Letters

There was a guest column in the Democrat-Gazette wherein one Kelly Duda seemed to advocate, in essence, that half of our ancestors should be disowned because they lost a war.

For Duda, and anybody else whose family has not lived in the USA long enough for an ancestor to have fought in the Civil War, let me recite the following. I had a great-great-grandfather, John Riley Ennis, who was in the Confederate army and was murdered by Yankee bushwhackers while he was unarmed home on furlough at Elm Springs. I have a great-grandfather, James Lott, who enlisted in Company D, 9th (later 10th) Missouri Cavalry (Union), who was shot by a Southern sympathizing bushwhacker as he arrived home on furlough at Copeland. He survived.

They are both my ancestors and they were both doing what they thought was right. I respect both equally although I agree with only one. Robert E. Lee's birthday represents all of our Confederate ancestors, and we respect them as much as we respect all our other ancestors. When you demand that I stop respecting and celebrating them, you are walking on the fighting side of me. Take your demands and insert them where the sun doesn't shine!

To Terry Barket, et al., the Civil War is not a blight on history, it is history, and it is history which resulted in freeing all slaves in the USA. You don't get just part of it, it is the whole deal or none of it.

The wounds of war heal when the next generation marries and has children, which my ancestors did, not when you pretend it never happened. To everybody else, I hope you had a good holiday whether you celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. or Robert E. Lee. I hope that you will extend to me the courtesy that I extend to you.

MIKEL D. LOTT

Garfield

Doesn't advance state

As a native son of Virginia and now proud to be called an Arkansan, I can only be appalled that you continue to glorify General Robert E. Lee on the holiday for Dr. Martin Luther King.

I am a descendent of a Confederate cavalry general, Lunsford L. Lomax, and therefore feel some right to criticize your position. I respect that General Lee was a man of uncommon quality who found himself on the wrong side of human equality. I also respect that Dr. King was a man of uncommon quality who found himself on the right side of human equality and history.

There was a time in my youth that I had studied every great Civil War battle, especially those that occurred in Virginia. I have come to understand that these battles and the courageous men who fought them do not equal the courage that many blacks have faced and still face today in their quest for dignity and respect.

I believe it is well past time for the editors of your newspaper to help move forward the great state of Arkansas and make it a place where there is respect for all. The publication of General Robert E. Lee memorabilia does nothing to advance our state.

LARRY LOMAX

Arkadelphia

A hands-on solution

Flabby footballs? Perhaps I have a solution to the latest NFL fiasco. Prior to each snap, have an official on the field actually touch the football.

Oh wait--that's already being done--silly me! Do these officials leave their brains and their sensory receptors (fingertips) in the locker room before the game?

As to the Patriots' involvement, it may be interesting to throw a few questions at some ex-Patriots' quarterback, one who wouldn't fear repercussions about revealing such insider information. Do you suppose one Ryan Mallett would divulge anything about the matter--remember him?

LEN MILLER

Camden

Wrong impressions

Lately there have been several letters in response to David Sumrell's recent letter regarding recent unrest in the nation surrounding the police killings in Ferguson, etc. Mr. Sumrell has been accused of being prejudiced, called a bigot, and his letter was labeled hate speech. I believe his words were twisted to say something he was not trying to say.

If these people knew David like I know him, they would know that he is not prejudiced. He has personal friends that are black. He has worshipped in "all black" churches, and even brought blacks and Hispanics to visit with us in our little assembly, where we welcome them. I know these things because I am his pastor.

There is nothing hateful about instructing people to turn their lives over to the Lord and to obey the law. Also, I believe David did not mean to imply that all blacks were hoodlums. He was simply trying to say that, because of the ones that are misbehaving, there are people that will lump all blacks together. However, Mr. Sumrell and I both know that nothing can be further from the truth. Perhaps he should have explained himself a little better.

Let us all not be so quick to judge, and be part of the solution, and not part of the problem.

TIM CHOAT

Bella Vista

High-paid politicians

Politicians--local, state and federal--are obtaining raises in salary. Sports individuals are securing large salaries that seem way out of hand, $5 million or $10 million a year.

The government is spending billions overseas to help with whatever, and then the national debt comes into view. Then it's time to take away food stamps, medical help, and try to delve into Social Security.

Did Social Security, Medicaid and food stamps cause government debt? People died for this country, protecting people who need these programs. Utility costs and insurance premiums are on the rise. TV ads are asking for money to help other nations' people while letters are being written asking for money to stop Social Security from being taken.

Those on Social Security received a 1.7 percent raise. That should cover all of the above rising costs. Ha! Government wins again.

CHARLES JAMES

Siloam Springs

Our right to criticize

I wish you ladies and gentlemen would get off Al Case's case.

He has the right to practice his religion of being an agnostic, even if it is a bit fanatical and obsessive. That's why we live in this great country that gives us the right to criticize another person's religion.

People are religious about different things. Some people are religious about their families, some are religious about food, and some others are religious about football. Al is religious about his feelings, and that's okay.

Please don't hold it against him because he's lived in several different cities in the past couple of years. In America, you can live where you want. I've lived in several different cities myself.

Hang in there, Al. I enjoy your letters and your ideas. I also respect your religion and your being so devoted to it. I hope everyone will respect mine. All religions matter.

JIM CRAIG

Mayflower

Difference of opinion

Re E.W. King's letter: I beg to differ with the opinion that the recently elected Republicans' removal and freezing of state employees' positions was evidence of Republican firing instead of hiring.

Rather, it seems that the successful Republicans are striving to re-establish control of Arkansas government.

BRUCE MITCHELL

Hot Springs

Mighty proud of it

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the editorial, "Long may she wave." I read it with tears in my eyes.

I would like to thank Steve Womack for his proposed amendment which will surely make it this time. Here at my home in Columbia County, Old Glory waves high and free.

My hero Johnny Cash put it so plainly when he wrote about that "Ragged Old Flag." You see, I too am mighty proud of that ragged old flag.

RAYMOND KIMBELL

Magnolia

On any other day

On a recent front page, the president and vice president have American flag pins on their lapels, and the speaker of the House does not. Why hasn't this paper and other major media outlets been critical of the speaker's not being patriotic?

I think there would have been an uproar if the president was Republican and the speaker a Democrat. This is just absolute and amazing hypocrisy to me.

MILTON MURRAY

McNeil

Unoriginal thoughts

Mr. J.W. Jennings wants all sides to be heard and so do I. It wouldn't bother me if a thousand different people expressed the same opinion as Mr. Al Case in this paper. Nor would it bother me for a thousand different people having the same opinion on salvation.

What does bother me is Mr. Case being allowed to preach what I believe to be the same sermon of anti-religion what seems like every 30 days in this paper. It is not original and maybe if the shoe were on the other foot, and a particular religious pastor in the state saw this paper as an opportunity to print a sermon or, better yet, practically the same sermon, just change a few words here and there every month, you might not like it either.

It seems Mr. Case is using this paper as a platform to get his message out. This paper is his pulpit. If he wants to write about the sun or moon and changes his message every 30 days, that would be original. Just not the same anti-Christ sermon every month.

If originality is not something needed, like the rules say, then I think along with myself and other individuals as well as clergy all over this state, we could come up with a sermon every month which would turn into a daily publication for Voices. If Mr. Case has a message that Mr. Jennings or Mr. Bill Moreland want to hear, then they should call him or, better yet, Mr. Case could rent a building and once a week preach his sermon like everyone else.

Originality is valued as one of the conditions for the Voices section. I enjoy reading the many different opinions and subject matter. I believe Mr. Case's sermons are far from being original.

MIKE DAVIS

Maumelle

Why it doesn't work

As a longtime member of the middle class, I am already shocked by early decisions of Republicans now controlling the legislatures of Arkansas and D.C.

Nationally, their banking bill weakens the 2010 Dodd-Frank law that increased government oversight of banks and financial markets in order to prevent another crisis that crippled the nation's economy. It weakens the Volcker rule that bans high-risk trading by big banks that created the need for the taxpayer bank bailout.

The Arkansas Board of Finance cut the minimum qualifications for the top four positions in the treasurer's office. No longer needed is a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance or business fields of study. All so the newly elected state treasurer could appoint people he wanted.

People ask why government is dysfunctional. People ask why government doesn't represent them. The answer is stopping the practice of electing people just because they have an "R" after their name without researching qualifications and who is backing them. Realize that Fox News is not a news station, but an editorial propaganda vehicle for the wealthy who don't think they have enough wealth already.

JAMES GATELY

Rogers

Editorial on 01/30/2015

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