LETTERS

LITTLE ROCK — Real meaning of Christmas

In December 1954, I was ending my sophomore year at Arkansas State University at Jonesboro. I worked in the campus cafeteria. This family of workers drew names for the gift exchange; limit, $3.

One worker who impressed us was Little Joe. Joe was very small and frail; one leg was shorter, one arm was deformed, his back was bent. He spoke with an impediment. He worked cleaning the heavy metal pots. He stood on a platform to reach the big sink. The task was greasy, dirty and the least wanted by the others, but Joe did it with a smile. He seemed joyful because he had a job. He was an inspiration.

Little Joe drew my name. He did not attend the exchange party, but sent my gift, a tie rack that I used often in the months ahead. With each tie I lifted from Joe’s gift, I remembered this special giver.

I soon left ASU, thinking I would never be back. As circumstances go, in 1958 my wife and I went Christmas shopping on Jonesboro’s Main Street. In one of the stores, I was surprised when Joe appeared, maneuvering his twisted body through the crowd. I just knew as I watched in tears that one whom I never dreamed of seeing again would find another Christmas gift pleasing the receiver as much as did the one he gave me. Back home, I cried again, and I still do each December when I concentrate on this Christmas event. I ask myself why. Never stop loving and never stop believing in Christmas is the answer I accept.

WILLIAM KRAMER North Little Rock

Care keeps costs low

With the downturn in the economy, a number of art galleries have gone out of business, which has hurt my art glass business. I even had to lay off my one employee back in September.

I’ve been fortunate enough to stay in good health, but the costs of health insurance keep going up. I was just informed that my monthly premium will go up another 12 percent in January. To afford health coverage, I have to settle for a large deductible, and still there is always something that the insurance companies figure out a way to refuse to cover or you have to complain and badger them to get them to pay for.

It doesn’t make sense to me that a lot of insurance companies in the small-group and individual markets reportedly spend as little as 60 percent of premium dollars on medical services, and then keep raising their prices and dropping coverage. My premium dollars should be going to health care, not red tape, raises and advertising.

Everyone should have adequate preventive care; that would help keep costs lower by preventing minor illnesses from becoming life-threatening. We need our senators and representatives to stand up for small businesses, and that means supporting a strong public option to provide the competition needed to force the private insurers to play fair.

ED PENNEBAKER Green Forest

Voice opinion on bill

It is time for our governor to give Arkansans his opinion about the drastic health care business that’s been going on in the Senate. It is going to cost Arkansans jobs. The bill will cost us $250 million to $500 million. We cannot afford this.

Governors from other states are weighing in on this as some of the details are coming to light. I want to know what Mike Beebe thinks.

JANET CROW Conway

Don’t force tradition

The court got it right. They’re finally understanding what the Constitution meant by freedom of speech, expression and religion, [with a federal judge] allowing the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers to express its beliefs with the display.

It’s just too bad that Secretary of State Charlie Daniels felt it right to allow the Christian Nativity scene because of tradition and the court had to tell him what he should have known, this being that the displays would be on public property.

Just because it’s tradition does not mean it’s right or correct. It’s fine if you have that belief, but it’s a personal belief. But please don’t force a tradition on those of us who believe in facts and evidence.

Some try to have you believe that Christmas is a Christian holiday, but it began with the Romans and Mithra before Christianity began. The rest has been passed down as tradition. And the story goes on. Congrats, Freethinkers.

DARON McCLAIN Bryant

Problem easy to cure

The recent letter from Sally Latham regarding the condition of Paws Park hit a nerve. Aside from the Clinton Library Park, Little Rock struggles to provide enough money for our parks. And don’t expect the 2010 budget to offer any relief.

A simple solution to this problem of poor maintenance is easily addressed by making the Clinton Library Park our new Paws Park. City officials wouldn’t dare offend Bill Clinton by allowing “his” park to be poorly maintained.

Of course, the city would have to restrict access to just “yellow dogs.”

DON SHELLABARGER Little Rock

Majority did not win

So letter writer Wally Gee thinks the majority wins, does he? Let’s review the facts.

The majority of Arkansans did not vote for Barack Obama. The majority of Arkansans are not for Obamacare and yet Congress and Obama continue to push ahead with the largest entitlement $pending program in our country’s history.

What do you call someone who votes against the wishes of those who elected him or her? We call them former Congressman Vic Snyder and former Sens. Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor.

MIKE HARB Little Rock

Speak up for beliefs

I was amazed to read the letter from the lady who told us that God is in charge and suggested that everyone should hide their head in the sand.

I would like to name a few people who knew without a doubt that God is in charge but did not have the “do nothing, say nothing, hear nothing, know nothing” attitude: Moses, the prophets, Jesus Christ, the disciples, the Apostle Paul, Billy Graham, Adrian Rogers, Charles Stanley, Rick Warren and the Pilgrims who risked their lives to come to America.

The liberals and atheists are counting on Christians doing nothing. They would have us believe that speaking up is politically incorrect. My answer is to wake up, speak up, stand up and be counted.

LINDA W. GREENWOOD Hamburg

Feedback Yuletide surprise

My fellow Air National Guard members and I sat down for a Christmas lunch at Georgia’s Gyros in North Little Rock today and experienced a random act of kindness like no other in our lives.

As we prepared to settle our tab, we were told that a most gracious customer was picking up our bill. Totally unexpected, the seven of us could hardly find the words to express our thanks, and as we did so, the kind lady said, “No, thank you all for what you do.”

I have traveled to many countries and across this nation before settling here in Arkansas and joining the Guard, but I know my family and I have found the right place.

The people of the great state of Arkansas, and this young lady in particular, make it an honor and a pleasure for those of us who serve our country. What she did for us today will never be forgotten.

CHRISTOPHER COVEN Sherwood