With tears in my eyes
I was reading Voices letters when I ran across the one from Juanita Lynch. It brought tears to my eyes for the raw pain that was still displayed after 50 years. The truth of her statement was irrevocable and I felt the pain of her life after all these years. To have this secret and to have to live in this town seeing the perpetrator go about his life with no justice ever applied to him has to have been a living hell.
We take for granted what women have had to go through starting with slavery, when a mother had no choice but to submit to the master her girl-child. Some men to this day feel they have a right to do to a woman whatever they please and she is to accept it with nothing said, because no one will believe that "I" did this to you, who is considered a nobody.
No more shame, pain, guilt. Juanita, you deserve none of these--only the despicable being that harmed you deserved to suffer from these. May God give you peace is my prayer for you.
MARILYN PLANT
North Little Rock
Obvious power grab
After reading the two guest columns on the Voices page Monday morning, I felt I had to quote Judge Grisham Phillips' first sentence: "Issue 1 is the most un-American constitutional amendment referred to Arkansas citizens by the Legislature during my lifetime."
This did not even mention what I consider to be the most important part of this obvious power grab by some in our Legislature. If passed, the rules for courts top to bottom could be set by these questionable legislators. This is the reason this issue is being ruled on by our Supreme Court. I can only hope that it will follow the rule of law to remove this as unconstitutional, and no votes will be counted. We are still waiting for a decision.
When I got to the bottom of the next column, in favor of Issue 1, I saw that it was written by the executive vice president of the Arkansas Farm Bureau. That's the same group that believes the hog farm that is quickly destroying our first national river should be allowed to continue. It is but a lobbyist organization now that favors big business and large corporate farms that have made it harder for the small family farms to operate. It is not the same Farm Bureau I remember when I grew up.
If issue 1 reaches the ballot box, please vote no. The legislators that referred it do not represent anything but their own interests. We have found out this year what money in politics can create. Better ethics reform is needed desperately. Better yet, better legislators.
GEORGE CURLIN JR.
Pine Bluff
U.S. needs a change
Our way of governing isn't perfect, but it works. Sometimes we elect bad people.
I think what needs to change is the U.S. Constitution: 1. The president of the United States shall be elected at the general election by a popular vote. 2. Any person born to a U.S. citizen and/or naturalized citizen, by act of Congress, shall be a citizen. 3. Upon vacancy of a lifetime appointment, such as a Supreme Court judge, such vacancy shall be filled by a person to serve not more than 11 years.
BARRY EMIGH
Hot Springs
Something reeks here
Remember when Kellyanne Conway said her "reporting sources" were different from what the mainstream media was reporting? One commentator even remarked that he would like to know whom her sources were. It seems her "sources" were the Russian hackers because they knew Donald Trump would be elected, and I believe President Trump may be involved in this caper up to his Pinocchio nose.
I further believe that many members of Congress knew about Justice Kennedy's plan to retire, which is the reason Congress wouldn't even consider President Barack Obama's nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, and held up the nomination for almost a year. This is about control and power, not what's best for the country. What are we voters going to do about it? Will we be sheep and follow each other over the cliff? Will we keep our United States Constitution intact? If we lose it, we'll never get it back.
This newspaper has had some disturbing articles in it. One was "U.S. easing rule on dark money." What could undermine our national security more? Anyone who doesn't recognize that this administration and Congress are torpedoing the U.S. Constitution must have his/her head in the clouds.
MILLIE FOREE
Bella Vista
Votes for educators
Jared Henderson and Hayden Shamel are two great Democratic candidates who are running for governor and U.S. Congress (Arkansas District 4) with an opportunity to defeat Gov. Asa Hutchinson and U.S. Congressman Bruce Westerman, and they're both educators in the public school system.
Jared came up with a comprehensive plan to raise minimum pay for school teachers, to protect the teacher retirement system, to provide educators quality health care, and to implement ways for teachers to build on their careers in the classroom.
Hayden is a high school English and Spanish teacher and she shows a lot of success to her students in the classroom as well as for the students to be educated in core subjects ranging from United States history to American literature to algebra, etc.
Election day is on Nov. 6; make your votes count.
SHANNON RIVAS
Hot Springs
Editorial on 10/13/2018