LETTERS

On twisting of words

Patricia Duke calls Republicans mind-controlling Pharisees who push hate and fear. I believe her recent letter spouts hateful exaggerations while citing comedian Steven Colbert as her expert witness. I say that many sins were not mentioned by Jesus, but homosexuality is plainly condemned in the New and Old Testaments.

The only Pharisees I see are those who twist the words of the gospel to support their unholy causes, such as gay marriage and abortion, and I think most belong to the Democratic Party. Many today seem willing to hold hands with the devil in the name of inclusiveness. Loving your neighbor is helping him/her seek eternal life, not supporting his/her right to lead a sinful life that ends in death.

I’m always amused when Democrats attack Republicans on righteous grounds. In 2012, the word “God” was removed from the Democratic Party platform. When the action became big news, party officials quickly made a move to restore God to the platform, after which was heard the resounding boos of convention delegates.

My hope is that Ms. Duke will be guided by God’s grace and quit spewing such obvious group hatred.

Democrat or Republican, I believe politicians will never bring peace and justice to this world. Mankind’s only hope is in a spiritual rebirth that will touch the hearts and souls of men and open their eyes to the full truth of the scriptures. What we don’t need is some pop-culture spirituality that turns a blind eye to the moral and natural law.

DALE LANGE

Bella Vista

To better ourselves

In regards to raising the minimum wage, I would submit quotes from famous motivational speaker Zig Ziglar: “You’re getting what you’re getting because you’re doing what you’re doing,” and “It’s not an alarm clock, it’s an opportunity clock.”

I have worked as a farmhand for 50 cents an hour. Factory worker for $1.25 an hour. Dishwasher for $1 an hour. Joined the military in 1967 for $83 a month. Went to Vietnam for $400 a month. Went to college with the help of the GI Bill, got a good job and am now retired. I have always changed what I was doing to better myself.

LEONARD SMALLWOOD

Fayetteville

Stand against wrong

Re a recent Voices letter that said, “I believe anyone who takes the Bible and uses it to hate is a liar who will burn in hell,” note some verses: “You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.” This says if one does not stand against sin he is apt to suffer for it on judgment day.Many passages require one who would preach the gospel to rebuke wrong.

I believe to rebuke wrong is an act of love for God and man. Even little children can understand the difference in hating sin and the sinner. I fear that many unrighteous hate the Bible because it, by its very nature, exposes their sin.

I believe the righteous person who will not rebuke sin in any way is in peril of losing his own soul. What would we think of a physician who would not tell a patient what is wrong with him? Does the doctor hate the patient when he hates his disease? Does a parent hate his child when he rebukes him? Watch even small children who do not know what “no” means.

I think people who refuse to listen to the warnings in the Bible are treading what even our savior called the broad way that leads to destruction. People who stand against wrong should be commended rather than censured.

KAY MOSER

Searcy

Benefit of the doubt

I just finished watching a documentary I found on Netflix. Food, Inc. I learned about our food, where it comes from, how it’s subsidized, what is subsidized, etc. I understand now the source of so much of our sickness, our obesity, and our medical costs. I learned how the subsidized food industry lobbies to maintain the status quo.

This has changed the way I look at the coming U.S. Senate race.

I believe Tom Cotton is right to fight against the farm bill; the way our food is subsidized is the source of so many of our problems. Why should a hamburger and a Coke be cheaper than a head of cabbage? I can only assume Tom Cotton understands, and knows what this farm bill does to our health, our medical costs, our environment.

Watch this documentary. Educate yourself on this subject, and support Tom Cotton’s efforts to show the farm bill for what it really is. We have to assume he has us in mind.

R.G. SMITH

Rogers

Colorado’s high times

Well, they legalized marijuana in Colorado, but you can’t smoke it in public. (Wink, wink.) And you can’t smoke and drive. (Nod, nod.) And you can’t take any out of the state. (Bilateral shoulder shrug.)

DON SHORT

Farmington

There is no mystery

It’s simple. Pay for the drugs or get shot. The cartel will kill them if they don’t kill you.

DAVID H. MANSON

Little Rock

A path to true reform

The results of the random-assignment Oregon study that showed increased emergency-room use by newly insured poor people are unsurprising. The ER venue is the only one open to the newly insured and will remain so, as the mere presence of insurance under Obamacare does nothing to provide universal, equal and continuous access to chosen primary-care physicians. The Affordable Care Act does not result in the needed reforms to health-care delivery.

I believe the needed reforms are produced by the constitution of all members of the population of each state into a single group, and a change in the way insurance companies gain the right to insure the population. Insurance companies would bid by “Dutch auction” to insure a fraction of the entire state population, rather than individuals or smaller groups (Single-Group Multi-Payer, or SGMP). Individual premiums are the weighted average of the accepted bids.

SGMP also results in universal coverage, no rating of premiums for pre-existing conditions or genetic background, market forces in fixing of premiums and delivery of health care, absence of financial incentives to discriminate in care delivery, different premiums appropriate for different ages, continued insurance regardless of employment, minimization of premiums by maximizing the number in the insured group, and minimized administrative complexity and technological enrollment requirements.

Millions of dollars held for the “rainy day” need to fund medical expenses could be deployed for economic benefit, and separation of employment from insurance would allow job change without insurance loss.

JOEL SPALTER

Fayetteville

Defining public service

As a public service, I would like to help explain the difference between a politician and a public servant.

On several occasions I have found it necessary to contact our representatives in Congress from Arkansas, the occasions being the Purple Heart issue of our military members being wounded by terrorists on U.S. soil, the situation of the food at Little Rock Air Force Base Commissary during the government shutdown, and why I could not contact anyone at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife offices in Arkansas on a workday.

In each case, I contacted Sen. Mark Pryor and Congressman Tim Griffin’s offices. In each case, I received either a prompt phone call or letter from Griffin’s office. From Pryor on one occasion all I got was an auto-answer email that the government was shut down. This week, I did finally receive a call back from his office about the Fish and Wildlife Service not answering their phones, but was offered no reason.

Thank you, Rep. Griffin; you will be missed. And Sen. Pryor, take a hike.

BILL SOSEBEE

North Little Rock