One of greatest talents
Re Mr. Charles Thessing, I read with much dismay the letter from this gentleman.
What part of comics does this guy not understand? If the Zack Hill comic strip offends him, he shouldn't read it. (If thine eye offends thee, pluck it out.)
Undoubtedly he doesn't practice what he's preaching. Looks to me that he is trying to bully the paper into firing Mr. John Deering.
John Deering is one of the greatest talents we have in Arkansas and we are blessed to have him. From what I see, he does the editorial cartoon, Strange Brew, Zack Hill, sculptures, additional artwork in the paper, public appearances, personal drawings, and paintings.
I'd like to see Mr. Thessing be this creative.
As far as I'm concerned, he can cancel his subscription and take his unmerited complaint elsewhere. I'm sure his energy would be better appreciated working at the local humane shelter, homeless shelter or other charitable organizations, rather than sitting in the dark complaining about a comic strip.
WILLIAM W. JOHNSTON
Hamburg
Entitled to opinions
I took some time Labor Day to catch up on some newspaper reading when I came across the cartoon depicting a person with a giant, gaping mouth engulfing 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and screaming, "Stand! Patriotism is mandatory in the home of the free!"
Although Kaepernick and cartoonist Nick Anderson are certainly allowed their opinions, they both seem to forget that those of us with opposite views are also entitled to our opinions. Just because it seems the vast majority of opinions on this subject do not agree with them doesn't merit the negative and nasty depiction shown in this cartoon.
It appears the leftist elite once again show their hypocrisy as they try to paint those who do show respect for our flag and anthem as overbearing loudmouth bullies.
Standing during the anthem is all about respect. Respect for the anthem, the flag and all of the people who have served, lived, and died for this country. Respect for the very same patriots who made the necessary sacrifices that even allowed this reprehensible behavior.
You should be saying, "Thank you," but if you decide to be a rear, don't be so shocked when someone like me tells you exactly where you can stick it. Just my opinion.
RON ARMSTRONG
North Little Rock
Section moved to left
Back in the day I used to look forward to reading the Perspective section because most of the articles were written by people who worked at different newspapers throughout the United States. Now it seems the articles come from a certain select group of publications.
It appears the New York Times and its left-leaning bias, as well as the Washington Post and Bloomberg News are always well-represented. The Los Angeles Times is also featured all too much. These newspapers tend to lean far left and by reprinting them it lurches your page leftward. How about going to the Washington Times or the Washington Examiner to balance things out? The Heritage Foundation would be a nice touch as well.
I hate to think that I might have to give up the Sunday paper to go online to find more balanced reading.
DAVID BARR
Little Rock
A blind spot on drugs
Sadly, another Democrat-Gazette editorial exhibits a blind spot about illegal drugs. In the Aug. 31 edition, writers wax eloquent, seemingly about how providing mental health care and substance-abuse treatment "eliminates any incentive for them to straighten up and fly right."
Because mental illness and addiction are choices we make. Right?
A hundred years ago, prohibitionists pushed through a constitutional amendment banning the manufacture or sale of alcoholic drink. The result was an overwhelmed criminal-justice system, rampant disrespect for law, and a burgeoning criminal underworld. Repeal couldn't come soon enough.
So far we've failed any such epiphany regarding recreational drugs. Bottom line: Intoxication and/or addiction are not crimes.
Most of us have learned that addiction isn't a choice but rather a tragic combination of inheritance and environmental influence. It's exacerbated by dysfunctional family life in childhood, inadequate education, and often accompanies mental illness. Jail time only makes things worse. Substance use may provide the only "good" feeling such people experience.
It's absurd to conflate substance abusers with violent criminals who hurt others. We've tried the prison option for nonviolent drug offenders, and can't build prisons fast enough. For this group, parole violation is often nothing more than a failed drug test.
Maybe it's time to re-learn our century-old lesson: Legalize the drugs, tax the sale, and use the proceeds to provide state-of-the-art treatment to anyone who seeks it. Continue to intervene with mandatory treatment for those whose addiction causes injury to others.
DENELE CAMPBELL
West Fork
Scratching my head
Did the Republican Party kidnap all the evangelical "Taliban" Christians, or did they kidnap the Republican Party?
One recent study shows that the fervent Christians will vote for Trump in November, and I can only scratch my head and wonder why, in disbelief.
This same crowd is thrilled about the idea of placing the Ten Commandments on a large boulder on the state Capitol grounds. It seems our state legislators groveled and cheered the idea. I think unless they are preachers, all those legislators would have a hard time coming up with three, let alone 10 of the Commandments, even to save their soul. It was part of the Mosaic religious laws from about 3,450 years ago.
Why not put up the civil laws from the Code of Hammurabi from 3,800 years ago? "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" was part of 282 laws that were mostly common sense, but could also be very brutal. It appears they would fit the mentality of more people in Arkansas than the Ten Commandments. You would need a bigger boulder for the Codes, but you would find out what happened to a surgeon who made a mistake.
FRANK NEWMAN
Huntington
Editorial on 09/10/2016