LETTERS

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

— Bright light in season

This is a shout-out “thank you” to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s very talented sports cartoonist, Dusty Higgins.

Dusty made us smile even during a dismal Razorback football season with his spot-on cartoons. He captured perfectly the spirit of both the Razorbacks and their opponents.

Let’s hope he draws only smiling Hogs next season-start practicing. Woo pig sooie-go Razorbacks!

LAVERNE BRISCOE

Hot Springs Village

Where real trouble is

As a committed and longtime secular humanist, my first reaction to Gary McLehaney’s recent letter about the seemingly endless conflict and poverty in countries where religious dogma is the law was to agree wholeheartedly. Wherever you look, religious “laws” do seem to be associated with oppression, hate and poverty, so I strongly agree that religion has no legitimate place in our laws or government. Secular standards of right and wrong tempered with kindness, generosity and understanding have provided a strong foundation for civil society for thousands of years before Jesus, Muhammad or any other religious leader existed.

However, I was uneasy about what I took as the letter’s sarcastic tone toward religious people as a whole. People with deeply held religious beliefs have never been the problem. The real problem arises when religious leaders give in to their arrogance, declare their beliefs the only and absolute “truth” and then use religious-based laws to punish dissenters. Many Christians criticize Muslim Sharia Law, but don’t hesitate to support laws based on the Bible. If we truly accepted biblical law, we would have to put adulterers and those who go to work rather than attending church to death.

McLehaney playfully suggested we let the Southern states secede and become a country based on the Bible. I beg to differ. We have always been and should always remain the “United States” with immutable freedoms of and, yes, from religion.

JIM BLOK

Benton

Idea deserves a metal

I’m delighted that the idea of replacing the dollar bill with a coin is again under consideration. Saving $4.4 billion over 30 years is significant.

Hopefully the next proposal will be to eliminate the penny.

SAM HIGHSMITH

Little Rock

A (stove)pipe dream

It’s too bad that we can’t round up all of the senators and representatives in Congress and force them to watch the new Lincoln movie. Maybe then, just maybe, they would get the idea that you have to compromise, cajole and arm-twist to get something done in Congress. When that includes something as important as ending slavery, reaching an agreement on a budget should be a snap.

Hey, who am I kidding?

JOE WHALEN

North Little Rock

Plan that bridge later

I admire Pulaski County Judge Buddy Villines for his attempt to come up with a design for an iconic replacement of the Broadway Bridge. Alas, his well-intentioned proposal is under-inspiring, inappropriate and banal. Best that it be set aside. The proposed double-arched, tri-colored span speaks of division, offering two side-by-side, separate-but-equal arches, one for each Rock City, at a time when the two are forging a relationship that speaks to the idea of one community with a river running through it.

Time has run out for designing and building a truly iconic span. Better that the highway department’s limited resources be committed to a basic, totally affordable replacement for the ailing Broadway Bridge. It would serve citizens well to start planning for an iconic span at Chester Street when the opportunity arises.

The process adopted by Little Rock’s tourism commission might well serve as a model for planning and building an architecturally significant bridge. Proposals for transforming the 73-year-old Robinson Center into a 21st Century performing-arts venue were solicited from architectural firms nationwide, and out of the four semi-finalists they named, commissioners will select one firm to oversee the $60 million remodeling.

Let’s conclude that the current effort to build an iconic Broadway Bridge was for practice. ’Tis time to move on, to focus on a future site for building that special bridge.

JUNE FREEMAN

Little Rock

Can’t afford this now

Most people, when faced with a decrease in financial means, cut back on their expenditures-less buying, especially on luxury items. Our Buddy Villines evidently doesn’t know that Arkansas is a poor state.

We are taxed to death but all he can see is his legacy of bridges. The tax increase that was passed this last election for highways and roads should be spent on them. They are in pathetic shape. We have other bridges that connect North Little Rock and Little Rock without the hideous “golden arches.”

Take the less-expensive route without all the bells and whistles where we don’t have to increase taxes on property and gasoline. You do the extras when you can afford them. Arkansas can’t afford to maintain what it has now in every aspect, yet Villines wants to put an extra burden on the people who are struggling to make ends meet. People don’t come to Little Rock just to see our bridges.

Then he plays on people’s heartstrings by saying it would follow the tradition of being dedicated to veterans. If we want to honor our veterans, we should have maintained the Veterans Home we had-unless he wants them to sleep on the new bridge.

At this point in the economy, Arkansas needs to live within its means. Let Villines get the money for his legacy through grants, private donations, and he could even donate his salary. We taxpayers pay for that, too.

MARY SHERE

Little Rock

Constables are assets

I agree with guest writer Rick Scott about constables in Arkansas being unappreciated.

I have known a number of retired policemen who wanted to be constable to help their crime-watch groups. The training is the same as it is for sheriff. I would like to see training required for both, and pay for constables.

What an asset we would lose if we lost them. They are usually very familiar with the people who live in their area. It’s a big help when they are able to serve warrants. It gives us more enforcement.

ZELDA HOLDEN

Searcy

Editorial, Pages 15 on 12/04/2012