What's good for goose
Democrats/liberals love to paint with a broad brush and say that all Republicans/conservatives are deplorable, gun-toting, flag-waving, self-righteous Christians, racists, haters of all immigrants, and want to deny rights for women and the LGBT crowd.
Can we then use that same brush to say that it must be true that all Democrats/liberals are intolerant, atheist, unpatriotic, rioting/looting, culture-canceling, socialist, welfare-loving, baby-killing, free-speech-hating, soft on crime, police-hating, attack any ideas not their own, name-calling, unhappy, jobless basement-dwelling big-government freeloaders?
Just saying ...
JIM BENTON
Austin
Hope it's no fairy tale
Once upon a time, a nation founded on liberty and justice for all was rocked to its core. A man that promoted misogyny, racism, and xenophobia became president. People across the land were alarmed as he took office. As days and months went by, their worst fears were realized. Each day, they would say, "It can't get worse than this." Then it did.
This president cared more about himself than upholding the Constitution and the interests of the people. He made misleading statements and flat-out lies. He insulted allies and took the word of dictators rather than national security experts. He ordered babies to be taken from their parents and showed no compassion for lives lost and ruined by a deadly virus.
He fired experienced, dedicated diplomats and generals, and his erratic behavior diminished the nation's standing in the world. He fired scientists and other experts who spoke truth, and chose agency heads not for their expertise but their fealty to him. He was impeached for trying to extort a foreign president but, as a further insult to democracy, his enablers acquitted him of charges of abuse of power and obstruction of justice.
Disregard for the rule of law and lack of compassion defined this man who would to be king.
Hope dawned in 2020. Even members of this man's own party spoke out against his abuse of power, callousness, lying, and divisiveness. They saw America's values (family, a strong economy, honesty, decency, promoter of democracy globally) shredded by this imposter and his sycophants. Even in "red" states, people voted in droves against this president and his enablers. They saved our democracy.
TERI PATRICK
Little Rock
Endorsement or not?
Did you or did you not endorse Trump in an editorial earlier this month? It seems that the paper has no problem saying who it likes, so it shouldn't be a problem saying who you like or don't like. The paper hasn't been wishy-washy about its selections up to this point! I read the editorial and it left me wondering.
CARL ANDERSON
Hot Springs Village
Not worried about it
If the U.S. Postal Service is as good at collecting and delivering the absentee/mail-in ballots as it is at delivering political literature requesting contributions, we don't have anything to worry about.
SHARON KORNAS
Morrilton
Time for examination
I am writing this letter in response to several pro-Trump letters in the Sunday paper, specifically the ones by Mary Walker and Joe Finley.
Ms. Walker states that Trump "tells it like it is," and that she would never vote for a "wimp." No, Ms. Walker, Trump tells it like he wants it to be, and that is a very different animal. Joe Biden endured the loss of his wife and infant daughter. I know from more experience than I ever wanted that grief work is extremely hard. Joe Biden is no wimp.
Mr. Finley states that Trump has undone many policies of Barack Obama. This is true, to the tune of devastating harm to our environment and lessening of our chances of surviving climate change.
I really believe that supporters of Trump need to take a hard look at themselves. When you look at the statements of Jim Jones, they seem totally ridiculous to most of us, and yet many people consumed poisoned drinks. Trump cult members need to get some help and perhaps undergo deprogramming like any other cult member.
There will come a time when Trump is no longer president, and I pray every day that it is sooner rather than later. It is up to you: Do you want to spend the rest of your life worshipping Donald Trump, maybe make a yearly pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago?
CATHERINE LAMB
Little Rock
New folks unneeded
When I read the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's editorial calling for a five-year exemption from state income taxes for new Arkansas residents, I was reminded of something teachers sometimes say to students who have done something inappropriate: "What if everybody did that?" What if every state exempted new residents from state income taxes for five years? We would then have as many people leaving Arkansas to evade taxes as we would have people coming to Arkansas to evade taxes.
Why do we need more residents? The more people we have, the more difficult it will be to maintain Arkansas as The Natural State.
ROBERT BURNEY
Conway