Nobody at the wheel
At 76 years old, I'm thrilled to say I'll be sequestered in assisted-living, a rest home or heaven prior to the full usage of driverless cars on the streets and highways.
The failure of some diode, silicon rectifier, or solder joint will be much to the financial advantage of lawyers, scrap dealers and morticians.
We are now shocked when some alcoholic or terrorist mows down a mall group. In the future, tow-truck companies can just park one on standby at the mall or major intersection.
What's next? Congress outlawing common sense, and double- or triple-trailer driverless trucks on the road? Approved.
RICHARD B. WAXENFELTER
Berryville
Fix recycling system
Fort Smith isn't the only community to trash recycling; we just got caught. From Savannah, Ga., to Providence, R.I., to numerous communities in Texas, tons of recyclables have been deposited in landfills without citizen knowledge. Single-stream recycling has wreaked havoc everywhere, from dangerous conditions in facilities to end users (companies that purchase recyclables) receiving contaminated loads which had to be landfilled.
Instead of burying recyclables as well as the truth about single-stream, we can turn Fort Smith into a model program. Let's get honest about what happened, hold guilty parties accountable, and then get educated about collection methods.
We used to collect our recyclables separately, eliminating cross-contamination. Liquids weren't contaminating paper, metal cans weren't squashed into paper and plastic bales. Workers in facilities simply baled up the segregated material, avoiding the multiple dangers of single-stream. Single stream exposes workers to needles, dead animals, used hygiene products, and more.
Rather than continuing this horrible collection method, let's initiate a national solution to dirty recycling. Let's provide end users with the high-quality feedstock they need. Let's build our own MRF, providing workers good safe local jobs. Let's sell recyclables ourselves, keeping the money in Fort Smith. Let's create more local reuse and cottage industry businesses.
Let's be the first to pass a recycling accountability and transparency ordinance. Citizens can become engaged in designing a new, transparent recycling program. When collected properly our recyclables are valuable resources, belonging to us. Let's raise the recycling bar and create an honest program.
ROBBIE WILSON
Fort Smith
Spirit's in everything
In the beginning, the spirit of God was upon the face of the deep. Nothing outside of him existed. He was a billion times smaller than an atom. About 14 billion years ago, he suddenly expanded to 20 light years across in the first second alone to create our universe, which is still expanding. (See "The First Second.") His spirit is co-extensive with the universe today. His spirit is in everything and every creature. God is the universe.
Your spirit is the same stuff as God's spirit, and is intertwined with his spirit. Jesus said, "I am in the father, and the father is in me, and I am in you, and you are in me." He made you in your mother's womb the same way he made Adam and Eve. He breathed your first breath, and you became a living being. We have this in common with all living creatures; we are their brothers and sisters.
God sees with our eyes, feels with our bodies, and explores with our legs, hands and brains. Because he loves us, we love him. He loves and has compassion for all living beings. He calls on us to do likewise.
Our souls will never die. We are all made of the spirit of God, as is every living being. "Do not kill" means do not kill a human being or kill any living being if we can help it. Jesus taught us that heaven is for the compassionate.
Have you ever been hungry or thirsty, sick, forlorn, a stranger, or in prison? This letter is for you. Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give water to the thirsty, care for those who are sick or in prison, and welcome the stranger, for it is in giving that we receive the kingdom of God within. Nothing to give? Then care for the earth and all living beings with your vote.
RUUD DuVALL
Fayetteville
Covering up the past
I noticed a short article regarding a "spruce-up" drive for the mostly abandoned houses facing Central High. Seems like several years back, in honor of some visitor, quite a few homes all around Central were boarded up and then a camouflage paint job was splashed on, lest someone unfamiliar with the environs think they are a slum.
I have had relatives who attended Central from the late '40s. I met and courted wife 1.01 when, due to crowding, we were assigned the same locker. We both departed the year before the shameful mess that provided Central with a worldwide black eye.
As newlyweds, we lived on the corner of 16th and Park. I toiled at a local TV station and each evening the national news ran daily film clips of soldiers, black students bravely facing citizens spewing spittle: "2-4-6-8, we ain't gonna integrate"; each day local news teams lit out for the latest confrontations.
My two sisters-in-law attended Central until it ceased being a school and became a big brick shell, whereupon one sis departed to Mobile, the other to relatives in Baton Rouge. More recently my youngest son and his wife attended Central and both received a terrific education.
I know--ancient history. Let the scabs cover up a situation and actions that I deplore. There were few things to brag about, but the Guard and the Army performed well in a nasty crime scene. The black students deserved much better and in my opinion turned out to be the only "players" who should be able to hold their heads up.
But ... just what is it we are celebrating? Arkies are a bunch of bigoted troglodytes? We eventually reopened it? No one got shot? It was not our best day (or half-century). I truly hate the idea of becoming the Arkansas version of Wounded Knee.
I deplore bragging about the '50s smear. But what the hell ... let's go fix up the hulks just off the front lawn and pretend the gunfire is ... uhhhh ... fireworks?
DICK PRICE
Little Rock
Stop special elections
I'm writing to encourage everyone to vote against the proposal on June 13 special election ballot.
Is it a worthy proposal? Yes.
Do the schools need it? Yes.
Will the students benefit from it? Yes.
Should you vote for it? No, for one reason and one reason only. It seems the school board is trying to slip this through using a special election. They know that probably less than 1 percent of the people bother to vote during a special election, thus their proposal stands a better chance of passing.
If this proposal was on a November ballot, I'd vote for it in a heartbeat. It's needed, and it's not punitive to the taxpayer. But to send the message to the school board--"No more special elections!"--we all need to band together to defeat this proposal.
Join with me to send the message loud and clear. Stop wasting taxpayer money holding special elections.
ERNEST HESTERLY
Sherwood
Editorial on 05/30/2017