Good for the children
I am delighted to read that seven Arkanasas organizations have applied to open new charter schools in the state. I am glad to see charter schools as a nationwide trend.
As an educator, working with at-risk children is my passion within my passion of teaching school. Some kids need a curriculum and classroom structure geared to their needs, especially one that can be slowed down when needed to stress a particular concept where kids need more work.
I am hopeful every school district in the country can be able to open a school designed with a curriculum for at-risk children.
LESLIE PUTMAN
El Dorado
Remember the man
Enigmatic actor James Garner passed away July 19th and a part of my nostalgic heart went with him. He was from the classic era of actors and was right up there with the best of them. Professionally, he played a rugged, handsome sheriff; a cheeky gambler; a sarcastic PI; an elderly astronaut; a loving husband to a wife with Alzheimer's, a memorable grandpa, a one-of-a-kind TV commercial spokesman, and a list of many other onscreen accomplishments. Personally, he was a war veteran who received two Purple Hearts; a man of athletic abilities with a love of golf, football and race-car driving; a giver and a volunteer to both charitable and humanitarian organizations that had special and personal meaning to him; a third-row presence during Martin Luther King's profound speech; a man who fought for what he believed in and gave of himself to everyone around him.
He was a man's man, a ladies' man, a man with a 100-watt smile, a true gentleman, a Christian, a faithful and loving husband, a father, a committed and loyal man to family, friends and fans, a man who wanted equality for others, and a man who perfected his craft for "true" entertainment.
So in this day and age when everyone is interested in selfies, Facebook, Twitter, creeping, peeping, and whatever else that's out there, let's take a moment to remember the man who provided us with some of the best TV and motion-picture moments of our time.
I'd like to leave "Jim Rockford" one final message on his answering machine: "Hey Jim, this is Charlene. Just wanted to say thanks for being the kind of man and actor we can look up to, but above all for making us LOL."
CHARLENE WILLIAMS
Scott
Words have meaning
Re Clara Fisher Fields' letter about our black president: Words mean things.
Black is the absence of light. White is pure light. People are colored different shades of brown, tan, red, yellow and pink (or green or gray if you believe in space travelers). Right is the opposite of left. Right is the opposite of wrong. Therefore the left must be wrong. Conservatives are right. Liberals are left and left is the same as wrong.
Clara, there is nothing wrong with expressing your feelings. Words do mean things!
LARRY HACKER
Bryant
That liberal myopia
In his ongoing tirade against the Koch brothers, Mr. John Brummett apparently would have us believe that only wealthy conservatives finance political campaigns.
Mr. Brummett's sermonizing smacks of liberal self-righteousness and is more than a little disingenuous. Case in point, many would argue that the present occupant of the White House, righteous or not, is a full-time fundraiser. Then there are the wealthy Hollywood elites, whose antics are often less than noble, but because of their contributions to liberal causes, are accorded left-winged sainthood. And let us not forget those darkly evil corporations the liberals publicly revile, but from whom they routinely accept money. And finally hovering in the background there is that impoverished peon, George Soros, who is mighty righteous and whose activities are in no way comparable to those of the dreadful Koch Brothers. If you buy this last statement you might need to change your medications.
In summary, I believe Mr. Brummett's sermon is both hypocritical and rife with liberal myopia.
BILL ROTHERT
Russellville
Take responsibility
Re Dana Wall of Quitman's letter: I believe what has happened is Americans have raised two generations of children that were not held accountable for anything--grades, home responsibilities, respect for adults, financial accountability, and most have not blackened the door of a church unless it was to bury a grandparent or parent.
We lost the "right" to discipline children and hold them accountable in classrooms. No "Yes, ma'am" and "No, ma'am" required of these children. We haven't raised the standards in the schools; we have dumbed them down so everyone is a winner. Pass them on and hope that the next teacher can perform the miracle needed for your child.
As a result, we have young adults that expect someone else (i.e., parents, grandparents, teachers, the government) to bail them out, support them, make sure their every need is met, especially that they are happy and don't have to sweat anything. God forbid they should have to get a job and start at the bottom to work their way up to what it has taken their parents a lifetime to achieve. They want it, and they want it now!
Humiliation should go hand in hand with bankruptcy. In most cases, you have just lived beyond your means. Being on government assistance should be cut off after two years except in extreme cases ... not a way of life. And yes, people can and do "make it" on minimum-wage jobs.
As in past generations, you do what you have to do; no one owes you anything. Fair? Probably not, but as the saying goes: "Life ain't fair."
LINDA EUBANKS
Beebe
Not so good ol' days
I would first like to say that I completely agree with Ron Thomas of St. Joe. If we don't immediately rise up and vote out, and against, those who stooge for the ilk of the Koch brothers, I believe democracy as it was intended for this country is dead.
Dana Wall of Quitman seems confused as to what happened to the "good old days" of the '50s and '60s. To that I say: Republicans! The "Southern initiative," and those of us who elected Ronald (I believe American traitor) Reagan, are responsible for starting the trend that destroyed the prosperity of those days, as well as the middle class of this nation. Make note of the economic trend line for the middle class beginning in 1980. Note also that there was some uptick during the Clinton years.
By becoming obsessed with imposing legislated morality on a country full of sinners (who will remain sinners no matter what the law requires) while, as a matter of fact, I believe totally contradicting Bible instruction, we have turned away from electing legislators who concern themselves with the overall well-being of all of the people to concentrate on the twisted and selfish desires of a few.
Wall need only review history and take note of what political party controlled the majority our government during those "good" times to answer the question.
AUSTIN STEWART
Judsonia
Added fuel to flames
Yeah, James Barré, I can think of a contemporary analogy to Nero fiddling as Rome burned: The GOP/Tea Party adding fuel to the flames started by Osama bin Laden' s 9/11 attacks.
Got matches, James?
SALLYE MARTIN
Fayetteville
Editorial on 07/31/2014