Letters

Lies will be downfall

About that pathological liar in the White House: I believe those lies will ultimately do him in, or will do America in. Which will happen first? It's a crapshoot!

JOHN DuPREE

Fayetteville

Need to help animals

I live in a small town with a big problem: stray cats. People gripe, but no one wants to help. People are dumping cats and dogs in the country where they die from starvation or are run over. A businessman called me recently and said he had gotten several cats out of his lumber shed; they had been poisoned. His business is close to an eye clinic where I've been feeding cats for years.

The worst situation is at a bus here. Several kittens are sick. I feed about 30 daily and have for years, but can't afford to have them spayed and neutered. The only reason for this problem is irresponsible people. I'm told they can't afford to vet them. I told them not to take a pet home if they can't make life better for them.

I am feeding one that has been declawed and thrown outside. How cruel can people be? He's beaten up all over because he can't defend himself. I see people on TV rescuing the worst and someone needs to come here and take these cats out of the bus. It's as bad as I've ever seen; cowards dump kittens there, and some are already sick.

I have contacted so many people for help but get no replies from them. One person can't do a thing to help. These cats are abused in ways that are horrible. If there's anything anyone can do to get these precious animals to a better life, they need to do it now. Several have died there in the past three months.

Abuse laws won't help if there's no one to carry them out, and here, cats are considered rodents. Bless anyone who can help these poor creatures.

MAXINE McCUE

McCrory

Still they support him

Re Donald Trump: There is a stink about this man--his morals, his business practices, the way he treats people.

And what is amazing is the support he continues to get from a major segment of the religious community.

PHIL GUSTAFSON

Hot Springs Village

Respect for our flag

It's been nearly three years since Colin Kaepernick first took a knee during the playing of the national anthem and flag presentation at an NFL game as a protest against social injustice. The first few times Kaepernick broke the Flag Code, it was barely noticed. Then our president got involved and called the protesters SOBs and suggested "maybe they shouldn't be in the country." Recently Trump became involved in a Twitter battle with soccer player Megan Rapinoe because she broke a Flag Code in support of the protesting football players.

There are many more ways to show disrespect for our flag. Driving around central Arkansas, one can see thousands of flag displays at private businesses and homes left unlighted at night, thereby breaking Flag Code 174(a): "... [T]he flag may be displayed 24 hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness." At many football and baseball games, a large flag is carried onto the field and spread horizontal to the ground while being held on all sides to the cheers of the fans. Never mind Flag Code 176(c)--"The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free." On national holidays citizens like to drive around with small flags attached to their autos at the window, breaking Flag Code 175(b): "When the flag is displayed on a motorcar, the staff shall be fixed firmly to the chassis or clamped to the right fender."

American corporations manufacture and sell merchandise that disregards Flag Code 176(i): The flag "should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard." Millions of Americans show a lack of respect for the flag on a daily basis through disregard of the code, all without repercussions. But when black athletes and their supporters break it while exercising their right to protest social injustice that still exists in this country, they are vilified. What a country!

KENNETH R. WEBER

Greenbrier

Bullying old people?

How can it be fair for the Department of Human Services to reach into its bag of tricks and pull out a new tool to deny previously approved patients' services that they were receiving from "at home care" and "assisted living services"? The cost of these services is usually lower than nursing home costs. But the federal government picks up a larger share of nursing home costs than they do for "in home care" or "assisted living care" costs for Medicaid-eligible patients. So the state saves a little DHS budget money by essentially forcing these patients into nursing homes.

Arkansas is already in the bottom fourth of states for patients receiving "at home care," which is what most people want in their last years. This new tool will just push Arkansas further into the bottom fourth.

DHS actions are adversely affecting all of us old people, not just those on Medicaid, because they will be driving the providers of these "at home care" services out of business and forcing a lot of us non-Medicaid eligible old people into the more expensive clutches of nursing home owners.

DHS, you are headed in the wrong direction. Turn around; don't force us old people unnecessarily into nursing homes!

Hear the committee meeting I attended July 9. Log on to www.arkleg.state.ar.us. When the site comes up, click on weekly view at the bottom. Then enter start date 7/9/2019, end date 7/16/2019, and hit go at the end of the date line. Then click on the video icon at the end of the 10 a.m. session line. Move the little square in the timeline to 10:12 a.m. for the start of the session. Move the timeline to about 11:05 a.m. to hear my testimony. Best of all, move the timeline to 11:46 a.m. to hear the gut of the whole issue stated by Michael Shepard, past chair of the National Center for Assisted Living.

MAC FAULKNER

Little Rock

Editorial on 07/14/2019

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