Letters

On imposing values

Defying both experience of life, the likelihood of changing one's thoughts is unlikely, and wisdom and logic of my Momma, the more one stirs it, the more it stinks, a response to Reginald Edwards' letter published Saturday.

He asks who "they" are, the religious right. I assume his characterization of right is political mindset rather than correct in judgment. I address the latter. We now live in a world that has no point of reference. We are reaping decades of the Me Generation. I want what I want. It's true because I believe it. Opinions are considered fact, based only what one thinks without a trace of substance of support. In way too many discussions today, truth has taken a back seat, if a seat at all.

His comparison of the abortion issue to that of Prohibition is sad, not deserving a response.

And his suggestion to "stop trying to impose your set of values on everyone else": What, pray tell, are you doing?

My hope is that this is taken in the spirit given.

ROBERT McNEAL

Walnut Ridge

Not building bridges

Hillary Clinton brings her "Poor Me" tour to Little Rock on May 24, only this time with the "Bridge Builders." The cluelessness of using this title a few hundred feet from the Clinton Bridge is simply breathtaking.

Do they think we have forgotten that the bridge was to be renovated simultaneously with construction of the library and wasn't even started until five years after the library was completed? Do they think we have forgotten that renovation was started only after years of begging, pleading and finally demanding by the bicycle community of Little Rock? Do they think we have forgotten that the renovation was to be totally paid for by the Clinton Foundation? Do they think we have forgotten that instead of paying for all of it as agreed, they penuriously only paid about a third, leaving former Mayor Stodola to cave then raise the balance with grants that should have been used for crumbling city infrastructure?

Yes, it seems the foundation ducked its written obligation, causing the Clintons' former hometown an unanticipated $10 million cost for the pure joy of doing so when it was one of the most successful fundraising organizations in the country. With this history, one would think the Clintons and their foundation would want to talk about anything other than building bridges.

GENE PFEIFER

Little Rock

It thrives on racism

I believe Trump and his administration exemplify the bastion of racist capitalism. African Americans are not blind to the banter and rallying cry for white supremacy, discriminating evangelicals and those who prefer a rich economy versus justice and equality for all humanity.

We know the DNA of the American economy has racist origins, whether it was Africans, Irish, Mexicans, Latinos, Chinese or women. The American economy thrives through racist policy.

Trump has proven lies don't matter, hate doesn't matter, sexism doesn't matter, xenophobia doesn't matter, and God's words don't matter. All that matters is the privilege to hate, carry a gun, the right to marginalize, control women's bodies, and the right to ignore laws of the Constitution when the economy is good.

America is at a retrograded place. Trump espouses profanity-laced racist hate and ignorance while being protected by elected officials. The Constitution seems irrelevant.

I believe Trump deserves impeachment; he is a traitor to human and constitutional rights. Immigrants are people. He's wrong on so many levels, with no integrity. Do we have any?

DEBORAH S. SUTTLAR

Little Rock

Will not be abolished

This is in reference to Kenneth Weber's letter in which he believes the electoral college should be abolished. The founders were brilliant. They had the foresight to include a method to amend the Constitution in the Constitution.

For example, slaves were counted as three-fifths of a person. The 14th Amendment changed that and gave them the right to vote. Senators were appointed by state legislators. The 17th Amendment changed that to provide for the direct election of senators. The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote.

An amendment to do away with the electoral college would require a vote of two-thirds of the members of the House and Senate. Then the amendment would have to be ratified by three-fourths of the states. The chances of this happening in this political environment are slim to none.

The bottom line is that Mr. Weber, and many others, will probably never see an amendment removing the electoral college from the Constitution. Hence they should stop fretting about it.

RUSS BAILEY

Little Rock

Editorial on 05/22/2019

Upcoming Events