Strange enthusiasm
Your coverage of the opening of medical marijuana dispensaries in Arkansas was fascinating. People standing 200 deep to pay $400 out-of-pocket to fill their medical marijuana prescription. Camping out overnight and then the next day joyously fist-pumping their way out of the facility.
If patients would be 10 percent as enthusiastic about obtaining medications to treat their high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes, maybe our hospitals, medical office buildings, and dialysis facilities would not be bursting at the seams.
MICHAEL L. MOULTON
Fayetteville
We take it personally
The recent guest column by Warren Carter of the Arkansas Farm Bureau justifies his ardent defense of C&H Hog Farms by claiming that "it's personal" to him. Well, it's personal, too, for the rest of us who want to preserve the Buffalo National River in its unpolluted state.
Mr. Carter is a master of obfuscation, using diversionary emotional language to make it appear that Bad Old State Government is out to get those struggling farmers who just want to be left alone to raise a few hogs. Mr. Carter conveniently omits that the volume of untreated swine manure that fills those waste lagoons is roughly equivalent to the sewage output of a small city, and that its presence is a clear and present danger to the health of the Buffalo.
Mr. Carter submits that there is no scientific basis for the claim that the concentrated hog waste will harm the Buffalo. It's clear he has not looked at the studies that show the fragile porosity of the subsurface karst geology and its commensurate vulnerability to penetration of deleterious nutrients, hormones and chemicals. The impact of this subsurface pollution, in addition to surface runoff, is potentially catastrophic.
Whether it was intentional or procedurally negligent, the state erred in issuing the original permit. We have some empathy for the C&H owners, but it's hard to look at the way their permit got issued. The Farm Bureau would better serve its members by offering to assist in developing standards for concentrated animal feeding operations placed in locations environmentally suitable for their operations and their waste.
If C&H was shut down tomorrow, it would take half a generation for the porous subsurface karst rock to naturally clear itself. The state is right to pursue shutting down this facility posthaste.
In the meantime, the citizens of Arkansas and all lovers of the Buffalo River everywhere will take preservation of this precious national resource personally. Shut it down!
CHARLES T. CROW
Little Rock
Possum Poot update
It was a somber gathering at the watering hole. Even the evil librul Professor Phineas Phogbottom was subdued and making his own efforts to console the Rev. Dr. Elbert the Eggplant Farmer. I, as the mayor--I'm sorry, I'm now addressed as "The Donald"--felt it my duty to make a showing that we here in Possum Poot worship and adore our President Trump. Besides, such gatherings are a good exercise in heaping abuse and ridicule on those despicable libruls. We consider it a form of spiritual exercise to do this; quite often an impromptu prayer meeting will break out.
Our entire purpose was to help/console Elbert. Seems all this trade-war stuff had diminished his income to the point where he's losing his farm and house. With a shaky voice, he stood up and made the announcement and further swore his love and support to the president.
I watched him and the gathering as this all transpired; we are a tight community. Our token (invited) librul left, disgusted, muttering, "of the stupid people, by the stupid people, and for the stupid people." The door closed behind him just as the first beer bottle hit it.
Come visit Possum Poot, where the truly righteous people dwell in lockstep and harmony!
STEVE GIBSON
Little Rock
No adjectives needed
Why do we put adjectives before the word American? Why do we insist on attaching some country or continent before it? Irish American. Puerto Rican American. German American. Japanese American. African American. Australian American.
Then there's the theological name-calling; Baptist American. Catholic American. Jewish American. Mormon American. Islamic American. Methodist American. This form of offense divides us all. Stopping is easy. Live honorably as an American. Period. Hold dear your ethnicity and personal beliefs, but stand gratefully as an American first and foremost. Try it. You might stand a little taller.
JM BUCK
Hot Springs
Be careful with wishes
The evangelicals said Trump is living up to what he said he would do, and they are all for him. Whooo ...
He said he could do anything he wanted to with any woman because he is rich. Be careful, evangelicals, you might get what you wished for.
BOB MASSERY
Little Rock
Editorial on 05/20/2019