Not a false narrative
Cal Thomas' column in the paper on Sept. 6 implies that climate change is a hoax and climate-change activists are pushing the false story. He says there are a multitude of reasons for the forest fires, such as failure to clean up underbrush, etc., and he says it gets hot in the summer but he predicts it will be cooler in the fall. Cal must be directing his column to kindergarteners.
The world has just experienced the hottest summer on record by a large margin this year. This is not a false narrative but an established fact.
The waters around Florida reached "hot tub" temperatures this summer. The heat is contributing to wider-spread forest fires, destruction of coral reefs, strong hurricanes and general health decline. We can put our heads in the sand and pretend there is nothing wrong, but the smart thing to do is to take all action that is feasible to help stem this trend. Of course, it may be too late already.
PAUL HARPER
Sherwood
Sanders' arrogance
In response to Dana Kelley's noble defense of Sarah Huckabee Sanders in last Friday's paper, I have this to add: Congratulations to Mrs. Sanders for becoming the first female governor of Arkansas. But being the youngest governor in the country could be more of an encumbrance than an advantage.
Experience does have advantages in certain situations over notoriety. I assure you I'm no proponent of name-calling, but considering her previous employment, I'm sure she has the tough skin to take it. Mrs. Sanders' skill set is largely political and certainly not accommodating. She has learned from the best how to influence, assimilate and manipulate.
What you seem to be missing here is that most Arkansans aren't happy with monumental changes involving their children's education being shoved down their throats with LEARNS, further enhanced by the introduction of Florida transplant Jacob Oliva. His reputation precedes him. It's no different than the frequently unconstitutional cultivation from our Legislature. Mrs. Sanders said, "the people have spoken!" Hardly. The people of Arkansas elected her governor. That did not include the force-feeding of the LEARNS Act.
In the same Friday paper, there was a piece on a meeting in northwest Arkansas including Chris Jones and Denise Garner discussing the pros and cons of the LEARNS legislation. This meeting should have taken place well before the Legislature hurriedly passed it as soon as Governor Sanders put it on the table.
You can say what you want, but Mrs. Sanders' "my way or the highway" attitude is what we're stuck with. It is a no-discussion approach, an arrogance that everything she endorses is right and the rest of us are wrong. For her, no compromise is necessary, "we" have all of the answers. I keep looking for some semblance of compassion, some indication that someone else might have a good idea. Some, if any, respect for compromise, which Governor Sanders seems to view as weakness.
Not only is it just indecent, it's not very American.
WADE GREEN
Camden
Tax on ignorant, poor
Re Capitol monument: Thank you, Ms. Judith Gribble. Perhaps a second monument could be placed alongside, this one for all the kids that go without breakfast, shoes, or go to bed hungry and alone. All because their parent(s) are out playing at the fun and glittery casino hoping to strike it rich, or playing the official state lottery, both a sneaky way to tax the ignorant and poor and soon to be poorer.
If no monument, perhaps we could eliminate TV ads for such like we did tobacco?
STEVE BRACKINS
Little Rock
Do better, managers
This was my first Razorback game at War Memorial Stadium. I was there for the game, but more importantly, to watch my granddaughter perform in the Razorback Band.
During the beginning of the first quarter my son went down to the concessions to get some water for us. He came back at the start of the second quarter with no water and told me the waiting line was halfway around the stadium. My grandson and I went down at that time to use the restrooms and see if we could get in line for water. Both restrooms had scalding hot water to rinse our hands in ... no cold water! As far as the concessions, we couldn't tell where the ends of the lines were, they were so wrapped around the stadium. We tried the vending machines, but they must have been empty because they wouldn't take cash or credit cards. We finally went back to our seats since halftime was about to start and we wanted to watch the band. We left at the beginning of the third quarter.
Seems to me that since the decision was made to start the game earlier due to the heat, stadium management should have had the foresight to have additional stations set up for selling only water. Just like the beer stations. It was not a pleasant experience to have no water for three hours. I heard on the news that War Memorial issued a statement indicating that guests could get water from water filling stations; however, you had to have a bottle to put the water in, and no bottles were allowed into the stadium.
War Memorial management needs to do better.
TERRY DELEON
Little Rock
Hits it out of the park
Give John Deering a raise! As a political cartoonist he hits it out of the park almost every time. His cartoons are the first thing I check out once I get to the editorial page.
If you don't like him, then don't look. Same concept as those that want to ban us from reading books they don't agree with.
MELODIE MARCKS
Fayetteville