District 84 candidate
hiding her affiliation
The Democrat candidate running against Rep. Charlie Collins for House District 84 has adopted the campaign slogan, "Look for the helpers."
Political mailings and television ads for this candidate do not disclose that she is a Democrat, and a very "Progressive" (sic) Democrat at that. It seems she and all local Democrat candidates are running as "stealth" politicians, hiding their party affiliation from the voting public.
As far as electing "helpers" is concerned, President Ronald Reagan liked to remind us: "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are 'I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.'"
And as I learned during three years of working for the government, and another three years of working with the government, no truer words were ever spoken. Americans want freedom from government, not dependence upon it.
"Look for the helpers." Those four words are truly terrifying.
Peter Tonnessen
Fayetteville
Parking near arts center must not be sacrificed
Congratulations on the "Save the goose" editorial published on Sunday, Oct. 14.
I realize the consultants hired to create a cultural arts corridor for Fayetteville are very experienced and creative. However, they are conveniently overlooking an important detail: parking.
The Walton Arts Center is the most important attraction in the area. And with the completion of the TheatreSquared facility, parking will be even a bigger problem. We cannot expect people to buy expensive tickets for these various programs and then "hunt and peck" for a place to park -- often at an unknown location or distance. All attendees at these events aren't bikers, and as important as it is for bike paths in the city, the area around the Walton Arts Center is not the place for bike riding.
I don't have an answer, but it certainly isn't to eliminate the current parking area and replace it with something aesthetic, but not helpful. Where will these people using these new facilities park?
The gist of the final sentence is important: "As important as a civic space can be to the area, it will be unwise if it comes to cannibalizing the easy parking near the arts center."
Joan Wimberly
Fayetteville
Tax trip to county facility finds respectful guards
Regarding Phil Warner's letter "Tax payment to county gets a little complicated": I am writing in support of the guards at the Benton County Administration building and found Mr. Warner's letter to be offensive and distasteful.
In fact, I had the opposite experience when I went there to pay my own taxes last Wednesday. The guards on duty were very respectful and not the least bit as Mr. Warner described.
Perhaps his problem was of his own making, and they were simply responding, as human nature is inclined to, to his bad behavior. I went in with a smile, and received smiles in return.
Often, you get what you give. Try a smile.
Margaret Curry
Bentonville
Foam containers should face ban in Arkansas
Good grief, we Arkansans are decades behind the rest of the country in environmental conservation. No, I'm not talking about the Buffalo River.
It's [plastic foam containers], used everywhere here in restaurants, academic dining halls, retirement communities. At the least, we town and city folk must join the hundreds of progressive cities all over the country in banning this repulsive, non-biodegradable material.
Can we save the natural state? Let's try. Let's take the lead.
Mona W. Brown
Fayetteville
Kavanaugh hopes
[Letter writer] Gary W. Lemon's and [columnist] Bradley Gitz's argument is that the Democrats were not fair to Judge Kavanaugh, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein screwed up the process.
The process was screwed up from the beginning, not by the senator from California, but by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ramming the nomination down the throats of the senators in a take-it-or-leave-it scenario, shortened to ensure he would be on the court before the current session. There were a limited amount of documents brought forth, cherry picked by the Republican side of the aisle. It was not a trial, just a job interview for a lifetime position. Considering the total lack of any consideration by the Senate of Judge Merrick Garland's nomination, I find the whole argument about due process is not only specious but also totally lacking in credibility.
Both Gary Lemon and Bradley Gitz whined about "innocence until proven guilty." The abbreviated investigation of Dr. Ford's allegations did not prove either innocence or guilt but was just enough to give cover to the Republicans to vote for Kavanaugh. My question to the both of them: Just how was this issue to be settled without an adequate investigation? Furthermore, the very allegation implies that Dr. Ford lied and by her testimony created perjury. All that was asked was that a thorough investigation was completed to give us a sense of trust in his innocence.
Maybe he has led a meritorious life since maturing as an adult. However, his attitude would lead me to believe otherwise and not only by me, but 1,700 law school professors as well. He now is neither innocent nor guilty, but he will be ruling on the laws that affect all of us.
If he is capable of amending his life further by recognizing his own behavior that caused harm to others, maybe there can be hope for him. I am not convinced. Give me a break, His own letter signed "FFFFF Bart" should have been indictment enough. What about his responses to the other questions referenced in his year book. He sounded like a spoiled child who assumed he was entitled to become the ninth Supreme Court judge.
The Rev. David J. Myers
Garfield
Commentary on 10/22/2018