Also part of Arkansas
South Arkansas is a part of Arkansas, all the way to the Louisiana border. A lot of folks live down here south of Pine Bluff, south of Sheridan, south of Arkadelphia. However, it appears that the Little Rock television stations are not really aware of this, especially when there is severe weather.
We can be having some nasty weather down here and we might get on a scroll across the bottom of the screen or a little map in the corner, a mention. Sometimes all we get is a mention of "there is some severe weather down to the south." No details, not much description or forecasting. Heck, even Fayetteville and northwest Arkansas get a mention of severe weather and they don't even get the Little Rock stations. When the storms move over toward Monticello it seems the coverage gets a bit better, but that doesn't help those of us in south or southwest Arkansas.
There is more to Arkansas than central Arkansas. Please keep in mind, Little Rock television stations, there a lot of people down here. We are also part of Arkansas.
DAVID KELLEY
Louann
It's voter suppression
For those who want to call Georgia's voter law an integrity law, was there integrity in: reducing polling places in high population areas; not only reducing the number of drop boxes but not making them available 24/7 as in the past; restricting absentee ballots, which cannot be mailed to registered voters without application as in past elections; making it more difficult to extend hours to accommodate all voters if election machines break down; essentially banning mobile voting centers; removing the Georgia secretary of state as chair and voting member of the election board; or empowering the Georgia legislature to suspend county election officials?
All this to solve a problem that does not exist plus punish a secretary of state who refused Trump's insistence on vote tampering. By the way, Trump is under investigation for this very thing.
ED PARKS
Rogers
Such accomplishment
Kudos (?) to the Arkansas 93rd General Assembly! It has managed to potentially nullify parts of the U.S. Constitution, significantly reduce a woman's right of choice, signal that they know more about the welfare of transgender children than the medical profession, assert that they are more astute than professional educators regarding "science/creationism" and, generally, are just really a smart, all-around bunch of experts that are looking out for us poor and ignorant common folks.
Really?
As George Bernard Shaw once wrote: "He knows nothing; and he thinks he knows everything. That points clearly to a political career."
JERRY ROBERTSON
Van Buren
Just common sense
It's sometimes hard to understand what the Arkansas Legislature's goals are--the ones that will really benefit our state. One subject is gun control. I have observed in life that people don't need a lot of guns. Some have none, and are living a fine life. Others have handguns for safety. Hunters have rifles to use on duck or deer. But there is no reason to manufacture weapons with 40-plus rounds (that's not even fair to the animal). And were you thinking of using these against your fellow man? Then you are mentally ill or just plain evil. That's why I want background checks before guns and ammunition are sold.
Only the military, and perhaps police, could use repeater rifles for their jobs, as they protect us. Our state is not a war zone. No, you do not have the right to do whatever you want to do, or own whatever you want to own, unless you live on an island all by yourself. You need to get along with the rest of us. Freedom and justice go hand in hand. That means the right to do the correct action in your own way (freedom), without infringing on the rights of your fellow citizens (justice). The Golden Rule applies here!
Here are two words I don't see or hear much these days: libel--a written false and malicious statement about a person; slander--a spoken false and malicious statement about a person.
People used to be sued for committing either of these acts. Media reporters should have reliable, provable facts before bringing them to our attention. A reporter's "right" includes telling the truth. This should also apply to commentators. Sometimes gossip parades as fact, and that is what has caused distrust among our citizens. If something is wrong, prove it. Otherwise, don't mention it.
CAROL ANN BONE
North Little Rock
Insufficient schooling
If I may infer from her letter that Ms. Catherine Lamb believes that legislators are insufficiently educated, I certainly agree with her.
In my opinion, anyone running for office, either state or national, should be required to have a course in economics before filing. If they pay attention in class they will learn enough to realize that many grand ideas simply won't hold up against the laws of economics. If they study hard, they would learn that there is no such thing as government money--it is taken from hardworking taxpayers. They might even learn what every housewife already knows--that you can't spend more money than you make for very long before you go bankrupt.
DEBORAH JOHNSON
Batesville