LETTERS

LITTLE ROCK — Dismayed in the extreme

As much as I respectfully disagree with President Barack Obama’s vision for and leadership of our country, I very much liked his point during his second inaugural address that we must not mistake absolutism for principle. It is not necessary to be intolerant to be devout, yet so much of partisanship in recent political history has rewarded the polarizers and extremists on both sides of the aisle.

Similarly, I do not very often agree with John Brummett’s opinions, but I read his column whenever I get the chance. I find that he expresses his point of view with a learned and candid grace that allows me to refine my own beliefs in the crucible of intelligent counterpoint. Thus it was with mounting astonishment and dismay that I read, reread, then read a third time Brummett’s condescension in his column about absolutism. His so-called instructive examples, for all their talkradio bon mot cleverness, completely obscured the elegance and crispness of the president’s elocution.

My dismay was due to the fact that the majority of the examples labeled beliefs Brummett disagrees with as “absolutism,” while holding up the opposing belief as “principle.” With uncharacteristic clumsiness, he argues with his own praise of principle: Belittling opposing opinion with extreme characterizations has lately become the most popular expression of absolutism in politics.

Absolutism is not the opposite of principle; it is the inappropriate expression of principle. His column made me wonder if Brummett understood the president’s point at all.

JD ROBINSON Little Rock Doesn’t minimize day

I read what Cristy Smith had to say about Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday being linked to Gen. Robert E. Lee’s birthday, and, in part, I agree.

I do not, however, want to lessen the fact that Gen. Lee was a great man also. Yes, he did command the Confederate forces, and that would seem to conflict with what the day was set aside for, remembering King. However, Lee was offered the command of the Union army before he accepted a commission in the Confederate army.

It was not because he wanted slavery to continue, but that he felt fighting for Virginia was what he needed to do. I will not go any further with the history lesson; you can look up the rest on your own.

Yes, the day was set aside for Martin Luther King Jr., and rightfully so, but to give notice to the man who many think was one of the best generals, if not the best of the Civil War, is not taking anything away from King. ANTHONY W. ALLISON Hector Principle? Absolutely

John Brummett claimed the best line in President Barack Obama’s inaugural address was that we must not mistake absolutism for principle. Here are a few absolutisms and principles that John missed.

Absolutism: Pass a health-care bill by giving Democrat senator swing voters better deals than the rest of the nation: Ben Nelson of Nebraska got $100 million worth of Medicaid exemptions for his state; Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana got sizable deals, too. Blanche Lincoln got nothing for Arkansas, and the door in the next election. Not letting the Senate entertain amendments from the minority party. Projecting a cost of $900 billion over the next 10 years when the projection in mid-2012 wasup to a cost of $2.6 trillion.

Principle: Crafting a bill that allowed amendments to include tort reform so doctors don’t have to pass medical insurance costs on to patients. Enact laws to permit insurance companies to compete across state lines.

Absolutism: Blaming a video for the deaths of four Americans, insulting the intelligence of the electorate. Have secretary of state take blame in hearings and then proceed to explain how it was everyone else’s fault. Principle: Release the facts.

Absolutism: Throw in only one example of absolutism and principle that does not attempt to show conservatives in a poor light. Principle: Tell the truth.

In an attempt at humor, he implied that he is a creep. I cannot and will not disagree.

MIKE PHILLIPS North Little Rock Get those terms right

Even the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette has let gun owners down a bit here in Arkansas, the land of duck and deer hunting, as well as people who like to be able to protect themselves, their family and property.

The caption under the photo accompanying the front-page article on gun sales indicates that a customer has purchased numerous magazines for his “assault rifles.” They are not assault rifles, folks, they are semiautomatic rifles (and shotguns and pistols) that, I believe, have been intentionally mislabeled to scare the average nongun owner.

Get it right, guys/gals. I expect this from the New York Times, but not the Democrat-Gazette.

LARRY GENTRY BentonGriping doesn’t help

The editorial letter to the president definitely requires response. To ask, “How would that help?” to the proposal of banning assault weapons asks for this answer: fewer people killed, of course. The ability to kill so many people in one-minute’s-worth of shooting should not be the right of non-military Americans.

The editorial questions some forms of background checks for private sales of guns, calling it an unenforceable law. However, other “unenforceable” laws such as against murder are not bad, and are necessary for prosecution. If it is not against the law, then it can’t be punished.

To make fun of the president’s desire to further educate Americans on safe and responsible gun ownership is just not sensible. The editorial also asked how “creating another desk job” researching gun violence would prevent mass shootings-sounding very much as if it is hopeless to even try. And when this problem is too important to play politics with, then what?

The only solution proposed is “put more police in the schools.” The editorial calls this advice “free of charge.” But this is a very expensive “solution.” And I’m not sure that schoolchildren would really feel better seeing armed police around all the time.

The editorial admits that some of the president’s ideas are good. Please advertise the good ideas to generate support for them. Show that the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette cares more about preventing violence than just complaining.

LISA MILLIGAN Fayetteville Should not live to eat

Many believers would not even consider a glass of wine or smoking a cigarette, but have no qualms about gorging themselves at the dinner table.

The Bible is far more concerned about how much you eat than what you eat. If you are unable to control your eating habits, you are probably unable to control other habits such as those of the mind (lust, covetousness, unrighteous hatred/anger) and unable to keep our mouths from gossip. We are not to let our appetites control us; rather, we are to control them.

In the New Testament, Paul tells followers that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and as such we are to take care of our bodies and keep them as healthy as we can. It is our choice as to the amount of food, drink and exercise we get.

A strong, healthy body helps you stay in shape so you can better serve your God each day and thus bring glory and honor to him. If you have a strong belief, you should have no problem controlling your weight.

Christians are always talking about going to heaven. According to the Bible, even one sin will keep you from heaven. Gluttony is a sin.

GAIL CNUDDE RogersReturn to Wild West

The news of Arkansas’ response to mass killings astounded and disgusted me. Christians with faith in God and trust in him to protect them now need to carry concealed weapons into the house Of God?

What in the world are Arkansas representatives thinking?

Using this logic, we are returning to the Wild West where every citizen at all times and in all places will be armed. Going out for a jog? Don’t forget your AK-47. Playing 18 holes, buy the new NRA golf bag with 19 slots, the 19th for your semiautomatic shotgun. New lightweight revolvers for tennis players?

Solving America’s gun problem by studying mental problems and using other excuses will not decrease the death toll. The only path to reduction of gun-related deaths is the reduction of guns. Locking one’s family in a well-armed stockade does nothing to reduce the problem.

I believe handguns, semiautomatic weapons and multi-shot magazines should all be banned. Registration should be universal. All gun sales should be closely legislated.

Stating that you will give up yoursemiautomatic weapon only if it is pried from your dead fingers merely means you care less about your fellow American’s dead fingers.

BILL FRITZ Hot Springs Village In search of sanctuary

Sympathies are extended to state Sen. Bryan King, R-Green Forest. He’s the author of the Church Protection Act of 2013.

Most of us feel completely safe in our churches. In fact, the very word “sanctuary” suggests a place of refuge from worldly concerns, a place for sacred worship.

But Sen. King recently disclosed that he believes our Arkansas places of worship are fraught with danger. He wrote legislation allowing guns in churches. I’m not aware of a single pastor who requested such legislation, though I know many who strongly oppose the idea.

It makes you wonder about worship practices in Green Forest.

What is happening in Green Forest that makes him so scared? If they don’t like the sermon, do they shoot the preacher? Or is it the preacher shooting the wayward parishioner?

Do they need armed guards to safeguard their collection plates? And what do they do with all those scriptures about peace and avoiding violence?

Sen. King is welcome to worship in sanctuaries across Arkansas. He deserves the sense of peace the rest of us find in church. It would do him much good to experience worship free from fear.

But he can leave his six-shooter at home.

In the meantime, let’s hope he can find other, important issues at the Legislature that demand solutions.

For example, should it be the Great Seal or the Great State on our state seal? Why don’t we have a state fish? JIM ARGUE JR. Little Rock What’s more perilous

Don’t take away our machine guns or we will have no more Godfather movies and only the Mafia and the government will have them. Early U.S. history and modern European history shows us which one is the more dangerous.

THOMAS W. KELLER CarlisleFeedback Open season on . . .

We have so many laws concerning the shooting of ducks. Can’t shoot them in the water. Can’t shoot them before or after certain times of day. Can’t shoot them at certain times of the year.

And most of all, you can’t shoot them with an assault weapon.

Where is the NRA? Everything you can’t do to a duck you can do to a human being, especially children.

According to the NRA, it’s open season on humans.

BOB MASSERY Little Rock Industry owes him

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazettearticle about gun sales skillfully updates us about the quenchless thirst that we Americans have for more guns and ammunition.

Never in the history of one nation has one industry owed so much to one president.

Praise the lord and pass the ammunition while we cling to our guns and our God.

WILLIAM KRAMER North Little Rock