LETTERS

Monday, September 30, 2013

Failing responsibility

I’m angry there are some issues about students’ safety in Chicago. The closures of many public schools forced many students to pass through some dangerous areas to get to their new schools.

Chicago government hired 600 workers to protect the students; however, information shows that students are still not safe. The government should be concerned with the effects, and work on reducing the bad influence before they closed these schools. Moreover, the Chicago government didn’t put enough efforts to protect students. The “Safe Passage program” started in 2009, yet there have been 133 shootings and 38 murders in and near areas marked as safe passage routes. More than 440 school-age kids were shot in 2012 and about 60 were killed.

The Chicago government and public schools should work together to keep students safe. They should install more security cameras to monitor these dangerous areas, or provide students transportation. It is wasted money to hire so many workers if they do not work well.

If students can take a school shuttle and don’t need to walk, the risk of getting shot will be reduced. They also should hire policemen to work in each shuttle with these students. In addition, Chicago has a strict gun law but many people get their guns illegally. The government should focus on how to protect people instead of making more strict gun laws because criminals still can get guns illegally.

Chicago is responsible for keeping these children safe. It should build a good environment for children.

YAO LI Conway Unanswered questions

It would be nice to see people working to get the special handicapped equipment in all city and state parks, not just one park.

It seems to me it would be wiser to get handicapped-accessible equipment in all playgrounds across Arkansas instead of one in an unincorporated area of Saline County.

Who will police the area to keep people safe? Who will pay to repair vandalism? Once-a-month cleaning is not enough. Who will clean the leaves, tree branches, trash, etc., off the walkways and the play area so handicapped people can use the area? Who will be checking the equipment for problems and fixing the problems so people won’t be hurt?

What about water drainage? The area looks to be in a low area. Runoff from the street and parking lot, where will it go? This could cost extra. If it is too wet, no one will be able to use the area.

Where are the restrooms going to be for the handicapped and their caregivers? Who will clean them and refill soap and paper goods?

If Saline County does not have a parks department, will this mean a new tax to develop one?

What we need is money for more deputy sheriffs to patrol the county.

BERNICE BINGHAM Hensley

Service appreciated

We’ve all seen them-clear acts of courtesy and of rudeness.

On a weekday evening after the summer heat had abated, the grocery-store lot was not half-full; there were plenty of parking places. As I carried my bags to the car, a big SUV drove quickly into the handicapped slot. A young lady, jauntily dressed, just as quickly leaped out and hurried into the store. Handicapped, I questioned myself-no such tag or marker on the car-and she certainly seemed able-bodied.

Ten steps further along, a slightly harried middle-aged woman finished loading her trunk with groceries. Although the return area was only a few steps away, she left her cart behind the adjacent car.

Before I could reach it, a slightly stooped elderly man emerged from another car, shuffled over to the cart, turned it around, and began slowly pushing it toward the store. As he passed the handicapped slots, the USN and anchor tattooed on his forearm were clearly visible. “Thank you for your service,” I said as he passed. He straightened up and broke into a big grin.

He was certainly able-bodied.

JACK SCHMEDEMAN Little Rock

Should be good for all

Sen. Mark Pryor says Obamacare is the law of the land, it’s not perfect but let’s work to make it better.

It’s obvious to me that it’s not perfect, with all the exemptions being sought and given, that did not keep Pryor from voting for it along with former Sen. Blanche Lincoln. It had to be passed so people could see what’s in it. Why not delay the bill for all people until it is right for all people, with no exemptions? Since it’s the law of the land, all people should be under it with no exemptions.

I hope we the people of Arkansas will send Pryor looking for another career next November.

BILL SCHEIDERER Forrest City

Flames of discontent

Why did I think America might reasonably ride out this global paradigm shift when so much of the world riots in the streets where guns and bombs kill?

We have our violence, but there is more subtle combat. We have become a republic with three parties, the Tea Party being the pink elephant we try to ignore. Three parties or more have a way of splitting the vote so that the inferior emerge. The opinion media fan the flames of discontent.

Congress passes legislation. The president signs it into law. Then, some in Congress try to change the collective mind of Congress in order to dismantle the guts of the new law. Yet accusers say the president changes his mind and his words are empty. What is happening here? I say we have become a contemptuous people. I won’t speculate on the needs for power.

Quantum paradigm shifts, where human perception, thinking and attitudes change, are fraught with chaos, ugliness and fear until the light of understanding comes.

Remember the I Love Lucy episode where Lucy was on a chocolate candy assembly line? To keep up with the pace, she had to eat every third piece of candy. That’s healthy humor. We are now in a world of cyberspace and suffocating amounts of information and instant communication before we even think things through. Do we network a cyberspace world of new boundaries for countries and politics and faith and recipes? Will there be humor there?

I thank the Lord for the beauty of the planet earth, this galaxy and all universes. For light and for darkness and for all human beings who are filled with both.

JUDITH BAUM North Little Rock

Who has authority?

Why has David Gearhart not been fired? He has done much more than Bobby Petrino ever did, in my opinion. Who has the authority to fire him? I think whoever it is needs to step up to the plate and do his job.

Jeff Long didn’t fool around. He got the facts and did his job.

SHIRLEY DALE JONES Knoxville

Seek maturity, sense

After the childish temper tantrum of Sen. Ted Cruz, how about we start electing folks to Congress that have some maturity and good sense?

It would be better than what we are witnessing with the present Tea Party incumbents.

CHARLES E. WALLING Fayetteville

It’s not quite soup yet

In my four score-plus years of life, I have personally experienced wind power, solar power and government health care.

I find all three should be sent back to the drawing board for much-needed improvements.

DOROTHY N. BUCHANAN Marion

Editorial, Pages 11 on 09/30/2013