To the unvaccinated
The Arkansas Health Department reports that 7,590 people as of Sunday have died from covid in Arkansas. To make things as clear as I can for the unvaccinated, look at these numbers.
Seven thousand five hundred and ninety deaths is roughly equivalent to everyone dying in Marvell, Jasper, Gould, Quitman, Gillett, Imboden, Parkin, Elaine, Hardy, Pangburn and De Valls Bluff. Or, put another way, it is equivalent to everyone in Nashville and Corning being dead.
The national death toll is 688,000. That is the equivalent of everyone in Little Rock, Fort Smith, Fayetteville, Springdale, Jonesboro, Rogers, Conway, and Bentonville being dead.
I think I would take my chances with proven science and not on unproven myths. Don't be the next one to be put six feet under. Get the shot today.
PATRICIA PHILLIPS
Little Rock
Where allegiance lies
Every one of us are slaves--either to God or Satan.
Who is your master and why?
B.E. SPURGEON
North Little Rock
Peace Week coverage
We want to thank the media this year for the great coverage Peace Week received.
The murals on Seventh Street, reading peace-related children's books on TV and articles of our various events in the press. You could even buy peace cookies in some bakeries.
The children from Woodruff Elementary used to say before class every morning: "Attack the problem, not the person," and that is what Peace Week is all about. Elementary schools in Arkansas were asked to write peace essays and do peace drawings. We received over 150 essays and 400 drawings from all over the state.
Thank you, everyone, for participating and giving peace your full attention.
ANNCHA BRIGGS
Little Rock
On common ground
Afghanistan troop withdrawal, covid-19 restrictions, pandemic relief programs, mask requirements, price inflation, potential tax hikes, the debt ceiling, universal pre-K, the southern border, critical race theory, etc.: Starting today, whenever anyone in Arkansas attempts to engage me in conversation on any of these or similarly divisive subjects, I will seek common ground.
How 'bout them Hogs? Thanks, guys!
AMY HALL
Cabot
Unintended wisdom
Mike Masterson has done it again. He often makes good points while failing to notice that his critiques can be applied to those who share his "conservative" mindset.
In his Sunday column he quotes from Paulie Doyle's description of the Hegelian Dialect. Mike's citation includes the notion that "dark forces contrive a crisis which ... instills fear in the public ... [and] a solution to restore public order is proposed." Mike predicts that these solutions will have a "negative impact on individual liberties and American society."
If I were unfamiliar with Mike's political views, I would have assumed that he was referring to Trump's efforts to subvert democracy. Trump contrived a crisis when he appealed to several (Republican) attorneys general to overturn voting outcomes and when he proceeded to pressure (Republican) Mike Pence to violate his constitutional duties by rejecting the Electoral College's vote tally. This resulted in the storming of the U.S. Capitol, injuries to 138 police officers and Trump's followers hoping to hang the vice president of the U.S.!
For Mike to turn a blind eye to Trump's attempted usurpation of power and its corrosive effects on our democracy is hard to fathom. It seems like Mike does not get how his "bit o' wisdom" applies to him and his political allies: "Truth doesn't mind being questioned, while a lie doesn't like being challenged."
ROBERT MORTENSON
Fayetteville
They prefer the lies
Is it a requirement if you are an elected person that you must attend a university to get a degree learning how to tell lies any time you open your mouth? It is obvious based on what most politicians say that they prefer to lie over ever telling the truth.
Here is a true statement: People who lie can never be trusted about anything. I have thought about it a long time and can't think of a single thing the president of the United States ever needs to lie to the citizens about. It's no wonder so many people do not trust the government. They seem to lie when the truth sounds better.
ROBERT MAYNARD
Hot Springs