LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Sen. Tom Cotton kept promise; Serious proceedings; Sad comment on us; Struggling students

Cotton kept promise

For 20 years, my father served in the U.S. Navy, so I am a military BRAT. No, that doesn't mean I was an incorrigible child. It stands for British Regiment Attached Traveler. And we did travel. If it had a beach, I've probably lived there.

I remember greeting my father's aircraft carrier returning from months at sea. County and city elected officials, high school bands, cheerleaders and half the town showed up.

Then the Vietnam War. Eventually just a dozen or so family members appeared on the dock waving at the returning sailors.

We have politicians claiming to support our troops, but they didn't show up with a "yea" vote on the funding bills--especially under President Obama.

Defense spending is a top priority because it's the most important responsibility our government has. When Sen. Tom Cotton was elected, he promised to fight to make sure our military was fully funded. Now it is.

I'm glad Senator Cotton kept his promise to our military and their families. That's why I will be voting for Senator Cotton again in 2020.

DONNA HUTCHINSON

Bella Vista

Serious proceedings

Here are some thoughts about the current impeachment inquiry--and it is still an inquiry, not impeachment, not a criminal trial, and certainly not a coup. A coup is a "sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government."

The procedures for impeachment are laid out in the Constitution for a reason: The founders, knowing that leaders sometimes abuse power, wanted a lawful way to remove them. Those being investigated should cooperate, and if they won't, it looks suspicious.

Some suggest that we wait until the election in 2020. But there are 15 and a half months left in this presidential term, almost one-third of the total. If, as alleged, the president has committed unlawful acts, we ought not let this continue for so long without an investigation.

Some people say that an investigation distracts Congress from other business. However, representatives have been quite busy. There are currently 569 bills passed by the House but stalled in the Senate.

Whistle-blowers are employees of a business or government agency who expose wrongdoing to the public or authorities. The first law to protect whistle-blowers from retaliation was passed in 1777 under the Continental Congress. More recent laws protect whistle-blower anonymity, without which he or she could be intimidated or harmed.

Attacking personalities, questioning everyone's motives, or focusing on past presidents and others who may or may not have used questionable practices in the past are all diversionary tactics--red herrings or whataboutism. The basic question is whether or not the president has acted lawfully and according to the Constitution.

This is not a schoolyard scrap. We are the mightiest nation on Earth. Let us show a little dignity in these serious proceedings.

CORALIE KOONCE

Fayetteville

Sad comment on us

If Trump wants to talk about corruption, he should mention that he paid two women not to discuss his affairs, and that he obstructs Congress and fails to release his taxes.

Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri has a wife who is a lobbyist; she makes more than he does. Sen. Mitch McConnell's wife is the Transportation secretary; together they make over $350,000 a year.

So let's get real. Bill Clinton lied about sex. Trump allegedly evades the law and the Constitution and couldn't care less about national security. Many people don't care.

STEVE WHEELER

North Little Rock

Can president swim?

Someone please get Trump to get down and take advantage of the end-of-season life-jacket sale going on at most of the sporting-goods places. He's going off the deep end and dragging the spirit of the Constitution with him.

RUSSELL LEMOND

Little Rock

Struggling students

As a Little Rock School District alum, parent, advocate, volunteer, and privately contracted tutor, I can attest to the fact that schools with a higher number of struggling students are in need of additional support and accountability from the state's Division of Elementary and Secondary Education. This is equity.

While elected school board members take on one of the most difficult and complicated elected roles in our state and are to be commended and appreciated, most of them simply do not have the knowledge or expertise that our struggling schools need in order to be led academically. Not only do reading levels and the recent finding that the district disregarded the dyslexia laws show this disparity, LRSD has 35 years of local control history while being appropriated more Arkansas taxpayer money than any other district in our state to support this point. For years the boards continued to use methodology and curricula that they knew did not work, but they specifically knew they did not work on children of color. Their choices allowed for struggling schools to keep struggling while they continued to use them as educational guinea pigs. Arkansas has no enforceable ethical standards for those serving as school board officials, which leaves districts and kids vulnerable to adult-driven agendas and self-preserving entities.

While I am not completely "sold" on the framework to return the district to local control, the framework will provide protection to our city's most struggling students and the teachers who serve them, and ensures schools have the most knowledgeable experts guiding the decisions that impact student learning. I do know that the state Board of Education has been providing that extra support for the past year; that extra support should have come sooner, just like an exit plan should have come sooner.

LIZBETH HUGGINS

Little Rock

Not a mass murderer

I was somewhat impressed with a recent letter by Otto Henry Zinke--negatively impressed. Mr. Zinke apparently thinks I am a mass murderer. After all, I am guilty of not agreeing with his way of thinking. And so the "left" continues to assault with name-calling and rude rhetoric.

I am not into those who think they can bully other people by running their mouths. I certainly have no use for those who propose to take away my constitutional rights. I am a law-abiding citizen of this country, I served in Iraq, I love this country and will not stand by idle while it is taken over by idiots.

My thoughts are this: If you feel so strongly against gun ownership, you should go out and start disarming gun owners. Talk is cheap; it's time for action. We are tired of being lambasted every time some idiot goes off the deep end and kills people. We didn't kill anyone. I've heard enough; do something about it, come disarm me if you like. Let me know when you're coming; I'll bake you a cake.

G.W. WEEKS

Centerton

Editorial on 10/10/2019

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