Letters

Cause of our decline

It seems the most effective way to buy an election is to use tax money to buy votes. This is done at both ends of the economic spectrum. The "poor" sell their vote to whoever will give the most welfare benefits. At the high end of the economic spectrum, we have examples like Solyndra. Small political donations yield millions in government money. The same thing is done at the state level. A business could give a few thousand dollars to a politician and get a state grant of thousands to expand the business.

I believe this corrupts our political system and the moral foundation of the nation. If it is wrong for one individual to steal from another, isn't it equally wrong to use government to steal from others?

Democrats apparently have no shame in participating in such activities. They are actually proud that they are pro-business because they use tax money to help business. Republicans are not unaware that tax money can be used to buy votes, and use the same scam. We see the same thing with grants to school districts, fire departments, museums, city parks, etc. People believe the politician who takes credit for the grant is really responsible for providing the money.

We are getting what we deserve. Unless we demand that government follow moral absolutes (don't steal), we will see the continued decline of our nation caused by our politicians.

CHARLES FUQUA

Batesville

Finding an agreement

On anything political, Bradley Gitz and I disagree on everything. However, whenever he writes on popular culture in general, and pop music in particular, I find myself much in agreement with him. This is especially true of his recent essay prompted by David Bowie's death.

One reason Gitz and I have a disconnect with performers today is that their music is meant to be watched and not really listened to. Take away Miley Cyrus pantomiming sexual acts with a sledgehammer in "Wrecking Ball," and what exactly are you left with aside from some rather lame lyrics? Gitz's and my generation put up some rather tepid lyrics on occasion as well. "She loves you, yeah, yeah" is hardly the stuff of poetry. But then, the same Fab Four managed to come up with "when I find myself in times of trouble Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be" as well as "and in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make"--pieces of advice as relevant now as when they first were penned.

Part of the problem with contemporary music is that it's mostly about sex. In and of itself, though, sex doesn't get you very far down the road. So much of the music of our generation managed to speak about significant human interactions with significant others; or, to use the old-fashioned word, much of it was about love. When Donovan wrote "when rain has hung the leaves with tears I want you near to kill my fears," he spoke to what we all long for, and when he went on to lament "ah, but I may as well try and catch the wind" he evoked the anguish many, if not most, of us have experienced at some point in our lives.

So, well-done, Professor Gitz. Should you ever wander down my way, I invite you to drop by the house. We'll dust off the old turntable, pop the caps off a couple of Rolling Rocks, and settle back with some of the old songs.

STEWART DIPPEL

Clarksville

It's not really progress

I believe Little Rock does not need Interstate 30. The highway hardly serves the residents of Little Rock. Most of the traffic seems to be commuters and through-traffic, which just increases noise, pollution, and inner-city transportation times. Worse, commuters make their money in the city, but leave the city to spend it. The Little Rock Board of Directors should not be creating additional incentives for commuters and through-traffic.

I think I-30 should be replaced with a boulevard. A quality boulevard would increase the amount of available commercial and entertainment/park property in both Little Rock and North Little Rock.

Through-traffic and some commuter traffic can be rerouted through I-440, and plans in the future can include changes to I-440 rather than developing huge freeways inside the city. There are wetlands issues in regards to I-440, but there are plenty of areas in the state where wetland restoration can offset any environmental damage created by changes.

Dismantling I-30 sounds radical. Many of us have grown up with the idea that developed freeways are a sign of progress. But there are reasons cities like Oklahoma City, which dismantled and moved the downtown portion of I-40, are in favor of moving commuter/through-traffic away from the central business and entertainment districts.

Little Rock needs to realize that changes to I-30 may make it safer and reduce traffic congestion for commuters in the short-term, but it is not progress for the people that live here.

CHARLES ALEX LANIS

Little Rock

Nothing to brag about

The Population Institute has just published "The State of Reproductive Health and Rights: A 50-State Report Card, 2015." Grades were based on a low rate of teenage pregnancy, a low rate of unintended pregnancy, comprehensive sex education in the schools, access to emergency contraception in the emergency room, Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, a Medicaid "waiver" expanding eligibility for family planning services, an absence of burdensome abortion restrictions, an absence of TRAP Laws (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers), and county-level access to family planning and abortion services.

Arkansas was one of five states to earn an F-. The institute explained Arkansas' poor showing this way--"Arkansas received a failing grade, in part, because: Arkansas has a high teenage pregnancy rate; Arkansas does not mandate sex education in public schools; Arkansas currently does not offer an expansion for family planning services to the Medicaid plan; and Arkansas has ... laws, which make it unnecessarily difficult for a woman to have an abortion if she chooses to do so ..."

I know people differ on the issue of abortion, though it is a woman's legal right. However, can anyone take pride in our high rate of teenage pregnancy or unintended pregnancies in general? Moreover, sex education and family planning actually reduce the number of abortions. Anyone who is genuinely opposed to abortion should support sex education and family planning.

Arkansas has many things to be proud of, but reproductive health and rights aren't among them. We can do better.

EARL BABBIE

Hot Springs Village

Heartache not funny

I am 91 years old and this newspaper has been in my home for many years. I have learned much and kept abreast easier than through TV or hearsay.

Until recently the comics were enjoyable, and some of it is still a relief from a stressful day.

However, in the last several months I have noticed a sick humor creeping, one that insists that death, divorce and love for God are supposed to be laughed at.

Two samples of sick humor are a recent Wizard of Id and a recent Wumo. What is funny about the cruel deaths of animals and people? Why is religion something to laugh at or make jokes about?

You may call it free speech, which is now used to say and do nearly anything. But if it brings pain and heartache, it is not funny!

LOIS TURPIN

Forrest City

Why, that's just wrong

Bradley R. Gitz makes an excellent point in his column of January 25 as he supposes that those who are too poor to own a firearm are being denied their Second Amendment rights.

Equally, it seems those too poor to finance campaign speech are denied their rights of free speech.

Clearly in the case of both the Second and First Amendments, poverty is unconstitutional.

PETER TOOKER

Fayetteville

Editorial on 02/08/2016

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