Letters

Not quite so generous

Railing at syndicated columnists is generally a waste of time. But Walter E. Williams' "Before and after handouts" column on May 10 is typical of what comes out of effete Eastern universities. He said: "There is no history of Americans dying on the streets because they could not find food or basic medical assistance."

Such a flat-out lie cannot stand.

In 1840 internationally known German traveler Friedrich Gerstaecker reported that a fellow German, "without a cent in the world," was found to have smallpox and so was locked up without food or even drink until he "died miserably on the floor." Little Rock, which in this century once ranked worst in the country in its treatment of the homeless, was just continuing its 19th century reputation. Boatmen sang, "Little Rock in Arkansas, the d- est place I ever saw." Little Rock's poorhouse bedding was "old, ragged, and filthy," food consisted solely of cornbread and soup served with no utensils, and "nothing indicated the execution of a single sanitary measure"; "the odor of the wards was, in several instances, intolerable."

But Professor Williams, whose out-of-state students pay $50,000 to hear him, might not even be alive today had he been found on the railroad tracks in certain Northeast Arkansas counties. Work crews, when they could catch an African American hobo, bashed his brains out and left the corpse by the track so that it would look like a train had hit the man. Yet Williams says, "Generosity has always been a part of the American genome."

And while he was pushing his anti-welfare agenda, on the opposite page guest writer Jacob Bundrick was itemizing the millions of dollars spent to aid large corporations that were never repaid. Enough said.

MICHAEL B. DOUGAN

Jonesboro

Can win climate fight

"The power to solving climate change lies with cities, businesses, and citizens," state Michael Bloomberg and Carl Pope in their book Climate of Hope. This is a refreshing and realistic approach for "think globally, act locally" citizens concerned about the looming climate crisis. Fayetteville has proved this works and has already passed an "Energy Action Plan."

Voting season is here. It only takes a phone call or email to local representatives to learn of their willingness to pass an energy action plan for every city.

"The battle can be led and won by cities, business and citizens," assert former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and veteran environmental leader Carl Pope.

ROBERT PEKEL

Rogers

Republican to respect

I haven't voted for a Republican since Barry Goldwater in 1964, but I'm taking a Republican ballot in the primary Tuesday so I can vote for Robb Ryerse for U.S. representative. Robb is running against the incumbent, whose sole accomplishment in Congress since 2011 is the creation of a commemorative coin honoring the U.S. Marshals Service.

It's time to clean House!

Robb's the kind of Republican we used to respect. Remember Eisenhower? That kind of Republican. Decent. Honest. Humble.

Robb is not accepting any corporate donations. He's one of the two Republicans in the country being supported by Brand New Congress. He is bucking the establishment, apparently the first person ever to compete against Womack in any primary election. He has knocked on doors throughout the district, and is receiving surprisingly strong support in rural areas. People want a change.

President Trump said he would drain the swamp. We see how that's working, but we can do it ourselves right here in Northwest Arkansas.

And I'm even going to vote for Asa Hutchinson. He's no Mike Beebe, but I can't risk his opponent slipping through because we all assume she hasn't a chance. That's what we thought in 2016 and see what it got us.

So I'm voting a Republican ballot. I can atone for it in November.

MAYA PORTER

Johnson

Behavior's expected

Get over it, people! Expecting Donald Trump to apologize for his and his staff's disrespect to John McCain is tantamount to expecting Niagara Falls to run upstream or Pope Francis to advocate for euthanasia for an influenza patient.

The worst part is realizing that Trump's untruths and insulting behavior and language are deliberate and intended to draw attention to himself, and that otherwise intelligent and well-meaning persons fall into his trap. He revels in the bad publicity. Republicans, entrenched in their "for love of party" dogma, often feel obligated to defend him. He finds that the increased polarization in the country makes it unlikely that any collegial approach to America's needs and programs can occur. Thus, the way is more open for his random, knee-jerk, unprincipled approach to governing.

Until his narcissism is fully recognized and we begin to ignore him and deprive him of the attention he seeks with his childish tantrums and outbursts, the political body of the country will be diverted from its true purpose. As it is, his anti-Obama resentment is setting the stage for wide-ranging economic and environmental problems in our future. His attempts to undo everything he links to President Obama are another reason to curtail his regime.

It is time we treat him as a caring parent would treat a naughty child: Ignore his tantrums, quit using techniques which reinforce his position as center of attention, and prevent him from destroying the peace and welfare of the family.

DENNIS A. BERRY

Bryant

End justifies means?

The United States is quickly changing before our very eyes. We are becoming a nation where the end justifies the means, any means. Lie, cheat, go back on a promise, bully, do whatever it takes to reach our immediate goal. Don't worry about other people or other countries as long as we get our way.

I'm afraid that with this behavior we are quickly losing our hard-earned credibility with the rest of the world.

It seems to me there are two other huge problems we will face if we continue this course of action. First, we have to go to bed every night and try to sleep, remembering what we've done to others, and secondly and even more important, someday--and that day may be sooner than we know--we as individuals and as a country are going to need help from the people we are now taking advantage of.

When this time comes, I pray that those that we've wronged have compassion for the United States, and a short memory.

HOWDY FRISBY

North Little Rock

Editorial on 05/18/2018

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