Can't make the effort
A letter printed July 2 made me wonder whether people who want the public schools to be churches are theocratic crusaders--or just too lazy to take their kids to a real church on Sundays.
MICHAEL KLOSSNER
Little Rock
First the Redskins ...
Where, oh where, will it end?
Certainly this era of hope and change (call it PC running amok, if you must) allows, as one report claimed, five Indians to convince the U.S. Patent Office to remove exclusivity over use of the trademark of the Washington club of the NFL. Other news briefs tell us that hurt feelings of just one person can result in dramatic reversals of common sense.
What we're seeing may not be restricted to sports nicknames. Sure, the Atlanta Braves, Kansas City Chiefs, and Golden State Warriors are likely victims of this "everybody wins, nobody loses" time when thoughts of equality reign and youngsters are saved fits of sobbing by not competing for grades at school.
Animals must be wary, because they have feelings, too. But, unless PETA steps in, the animal kingdom may be the next PC nickname target with the NHL's Boston Bruins at the top of the list, alongside the St. Louis Rams, Detroit Tigers and Chicago Bulls.
PATRICK McKELVEY
Bella Vista
On mental capacity
If Democrats are too ignorant to apply for and get a photo ID, then what makes you think they are mentally capable of voting?
BUDDY RUSSELL
Crossett
Saw paranoia aplenty
Re "The paranoids are back": Yeah, sure, we should trust federal school officials to improve American education through Common Core.
Just as we can trust: The VA health-care system to provide health care for military veterans. The IRS to collect taxes and not target citizens for exercising their rights to participate in the political affairs of the United States. The Obama administration to enforce immigration laws and stop the inflow of hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrant children into the U.S. President Obama to enforce his signature legislation, the Affordable Care Act, as written instead of arbitrarily making modifications to the law. The EPA and other bureaucratic thugs to realize that American citizens are their bosses, not their peons.
Space available prevents a lengthier list of government deceit, insidious conduct, wicked intent and incompetence.
Politicians have touted "education reform" for as long as I can remember in my 75 years. Over a decade ago it was No Child Left Behind. Now it's Common Core. But five years from now it'll be something else. I'm tired of hearing what the national nanny government needs to do about American education. I think the best thing to do would be to abolish the Department of Education and get the government out of education.
The District of Columbia is surrounded by seven of the 10 richest counties in the U.S. because so many petty dictators are up there setting standards to which we must comply.
There was a lot of paranoia in the column, but I suggest that the paranoia is on the part of the writer instead of the people he sneered at.
GERALD HOLLAND
Bella Vista
Here's a possibility
Just a thought for Dan Snyder: Why not confound the politically correct thought patrol and rename your team the Washington Skinheads?
Just a thought.
JOHN ROBERT McAULEY
Clarksville
Running rivals down
The race of candidates running for office here in Arkansas is really heating up, as I suspect everyone has noticed. You can't turn on the TV without an ad that is directed to completely destroy someone's opponent.
It doesn't make any difference if you are a Republican, Democrat or independent. The ads apparently are to make us think that each one of the persons running is evil, the devil himself or at least a close relative.
Personally, I say enough is enough.
I have a novel idea: Why don't these people tell us just a few things that they are running on that would actually be beneficial to us who live here in Arkansas? I haven't heard any of that so far.
With all the attack ads against each other, I don't have a clue what anyone's position is on any given platform other than he wants to raise the age of retirement, he's running from his record or he was the deciding vote for Obamacare and he voted with Barack Obama 90 percent of the time.
There is absolutely no substance in anything that I can see in these political ads. When are the people running for office going to stop the BS and tell us what they stand for, what they plan on doing for us and how they plan on getting it done?
Give me something to vote for. I bet the majority of people living in this state would agree with me. Get us excited to go to the polls in November with something we can vote for instead of the same old political bunk.
RICHARD WEDEL
Garfield
The true hypocrites
The conservative political movement bemoans the secular nature of our current government and complains that Christian principles have been removed from it.
In Gene Saugey's letter to the Voices page, he says: "The Bible does command individuals and the church to care for the poor," but he says "nowhere did Jesus say that it was the state's job to forcibly take from the haves and give to the have-nots."
Wow, no commandment!
I believe the embodiment of Christ was his association and affection for the have-nots of his day. He did not force-feed his teaching on anyone, but did become angry with the hypocrites of his day. Can the "values voters" of today be the Pharisees of Jesus' day? They loudly proclaim their piety concerning abortion, public prayer and homosexuality, but when it comes to their money, it seems they are like the rich young man whom Jesus asks to sell his possessions, give to the poor and follow him. They falter.
Thirty-five years of pro-business legislation and a recession have resulted in over 15 percent of Americans living at or below the poverty level. About 4 percent are on actual welfare. The working poor need public assistance just to live and care for their families. A decent minimum wage would get many off the food-stamp rolls, but it seems most righteous conservatives even oppose this. Yet, they will tout their accomplishments and disdain the efforts of the struggling, as is the nature of the true hypocrite.
ED HUDNALL
Bryant
More uses for drones
Lately I've been hearing reports of drone planes being used by private citizens. There are the small model drone planes that can be remotely controlled like model airplanes. Remote-controlled model airplanes have been in use for several years by people who can afford such an expensive hobby. Lately I've been hearing that some folks want to initiate legislation to outlaw these model drones.
Once again we see the knee-jerk initiatives being reopened before these drones have been developed or given the opportunity to evolve into various uses.
Such drones could be developed for numerous uses besides security, surveillance or search and rescue.
There could be numerous uses in agriculture. A large-enough drone could carry up to 2,000 pounds of seed, fertilizer or liquid chemical and apply them to fields. Such use could be economical compared to the equipment in use.
Even the utilization of drones could be done by people who are not commercial pilots. These drones would not require runways or large storage buildings and they could be moved from site to site by trailer. These drones could be an alternative to crop-dusters.
Allowed to evolve, agricultural drone use could be a labor- and money-saver in the near future if all these systems are brought together. I hope our legislatures are able to support their use.
LUCIAN SIMMONS
Oil Trough
Editorial on 07/07/2014