LETTERS

Timing of editorial awful

I can’t believe after a day of celebration of the death of racism in my hometown of Harrison that the editorial staff decided to highlight a photo of that divisive sign on our bypass. What an ill-timed editorial.

It seems not only did your editorialist whine over the use of caps on the sign (it’s a billboard, for crying out loud, not a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize), he further seemed to condemn Chad Everett Watkins, duly punished and fined, for his altering the sign to read, “Anti-Racist is a Code Word for Love.” Sacrilege! What an awful act of civil disobedience Mr. Watkins contrived.

As I read the front-page headline in April 3rd’s Harrison Daily Times-“Love Overwhelms Crowd,” regarding our town’s peace march and burial of a casket symbolizing hatred and racism-I can only wonder if Mr. Watkins actually did have a clue on an appropriate substitution on the sign that brought another undeserved black eye to Harrison.

My fellow hometown brother Mike Masterson has addressed Harrison’s racist problem (that actually seemed not to be a problem until out-of-towners arrived) with great grace and overwhelming fact. Knowing Harrison as he does, he has been an outstanding apologist for our fair city. It’s my opinion that the editorial writers should consult Mike on the subject of racism in Harrison before ever addressing it again on their own.

As for the greater good, the scriptures teach us that faith, hope and love abide, and the greatest of these is love. Who am I to argue with God in this situation, and for that matter, Mr. Watkins. After all, had the later manifestation of the sign been the original, we probably wouldn’t even be discussing this.

GREG CARLTON

Harrison

How dry paper wasn’t

Curls are no problem for me. Not so much, though, with wet papers. I sincerely appreciated the delivery of my paper without fail on every snow and ice day this year. Some days it was above and beyond the call of duty, but it was always there. Thanks!

What I can’t understand is why the paper isn’t double-bagged on rainy days. Reading the paper with curling corners is a snap. Not so when it is waterlogged as it was on a recent Sunday morning and many other times this past year. Great product when dry, worthless when wet.

Please use a little of the savings from thinner paper and double-bag on rainy days.

A.W. BURNS

Rogers

Cease the nitpicking

I am offended by the televised comments about a well-qualified candidate running for sheriff of Saline County. The controversy has arisen because Capt. Simon Haynes is pictured on a prominent billboard on Interstate 30 wearing his Pulaski County sheriff’s office uniform.

As captain of the Pulaski SWAT team and commander of their criminal investigation division, Haynes has earned the right and privilege of wearing that uniform. Captain Haynes has worn a uniform with pride since he graduated from high school and enlisted in the U.S. Army infantry. He is a Gulf War veteran, earning multiple awards and medals. He has earned my respect and my vote.

Instead of his detractors nitpicking Haynes’ uniform, they should be running positive campaigns by telling us what qualifications and plans, if any, they have if elected sheriff of Saline County.

As my mama used to say, “Consider the source.”

MALCOLM E. MacDONALD

Hot Springs Village

Should earn their pay

Debate on minimum wage will most likely take place in many venues. It certainly has started here, compelling me to share my thoughts.

When spending my hard-earned dollars at fast-food restaurants, purchasing needed items at stores, and observing employees of said establishments, I cannot help but wonder at what I see.

Time and again I observe employees avoiding customer contact, failing to thank me for my patronage, talking to associates while I’m checking out, walking around with back braces unsecured and their pants hanging well below their waistline, and many other offensive and unacceptable behaviors.

So the apparent socialist-agenda-driven, parasitic nematodes in Washington, D.C., and various state capitals want to reward these slackers with a higher minimum wage?

I think they should be fired or retrained, and if retraining doesn’t work, then fired. All members of the work force should be rewarded for productivity and their value to the employer.

Sure, there should be a minimum wage to prevent employers from exploiting their employees. But now is not the time to be raising it to spread the wealth by taking from those who have earned and giving to those who do not earn it.

KEITH DE NOBLE

Bigelow

Folks with the money

In regards to the editorial critical of proposed cuts to the U.S. military budget, I would point out the following:

(1) The U.S. will have nearly all of its troops out of Afghanistan by the end of the year. (2) The U.S. military budget exceeds that of the next 10 largest countries combined. (3) There are many problems in this country which desperately need to be addressed.

Therefore, it is my humble opinion that a moderate reduction in our military budget is not only justified, but can be made without hurting our position as the strongest military power in the world by far.

Of course, there are a lot of major corporations in this country that make big profits from wars and huge military expenditures. I am curious as to how the Republicans will handle this issue. On one hand, they want to cut spending and on the other, they want to protect their wealthy contributors.

I’m betting on the folks with the money.

BENTON ROLLINS

Hot Springs

Just what is a vehicle

Bicycles are not vehicles. I know that there are laws that say that they are vehicles. Those laws should be repealed.

I have in my Jeep a piece of paper, issued by the state of Arkansas, called a “Vehicle Registration Certificate.”

Because of this piece of paper, my Jeep cannot cross the Big Dam Bridge, but a bicycle can. Bicycles are not vehicles.

Because of this piece of paper, my Jeep cannot cross the Two Rivers Park Bridge, but a bicycle can. Bicycles are not vehicles.

There are three other bridges that I know of in the central Arkansas area that my Jeep cannot cross, but a bicycle can. Bicycles are not vehicles.

My Jeep is not allowed on most parts of the Arkansas River Trail, but a bicycle is allowed on all parts of the trail. Bicycles are not vehicles.

I believe the repeal of laws that say bicycles are vehicles will do two things: First, it will reduce the incidents of road rage on our streets and highways. Secondly, it will likely save more lives than the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.

This is an issue for the health and safety of all bicycle riders. Bicycles are not vehicles!

DANNY DeCLERK

North Little Rock

Propaganda campaign

By now we have all seen the commercials performed by actors telling us how some people have received letters canceling their substandard insurance, and I think we are all tired of the Koch brothers’ propaganda campaign.

I would like to know if any of those people even bothered to check into policies under the Affordable Care Act.

News reports from other states show that they don’t try and just want a platform to complain, while not mentioning the thousands of Arkansas families that can now get quality health insurance, or families like mine that can keep their college children covered until age 26 when they can provide for themselves.

I have seen some letters complaining that the previously insured might have to wait a little longer to see the doctor. What a selfish thing to say! I guess they would prefer all those previously uninsured people to shut up and die already.

And that goes for all the people who can afford health care but say they will just go to the emergency room and never get turned away. The emergency room is for emergencies, not cheap leeches who want to save a buck on health insurance.

I hope the newspaper will investigate these people that claim they were hurt by the ACA and see if they can actually still get health insurance. Please uncover the truth.

PAUL WAGENER

Jacksonville

Useless identification

Caller ID: the magical feature that we pay extra for on our phone plans, or it is sometimes included in various bundles we pay for, that is supposed to show the number and name of the caller.

The bill lists Caller ID with Number and Caller ID with Name. But all too often, the name does not show. Instead we get “Out of Area” or “Wireless Caller” or “Toll Free Call” or some similarly useless identity. Kind of worthless for determining who is calling.

Oh, yes, our landline company has this fine print: “Some call information may be blocked or otherwise not displayed, including information for some calls originating outside of AT&T’s network and calls carried over facilities that do not transmit Caller ID information.”

But in the 21st Century, there is absolutely no reason that the information can’t be transmitted between phone companies. I believe traditional landline, cellular or cable-provided VoIP can and should provide standard name/number information between systems.

It seems that the FCC, Congress and consumer protection agencies, including the attorneys general of the states, don’t much care that we are being charged for a service that we are not receiving.

Note to the politicians: We don’t answer calls that are not identified, including those from your campaigners, fundraisers and pollsters.

This is an easy fix-make it happen.

MARK BARNHARD

Little Rock

Feedback

Don’t have to read

Re the letter from Jimmy Martin of Conway about the space obituaries consume in the paper: Mr. Martin and other like-minded obituary complainers-why do you even look at those pages if you are annoyed by them?

I have from an early age always read the obituaries with interest. This is one of the last acknowledgements of a person’s life. Sometimes it is one last comfort to the family. Sometimes they are actually funny; sometimes they are a life lesson on how to live or not live. Whatever they are to each reader, they do serve a purpose.

Lighten up … your one-sentence obit will be there soon enough.

LINDA G. EUBANKS

Beebe

Evocative of Wood

I loved the photo of Joel DiPippa in a recent edition of the paper. The color, composition and subject of Benjamin Krain’s photo reminded me of a Grant Wood painting. I will look forward to seeing more of his work.

My compliments to Mr. DiPippa as well. I miss seeing men in hats! He looks great.

BOBETTE MANEES

Little Rock