Serving our country
Our beloved JFK said, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."
Service. National service. Universal national service. Universal national military service. As another great American president proclaimed from the steps in Philadelphia, everyone must have some skin in the game. All persons (read all persons) reaching age 18 years will serve this great country for three years of universal national service. All persons immigrating to or having already immigrated will also serve the mandatory three years national service. Male, female, trans, bi, hetero, non-hetero--all! Hold no one back from the opportunity of service.
To unite our great nation in a time of monumental division is the goal. Not political, but honest giving forth of your labors, your strength, your brilliant mind, to work together to solve our greatest problems. I know this is possible if we respect each other as special human beings with talents that manifest the unimaginable. Our greatest strength is our multiplier effect through our diversity.
LOUIS BURNETT
Little Rock
To honor differences
Someone recently asked me what it means to be "woke." While this question surprised me given the recent mainstream use of the term, it caused me to stop and actually put into words this basic tenet of how I believe I have tried to live my life.
It goes to the core of the way I was raised. I would begin with the acknowledgment that while "woke" may sound grammatically incorrect, it is a derivative of the verb "to wake." And, if you do consider yourself to be "woke," you probably know that this is a term for being enlightened or aware, primarily about racism and social justice. But for me, it goes much deeper than that.
Growing up in rural Arkansas, I was taught to be respectful of other people and to treat everyone the same. I was taught this at home, at church, in Boy Scouts, and in school. I was taught to be kind to everyone. I was taught to be woke. We see injustice everywhere, including assumptions about rural or working-class people, people with physical disabilities, people with mental illness, minorities, and people with differing lifestyles. I am proud I was raised to honor all people, regardless of income, rural/urban status, color, ethnicity, religion, health status, appearance, or orientation.
Our nation is stronger when we accept and honor differences and treat everyone with respect and understanding. I am grateful that my parents and hometown taught me to be woke, to accept all people on their terms, and to not feel better than anyone.
RANDAL HUNDLEY
Little Rock
More than expected
A New York friend told me he had heard that the population of Arkansas was made up of Rhodes scholars and morons.
Funny, I didn't dream we had 316,698 Rhodes scholars. Amazing!
EVELYN NELSON
Jonesboro
A proactive approach
Everyone living in Little Rock knows that the city's crime problem is escalating.
A study conducted recently found that a significant reduction in childhood poverty could cut criminal convictions by almost a quarter. The scientists conducting the study found that poverty was the only crime-related factor that could be prevented.
The issue of crime is nuanced, and to properly address it, the chosen approach must have a holistic view that takes all factors into consideration. We've seen the effects of the previous attempts to address and prevent crime in our city, and they've all led to Little Rock's highest homicide rate since the '90s.
It's time we take a new approach, one that addresses Little Rock's high poverty rate in a way that is proactive, not reactive. The Mayors for a Guaranteed Income Coalition seeks to establish economic security by providing an income floor. The program, rooted in Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy, establishes a network of mayors advocating for a guaranteed income. Each mayor establishes a pilot program that best fits the needs of the city. Arkansas does not have a single mayor representing the Natural State in the coalition. Birmingham, Ala., is comparable to Little Rock, and Mayor Randall Woodfin established a pilot program for guaranteed income. This program provides $375/month for 12 months to 110 Birmingham female-identifying heads of family caring for at least one child under the age of 18.
In Little Rock, 15.3 percent of residents live in poverty. We've been divided for a long time by socioeconomic status, but we're one city, and we need to start acting like it. We need to look out for our neighbors, our teachers, our small business owners, our community. We need Mayor Frank Scott to join the Mayors for a Guaranteed Income Coalition.
CIARA CALLICOTT
Little Rock