As our representatives return to Washington, D.C., after Labor Day, I hope they return with a refreshed sense of commitment to fi nd a common-sense solution to immigration reform.
Most of the people I know support and applaud the Senate’s action on S. 744 and now we need the House of Representatives to step up and negotiate a Senatelike bill that can go to the president for signature.
The Senate’s bi-partisan bill makes it easier for students from around the world to come to the United States and enables universities, like the University of Arkansas, to compete for the bestand brightest. It creates an expedited path to citizenship for young people brought to this country as children who have no other path to legal status. For most, they know only the United States as their home and want to contribute their talent to this economy and culture.
Let’s give talented individuals, including foreign students, an opportunity to make homes here, start businesses, create jobs, and help drive U.S. economic growth. After all, we are a land of immigrants. And we need a new immigration policy that no longer ignores the reality of global mobility.
DEDE LONG
FayettevilleTwo articles in Aug. 31 edition cause me to wonder about our law enforcement priorities.
The first is about alleged swindler Jim Bolt of Rogers.
He is being held without bond for the U.S. Marshals on the charge of (gasp) money laundering and fraud. The FBI has also been on his case.
The second is about the murder of Shirley Wolfe in her home on South College in Fayetteville. She had feared for her life, and called police “numerous times” for protection after being threatened. The man arrested, David Browning,was out of jail after serving all of six months on charges of aggravated assault. Of course, the remaining 30 months of the sentence were suspended. Couldn’t keep him in jail, and the police couldn’t, or wouldn’t, protect her.
No doubt both are bad actors. But why is so much more priority being given to protecting the public against nonviolent crime while violent criminals walk the street?
What’s the message? Get a gun, because you can’t rely on the police for protection.
It’s no wonder Arkansans are arming themselves in record numbers.
MILTON JONES
West Fork
Opinion, Pages 12 on 09/08/2013