LETTERS

LITTLE ROCK — Must reach out to all

As we have learned during the last election cycle, minority-group voters chose the president over Mitt Romney by massive numbers. This is a problem the GOP must address if it wishes to be competitive, let alone win elections in the future.

Ethnic groups such as blacks, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, etc. can be reached by the Republicans. These groups believe in a strong family unit, good work ethic and attend religious services regularly. These are all conservative traits.

But unfortunately, the commentator class of the conservative movement is heck-bent against even talking to these fellow Americans, let alone reaching out to them. They see this as sacrificing principles to even talk to these people.

Hogwash!

We as a party and a movement need to expand our base and reach out to these voters. You can do this without sacrificing principles. “They won’t listen,” or “it will take too long,” the commentator class will argue. Not long ago, the Republicans enjoyed getting over 35 percent of the black vote. We didn’t lose their vote overnight, and we won’t win them back overnight.

It is an effort worth making. Think about it, conservatives.

ROBERT YEAKLEY

Springdale

Who decides its start?

Jason Rapert states in a recent letter: “When there is a heartbeat, there is life.”

Life doesn’t begin or end. It is. It is a continuum.

Do sperm, egg, zygote and fetus all have this life he wishes to protect? Do we declare each of these with personhood, or does personhood come during a progression of development and experience? Is the embryo or fetus simply a parasitic tissue with the potential of personhood?

Do our views and actions regarding conception, development, birth and death derive from emotion, religion and politics, or from science and reason? Do we ban contraception or do we require the biblical injunction regarding the “wasting of seed”? Which methods do we wish to restrict?

If a person has an everlasting soul, when does he get it? Or, does it preexist one’s physical birth? Do we possess the knowledge and wisdom to decide for everyone?

VICTOR OLIVER

Bismarck

An inspiring rejoinder

Bravo, Inky Wretch. Your response to a critic of the review of Barack Obama’s second inaugural speech was spot-on.

There was always love of country in Ronald Reagan’s inaugural addresses. I felt the most recent inaugural address was not inspiring; it was divisive and confrontational.

SANDY JOHANSEN

Hot Springs Village

Saw double that day

I know copy editors are busy, but it looks like you could have avoided having the same article with the same headline (the one about harassment of survivors of the Aurora, Colo., theater shooting) on facing pages in a recent state-edition newspaper.

From an old copy editor, please try to use your precious news space more judiciously.

RICHARD MERRITT

Russellville

At times, right choice

Anyone who does not have moral qualms about abortion has not thought about it enough, but the bill by Republican representative Andy Mayberry to block abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy appears intended to force women to carry to term children who have no chance of a normal life.

It’s been reported that in 2011 there were only 48 20-plus-week abortions in Arkansas. Mayberry pointed out that some were done to terminate pregnancies involving a fetus with Down syndrome, or some horrific birth defect. He went on to object that we devalue the lives of these children “because they were born differently.”

I would suggest that parents in that tragic situation are making a rational and life-affirming decision if they choose to terminate the pregnancy. Mayberry’s lack of concern for families confronted with that terrible choice is shocking to me.

Some families are strong enough and have the resources to deal with a severely handicapped child. Many are not. This bill, if enforced, would destroy families and ruin more lives than those preserved.

If the state of Arkansas forces women to give birth to children with serious abnormalities, the state must also assume complete responsibility for these children for their entire lives. All medical expenses, total support, and if need be, foster home or institutional care for life would be the state’s responsibility.

ROGER A. WEBB

Little Rock

An assault on women

Three abortion prevention bills have been introduced into the Arkansas House and Senate.

The Tea Party and evangelical Christians in Arkansas are fulfilling history’s path of keeping women from making decisions and asserting their right of equality with men.

In no way are men justified to legislate away the right of women to make their own medical decisions, religious choices, employment choices and any other choices.

A woman is free to join your religious group if she wishes, but until she does, then hands off, brother.

I believe the Tea Party has used morality in a fraudulent way to influence politics. How far can religious groups go before they fail to be in compliance with separation of church and state?

You may not be able to see the similarity to these two extremes:

During the 1930s and 1940s the government of Germany forced young women to have children with desired physical characteristics.

The Communist government of China forced women to not have children.

We do not agree with them; why should we agree with what you want us to do?

RICHARD BULLARD

Stuttgart

Broader check no fix

For the anti-gun crowd: Do you really think that an expanded background-check program will stop criminals from getting guns?

Criminals aren’t that stupid to actually try to buy a gun anywhere that would need to call in the information. And being crazy isn’t a crime, so how does someone who is end up in this magical database?

So all this expanded background check is for is to keep track of the law abiding citizens, pure and simple.

BERT LEWIS

Vilonia