Halt nuke program
In 2017, the University of Arkansas entered into a contract with Honeywell International, a company involved in manufacturing nuclear weapons. A group of us are opposing this and the following is why.
Despite widespread misunderstanding, nuclear war is the gravest issue facing our species, tied with environmental destruction. These are the two issues that could cause our extinction in the near future. Also, nuclear war is far more possible than most comprehend, with the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists recently setting the Doomsday Clock at 100 seconds to midnight. This is the closest it has ever been set since its inception after World War II.
A great book, "The Doomsday Machine," by famous whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, details his experiences as a nuclear war planner. He highlights how many falsely believe the president alone can launch nuclear war. In reality, the authority to start nuclear war is delegated to many lower-level commanders, and nuclear war can be started by false alarms, unauthorized attacks and accidents.
Also, far too few understand the dangers of nuclear winter. A full-scale thermonuclear war would cause ferocious firestorms in the bombed cities, sending massive amounts of smoke into the upper atmosphere, blocking out sunlight and lowering temperatures worldwide for a decade or more. Within a year or two, this would destroy nearly all plant life, and the humans and other animals that require plants for food. Too many rationalize these dangers, but as Ellsberg writes, "No policies in human history have more deserved to be recognized as immoral. Or insane."
This grave danger motivates our campaign to stop the UA program. We hope you will join us in working to protect our grandchildren and planet from nuclear madness. Bought and owned politicians are not going to save us. We must save ourselves.
ABEL TOMLINSON
Fayetteville
Suspend the hysteria
With the number of "breakthrough" cases growing around covid-vaccinated people, it seems the government has now amended the description of a vaccine to be less something that protects you from the virus and more something that mitigates the effects of the virus should you get it again. So, gone is the argument by leftists that "My vaccine won't work unless you get vaccinated." Instead the argument is now "My aspirin won't work unless you take your aspirin."
Ninety-nine percent survival rate, so please suspend the idiocy and hysteria already. It's getting real old.
ROBERT BEMIS
Little Rock
Energy independence
Congress is currently considering a spending package that includes punitive tax and policy measures that will harm American workers and consumers and increase our dependence on foreign energy.
A proposed natural gas tax and provisions disincentivizing federal oil and gas development would not only weaken our economy and jeopardize American national security, but it could also harm the environment by increasing our reliance on coal and foreign energy produced with lower environmental standards. Congress should immediately correct this ill-conceived plan.
As the Arkansas economy recovers, energy demand will continue to rise. Without access to domestic energy sources, America will be forced to import more oil and natural gas produced by other countries to fill the gap, because reducing production does not lower demand for resources.
Increasing American dependence on foreign oil from countries with less environmentally friendly production standards will not help address climate change. It could threaten our economic recovery, over 10 million jobs supported by the industry, and more than $100 billion in annual tax revenue the industry generates for federal, state and local governments. This hurts Arkansas' energy security and environment. This approach is a misguided, punitive and duplicative attack on America's natural gas and oil industry and its workers.
Natural gas and oil are essential to our everyday lives; they anchor our economy and bolster our energy security. Over the past 10 years, the U.S. has made considerable progress in reducing emissions while leading the world in delivering affordable, reliable energy. The current proposals before Congress would cost jobs, undermine economic recovery, stifle innovation, reverse environmental progress and harm national security.
Americans deserve better. This approach is all cost and no benefit.
RODNEY BAKER
Little Rock
Rodney Baker is executive director of Arkansas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners.