Should be ashamed
On March 9, 1965, I traveled with seminary friends to Selma, Ala., to march in support of voting rights for African American citizens. Dr. King had called for ministers from around the country to join a march on the Tuesday following "Bloody Sunday" where police and others brutally attacked peaceful demonstrators.
We met at the Brown Chapel church in Selma where we learned how to respond to cattle prods, attack dogs, men on horseback, and police with clubs as we prepared for the march. As we headed toward the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the white crowds along our route shouted insults telling us to "go back to where we came from." Our visit to promote justice was attacked because we were "outsiders."
This is the common attack when people seek change that would lead to justice.
In 1965, a group of white ministers in Birmingham, Ala., when confronted with demonstrations by African Americans seeking racial justice, noted, "We are confronted by a series of demonstrations ... led by outsiders."
I strongly suggest that Arkansas' U.S. House members should read a copy of Dr. King's "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," where King responds to these white ministers, and also notes they have called him an "outsider."
Trump uses the very same language that has been used by racists for decades when he tells four duly elected members of Congress to go back where they came from. Each Arkansas member--Crawford, Hill, Westerman and Womack--should apologize to your constituents for your support of Trump's use of this historic racist language.
I believe we no longer have a Republican Party, but rather a group of Trumpeter sycophants. You should be ashamed of yourselves.
JACK SINGLETON
North Little Rock
Will be consequences
This is a formal response to Donald Trump for his statement to the four American-elected Democratic congresswomen.
First, Trump has neither the authority nor the right to tell any citizen to leave their country. Second, this country does not belong to him, the GOP, or any race of people. Third, this country was founded based upon dissent. Fourth, Trump should be briefed on the Constitution and, specifically, the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence.
Fifth, Americans are comprised of all races, which includes immigrants from all inhabited continents. Sixth, he should learn the meaning of citizenship. Seventh, all four congresswomen were citizens before his current wife and her parents. Eighth, God gave us rights; a government gives us laws and policies.
Finally, Trump's behavior is disrespectful to the word of God, who made all humanity. The failure by the GOP officials and supporters to confront his racist hate and evil against others is to their detriment, not ours. Choosing to serve Trump rather than respect God's words will have eternal consequences. It has been written, and it is a biblical fact.
DEBORAH SUTTLAR
Little Rock
GOP remains silent
Another veiled xenophobic and racial tweet from the president, and yet members of his political party either support these comments, rationalize or remain quiet.
It brings to mind the final words of the man that died on the cross who said, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do."
VIC JACUZZI
Little Rock
Party versus Trump
Since the Democrats took over the House in January, have they done anything besides attack President Trump? Endless "investigations" and hearings, meaningless votes to condemn, resistance to everything he says and does, scathing personal insults. Are they getting anything else done? Anything?
I pray control of the House returns to the Republicans next year. Not because I love them all that much more than I do the Democrats, but maybe the House will do something other than wage war on Trump.
FRANK LATIMER
Sherwood
Just end the program
In an op-ed in Monday's paper, the executive director of the Regional Recycling & Waste Reduction District in Pulaski County tried to make the case that the latest reduction in allowable items for the curbside recycling program is the result of market forces. What he did was make the case for shutting down the program.
Back in the olden days before the curbside program, I took my recyclable stuff to the collection station in War Memorial Park. The city didn't manage it very well and it was always a mess. But I did my best to get the items into the correct containers. Then I was asked to participate in the pilot curbside collection program. I was given a bin and sorted paper/cardboard from glass/plastic/metals. When I moved to a new home, I used two bins--one for paper/cardboard (with larger cardboard placed next to or under the bins) and one for the glass/plastic/metals. Both systems worked well.
Then Waste Management decided to move to the single-stream pickup method. No sorting at home. They installed an expensive machine that was supposed to sort recyclables. It didn't take long for them to discover that "sheet" plastic (grocery bags, etc.) got caught in the machine and glass broke too easily. The list of permissible items got shorter. More of my items went into the garbage cart destined for the landfill.
Now, due to the market forces the director talks about, even less can be put in the recycle carts. The district collects far fewer types of items and the cost to citizens continues to go up. On top of increased fees, I now must take some plastic bags to the grocery store. A private firm will collect glass either at certain dropoff locations, which I don't frequent, or at the house for yet another fee.
It seems the cities and the district will ride this horse into the ground despite rising costs and reduced demand just to be able to make the feel-good statement that "we have a recycling program." As long as they can force me to pay ever-higher fees, they will keep doing what is no longer working well.
MARK BARNHARD
Little Rock
Must condemn racism
By now, Sen. John Boozman, Sen. Tom Cotton, and Rep. French Hill have had time to read President Trump's go-back-where-you-came-from comments from July 14.
I hope they are ashamed of these divisive, indecorous statements. Telling U.S. citizen members of Congress to go back where they came from is racist. Full stop.
Every member of Congress and Cabinet official should denounce this offensive and divisive statement. And they must speak loudly--as an example to our Arkansas community--about the important contributions of all citizens from every background to our state and nation!
We cannot be a great nation if we continue to find faults in our neighbors.
ERIKA PETERSON
Little Rock
Editorial on 07/19/2019