Conservative values
Please tell me why this conservative public health committee is determined to deal out its brand of conservatism to the people who cannot protect themselves from such bullying, i.e., the elderly and disabled.
It just amazes me. They pound their chests, extolling their good Christian living and beliefs while kicking people who are permanently down. Do they really think they are punishing the assisted-living facilities or the people that provide in-home care to the disabled? In the meantime, let's give the wealthiest residences a good tax break because we cannot expect them to take care of the disadvantaged. No, this is against all conservative values.
How ironical this should come out at Christmas time. To paraphrase a familiar story this time of the year, "Are there no prisons or workhouses to take care of these people?"
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and God bless us all! Bah humbug.
SUSAN TURTON-WEEKS
Sherwood
Much more to yoga
Many people think they know all the benefits to yoga. However, there is more to yoga than balancing and stretching.
When yoga is first brought up, people's minds go to stretching, increasing their balance, doing a dog pose, or pretending to be a tree. Although all of those things are true, there is more to yoga than most people choose to realize. It is clear to me that people have placed yoga into the "boring" category and stated that it is not exercise at all.
If you are not a certified yoga teacher or have no knowledge at all about yoga, you should not be so quick to label it boring or just plain stretching. Like most things, there is more to it than most people see.
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, yoga does many things for the human body and brain. In one of its recent articles, "Yoga: In Depth," it points out that yoga can help back pain, help manage symptoms in chronic diseases, help diabetics control its blood sugar, help with physical and psychological symptoms of menopause, may help to manage sleep problems, and can even be helpful to those who are trying to quit smoking.
While yoga has many beneficial things that stem from it, it's not the answer to everyone's problems. I know that yoga might not be for everyone, but it has done many wonders for me. It has left me feeling more at ease and I feel as though it reduces my stress. It has helped me gain correct posture and has guided me into a healthier lifestyle. While there are other forms of exercise that can do many wonders for your mind and body, yoga has been the most helpful for me.
SARA TWAY
Bella Vista
Headline says it all
Your headline concerning the Supreme Court Planned Parenthood decision focuses on the displeasure of three men rather than on the ability of women, especially poorer women, to obtain quality health care. Enough said.
MURIEL LEDERMAN
Little Rock
Chaney didn't say it
I enjoyed your editorial on Charles Portis and Mattie Ross; it's one of my favorite stories. One minor glitch--Tom Chaney didn't call Rooster a fat man, that was Lucky Ned Pepper.
It was still my favorite part of the paper Monday!
JERRY SPURGERS
Damascus
Bias in beholder's eye
I have long accused the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette editorial staff of political bias. With the obvious exception of John Brummett and the recent addition of Philip Martin's periodic navel-gazing, local editorials lean noticeably to the right. Consistently supportive of charter schools, strict voter ID requirements and the fictitious rights of the so-called unborn, the ADG is as red as it is read.
Luckily for those of us with more liberal opinions, the Voices section exists and at its helm is the redoubtable Brenda Looper, word nerd extraordinaire. Looper has been criticized by some readers for a variety of complaints about her fairness and objectivity. I must rise to her defense as she herself did quite eloquently in a "Readers ask" column on Dec. 5.
A complaint was made about cartoons on the editorial pages. Really, cartoons? Cartoons are supposed to poke fun at those in power. Granted, Trump's entire demeanor is a caricature of an imposter playing a president--a joke, a spoof, a Monty Python skit--reducing it to a drawing on a page is somewhat redundant. Coincidentally, the main cartoon on the same day as Looper's reply is aimed at Nancy Pelosi. Fake news, perhaps?
Next Looper was portrayed as anti-religious. Sorry, pal, there are more Bible quotes and "Jesus loves you" declarations in the Voices page than quotes from Nietzsche or Richard Dawkins.
When religion enters the fray, can abortion be far behind? The pro-life/pro-choice schism will continue to divide us. If God is so just and forgiving, let her judge each individual's choice. We should stay out of it. Leave it to God.
Finally, Looper took it on the chin for word nerdiness. We should all remember the first verse of the Gospel of John: "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." She's doing the Lord's work. Leave her to it.
DAVID ELI COCKCROFT
Little Rock
Editorial on 12/12/2018