Leap-frogging history
Watching the Democratic candidates debate, I saw Kamala Harris take on an old man, Joe Biden, who, regarding civil rights, had lived the history of the issue. She brought up a personal grievance about segregation from the past of about 40-plus years ago.
It is quite a different world now.
The problem with political leaders who leap-frog history is that if they ever get into power, they will wake up in a brand-new world every day.
CHARLES VERMONT
Prescott
Was shining example
Monday we celebrated the life of my dear friend, Robin Dean. As I and many hundreds more listened to the well-deserved accolades of her life, I could not help but to think how we all could benefit from the example she set.
Unlike those among us who love to “toot their own horn,” or tell us how we should believe in order to get to heaven, she shone brightly in doing God’s work without judgment. Robin strove to help those who needed help. She couldn’t care less what color you were, or if you wore a veil or carried a cross.
She believed we should help those less fortunate than we. Robin worked diligently for the UAMS Family Home, sold more Partners Cards than anyone, raised thousands of dollars to build a new kitchen for Brother Paul’s Friendly Chapel, and was always finding ways to enrich Lakewood Methodist Church.
Robin was a shining example of what is good in the world, and, because of this, we were all blessed to have known her.
MARY FRANCES BEAVERS
North Little Rock
Endorsed by the Lord
There is great debate regarding gun control and gun ownership. Many conservatives believe that gun control is the first phase of a larger plan to ultimately take guns away from all citizens. There are politicians that do advocate confiscating private citizens’ guns.
Some conservative groups declare God-given rights to include freedom, democracy and gun ownership. They speak out of ignorance, as nowhere in the scriptures are democracy and freedom given as rights.
The one area the conservatives may have right is guns. In Chapter 22 of the Book of Luke, Jesus tells his followers that, if they do not have a weapon, they should sell their cloak and buy a sword. I doubt that they would have used a sword for deer-hunting. Christ was speaking literally, not metaphorically, about personal protection.
That was a direct endorsement from Jesus of personal weapon ownership. I believe that scripture can’t be interpreted any other way. Jesus meant what he said and said what he meant. I want to do everything Jesus tells us to do, so I think I’ll go buy a gun.
AL HARKINS
Little Rock
Have skin in the fight
As oil tankers are torpedoed in the Gulf of Oman and America’s intelligence sources point to Iran, tensions intensify between the U.S. and Iran, as does the likelihood of military action.
Now’s the time to rethink our reliance on a professional, all-volunteer army and make one critical and essential change to our military conscription policy.
Recommended peace initiative: Any member of the family of an elected member of Congress as well as elected officials in the administrative branch will be immediately, within 30 days, conscripted into active military service as the result of a commitment of U.S. military forces in any hostile activity, overseas or domestically. These members will be of military qualifying age and limited to the sons and daughters of all elected officials and the sons and daughters of said elected officials’ siblings.
No exceptions. Non-elected officials subject to this mandate include the secretaries of State and Defense, and the president’s national security adviser. Physical deferments will not exempt the conscript from military service; however, it will defer them from combat assignments only.
Commitment by the U.S. to order military troops on an offensive or retaliatory mission can result from either congressional action or an emergency executive (presidential) order.
We can count on Congress ignoring this suggestion, so I propose the states with existing initiative and referendum processes add this to their ballots immediately. Legislators in the other states should band together in their respective states and declare an exception via a special referendum, or adopt the initiative and referendum process in their state.
It is morally outrageous to declare wars you fight using other people’s blood. This is a lesson in how decisions you make have consequences you must suffer.
I realize this will never happen, but I can’t help imagining the good that would result if it did. Peace is worth the fight.
HARRY HERGET
Little Rock
Shortsighted decision
Little Rock’s War Memorial golf course is like our Central Park. How shortsighted to close this wonderful midtown green space just because it loses money. An intelligent visionary politician would have “found the money.” It’s always there somewhere.
Mayor Scott, are you listening?
DANE BUXBAUM
Little Rock