World's situation leads
to stages of reactions
Jaded. That's the word I think describes me best, these days.
It seems nearly everyone else is only now arriving at where I was 3 years ago. They are just discovering the news. They are going through Stage 1. It's important to realize your progression. This is especially true for people who read.
If your Stage 1 is like mine, you'll suffer enough of a shock that other people, noticing you're lying on the floor as white as a xenophobe, keep asking you hard questions. Like, "Do you know where you are?" Relatively, Stage 1 isn't serious enough to be concerned. Fact is, you get intense adrenaline rushes watching cable news. People around you will notice, but you, like me, will shrug it off with the false assumption it will be over soon.
Stages 2 and 2a are less comfortable. At this point (usually 9-11 months in) you spend most days convincing yourself you are just paranoid. You will check betting odds to see what the over/under is on how much longer this will last. The adrenaline rushes are gone by now. You will discover things you never noticed before. For example, dogs always want to pee during "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer." You'll lose a measure of self-control. I developed a serious jalapeño dill spear addiction during Stage 2 (I don't mind bragging today is Day 3 without a hot pickle.).
The second level is uncomfortable. The worst thing about it isn't the hell of it, though. It's the realization that you are all-in. There's other levels. I won't go into each. I will tell you, when you are halfway through Stage 4, you will sleep-walk into a small closet at 3 a.m., hollering at people to get off the yard.
Stage 5 is where you stabilize. At this stage you can predict what will happen. Nothing surprises -- except for your fond feelings for Richard Nixon. Stage 5 is jaded.
It's the stage you wish you had a hobby.
Kevin Wright
Eureka Springs
Ideas about candidates
for Fayetteville Council
Our current Fayetteville aldermen hail from the following backgrounds: a design school founder with a degree in microbiology; an apparel designer with a professional degree in architecture; a former pharmaceutical rep now working as mortgage loan officer; a developer who writes grants; a Realtor; another Realtor who also teaches at the U of A; and an accomplished scientist with expertise in water quality who owns rental property.
The eighth person sitting on the council is a science teacher who was not elected, but appointed. The deciding vote for the appointment was cast by Mayor Lioneld Jordan. My Freedom of Information Act requests regarding this travesty of democracy resulted in a 45-page binder titled, "The Non-Election of the Ward 4 Alderman to Replace Alan Long".
Four positions will be open in 2020, although campaign season has already begun for those interested in re-election. If all four aldermen up for re-election in 2020 were replaced, we would still have art, science and real estate represented. I'd like to see candidates who are not beholden to any corporation, developer or creditor. Retired persons would make great council members since that crowd is currently under-represented.
Hopefully in 2021, the only persons sitting on Fayetteville City Council will be those who were elected by their constituents. More well-rounded representation could include accomplished attorneys and accountants who make their pet projects accountability and transparency.
In January 2021, I'd like to see the City Council pass a strong employee whistle blower protection law and a recycling transparency law. Hopefully our 2021 City Council will be made up of aldermen who have the time to study issues deeply, and the courage to persist in getting straight answers to questions asked by themselves as well as voters.
Louise Mann
Fayetteville
Editorial on 10/08/2019