LETTERS

— This tide sinking all boats

An expressed—beloved by some—economic theory is that cutting taxes on high-income people is good for all. The rationale: These successful people will use their extra money in a manner that stimulates growth of jobs and more tax revenue for the needed services. After all, a rising tide lifts all boats, so just cut those taxes on the high-income earners, get out of the way and let the good times roll.

Favoring any rate increases indicates a class-warfare mentality and opposition to the free-enterprise system, pointing to an undemocratic attitude. Shame!

Forget the Bill Clinton years when, despite lack of support from the opposition and dire predictions by the other party’s spokesmen at the pending calamity if the proposed program were passed, record-breaking prosperity prevailed with deficits eliminated, surpluses appearing, and this despite the rare tax increase on the wealthy.

Now comes the George W. Bush tenure with tax cuts primarily benefiting the wealthy, record deficits, poor job creation, and the deepest recession since the 1930s.

As a Depression-era farm boy, I observed chickens living upon the droppings of our grain-fed livestock. This is similar to the trickle-down economic theory. I can say those chickens had slim pickings. In my lifetime, this country has experienced some slim pickings and some great times as well, but it is a stretch for me to think that we shall recover from a recession by adhering to a voodoodoo trickle-down theory.

DOYLE E. COLLINS

Arkadelphia

Removed any doubts

Mike Huckabee’s mouth moved before his brain engaged regarding God in schools. How crass on his part to say something like that at a time of tremendous tragedy. It certainly could not have made those parents in Newtown feel any better.

The public schools are not there to teach religion, and are to remain neutral because there are so many cultures and religions, plus those who choose not to believe. It is not the public school’s purpose or responsibility to see that people have God instilled in them.

On a personal level, for those who choose to believe, God is present in them every day and is a big part of their lives. God is in the children who attend the school, and the parents that take or send them to school are Godfearing folks who suffered such an overwhelming tragedy.

Huckabee and other fundamentalist preachers have a skewed way of thinking. Looking at it from another direction, maybe God doesn’t like the judgmental attitudes of Biblepounding right-wingers and sees them as perverters of God’s truth.

Just food for thought.

FRANK SWEGHEIMER Benton

Acknowledge source

While shopping for Christmas cards recently, I noticed cards containing scripture verses but not mentioning their source, the Holy Bible, by verse and chapter. I suppose the card manufacturers are trying to be spiritually correct by not mentioning this information. It is interesting, however, that they felt these scriptures were appropriate and had value or they would not have printed them in their cards.

When submitting papers during my college years, I was always required to include references for any quotes or sources used. Not including my sources of information would have been unacceptable.

My mother always said to give credit where credit is due. I believe we need to give God all the credit and glory at Christmas. We need to always acknowledge him, his son Jesus and his words from his holy Bible. Only then can we experience a blessed Christmas.

SANDY JORDAN

Springdale

Aid them in recovery

As a national community, we should help our friends in Newtown, Conn., recover from the recent tragedy by sending donations to help them demolish the old elementary school and build a new one at another location.

JUDI MONROE Lincoln

Ban won’t solve issue

Ban guns, you say? How does this solve the problem of the rudderless teenager? The single-parent family? Can such a ban improve the social ineptness of a person who awakes one morning to face the fact that though he may have hundreds of friends on Facebook, he in fact has no friends at all? How do we identify those individuals, predisposed to kill in computer war games, who decide to try it in real time? How do we identify sociopathic tendencies in our young?

We are ignoring these problems.

Is this why so many otherwise sane, sensible people rush to blame the gun? If we are truly concerned about this all-too-frequent expression of cultural and social failure, then tears and soul-deep nausea will not be enough. We must seek solutions.

A first step toward seeking solutions might be to explain why we do not exhibit the same unrestrained hysteria toward car deaths as we do toward gun deaths. Why are we unwilling to examine such an obvious discrepancy in our collective rationality?

I suggest that, in blaming the gun, we are favoring a solution that is brilliantly simple, ideologically perfect, and totally wrong. If I may paraphrase the words of a favorite philosopher, Pogo, “We have met the enemy, and he is us.”

JERRY COOKUS Maumelle

It’s time to use reason

How many times do we have to endure these tragedies in this nation before the NRA will acknowledge that not all guns are necessary? If the NRA would just be reasonable about giving up the right to own weapons like large assault rifles, we might make some progress in gun control.

I know their answer about guns killing people. But available shotguns or pistols would kill fewer people than assault rifles with their large magazines. Think about it, NRA, your defense shows an uncaring attitude toward the rights of others.

When I was growing up, I had a Browning 12-gauge shotgun that held five shells. Missouri law said I had to have a plug so it would only hold three shells.

That is more reasonable, if you ask me.

FRANK YOUNG

Bella Vista

America on a decline

In my opinion, America’s golden age was the post-World War II era of the late 1940s through the fabulous 1950s until the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November of 1963. After Kennedy’s murder, America as a whole has been on a major decline as a nation. Diverse social and spiritual problems exist in America and these obstacles continue to escalate.

Abortion, divorce, gay marriage, racism, gender conflict, economic injustice, etc., are pertinent issues that must be addressed by the political and spiritual powers-that-be in our nation.

Where are the statesmen in our government at the present time? We don’t need career politicians in public office, but statesmen. Where are the spiritual leaders, clerics, in America at the present time? We don’t need liberal preachers who proclaim a watered-down gospel, but we need spiritual leaders who will assert the uncompromised word of God.

America is very much on a decline as a nation, and she is sinking fast.

BILL BOATRIGHT

Fayetteville

Need better solutions

President Barack Obama is right. We as a civilized and educated nation can surely come up with some better answers. Our right to bear arms was intended to provide a ready citizen force in case of national crisis. Now we have a National Guard, police, etc., to protect us.

Guns do not make us safe; if they did, we would be the safest nation in the world. A license to carry does not make you a careful and dutiful citizen. More likely, you will (accidentally from fear, or on purpose from anger) make a bad decision and someone will get shot. Even highly trained police officers make bad life-and-death decisions every day. Or your gun will be mishandled and an injury will occur. Or your gun will be stolen and used in a crime.

The simple hunting guns of the past are now assault weapons. Why would anyone need such military hardware? I am now more afraid of the common person with a concealed handgun, and them having the right to make life and death decisions. (Didn’t they take guns away from people in the Old West? Where was the NRA then?)

How can we call ourselves Christians and hold a Bible in one hand and a gun in the other? It makes no sense at all.

People say that guns don’t kill people, people kill people, or that they’re not going to worry unless they see a .45 flying down the street shooting people. Hand grenades don’t kill people by themselves, but I don’t want them in everyone’s homes, either.

LARRY DALE BINTLIFF

Bee Branch

A rational discussion

The murder-suicide of Jovan Belcher and Kasandra Perkins causes one to reflect on the daily gun violence in this country.

The massacre of 20 schoolchildren and six teachers in Newtown, Conn., must be a cause for more than reflection.

Gun-control supporters do not advocate change to the Second Amendment. Gun-control supporters advocate that this president, this Congress, this citizenry engage in a rational discussion of the causes of gun violence in the United States.

From this discussion we must move forward to, at the very least: Ban assault weapons in all 50 states and prosecute the criminals who break the law; ban extended clips and highcapacity magazines; and establish a universal waiting period on the sales of all weapons until a thorough background check can be completed.

SUSAN OSTER HAYES Hot Springs

Only part of problem

It’s about the guns, but not only the guns. Several of the last mass gunmen have had mental illnesses.

Our society and medical system don’t adequately take care of people with mental illness, most likely due to cost.

I don’t have answers on how to change things. All I do know is that I’ve seen neglect of mental illness in people living on the street, a friend’s child, and those who turn to violence as an answer.

Will this problem be part of our conversation on mass killings? I hope so.

JUDI CASAVECHIA Little Rock

Feedback

Gripes and garbage

A few months back, I suggested online that letters to the editor about religion should be placed in the Religion section when it appears each week.

After seeing all the condemnation, hatred, self-righteousness, bigotry and finger-pointing tirades that have landed with an effluvious plop and accompanying stench on the Voices page, I now understand why the Religion editor probably doesn’t want such besmirching his section and its message of peace and understanding.

So, maybe you want to start a new section of the paper. Call it, say, Gripes and Garbage?

JAKE TIDMORE

Little Rock

In sheep’s clothing

I’m sure Jesus is really pleased when those of his “flock” spend so much time searching the Bible thoroughly to find scripture to smack down other Christians for not being Christians as good as they are.

So many faux Christians, so few lions.

SALLYE MARTIN

Fayetteville

Editorial, Pages 19 on 12/22/2012

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