make the needed changes have already spoken? Their solution is more guns and more "thoughts and prayers."

We are witnesses to the results of the inaction. This can change. We must take action in November. Our children's lives are at stake. American children should not have to attend schools that are essentially prisons, with teachers serving as prison guards, just because our leaders will not address the source of the problem.

Please realize that we can have guns and sensible regulation. Our children and grandchildren deserve to live a life free from the fear of being murdered in their school in these United States of America. Vote!

TRUDI RUST

Fayetteville

Haunted by conflict

As Memorial Day approaches, my thoughts go to my husband, Winford "Jack" Barfield, who was drafted into the Army in 1950 and spent three years in Korea. Sadly, he died on Good Friday, March 30, 2018, after a protracted battle with lymphoma and Alzheimer's disease. During our 38 years of marriage he spoke very little of his time spent in Korea. As his illness progressed he began to talk more of the years he was in the war, and it haunted him that he had to take a life during a severe conflict. Jack would reflect how as a young man what was required of him; yet he was honored to serve our great country.

He was one of the lucky ones, coming home safe and healthy. This letter is in his memory and to honor his service; no doubt Jack would be acknowledging all he served with to protect our nation if he was still here with us. God bless each one who served so proudly, and thank you for your service.

God bless America!

VIRGIE Y. BARFIELD

Hot Springs

Support in name only

I think the term "pro-life," because it is used only when one is against abortion, no matter what, should be changed to "pro-fetus." How can people call themselves pro-life when they haven't a clue regarding what kind of environment, what kind of mother or family some of those children are going to be born into?

Some are born with drug addictions which mean not only a great deal of suffering but many physical, emotional and sometimes mental problems later in life--if they survive and are not subjected to more abuse. Some are never able to take care of themselves because the mother was not emotionally equipped to handle a crying baby and as a result they wound up with shaken-baby syndrome. Some are neglected and/or beaten to death when they are just toddlers. Shelters for neglected and abused children are full to capacity on any given day. And there is always a shortage of foster homes.

To me, life doesn't mean much if it does not have any quality and is lived in misery and abuse.

And how can people call themselves pro-life if they are against any kind of sensible gun legislation that would ban assault weapons and extended magazines, or think it is okay to send young men and women to idiotic and totally unnecessary wars which have nothing to do with our national security? We need legislators who will make quality of life better for our kids and everybody instead of those who wear the pro-life slogan on their sleeves!

ROSE GOVAR

Maumelle

When does a life end?

Well, Trump is trying to defund Planned Parenthood. On the idea that a fetus counts as life.

OK, I somewhat agree with that, but what about the women? What if having a baby would kill them? What if she can't pay for the kid? What if she was raped? Also, let's take it step further. What do kids need to live? Food, clean water, good housing, and health care. All of these Trump and his swampers are attacking, thus making it harder for lower-income families to get aid.

Furthermore, what have Trump and other pro-lifers done to stop the next school massacre? Nothing; he and the lifers have even attacked the kids at the March for Our Lives rallies.

They are not pro-life; they clearly don't care anything about life. All this is is an attempt to control women unlike how they can't in their personal lives. Then once the kid gets old enough, they will be shipped off to whatever war in whatever country the pro-lifers decide to attack next.

So I think the new slogan for pro-life across America should be "Life ends at birth."

DANIEL GIPSON

Cherokee Village

Editorial on 05/24/2018

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