OPINION

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: We need to do both | Follow the guidelines | Controlling the flame

We need to do both

If we keep dividing ourselves over whether it's more important to protect against the covid-19 virus or get the economy started up, we will only be killing more people and destroying the economy at a faster and faster rate.

It's not an either/or choice. We--all or at least most of us--must get solidly behind doing both. If we don't curb the virus, our economy will fail. If we don't restart the economy, we will run out of the resources we need to curb the virus.

We have been told, shown, and pleaded with to wear the masks, keep out of one another's faces, wash hands, avoid touching our own faces, set up workplaces and schools for distancing and sterilization to the greatest possible extent, and so on. If our governments and our private sectors push ahead on testing and following up on testing, on development of vaccines and remedies, and on strategic use of funding, and if each of us does the things we know we need to do, we can save ourselves from both the virus and economic collapse.

Some people will never pitch in. But if most of us do, we have a chance. If we don't, we are lost.

CHARLEY SANDAGE

Mountain View

Follow the guidelines

Until recently, Arkansas has lagged behind other states in having to face the sharp end of the pandemic. Benton County residents can take some comfort that, so far, there have been no covid-19-related deaths reported even though the number of positive cases has climbed. Yet we know that the fallout from this pandemic will continue. and public health experts warn of a wave that will impact our region. As we grapple with this new reality, there is some guidance from which we can take heed: the directives and guidelines from Governor Hutchinson and Arkansas Department of Health.

It's unrealistic to believe we can eliminate all risk through these measures, but by adopting them we are showing we realize the danger and that it extends beyond ourselves. The ADH guidelines and practices offer us a plan for living in this pandemic age until covid-19 is better understood and under firmer control. ADH also provides helpful information from qualified experts rather than dangerous misinterpretation often found within social media bubbles. We need to learn how to live in this new reality with clarity and, as Arkansans, practice a common respect for others and their lives. And it is especially important to show our respect when being in close proximity to those who are essential workers, including food retail and service workers.

The road toward controlling this pandemic requires a collective will and an abundance of testing, contact tracing, and effective treatment and prevention. So far, infection and death rates from this pandemic continue to increase, so we should do everything we can to reduce the risk in line with our state's directives and guidelines.

JULIA K. BAILEY

Bentonville

Controlling the flame

During the recent political candidates' debates I heard the words socialism and socialist mentioned. I started paying close attention to what people were saying about these concepts, and two schools of thought emerged.

One thought was socialism should be avoided at all cost. The other thought it was a good thing that provided some security. I researched the concept and decided that socialism is like fire--an excellent servant but a dangerous master. Collective effort can achieve things an individual cannot, but the individual effort is needed to know what needs to be done and how to do it.

Collective effort is better used to provide resources to bring individual ideas and effort into fruition. Think of all the ways we use the products of collectivism. Individual brains conceived the idea of harnessing electricity, but it took the resources of taxpayers to start rural electric cooperatives. We have a transportation system second to none, but individuals engineered the how to make it happen. It took the collective effort to provide the resources.

Achievement happens when someone somewhere makes an observation and thinks "I wonder," and accesses the collective source of resources to make it happen. That way we have transportation, education, school lunch programs, community water, electricity, Medicare and a host of other things that enhance our lives.

Let's keep our fire and let's keep control of it.

MARJORIE LeCLAIR

Shirley

Doesn't make sense

Just watched our esteemed governor on one of his coronavirus updates on television. Is what he said an oxymoron (something made up of contradictory or incongruous elements) or doublespeak (language used to deceive usually through concealment or misrepresentation of truth)? He made the statement that he was in favor of "no-excuse early voting" rather than "no-excuse voting by mail." He went on to further state that there were security concerns about having voting by mail available to all.

This makes no sense to me. Perhaps it is a result of his meeting with our esteemed president the day before he reported back to us Arkansans on the update. That makes one wonder if it is an oxymoron or just doublespeak. I frequently vote early to avoid the crowds on election day. I, for the life of me, don't understand what "no-excuse early voting" even means. If the early voting timeline is increased, why would one have to have "no excuse" even applied to it? In the past I've never had to have an excuse for voting early.

The governor went on to defend his stance because of the security concerns about widespread voting by mail. Since many other states--most bigger than Arkansas--have found voting by mail to work quite well, couldn't he just call them and discuss security concerns? I'm sure any of the states that do such voting would be more than happy to allay any concerns he might have. Perhaps his recent trip to the White House bent his Arkansas logic somewhat!

JOHN EICHLER

Little Rock

Editorial on 05/26/2020

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