LETTERS

LITTLE ROCK — Therapy that really works

Many nursing homes have residents who are sad and lonely. Usually, they're not there by choice, but too often the old and handicapped are put there to spend their final days.

I learned about a program that provides great therapy for invalids. It's the pet therapy program. I have a friendly little cocker spaniel named Katie, so I enrolled her. The time spent is strictly voluntary and most homes welcome it. We have visited several rest homes and it's amazing how much good it accomplishes. Just petting a little dog and talking or praying with them brightens up their day. Many never have visitors, mail or phone calls.

About a year ago, we picked up some 25-cent plastic flowers for the ladies. One sweet lady asked if she had to water it. I noticed recently when I was there that flower was right beside her Bible.

It's easy to enroll if anyone has a friendly dog. Any humane society can direct interested people. It's a wonderful program and I can guarantee that participants will be blessed and find that the therapy works both ways. Jesus clearly emphasized that we should visit the sick and infirm. Don't delay. Enroll today and put a lot of smiles on sad faces. We never know what kind of hand fate will deal any of us.

DAVE RICHARDS Hot Springs

Whining unjustified

From a tax-paying citizen to the tax users sitting in prison whining about their rights being violated over the 70 percent law, here's my response: Oh, boohoo, cry me a river. What rights did you give the victims of your crimes?

Let's see, the inmates falling under this law are robbers, rapists and murderers. Here are a few questions I want to ask those tax-sucking whiners. When they were sticking a gun into someone's face to steal their money, did they think about that person's rights? What about his fear? What about his property?

When the rapists were assaulting their victims, did they stop to think how their victims would deal with the permanent emotional scars? Where are the rights of the people the murderers killed? They have no rights because they're not here to enjoy the life that was taken away. These victims are six feet under or their ashes are sitting in an urn somewhere in the house of their loved ones, who are left behind to mourn.

Since I am feeding inmates and paying guards to keep inmates behind bars, then I should have a say in how they are treated. They should all be glad that I'm not in charge of the penal system in this state because every prisoner would serve 100 percent of his sentence. There would be no "good time" in my house.

DONNA HUMPHRIES North Little Rock

Others are due praise

There are two things about Mike Masterson that you can always count on: He'll never say anything bad about Judeo-Christian conservatives and he'll never say anything good about gay people.

In "Catching young hearts," Masterson praises the religious indoctrination of kids at the Arkansas Baptist Boys Ranch. Some other youth advocacy groups that you will never hear him mention: the Rochester, Minn., Area Gay and Lesbian Youth Services, which offers volleyball, picnics, dances, bowling,game board night and movie night; the Rainbow Youth Group of Daytona, Fla., and OUTstanding Amarillo in Texas, which offer a safe and supportive environment where gay youth can share their concerns, have a sense of belonging, increase selfesteem and create friendships; and the Ali Forney day center in New York, which offers recreational activities, counseling and medical services to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender homeless youth.

Forty-two percent of homeless youth in a 1991 study self-identified as gay/lesbian and 30 percent as gay. According to a study by Dr. Gary Remafedi, bisexual adolescent males attempt suicide at least once, thanks in large part to the efforts of good Christians like Pat Robertson, Ronnie Floyd and Lou Dobson, all of whom demonize gay people by propagating the falsehood that homosexual orientation is a personal choice. These youth groups save more than souls. They save lives.

BRAD BAILEY Fayetteville

Resist these 'reforms'

With this nation's health care system in reform and so many health issues in question, I would like to make a plea for the unborn, those inside the womb without a voice.

There is no doubt that President Obama is establishing one of the most pro-abortion administrations in history. He has supported a $300 million increase in funding for services providing abortion through Title X Domestic Family Planning. He has elected arguably the most pro-abortion governor in the country, Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, as secretary of health and human services.

Since March, Obama has been working to remove conscience-clause regulations that protect from discrimination or punishment health care workers who refuse to participate in abortions due to moral beliefs.

And now he is pushing a health care reform bill that I believe will force the American taxpayer to pay for elective abortions for all those covered. If passed, this could be the largest abortion expansion since Roe vs. Wade.

The weight is stacked against the unborn, but it is not too late. Action can and must be taken. If you would like to join me in being a voice for the voiceless, please contact your senators and representative. Let them know that you oppose taxpayer-funded abortion mandates and encourage them to vote no on any bill supporting taxpayer-funded abortion. The need is literally life and death.

BRANSON BOLDEN Little Rock

What happened to competition?

Pat Lynch demonstrated his ignorance of simple economic principles once again. In "Vic Snyder on the ropes," he wrote, "Without the strong federal presence in the health insurance sector, what possible incentive"-my emphasis-"would there be to contain costs?"

Well, let's see, how about free enterprise, how about good ole competition, how about the fact that Lynch still writes for a newspaper that won in competition with another newspaper on service and pricing? How about the competitive environment that flourishes without needless government interference? Lynch, like others of the liberal ilk, thinks the government is the answer to everybody's woes. A strong federal presence in private enterprise? Yeah, that's just what we need.

In his continued ranting about all things conservative, he says: "There will always be that amplified and strident voice reciting the one or two instances when the train went off the tracks." Yet, merely three paragraphs later, he cites the findings of a House subcommittee that one insurance company "was found to have reviewed employee performance on the basis of the dollar amount saved by their decisions to terminate insurance coverage."

Let me understand. It is just fine for Lynch to recite one instance when he says the conservative train went off the track, but if a conservative cites a liberal train wreck, well, that's just not fair. Good grief.

MIKE HAIGH North Little Rock

Expect more protest

Anger at town hall meetings and "tea" parties is strongly in vogue because our legislative and executive branches have ceased to check and balance each other.

We voted for a senator, representative and president: three separate votes. The president put neither our senator nor our representative into office. We did. When the president acts like the Mad Hatter, we expect our senator and representative to represent us, not him or the party. It is our vote and we granted it to them to represent us.

Our legislative branch is a kangaroo Senate and a "yes, master" House. They don't vote as our representatives. They pass bills they've never read and gamble our votes in the commodity market of pork barrels trying to win what we've never asked for or wanted.

Benjamin Franklin understood all this too well. He told Americans that we have a republic if we can keep it. We're not keeping it because we've failed Franklin's prime rule: "When people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic."

Now we are evolving into pure democracy as found in socialistic and communistic countries. Franklin imaged democracy as two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Our wolves are our executive and legislative branches; we're the lamb.

You can expect a lot more anger and tea parties.

GARY R. TAYLOR Fayetteville

Detractors overreact

I was appalled at some parents' reaction to President Obama addressing the children of our nation about the importance of education.

This man is not only the president of the United States of America, but an individual who is trying to make a difference in the way our kids view education.

It is so sad to me that we have become so caught up in the political parties of our country that we can't appreciate the efforts of a great man to possibly influence the attitudes of our youth. As a retired teacher, I think it is time to put aside our party preferences and appreciate the efforts our president is making to try to make a difference in our youths' views on being an educated, productive citizen of this great country.

Left wing, right wing, get over it. Our kids are our future, and Obama obviously cares.

SHARON STEWART Hot Springs

Village Getting the picture

Communism is at the door. We have a dictator in office and his name is Barack Obama.

I don't even recognize this country as America anymore. Watch news that shows the facts such as FOX News. Read NewsMax and WorldNetDaily. Our rights like freedom of speech and the press are being destroyed before our very eyes.

Obama will tax us to the point where we have nothing. What do you think redistributing the wealth means?That means the middle class, too. The poor he'll get with high energy bills.

I'm asking for a call to action before it's too late. Obama is taking control of the banking, auto, coal and health industries. This is what communism is all about. If you don't believe me, research cap-and-trade, card-check legislation and Obamacare for yourself. Then look up Karl Marx, Josef Stalin and Adolf Hitler and what they did to gain control. Hitler also wanted people to spy on their neighbors. Are you starting to get the picture?

Are we really going to let the Obama administration take America away from us? Stand up against a communist regime. Call or write to your representatives and remind them who they work for. When the Obama administration gets complete control, there will be no going back.

RONDA CHAVEZ Bentonville

A different opinion

Kudos to the editorial staff for telling it like it is about ole Ted Kennedy. He was a cheater, a drunk, a womanizer and a poor driver, but a good swimmer. Had it not been for his father's wealth and his mother's prayers, Kennedy would have been a convicted felon.

If we had the political coverage of the Internet, cable news, talk radio and a few courageous reporters in the 1960s and 1970s, the entire Kennedy clan would never have spent over 50 years in the spotlight of American politics. They would never have survived in a period when morals, ethics and family values had real meaning.

As to his track record in the Senate, that is a matter of opinion as well. If some of your readers want to eulogize Kennedy, then that is their right. They should also expect to read contrary opinions. That is what you will find on an editorial page. Not everyone has the same high regard for the Kennedys. Obviously, I'm one of them.

DON SHELLABARGER Little Rock

Feedback Bill's chances slim

Proponents of the health care bill, House Resolution 3200, argue that having doctors perform end-of-life counseling is not a problem. That would be fine if that service was optional, but pages 425 and 429 of HR 3200 make the consultation mandatory. Having a living will and medical power of attorney is a wise thing to do. Many of us take that step, but it should not be forced on us.

Then the proponents conveniently ignore provisions that are far more dangerous to seniors than the forced consultations. Section 1233 also states that the government provides an approved list of end-of-life resources. Using information from the Comparative Effectiveness Research Commission established in section 1401, the level of treatment you will have at end-of-life will be according to preset methods, not on an individual basis. If the treatment you need is not on that list, you don't get it. A doctor does not decide;

the government does. This is the real "death panel" issue.

The chances of the House bill actually becoming law are much less now that its contents are public knowledge. We have learned what the Democrats in Congress are trying to do and we must continue to speak out or they will succeed.

RAY LYNCH Bella Vista