Like plot of a movie
Is Donald Trump the actual Manchurian candidate? If so, it would explain a lot of his behavior.
HAROLD GRIMMETT
Little Rock
A bully in leadership
Ron West correctly stated the position of most evangelical Christians that I know in his recent guest column. We did not vote for President Trump because we thought he was the best choice, but rather because he was the best choice of the two options we were given.
It seems the Democratic leadership totally missed the point of why Donald Trump was elected and they still refuse to accept that fact. In the opinion of many evangelicals and some Democrat voters, Trump was the lesser of two evils. Trump was a vote against Hillary.
Is Trump a Christian? I let the Bible guide my reasoning. Jesus' instructions were to examine a person's lifestyle and what comes out of their mouth as an indication of what is really in their heart. I do not believe that Trump is a racist or a homophobe or whatever names he may be called when people can't present empirical data to support their arguments against him. His actions and comments, from my perspective, indicate he is full of Donald Trump and sadly believes he is the only one with the correct solution for everything from the economy to military action. His response to those who oppose his views is always "You're fired!" That by any definition is a "bully with billions" who believes that money rules.
"Come now, let us reason together" should be the clarion call of a Christian in leadership. Donald Trump missed one of the most important things that a successful leader can do. Surround yourself with brilliant people and give your advisers credit for what they do. A candidate who violates our nation's laws that they do not agree with or one who rules with vindictive and aggressive actions toward others is not my preference for leadership of this great country.
DANNY DRAPER
Little Rock
Save our wilderness
Many years ago I was traveling along the West Coast in Oregon. I arrived at my campground late at night and pitched my tent. In the morning, I woke up to a horrendous noise. I poked my head out of the tent and saw myself surrounded by ATVs, their engines revving. Coming from Europe, I had never seen anything like that. I got up and walked over to the beach to get away from it all, only to find that the same vehicles were noisily driving along the beach and destroying the dunes. Disgusted, I packed my tent and moved on.
Having lived in the U.S. for almost two decades now, the same thing has happened to me again and again. I wanted to explore a pristine (as I hoped) wilderness area and was chased out by ATVs. Their noise carries for miles! As someone who grew up in a region of our planet where pristine wilderness is all but non-existent, it will always be incomprehensible to me why we allow off-roaders to spoil our precious wilderness areas and take away the experience of others who simply want to take in the sounds and smells of nature.
A recent article in the Northwest edition of this newspaper gives a voice to those who propose an expansion of the off-road network in the Ozark National Forest. I know that I am not the only one who strongly opposes such an expansion. Those voices should be heard and given a forum as well.
MICHAEL LEHMANN
Fayetteville
The case for the wall
If a case has ever been made for a barrier, wall or a secure southern border, it is the writer of the lead editorial in the Jan. 10 edition of this newspaper. It was both informative and enlightening. It is not the funding of the wall but the attitude of the folks who are unwilling to compromise. It seems automatic that "if you are for something I am against it," but why waste more on a daily basis than the barrier would cost?
I attempted to research the cost to the American taxpayer of illegal immigration but I gave up and assumed that no one really knows. Estimates ranged all over the place, but by taking an average of the estimates one would conclude that by cutting illegal entry a mere 10 percent, it would be more than cost-effective. Anything more would be a bonus. This doesn't include all the added benefits of less illegal guns, drugs, disease, etc. Granted, many want to enter this country hoping for a better life, but there are also many who have heard stories about the exploitation of American generosity and want to take part. It just is not fair for all these folks to be permitted ahead of the ones who are trying to go the legal route.
There are no easy answers. We are a compassionate people and want others to enjoy what we have but there are constraints on how far we can go. It is just frustrating to have to fight this battle when we have so many more internal problems.
I got a chuckle from actor James Woods' answer to Nancy Pelosi when she said walls are immoral; he asked her why she had one. I am sure there are people of all stripes with walls. It's not that but rather the hypocrisy which is so disgusting! Deus existo nobis.
HOWARD HUGHES
Maumelle
Can't ignore identity
Recent columnists deride "identity politics." The undersigned professor, child psychiatry and other developmental authorities understand that our sense of identity is crucial, and ripples through all aspects of our lives--including politics.
My ancestors were Cherokee, Creek, Dutch, and Scottish, and Arkansas! Some of my Trail of Tears ancestors were cousins of Chief John Ross, whose self-sacrificing wife Quatie lies in Little Rock's Mount Holly cemetery. One of my Dutch-line ancestors, Isaiah Lee Van Zant, is said to have been first to navigate the Arkansas River on a keelboat. I identify as a mixed-blood American Indian.
While I agree that more than identity ought to inform our politics, it is foolish to dismiss identity out of hand, especially when the implication is that we should ignore it in our thinking. Maybe someday racism will be gone; personally, I doubt it. My grandfather and his generation were shamed for being Indian. We are still here, and proud.
RICHARD LIVINGSTON
Little Rock
Editorial on 01/18/2019