Did an awesome job
Thank goodness for the police department, fire department and MEMS in Little Rock for their outstanding and heroic response to the recent tornadoes and the aftermath. Has anyone outside the city said a word? I think not.
Let me tell you that LRPD, LRFD, and MEMS are all well appreciated here in Treasure Hills. I was proud that day, for my city servants provided service and lifesaving when not much else could be reached right away. We had a fallen tree due to the high winds across our street. Volunteers showed up, as well as all city services, and all helped civilians cut and remove a huge tree and its branches laid across Santa Fe Trail near the intersection with Treasure Hills.
Thank you, LRPD, LRFD, and MEMS; awesome dayum job!
FRANK TRACY
Little Rock
Resiliency, bravery
The one-year anniversary of the school shootings in Uvalde, Texas, at Robb Elementary was marked recently by the release of videos by CNN. The parents of the victims, who have been desperate for answers, were asked if they wanted to watch the videos of what took place inside the school.
I hesitated to watch this show knowing how depressingly similar the mass shooting storyline has been and continues to be, not only for Texas but for our country. But after watching it, I came away in awe of the courage of a 10-year-old girl who survived, Khloie.
Khloie, whose dad is a veteran, was in one of the rooms where the slaughter occurred and was one of the few children to survive in that room. She was taught by her dad several survival skills like noting where exits are in a room or building, how to play dead, even smearing blood on yourself. She also managed to get to the teacher's cell phone and called 911, even offering to open a door for police. But, alas, officers stood outside in the hallway for over an hour before taking out the gunman.
So my takeaway from watching this show is that the adults in this country are like the police standing in the hallway, hesitating to act. But children like Khloie can show us resiliency and bravery if only we will remember her and not forget.
DAVE DINGLER
North Little Rock
Voices of censorship
People have objected to letting minors see "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves," to having "Where the Wild Things Are" on the library shelf, and for allowing drag performances on "The Carol Burnett Show."
The voices of censorship are rising again with Act 372, this time imperiling our librarians. Thankfully, the Central Arkansas Library System is actively opposing this legislation.
We don't need Big Government interfering in the way parents raise their kids.
DALE PEKAR
Little Rock
Creating a disaster
As I write this, we are still about a week from default day. It is not clear at the moment whether Republicans will take us over the edge into immediate economic catastrophe or will extract severe budget cuts that will drive the economy into recession next year.
Either way, it appears that Republicans are committed to tanking the economy before our next election. The fact that it appears most of the national debt is the result of Republican tax cuts for the rich, not liberal spending, is beside the point.
Why would they do that? The answer is both simple and sad. They know that if they can create a disaster President Biden will take the blame, not them. How do they know that? They know that a substantial number of voters believe that whatever happens, for good or ill, is the president's doing.
I know from my developmental psychology days that most intelligent kids give up that theory of government by about the fifth grade. Many adults, however, never do. If Republicans can really screw up the economy that is presently doing very well, they likely will win the White House next election and probably have gains in Congress.
This is what happens when we give Republicans even a four-seat majority in the House. That is all they need to cause serious trouble. And note, Arkansas' four congressmen are going right along with the sabotage.
The underlying problem is that a substantial percentage of the public will never understand what is going on.
ROGER A. WEBB
Little Rock
Destroying America
Congress has raised the debt ceiling 78 times during the last 63 years: 49 under Republican presidents, and 29 under Democrats, including three times during Donald Trump's presidency with zero requirements or spending cuts.
Aren't you sick and tired of the GOP threatening to hold your health care, your Social Security and your military disability hostage by refusing to pay the bills that they themselves incurred? Threatening our retirement savings, our jobs and America's economy? Threatening the world's economy? They don't care how much damage they cause.
With Trump's 34-count felony indictment in the Stormy Daniels hush-money case and three pending grand jury investigations over classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, election tampering in Georgia (just find me 11,780 votes) and lying to banks on financial documents by inflating the stated value, it does seem they do have bigger problems. Trump could end up with over 100 felony indictments and/or convictions.
The GOP should stop trying to damage Joe Biden's presidency by destroying America. At this moment they are mad at Mr. Potato Head, M&M's, Bud Light, Mickey Mouse, library books, Legos, Judy Bloom, Dr. Seuss, every minority and LGBTQ. Please just get serious and stop being an international joke.
JOE SEAMAN
Lakeview