LETTERS

— Scores show no progress

Once more, the Arkansas Department of Education and the media are touting the successful K-12 scores in Arkansas. As usual when government control is involved, the truth is twisted into propaganda.

It is true that students in Arkansas keep improving on one measure-the Benchmark tests designed, controlled and with scoring percentages set by the state. But on the Arkansas eighth grade math test this year, students had to score only 28 points out of 80 to be called proficient. (Proficient means having mastered the state standards.)

And on the nationally normed tests that compare students with other students across the nation, Arkansas fourth-graders scored 34 percent in language, meaning that 66 percent of students in the nation scored higher than Arkansas. In 1988, Arkansas fourth-graders scored 65 percent in language. The scores on the norm-referenced tests in 2009 in half the grades tested are more than 20 percent lower than the percentage scored on the Arkansas tests where scores improve every year.

When schools are accountable to the government, there is no real accountability. After all, the politicians' success and careers depend on improved scores. The government leaders, together with the media, have the ability to deceive the citizenry and make them believe whatever they want them to believe. Even in America.

DEBBIE PELLEY Jonesboro

Let officials be heard

A thank-you to Congressmen Vic Snyder and Mike Ross for hosting the forum on health care at Children's Hospital. I was impressed with their knowledge of this vital issue and the time they are taking to make sure we do the right thing.

Press coverage has been focusing on a small but vocal group that seemed determined to do anything but listen to what the congressmen were trying to say. Public discourse is vital to our democracy, but shouting from the back of the room and repeatedly mischaracterizing the viewpoints of our congressmen do not fit my idea of public discourse.

A number of the most vocal folks were carrying identical papers with many of the questions that were asked during the forum. It would be interesting to know who composed and passed out the questions and comments. These congressmen have earned the right to at least be heard on health care reform.

We must expand insurance coverage to more Americans, make it more readily available and control costs. Small businesses, such as my husband's, are struggling to pay health insurance costs, and the insurance benefits are worse than in the past. We need assurance that, if we are sick, the insurance company will not cancel our policy.

I hope that the next time these dedicated congressmen have a town hall-style meeting, everyone will show them the same respect that they are showing their constituents. Screaming solves nothing.

SHEILA SHANNON CASTIN Little Rock

Ideology still lives on

George B. Shaw and Sidney Webb were early promoters of Marxism in Western democracies. Their strategy contemplated a bloodless revolution through indoctrination of young scholars, "the revolting sons of the bourgeoisie," who would acquire power and influence in democratic institutions and quietly establish a socialistic, one-world order.

Webb called their brainchild the doctrine of the inevitability of gradualness. Shaw wrote that socialism "means equality of income or nothing, and . . . under socialism, you would be forcibly fed, clothed, lodged, taught and employed. If you had not the character and industry to be worth this trouble, you might possibly be executed in a kindly manner."

For a half-century, I have reasoned that wiser heads would always prevail and that Marxist ideology would flame out in due course. After all, with the unparalleled liberty and opportunity inured in our constitutional heritage, how could any except a minority of extremists be seduced by such a discredited economic and political philosophy as espoused by Karl Marx? Alas, in defiance of reason, it yet lives and is firmly imbedded in our national government.

In what may prove to be the final showdown between Americanism and Marxism, each citizen must now take a stand. Which future do you choose?

DENNIS LEGGETT Batesville

Real debate needed

Many serious issues affect community life. We are affected deeply by whether our tax dollars go for our needs or for the benefit of the elite. Community life also is affected by how the public is informed on issues such as health care.

Genuine discussion includes the various concerns and opinions of people of different ages, classes, genders and political affiliations. Genuine debate includes various perspectives, wisdom, truthful information and fact-checking.

Real discussion and debate lead to better community understanding, respect and appreciation. However, demagoguery, whether in fiery speeches or in quiet ones described as civil discussion, seeks to demonize, trivialize, distort or flat out lie to instill fear, confusion and emotional bias such as to negate any real search for truth. Demagoguery is about power at any cost.

For issues to be smoothly resolved, demagoguery must be recognized and ignored. Then panels presenting civil discussion around issues like health will not be hand-picked to ignore genuine debate, questions and fact-checking.

Perhaps for some ignorance is bliss and the quest for power through demagoguery even better. However, I believe most would rather resolve issues by a genuine search for truth and understanding. Real community discussion, debate and those who fact-check will promote that.

JIM FOREMAN Marble Falls

Thanks for editorial

Thank you for publishing "The spirit of the Lakota" on the Editorial page. I read your newspaper daily. I hope to read more of writer Tim Giago (Nanwica Kciji) in the future.

HOWARD LEE KILBY Hot Springs

Too many problems

Letter writer Mary Keogh stated that she has "had no problems with Medicare and the supplement." I am almost her age and have had nothing but problems since day one.

When I first signed up, I was living in California. Shortly after that I moved to Texas then to Arkansas. Every time I moved I had problems finding a doctor because of the bureaucratic rules, slow pay and annual cuts in pay.

When I moved here, my insurance company was not registered in Arkansas. I called Medicare to ask for help. The rules said I had to wait six months. Of course, that meant no coverage until then. I then wrote a nasty letter to the director of the Department of Health and Human Services. About two weeks later, I received a call from a regional director who got the problem solved. Then the real problems started-finding a doctor. After six or seven calls, I wound up with a specialist who I never met and had to meet with his assistant.

There have been running problems on medications. My doctor prescribed two medications for my wife. The insurance company denied them. I appealed. It was denied. My doctor appealed. Denied. I appealed again. Denied.

I could write a couple more pages on the headaches I have had. This is why I am against any health care reform except for cutting waste. But that is another subject.

IRWIN SUGERMAN Fort Smith

Socialism or sincerity

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor of Little Rock recently wrote a letter encouraging Arkansas congressmen to enact legislation in the form of federally mandated, socialized medicine.

According to the letter, access to health care means that "ensuring the profits and revenue streams of insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, doctors and stock investors must be subordinate to guaranteeing the fundamental right of access to health care."

The bishop's political activism, steeped in liberation theology, promotes the false premise that socialism protects human dignity. It does not.

For example, nationalized health care would undoubtedly find a Supreme Court identifying the transitive relationship between abortion and health care, i.e., taxpayer-funded health care is a "right," abortion is a "right"; therefore, taxpayer-funded abortion is a "right."

The free enterprise system, although imperfect, protects and promotes the rights of every citizen in life, liberty and property, irrespective of individual differences. History, on the other hand, has resoundingly proved Taylor's socialism an anathema to freedom and human dignity.

Pope Pius XI once said that no one can be at the same time a sincere Catholic and a true socialist. Unfortunately, some Catholics prefer socialism to sincerity.

PATRICK BARKER Little Rock

Obama's true vision

President Obama is the bringer of communism, the creator of chaos and the usurper of liberty. The staggering number of radicals, socialists, Marxists, America haters, tax cheats, fools, creeps, lunatics and pettifoggers who clutter his regime is nightmarish.

Citizens who are not fully informed of his true vision of the future of America are doing themselves a great disservice. They owe it to themselves and their families to become aware of his insidious agenda.

The machinations of our pompous president and his lickspittles will bring about the death of America as we know it, leading to oppression and totalitarianism. The wealthy will become the new middle class, the old middle class will become the upper poor and today's well-fed, poverty-stricken folks, well, they'll just get unhealthier and more depressed. The days ahead are looking tenebrous at best.

Everyone may laugh hysterically at these remarks. Go ahead. That's OK. Four years from now, they'll be filling their bathtub with tears-tears for themselves, their children and their children's children.

No doubt many proud liberals are fuming at these statements. This Obamanation is undeniably an abomination.

Welcome to the new United States of America.

RICK SANDERS Benton

Support appreciated

A thank-you to Jennings Osborne, wife Mitzi and daughter Breezy for their community service work by mowing, raking and bagging grass, debris and litter from Haven of Rest Cemetery on 12th Street in Little Rock.

Too often cemeteries like this will grow up and eventually be forgotten because the families of the loved ones buried there stop visiting and never teach their children that the grounds are sacred and need to be maintained.

What a shame that so many are forgotten. Then when these family members themselves die and are buried there, who will visit and tend to their graves? No one, because the next generation coming up won't care, either.

MERRY L. TUGGLE Mabelvale

Feedback Unions important

Re the commentary by Michael J. Wilson about the Employee Free Choice Act: What most business owners do not want employees, a.k.a. slaves or associates, to know is that without union representatives, they don't have a leg to stand on. It's the boss' way or the highway.

I saw the full-blown operation of "right to work," or whatever it's called, without unions. Louisiana is a perfect example of the right to work for free. As a captain for an oil company vessel, I was a runoff captain at the time when employees had to be with the company for 10 years to be fully vested in the pension plan. At nine years, 11 months and 29 days, they would fire an employee. He would get what he had put into the plan, but what the company had put in was kept and redistributed among the rest of the employees. Very few retired with full pension. I myself was a victim and lost nine years of my pension.

Never do anything that would not let employees join the union if they want it. Been there, done that.

LEONARD L. WEST SR. Ash Flat

Editorial, Pages 11 on 09/28/2009

Upcoming Events