LETTERS

At last, it all makes sense

For three years now I have puzzled over the question. Neither inductive nor deductive reasoning, in spite of my best efforts, would yield an answer.

Then, suddenly, like flipping a light switch: an epiphany. The answer was obvious.

The question was: Who or what was the author of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)?

The answer was suddenly clear: aliens from a hostile planet!

A three-year unsuccessful effort to understand the bill has been accompanied by tortured efforts at piecemeal implementation. This, together with the fact that none of our Democratic lawmakers who sponsored the bill acknowledge authorship, suggests an other-worldly origin.

As I pondered this question and searched for clues, it finally became clear that the decisive clue was embedded in Nancy Pelosi’s widely reported appeal to Congress: “We must pass the bill to see what is in it.”

This statement strongly suggests to me that she had received a dictum from an other-world source which could only be opened and revealed by a majority vote of the U.S. Congress.

Through the process of inductive reasoning, we may now justifiably speculate about President Barack Obama’s meaning concerning his campaign commitment to fundamentally change America.

Could it be possible that the president is actually an alien bent on the colonization of our country under an extraterrestrial power?

Sleep well.

DENNIS LEGGETT

Batesville

Don’t celebrate past

Regarding the commemorative plaques being planned for every Arkansas county by the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission: Really?

Why is this important? Why do we as a state wish to recognize Civil War events that may have occurred in all of the 75 Arkansas counties? Why do we want to celebrate the Civil War of this nation in which over 600,000 died, the treasury of the entire United States was decimated and the nation still suffers from vestiges left over from that time 150 years ago? Why do we want to remember a conflict that sought to keep slavery as part of our culture and way of life? Duh!

I believe this is a useless commission, public or otherwise, that is no longer relevant. If the commission wants to do good work, then it needs to seek avenues in which more positive efforts can be created to promote racial harmony, mutual respect and a lessening of tension between all races. Ensuring that commemorative plaques are installed in every Arkansas county continues to celebrate the absolute darkest era in our nation’s history.

Bad idea, Civil War Commission. You should be ashamed.

STEVE BROWN

Bella Vista

Don’t love, don’t have

I just do not understand how some people can have pets and not take proper care of them. I am a real animal lover and can’t stand to see the abuse.

I know someone who totally ignores her lovely little dog, leaves him outside in a pen day and night in all kinds of weather, never interacts with him at all. Why even have a dog if you are not prepared to love it and care for it? Especially in more rural areas, people just don’t seem to have the proper respect for animals.

Love them and respect them. Shame on you if you don’t.

LESLEY HAMILTON

Springdale

Assault on our dream

As most of us know, large Wall Street banks and major corporations apparently have bought and paid for many federally legislated tax exemptions and deductions through the use of large, long-term campaign contributions to congressional members of both political parties. These legal tax loopholes have allowed many banks and corporations to pay little or no federal taxes for many years, thus effectively transferring their tax liabilities to the rest of us small-guy taxpayers.

I believe there is and has been for many years a massive wealth transference to the top tenth of 1 percent of our population due in large measure to congressional favoritism for this small, powerful, very wealthy, corporate-friendly class.

Our U.S. Constitutional Preamble holds out the goal to: “establish justice, insure domestic tranquility … promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty …” How can this “American Dream” continue, given the lopsided congressional favoritism that seems to be left virtually unchecked??

Some politicians seem to feel that by cutting a few million people from food stamps, Meals on Wheels and early childhood development, our country will be better served. In my mind, this is a selfish and crass disregard for the millions of needy people they never see or associate with and another assault on the elusive American Dream.

ROBERT GRIFFIN

Dardanelle

Move from legal realm

Until recent times, in all major cultures and religions throughout the earth, the term “marriage” pertained to a heterosexual union only. That definition of marriage (see your dictionary) has been appropriate and acceptable to our society for many ages past.

However, because our government has bungled its way into incorporating the term “marriage” into our vast ever-growing legal system, friction is created between those who for their own personal reasons either approve or do not approve of any drastic redefinition of marriage being proposed by many elected officials.

Instead of redefining the word to fit legal agendas, why not remove the term, with its traditional and religious implications, from all legal documents controlled by the government, and replace it with a secular legal term such as “civil union?” Marriage licenses should no longer be issued by the government to anyone. All future couples, heterosexual or homosexual, would henceforth require a “civil union” license to enjoy all privileges available to couples united under current laws. Any couple wishing to include a traditional marriage ceremony, after obtaining their civil union license, may do so at whatever willing and available institution they desire (church, synagogue, cathedral, temple, etc.) without government interference.

Thus the legalities of the civil union license could be imposed by our government without infringing on the traditional sacred definition of marriage-thereby allowing a couple to “render to Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and to God the things which are God’s.”

JERRY D. POTTER

Hot Springs

Last is far from least

Let’s hope Arkansas is last on the list again, and this being for the approval of same-sex marriage. Three fourths of the voters in this state approved a constitutional amendment to make marriage as only between a man and a woman.

Pray that Arkansas is number 50 for this.

CHARLES LONG

Jacksonville

Where rights begin

This is in regards to several Voices letters from Christians who have stated that marriage is between one man and one woman. The only conclusions I can draw from that statement are that they are either deliberately telling a falsehood or they are woefully lacking in biblical literacy. There are repeated references to marriage between men and multiple wives. If you are going to debate the point, then it needs to be said that the belief is marriage to members of the opposite sex only.

While I have no issue with Christians’ beliefs, I do feel that if you are going to argue your point of view, you should be truthful as well as factual; otherwise you lose your argument.

My other point is that no one is trying to force their churches to perform same-sex marriages. The LGBT community is simply asking for the same rights from our government as heterosexuals.

The right to be married by a justice of the peace in no way infringes on Christians’ rights to believe marriage is between members of the opposite sex only.

It would do well for them to remember that their rights stop where their neighbors’ begin.

JANET LYNCH

Fayetteville

What poses least risk?

A letter from C. Murdock Jones of Little Rock begs a question about armed personnel in the schools. Which of the following scenes would you choose?

Scene one: An armed intruder bursts into a school and begins to fire a weapon. Teachers scream for help as everyone panics and tries to duck under furniture. The intruder shoots without interruption until everyone is dead or seriously wounded. The intruder is the only one in the building with a gun.

Or scene two: An armed intruder bursts into a school and begins to fire a weapon. Several well-trained school personnel armed with concealed handguns intervene as soon as possible and shoot the intruder.

In which scene is there more danger to students and staff? If an armed intruder is aware that he will meet armed resistance, he may be less likely to attack. If an armed intruder is assured that a school or institution is a “gun-free zone,” he knows in advance he will be the only one with a gun until the police arrive, and that may take enough time to do wholesale carnage.

So choose your scene wisely.

CARROLL WILLIAMS

Conway

And furthermore …

In my opinion, our great police department is sick and tired of being sick and tired.

DIANA BIGGS

Little Rock

Feedback

Nothing but a farce

Our great do-nothing president stated that since his Obamacare has started, several million people got a rebate from their insurance company. I have Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and my insurance has almost doubled since this started.

I think Obamacare is such a farce; the people that have to pay their own insurance get ripped and the ones without insurance the feds will continue to pay for. I believe this is a way of socialism from the start, which I think is what this president has wanted.

We need to vote in new congressmen and senators that have a backbone and get this stopped.

PHIL EICHLER

Carlisle

Bias was showing

The filibuster deal story was a classic example, I think, of this paper’s bias: the carefully cropped picture of Harry Reid smiling, with a glint in his eye after finally getting one past the do-nothing-good Republicans, and then the careful wording pandering to right-wingers’ delusions, as if Republicans haven’t been ignoring and abusing “historic rules” in ever more desperate and wretched ways.

We’ll never get out of this quagmire if the media continues to be the tool of the rich and despicable.

ANDREW CAINS

Little Rock