A danger to country
I think Rex Tillerson was almost too kind when he made a remark too nasty to print. I believe Trump has proved beyond any doubt that he is beyond being a moron. Usually morons are just stupid, but this one has enough power to ruin whole countries!
CARL ANDERSON
Hot Springs Village
On whining liberals
In Thursday's letters, it took Jack Hill of Bismarck 300-odd words which could have been condensed to three to say, "I hate Trump." He wants someone to do the "right thing" but with no suggestions as to what. He should read California Gov. Newsom's answer to liberal Jake Tapper when Tapper tried to goad him into bad-mouthing Trump. Dealing with an invisible crisis for which we can't prepare was impossible. If not, we would have already been prepared by previous administrations. The Obama administration failed to respond to a visible crisis in Benghazi for which we were prepared. They blew it big-time.
Wow! Here I am whining like a liberal. Forgive me. I can assure you, I'm not.
Deus existo nobis.
HOWARD HUGHES
Maumelle
Government orders
I am a grown man of 67 years. I do not need an order from the government telling me to stay home. If people are so dependent on the government to tell them what to do and how to do it, the decline may already be insurmountable. People, where has common sense gone?
MIKE HUGHES
Sherwood
Ineptitude in office
Remember when old white guys like me and a mess of other citizens elected the first black president? Remember that Mitch McConnell and most other Republicans agreed not to allow his administration to enact anything, even things they wanted, if they could stop him?
That's exactly what they did. Among other things, whatever provisions for national health management Obama proposed they fought or stopped altogether. Not only did they fight Obamacare, but provisions for just such things as this virus were stopped. That's part of what Ms. Rutledge was referring to as she was campaigning on "Fightin' Obama."
Why did Arkansas and most of the dear ol' South convert virtually overnight to Republicans? Most folks, if they're truthful, would tell you it was and is racism.
Republicans believe in tax cuts. They can't do that and still maintain emergency stockpiles of medical supplies sufficient for a national epidemic. They don't want federal control or management if they can avoid it. So we have effectively 50 states competing for insufficient supplies, and an idiot in the Oval Office they must bow and genuflect before or suffer his wrath, and the spineless wretches who rubber-stamp his lunacy.
We lucked out and have a governor who has enough sense to know what he doesn't know. He delegates to the experts the decisions they are qualified to make that he isn't. He does what he is qualified to do and takes counsel from qualified sources. Kudos to him!
We've got some egotists in some offices who are concerned mostly with "Wonderful Me" like their leader is. Unnecessary public announcements and some making unfounded and offensive accusations against China. Are they actually dumb enough to think such stupid motor-mouthing is helpful in securing the help and resources from other nations that we depend on?
KARL HANSEN
Hensley
Guard mental health
The covid-19 pandemic is uncharted territory. Health-care workers are on the front lines in this crisis, putting themselves at risk every day to care for others. I am a social worker at a community mental health center, and we remain open during this emergency to provide necessary health care to our clients. Because the governor relaxed the rules of telehealth during this pandemic, my clinic is able to continue to provide many vital services while still practicing social distancing. Some of our clients reside with us in group homes and rely on us to help them through this crisis safely. Other clients report an exacerbation of their psychiatric symptoms due to anxiety and fear over the pandemic.
This crisis is taking a toll on everyone's mental health. There are a few simple things you can do to manage the stress: Don't make a steady diet of crisis news coverage. Turn off your television or computer and take a break from the bad news. Read a book, turn on your favorite music, go for a brisk walk or clean out a closet.
Social distancing is difficult over time, and people begin to feel isolated, depressed, and lonely. Reach out to family, friends, and neighbors with a phone call.
While it is normal to experience increased anxiety and depression during a crisis, if you need help managing your symptoms, you can contact your local community mental health center for assistance.
If you want to know what you can do to support health-care workers, do what they do. Take the covid-19 pandemic seriously and follow the social distancing advice of the CDC. Do your part to curb the spread of the coronavirus as much as possible. This will help us all, especially those on the front lines.
JOYCE SCHIMENTI
Bismarck
Must flatten the curve
The Cell Phone Data Scoreboard (tinyurl.com/cellscore) for social distancing indicates that our great state scored an F. However, The CDC and WHO tell us that social distancing is the only tool in our arsenal to flatten the curve. How embarrassing for our leaders and the citizens of Arkansas.
Parking lots at non-essential stores are full, and citizens are shopping for entertainment at stores in Arkansas. A majority of Arkansans are clearly not following the directives to please stay home. That puts all of us at risk. Maybe directives are not persuasive enough.
My emails with Arkansas legislators, mayors, and county judges who see the covid-19 tsunami coming to Arkansas tell me that only Governor Hutchinson can issue a shelter-in-place order. That the governor is adamant that he does not want to.
How can "we the people" help our leader comprehend that large numbers are not heeding his directives? That puts our lives on the line!
Our leaders must step up and issue a shelter-in-place order for two to four weeks to flatten the curve so our hospitals, clinics, and triage centers are not overwhelmed. Arkansans with serious symptoms must have access to intensive care when the wave peaks in Arkansas.
Surely we can each make a small sacrifice to shelter in place for the good of all. Surely we can stay at home while our medical front-line staff put their lives on the line to save ours.
GEORGANNE PEEL ROLLANS
Russellville
Editorial on 04/05/2020