Blasphemous cartoon
Allow me to express my outrage at the blasphemous cartoon Wumo run on Monday. In it, the Magi have come to bring their gifts to the baby Jesus. Mary is portrayed as a "Momzilla," carping that the gold, frankincense and myrrh aren't good enough gifts, that they should have brought something from 7-11. She then goes on to abuse Joseph, who stands by sheepishly.
Really? In this age of political correctness, if this had contained racial or gender slurs, or if it had been about Muslims, I'm sure this cartoon would never have been allowed to have come out. But Christianity seems to be fair game.
If you think about it, this does indeed contain at least gender slurs. Mary is Woman, discontent and vocal. Joseph is Man, ineffectual and weak. The Magi are clueless idiots. All I can say is, no wonder it has become vogue again for younger men to sport long full beards in silent protest to our current state of society.
The saddest part is that here is Jesus and his family being mocked yet again (and during the solemn season of Lent) and people still stand by and do nothing. Let me be the first to demand that this cartoon be removed from the paper.
ELIZABETH ANLIKER
Fayetteville
Watch for warnings
There has been a lot of controversy over gun control after the recent Florida school shooting. Many are calling for guns to be "locked up" to prevent another incident from happening, but I believe that this could have been prevented in a different way.
Increasing gun security would not prevent another shooting which had the same circumstances. The shooter was 19, which means he was old enough to legally purchase a gun. The shooter reportedly also had not committed any crimes prior to the shooting. This means that the only way this could have been prevented is if the age for legally buying a rifle of that sort was increased to 21. I believe the reason this would not work is because it could cause the illegal gun market to skyrocket in growth, which would cause more crime and more police resources to be used.
I think the way to prevent terrible things like this from happening is to educate the public on the warning signs. It has been found that the shooter was suffering from depression and used the Internet to make many hateful and racially charged remarks. There is no way to make people suffering from things like depression and anxiety get help, which causes many of the victims to keep quiet, in fear of being rejected by others. This causes hatred to build up, which is the main reason for these shootings.
We need to pay more attention to mental illnesses to prevent things like this from happening. Guns don't kill people, people do.
SETH EUBANKS
Alexander
We can do something
Gun control seems to be taboo in the United States. Do we need guns that can fire 100 rounds in seconds to protect ourselves or to hunt animals? How many more mass killings are needed to do something that works to control guns? It is shameful. Can something be done? Yes!
In Australia, a mass killing of 35 people in 1996 at a Port Arthur mall caused a conservative leader to institute strict gun control. You can own guns, no automatics, strict licensing and renewal every five years. Since 1996, no mass shootings have occurred.
In Japan (127 million people) there were two homicides by gun in 2006. There have been no mass shootings the last 10 years.
According to Everytown for Gun Safety, in the United States on an average day (not year), 93 Americans are killed by guns, with 12,000 gun homicides a year. For every one person killed, two are injured. Sixty-two percent of gun deaths are suicides. On average, seven children are killed by guns daily. An average month shows 50 women are killed by intimate partners in domestic disputes. The presence of a gun in a violent domestic situation increases the risk of a woman been killed by five times. Mass killings in the United States average one per day. Gun homicides in the U.S. are more than 25 times the average of other developed countries.
JERRY E. BRADLEY
Little Rock
Link to health of kids
Affordable housing is interconnected with multiple policy areas, including child and family health. Children living in safe, stable homes have fewer risks for poor health and developmental delays.
In an article posted at HealthyPeople.gov titled "Children's HealthWatch: Exploring the Link Between Housing and Children's Health," study research suggests: "Both stable housing and quality housing are important social determinants, particularly for children, for both health- and school-related outcomes. Specific unhealthy housing conditions, such as pests, molds and chronic dampness, and tobacco smoke, have been tied to the development of and worsening asthma, and lead exposure has long-term negative health impacts for children. In addition to negatively impacting children's physical health, housing mobility and instability can lead to consequences related to children's academic performance."
Children's HealthWatch has conducted two recent studies. "In one study, researchers found that housing subsidies increase housing security among low-income, urban families with young children. Specifically, the group receiving housing subsidies combined with nutrition benefits was most strongly associated with higher odds of housing security."
The second study found "children of mothers who experienced homelessness during pregnancy or after birth had an increased risk of being hospitalized, having fair or poor health, and experiencing developmental delays compared to children who were never homeless. This research highlights the impact a lack of stable housing has on children's health, specifically during pregnancy and early infancy."
Child and family health is an important policy area, and affordable housing is connected.
RICH ROY
Little Rock
Rich Roy is co-chair of Housing Arkansas.
Arkansas health care
Sorry, but I am out of one-liner comments concerning our state Legislature misdirections. Current legislation favors reducing the qualifying level for state health assistance to 100 percent of poverty level as opposed to 138 percent, the federal standard. If approved, some 60,000 Medicaid recipients will lose health coverage. The Legislature passed tax cuts that could cover the cost for these 60,000 Arkansawyers.
Welcome to the Natural State. Bring your natural health remedies with you, for you will get no health assistance from this state. Better reconsider locating here; I certainly am.
NEALUS WHEELER
Mountain Home
Hypocrisy on the lam
Re the writer of the editorial "Just say no way": You or your paper are one of the biggest hypocrites in Arkansas, or just plain dumb.
You blast the lottery, casino gambling, etc., and two full-blown casinos are alive and well in Oaklawn and Southland. Take time to visit these facilities and then write your retraction.
DENNIS E. GOODMAN
Bryant
Editorial on 03/08/2018