Border crisis solution
The mail that has hit the opinion pages lately is filled with a lot of hate, but it may be a way to solve our border problems.
If the White House can supply thousands of free MAGA hats and Trump 2020 T-shirts to the caravans, the Democrats and the media will attack migrants with ferocity, calling them racists, fascists and Russian agents. Walls will be built and border agents hired. Antifa will attack the migrants with clubs, rocks and chemicals.
Problem solved.
DALE LANGE
Bella Vista
Paper to be memory
With the impending move to a digital newspaper, we must pay our respects to the paper version over the past 200 years. It has served innumerable purposes in addition to delivering "the news."
Growing up, the newspaper was the highlight of the morning among us four kids and our parents. We shared the sections along with our comments and opinions on the state of the world. Finished papers were stacked in the garage and then taken to the Humane Society for lining crates.
No more hiding your face behind the paper to eavesdrop or people-watch. Never a better way to clean windshields than Windex and the scrunched paper. "Acid cuts the grease." Thanks, Dad, been doing that ever since. And it works.
No pages to wrap breakables before moving. Cut flowers in a damp section are no more. Rolled-up paper bound with a rubber band swatted bugs and was a reminder to kids and pets alike to behave.
How many dogs will lose their beloved job of retrieving from the driveway or porch? How many oil stains without the paper under that leaky vehicle? No more inky fingers, but I'll even miss that.
Today, earbuds are universal, signaling "don't bother me." Families are silent with their heads bent over electronic devices. I am grateful that I won't have to tell Mom and Dad their beloved morning paper is now a memory.
I will continue to enjoy the paper in whatever form it is delivered, but just know, old fella, you will be missed. RIP.
DENISE PERRYMORE
Little Rock
The question to ask
I have a question for the candidates, and especially for Mr. Sanders or Ms. Warren. When we talk about Medicare for all, what does all really mean? Does that mean that these politicians are going to give up their cushy health-care plans and join the rest of us on Medicare? I would bet that if anyone had the guts to ask the question, the response might be--well, ahhh, not necessarily. You would have a hard time wrestling that away from any of the folks that are supposed to be our leaders.
It is always comical to me that if there are sacrifices to make it will be us, the citizens, the patriots, the everyday Joe, but never the politicians.
But the problem is no one will ever ask the question because we might embarrass our lofty great ones.
STEPHEN BLASCHE
Hot Springs Village
Party's out of touch
The decision by the Democratic National Committee to give exclusive coverage of the 2020 presidential debate to cable television underscores a serious problem that the Democratic Party has, and that is being out of touch with people living in rural areas of the U.S. This comes at a time when the party appears to be trying to be inclusive and trying to win back those people living in rural areas? Those of us who live in rural parts of Arkansas (and throughout the country) have limited access to cable. Many do not have satellite and only some of us are able to connect to the Internet through DSL connections, if available. Therefore, the ability to watch the debates either through cable or through streaming, to a lot of the population, is nonexistent at the current time. I find this decision and its implications deeply troubling, especially given the direction our country has been going and apparently will continue unless the Democratic Party wakes up.
Incidentally, when I contacted the local Democratic Party with my concerns, one of the suggestions was to go online and try to find the location of a "watch party." (How many people living in rural areas do you think would be willing to go out of their way to travel somewhere in town to attend a "watch party" with a bunch of strangers and drive back home around midnight--assuming they have the accessibility to even go online to learn about these watch parties in the first place!?) Again, what does that say about being in touch with Arkansans and other people throughout the U.S. living in rural areas?
KAY MOTSINGER
Roland
Background checks
States with gun-violence-prevention legislation in place have been proven to have the lowest rates of firearm-related fatalities. With Arkansas ranking seventh in the nation in gun deaths, our state especially stands to benefit from gun-violence-prevention measures.
Earlier this year, the House of Representatives passed a bill in support of universal background checks on all gun sales, and now the Senate has introduced a piece of legislation to expand these checks. Studies suggest that the implementation of background checks for gun purchases could reduce homicide rates by 40 percent and suicide rates by 15 percent.
As a student at the University of Arkansas and a resident of Washington County, I want to see a significant reduction of gun deaths in my community. Because of this, I would like to urge Sen. John Boozman and Sen. Tom Cotton to co-sponsor the Background Check Expansion Act (S42).
HOPE DAVENPORT
Fayetteville
Editorial on 08/02/2019