Should know history
I wonder what parallel universe Mr. Bradley Gitz is in regarding critical race theory.
When the commemoration of the Tulsa massacre was in the news, I contacted three of my grandchildren—two high school seniors and one a college freshman—and asked them if their history books had anything about it or the Red Summer. All three said no. The two seniors did some independent study, one on Red Summer and the other the Tulsa massacre.
Certainly, there was no mention of either in my own history books of the 1950s. Additionally, I’d never heard of the Elaine massacre until a few years ago.
This underlines why Black history should be a requirement for graduation from high school!
JO LAUER Sherwood
Boy who cried wolf
Senator Cotton wants to us to know he was attacked for his accusations that the Wuhan lab may have been the source for the coronavirus. While he did say that early on, he suggested it was not an accidental release of a naturally occurring virus. He suggested it was a biochemical weapon intentionally released. Frank Lockwood’s article points to his interview on Fox and quotes an ethics expert as saying it was “pretty nuanced.” Unfortunately, this was not the only interview, article, tweet, etc., he did at the time, and if media personalities are trying to paint something as biological warfare, “pretty nuanced” is a pathetic response from a U.S. senator with full knowledge of the U.S. intelligence community and the scientific community’s assessments.
The article also mentions Dr. Richard Elbright and his concerns the virus was accidentally released. He fails to mention that he placed that probability at 50/50 odds recently. The scientific consensus was that the genome sequencing proved it was not a man-made virus, and that was the primary push-back to what Cotton said last year. Cotton’s willingness to obfuscate and allow conspiracy theorists plenty of room in this case is pretty much standard procedure for him. He is the boy who cried wolf. He doesn’t say the words himself much of the time, but he doesn’t stop the people who do.
If Senator Cotton understood how bad everything was, and where it came from, why did he not tell us that Donald Trump was wrong that it was under control, etc., etc.?
Pretending someone’s a savant for telling us where a virus may have come from while ignoring the fact they did nothing to counter our president minimizing the effects of it is a sad joke on Arkansas and America!
GREG ROUNTREE Scott
Leading to disaster?
Recently, news programs, corporations, and advertising executives are focusing on celebrating various ethnicities. I’ve not seen many features on the rapidly aging members of the Greatest Generation. A focus on military families is mostly nonexistent, even though some military families qualify for “food stamps.” And now the new focus is on Pride. Pride appears to be a catchall term. I understand it is used for those who choose to openly share their confusing sexual and gender situations. Pride issues have caused divisions in families, religious institutions, and our nation. This group has a high rate of suicide. Youth may be drawn to such lifestyles by thinking it is delightful to be very different. They may decide to engage in Pride lifestyles as an act of rebellion. The focus in the media shines a spotlight on a cluster of lifestyles that have left many a family in sorrow.
Families adopting children from various ethnicities are not receiving much attention. Those who have served communities and our nation with valor generally receive only a brief thank you. Persons with disabilities, enriching the lives of others, receive little attention.
Major world religions have the concept of accountability for every person. How many of us want to answer “yes” to willfully leading others toward disaster? As I recall, scripture says it is better for a millstone to be tied around one’s neck and be tossed into the sea, rather than to lead someone astray.
KAY HICKS Little Rock
Thanks to whole team
Arkansas residents owe a big thank you to Dave Van Horn, the assistants, staff and players of the 2021 Arkansas Razorback baseball team. During a year that began with the stress of the pandemic, starting in February, you gave us something to cheer about and brought smiles to our faces. Arkansas was No. 1 in something in a big way.
Thank you to a team of special young men: You made our spring and summer enjoyable, and you will not be forgotten.
BETH LEVERETT Springdale
Star-spangled day
July 4 will soon be with us, and we’ll celebrate the official founding of our country 245 years ago. What will you think of on that day? Tell us if you haven’t had a letter printed in the past 30 days, and we’ll do our best to get it in for the holiday.
Keep it under 300 words, and send it by email to voices@arkansasonline.com, or through our Voices form at arkansasonline.com/contact/voicesform .
Editorial