LETTERS

— Warfare isn’t worth it

I hate to think how many areas there are in which I have zero or near-zero expertise. One is the military. In spite of that, I will venture a few remarks.

First, my views on war. Basically, I am “agin” it. As a lad just off the farm, I served in the Navy, 1942-1945. I believed then, and still do, that U.S. participation in the second World War was just and necessary.

Had we not won, I shudder to think what might have happened to Western civilization. Just ask the Jews.

That said, I have serious doubts that we as a nation, and Western civilization in general, are better off because of our war in Vietnam and those that followed. Are such conflicts worth the casualties and other losses we suffered then and are still suffering?

As a nation, we have a long history of throwing our weight around. Usually we win, but sometimes we have a stalemate or even get our butts kicked.

Do most of us have any idea how many military bases and personnel we have all over the world? How many bases and military personnel do such countries as England, Germany, France and Japan have on American soil?

No wonder we have economic crises and threats of going off the economic cliff.

Nor will letters such as this have any impact whatsoever.

GLENROY EMMONS

Hot Springs Village

Overarching scheme

The current Broadway Bridge has served us well without any arches. Why put arches on a new bridge? To satisfy some people’s egos? The taxpayers of the county are maintaining enough bridges across the river now.

There is plenty of work that needs to be done with roads and bridges across the county.

G.L. FLOWERS

Little Rock

Conduct unbecoming

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel was quoted in a recent Arkansas Democrat-Gazette article as saying that “no rules of professional conduct were violated.”

Really?

In the timetable with the story, it was stated: “Records also show the attorney general’s involvement in [Andrea] Davis’ custody dispute.”

Having the appearance of a state attorney general lending his name, reputation and government position in order to sway a family court judge’s custody decision certainly seems like unprofessional conduct. Especially while withholding the existence of his romantic involvement.

Attempting to sway a family court judge by using one’s powerful position is something David Petraeus reportedly did.

Shame on both of them.

DOUGLAS MacARTHUR

Cherokee Village

Consider placing limit

I would ask you to consider what if, in the recent mass shootings, killers did not have high-capacity clips.

In the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting in Newtown, Conn., among other guns the killer used a .223 Bushmaster semiautomatic rifle with clips holding 30 rounds. Hundreds of spent bullets were found. As you know, 26 were killed; 20 of them were 6- and 7-year-olds. The medical examiner found as many as 11 bullets in each of the bodies he examined.

In the Aurora, Colo., movie theater mass killing, a civilian variation of the military’s M-16 rifle was used, again with high-capacity clips. A total of 71 people were shot in the attack; 12 died and 59 were injured.

What if these killers had not had high-capacity clips? Limiting the size of ammunition clips would at least force a gunman to pause to reload or switch weapons.

Limiting high-capacity clips could have saved lives, lessen the number of individuals injured, or given someone the opportunity to tackle the gunman like in Tucson, Ariz.

Consider what could have happened if the killers did not have high capacity clips.

JIM LEWIS

Lincoln

Shouting foes down

Sen. Dianne Feinstein has introduced a bill which she says would ban 157 types of rifles because they have certain characteristics that make them more lethal than some others.

Huh?

A .30-caliber rifle with a pistol grip is more lethal than a .30-caliber rifle without a pistol grip? A bayonet lug on a rifle makes it more lethal than one without it? Some semiautomatic rifles are less lethal than others?

Wow-I suppose deer hunters should take into account the lethality of a gun before using it to hunt with. I wouldn’t recommend a nonlethal gun.

Could get confusing, so I recommend she introduce a law to ban murder, another to ban murder using a gun, another to ban attempted murder using a gun, another to ban threats made using a gun, another to ban taking a gun into or within 1,000 feet of a school and certain other places; also ban using a gun in any such situation against a minority, and call it a “hate crime” with additional penalties. There could be others.

What? You say we already have those written into law and some people ignore them? Never mind!

There is an old saying which goes, “When in worry, fear or doubt, run in circles, scream and shout.” An apt description of Ms. Feinstein’s ongoing crusade to attempt to ban all guns in violation of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

BOB BUZBEE

Maumelle

Make it harder to get

After reading about Barack Obama’s plan to ban the sale of assault weapons, I would have to agree with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. I believe we should just make it harder to get guns.

I think that taking all guns away would just hurt us in the long run because we use them for many different reasons such as hunting and enjoyment. Mass shootings don’t happen that often. Making it harder to get these guns will allow it even less often.

ERIC SCHELL

Conway

Just an echo chamber

Nothing like listening to another good ol’ boy like Mr. Tom Cotton.

It doesn’t take brains to echo his party. Wow, a lot to look forward to.

NANCY LAIDLAW

Hot Springs

Editorial, Pages 73 on 02/03/2013

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