Pandemic thoughts
As a 93-year-old, my thinking is mainly about the future of my children, grandchildren, and friends younger than I. In earlier letters I have compared nuclear warfare with climate change and threats to civilization, and concluded that climate change could be ameliorated by technological breakthroughs, while nuclear warfare by North Korea or Iran could mean the end of civilization as we know it.
Without assigning blame to anyone for the incident releasing covid-19, the possibilities for bio-warfare seem obvious. Further mutations seem quite possible with this particular threat, and pose frightening bio-warfare scenarios. So what can we do? I say we must negotiate, negotiate, negotiate.
In the meantime, let's safely enjoy the creative genius of man as represented at Crystal Bridges Museum, a symphony concert, or even recitals by talented young musicians at the great university campuses in this state. There have been some great a cappella groups in northwest Arkansas and room for more of all these fine art displays and artists statewide once living with this virus is ameliorated.
GEORGE BRADLEY
Springdale
The vaccine we need
The Anti-Trump Virus is more severe than covid-19. Every institution held sacred by American values has now been attacked, poisoned, inflicted, and corroded by the Anti-Trump Virus. Let's start with the FBI, CIA, DOJ, UN, WHO and EU, among others known commonly by their initials. Then there are our educational, taxation, immigration, and health-care systems all joining the virus' attack on our president without meaningful remedies to their own problems. The Anti-Trump Virus attacks and blames Trump for decades-old problems. The attacks always include and are even led by the media--"fake news." This is not fake; Trump has good solutions and thoughtful resolutions that the socialists fear.
When Trump recently spoke about the Supreme Court's failure to follow the Constitution and law, the vitriol of the Anti-Trump Virus seemed to have infected everything. But there was more. When Trump pointed out the waste and inefficiency of the post office, the Anti-Trump Virus went into fits. Again, led by the media. Trump will leave his mark on America. But in so doing, he must disinfect and get rid of the Anti-Trump Virus and the tarnishing scum that disinfectant and cleansers find difficult to remove. We need a vaccine for the Anti-Trump Virus.
ALFORD DRINKWATER
Bigelow
Won't change racism
I just read that there have been calls to change the name of the city of St. Louis because the history of the person it's named for. I heard the other day that the Eskimo Pie frozen bar will be renamed. I grew up on Eskimo Pies!
I am a Black woman. I think that there are some people of all races that treat others badly based on the color of their skin. Changing names of things we love and removing monuments won't change racism. Love and respect for one another will.
PATRICE TAYLOR
North Little Rock
Didn't seem to get it
I thought surely Bradley Gitz was referring to the present administration when he cited bullies and cowards in his opinion column. Every word rang true to the Republicans in power.
But no, he did not seem to grasp the similarity of what he was describing to what we actually have in Washington.
MARTHA SUTHERLAND
Fayetteville
Russia's fingerprints
Is Donald Trump a Russian asset? Have you ever heard him criticize Vladimir Putin for anything? Remember this? "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing."
I think the only book Donald ever read is "The Power of Positive Thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale. Always look on the bright side. Failures are simply opportunities for creative positive thinking.
I think he has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). (See Mayo Clinic's Signs and Symptoms for ADHD.) He can't sit still long enough to learn anything. He does not read, not even the Presidential Daily Briefing (PDB). He is a fat, ugly, ignorant man, but in his mind, he is a handsome, very stable genius. He talks like a fifth-grader. His father probably bought him a degree from Wharton. He thinks debate means name-calling. He is exactly the kind of man a KGB agent like Putin would try to recruit as an asset. He has failure written all over him, and a fragile ego that can be flattered to do almost anything you want. Some of his businesses went bankrupt, and no bank in this country would loan him money, so he borrowed tons of money from Deutsche Bank. Germans are smart people; they would have required a co-signer. Trump is exactly the kind of man Russian agents are trained to recruit. I believe we are going to the find out the Russian oligarchs, at the direction of Putin, guaranteed his loans from Deutsche Bank.
At Helsinki, Donald looked like a fifth-grade bully just chewed out by a member of the Mafia. He was trying to get his mind around what he had heard from Putin. Putin looked like the cat that had swallowed the canary--satiated and in absolute control.
RUUD DuVALL
Fayetteville
What they're thinking
Mr. Phil Mariage's "Reflections on my life" reminded me of my own life's reflections. At age 20, I worried about what everyone thought of me. At age 40, I didn't care what everyone thought of me. At age 60, I realized they weren't even thinking about me!
RICK RILEY
Little Rock