Letters

Animosity and vitriol

I have held off writing my opinion of the poor choices of letters selected that overwhelmingly ridicule President Trump. Such animosity and vitriol published only serves to foster disrespect, which is raging out of control already in our country. I believe your choices, which seem to be 75 percent negative, clearly show your agreement. I continue to be shocked at the number of letters that are filled with pure hatred for a man who has done great things for our country, but he, along with his wife, are continually smeared by the media, and you are complicit.

JOCEIL WOODS

Searcy

Ignoring this disaster

August 2005, Katrina: the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history; only about 1,800 died. Sept. 11, 2001, the World Trade Center disaster, fewer than 2,800 died (not all American). Now we have the coronavirus pandemic, and so far over 180,000 have died (and the experts forecast deaths could double before it's all over ... if it ever is all over). Over 1,000 have died each day for several weeks now. So in five days more people die from the coronavirus than Katrina and 9/11 combined.

After 9/11 we really got excited, started waving the flag, mobilized and even invaded another country, causing chaos in that region, which continues to this day due to our reckless illegal invasion. But now, with over 1,000 Americans dying every day we are basically trying to ignore it.

What's up? Have we, as a country, lost our marbles? Isn't the mess we're in really, really serious? Unbelievably half the country refuses to wear masks even! Where is our leadership when we desperately need it?

REG EDWARDS

Compton

It's not in our hands

I believe that God allowed Donald Trump to be president of this country. No, he is not a perfect president, but he's trying to make this country a great one. Oh, yes, he does have enemies; just watch the news for some of them. Seems like when he makes a speech, the news cuts it to pieces. You would think hate is involved in the negativism.

One letter that was in the ADG stated that we don't really know exactly what Biden would do. Of course we don't. The Bible says all things are in God's hands. He determines our steps because he alone can see the path from beginning to end. Yet he does so without infringing on our liberty or erasing our responsibility for the steps we choose.

Yes, I will be praying that Donald Trump will be re-elected president of the United States of America. We don't know who God will choose, but one thing is certain: He must and will be glorified.

JAMES D. WELLS

Osceola

On traffic scofflaws

I'm sure that Mr. David Dickey, lamenting last Friday about scofflaws impeding his right to pass in the left lane, would never himself exceed the speed-limit law of the great state of Arkansas while flying down that great multilane road. Otherwise, it seems that the pot might be calling the kettle black.

BILL ROWLETT

Russellville

Can only be disproved

I am responding to the letter in Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-

Gazette by Stanley G. Johnson. He writes that Darwinian evolution is a theory that has not been proven. But no scientific theory can be proven; it can only be disproved.

Here is how science works: a theory (explanatory statement that fits the evidence) is proposed. Then facts are gathered and the data is analyzed. If the facts don't fit, the theory is thrown out ... disproved. Data continues to be gathered, and if a large body of evidence accumulates, the "theory" is considered fact. Einstein's theory of relativity is considered a fact. The evidence in support of evolution is overwhelming and thus can be considered a fact.

Mr. Johnson mentions, "I don't think a mechanism for evolution has ever been demonstrated." Evolution works by two basic mechanisms: 1. inherited variations by mutation. 2. natural selection. A mutation is a random change in the genes of a plant or animal; it happens all the time. The consequences are usually nothing. But sometimes the mutation leads to a new trait such as eye or skin color, different enzyme, sixth toe, etc.

And sometimes, that new trait will give that animal or plant a survival advantage. This is called natural selection or survival of the fittest. In the competition to survive, those that are better adapted survive ... and live to procreate. The weak die out. And thus over time--and there is an immense amount of time--small changes can become significant changes in shape, size, strength, armament, biochemistry, and behavior among descendants.

This is how evolution works. You can't look out the window and see evolution happening; it takes a lot of time.

JOHN SLATER

Little Rock

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