A part of the solution
A month later, I am still bothered by a column by Bradley Gitz I found to be very judgmental.
In "The mask masquerade" on May 24, he said there are two likely reasons fully vaccinated people continue to wear masks. Either they are so terrified because of the media about covid that they still live in fear, or they are signaling their "enlightenment and virtue."
I am neither terrified nor self-righteous. I have family members at risk, including children too young to be vaccinated. Plus I am slowly emerging from a super-protective mode from having my 105-year-old mother in our home during covid, which caused a lot of anxiety. So I choose to be overly cautious out of respect for those who cannot be vaccinated.
I try not to judge those who are vaccine-hesitant even though I really don't understand that. With less than half of our state fully vaccinated, we are acting as if this pandemic is over because we are tired of it. I get it! But I want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Please get vaccinated. Please wear a mask if you are not.
And please don't make fun of those of us who are still a bit anxious and cautious because we are looking out for ourselves, our loved ones and you.
LAURA THOMPSON
Sherwood
Mowing along roads
Honorable Gov. Asa Hutchinson: The people of Arkansas recently adopted an additional permanent one cent tax to help with road maintenance and interstate construction.
I would like to ask you to look outside your home and/or Capitol and you will see that state workers mow the grass every week. The issue I want to bring to your attention is that state workers only mow the grass along the interstate highways and state roads four or five times during the summer. Many of the times they only mow one swath wide. The issue is that the state owns the right of way all the way up to the property line of Arkansas landowners.
My question: Why are the mowers required to mow all the way up to residents' property lines in some of the areas, but in other areas they permit the trees and brush to grow right next to the edge of the roads?
Here is a suggestion: Please ask your people not to mow the grass at your home and the Capitol until all of the grass is completely mowed along the state roads and interstates. Then please direct your highway people to mow every inch all the way to the fence line every time that they mow the grass.
It will not happen overnight, but you also need to direct them to begin cutting all of the trees all the way back to the fence lines as well. In some areas the trees are cut back on the hills, but in other areas they have been allowed to grow unhindered. If you will take notice, you will see certain places along the Interstate where the cloverleafs are clean and well maintained, but in other areas the trees and brush have been allowed to grow unimpeded.
I thank you in advance for your consideration of these issues. I am sure you know who to talk to in order to get these things initiated. Can you imagine just how tall the grass in your yard would be if the mowers only mowed it once a month?
BOYD B. McNIEL
Pea Ridge
Speak out for nation
Sen. John Boozman and Sen. Tom Cotton display an egregious lack of ethical resolve.
That they have not spoken out against the Jan. 6 attack on our democracy speaks volumes about where their personal interests lie: getting re-elected.
Perish the thought that either would man up and speak out for democracy. Ain't going to happen.
NEALUS WHEELER
Mountain Home
Freedom's meaning
Independence Day is fast approaching. What does the day mean to you? 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.