Outrageous remark
I am livid--not concerned, not troubled--but livid. Mississippi State's men's basketball Coach Ben Howland's comment about SEC play from now until March, referring to it as "a Bataan Death March," is disgusting and disrespectful to the memories of those who lost their lives on that tortuous trek, and to those who endured it and returned home emotionally scarred for the rest of their lives.
My father, a 93-year-old World War II Navy veteran, served on the USS Ozark when it picked up survivors of that hellish march. He heard firsthand accounts from men who "looked like skeletons with skin on" about how the Japanese would bayonet or shoot men who fell to the ground from hunger and exhaustion.
I would like to ask Mr. Howland how many of his players are shot when they fall to the floor of the basketball court. He owes a sincere apology to the families of all the victims of the Death March. He should study history before using it for comparisons to sports games.
KIM SANDERS
Valley Springs
Hypocritical doctors
It's me again, calling out the medical systems and hospitals for continuing to vilify a natural and very effective legitimate medicine, medical marijuana. What happened to "First do no harm"? No, instead you keep everyone on the killers, opioids. They don't work as well, the side effects are no joke, and they take a while to work. All untrue about medical marijuana.
Y'all are hardly pro-life. Living is about quality of life, and you aren't helping. I write again because an 86-year-old man came to me, knowing I have been an advocate for years. He heard me speak. He told me he wanted to get off opioids but he couldn't afford the exam and all to buy it. I told him that it was a barrier to health, but this state "must not be onboard" with the treatment by how they have behaved. Sadly, he told me he was going to try and trade his pills for weed.
Do you see clearly what you've done? A World War II veteran who never broke the law a day in his life? You should all be ashamed for further marginalizing the poor, disabled and the elderly. God put it here to use. But of course, your possible liability is more important than your patients. Shame on you, hypocrites. Shame! It should read, "First do no harm to yourself" because that is all this is. Healers? Riiiiight.
KATHY CASEY
Siloam Springs
With distraught heart
Today, I write from the heart. A heart that is distraught at the schism within the United Methodist Church over acceptance of gay people. This Sunday morning, my pastor courageously addressed this issue. He stated that some news reports cannot be taken at face value. Nothing will be decided until the May general meeting. Unfortunately, he referenced "fake news," and there were cheers and applause from my congregation.
My heart grew more distraught.
No, I will not keep an open mind. Every Christian church should open its doors to all humankind without restriction. WWJD?
NEALUS WHEELER
Mountain Home
Arkansas takes lead
Re Central Arkansas churches on their guard: "... Arkansas has been ahead of the trend" of putting guns where they belong--back in churches!
Whoopee, Arkansas leads in something! God forbid we lead in something useless like health care and education (per "Quality Of Life By State 2019," World Population Review, Arkansas is 49 and 42, respectively); or being happy (per "The happiest states in America, ranked," NBC News, Arkansas is 49). I guess we can also be proud of the fact that Arkansas is 5th in poverty level (per "States With the Highest Poverty Rates," U.S. News & World Report).
Remember in Arkansas, it's God, family, country and guns. By the way, for those Arkansas residents who are Christians, where does Jesus talk about country and guns (or possession of weapons)? And what about compassion and empathy for others, such as those fleeing climate devastation and/or colonial/corporate greed in Central America?
Jesus did mention: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength and all your mind. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.
That's pretty clear, yes?
MIKE KARCIS
Fayetteville
Best for the country
Our government is for all the people, not just the privileged few. Many claim they want a small government. They have theirs and want more, and want to keep theirs and to hell with all others. You are who you are and have what you have because of the government we have. The opportunities that you have had are because of your government. The wealth that you have is because of your government, not because you pulled yourself up by your own bootstraps. Very few vote for what is best for the country, but for themselves.
In 1945, there were 3.1 million federal civilian employees, and the population was 139 million. In 2019, there were 2.8 million federal civilian employees, with a population of 330 million, an increase of 191 million people, with fewer employees to take care of more programs. The current federal employees are keeping the government working in spite of the self-serving politicians elected.
If you are myopic enough to believe otherwise, try your life in another country, and reality will hit you in the face.
JERRY WAYNE DAVIS
Hot Springs
Politics over charity
Every day of the year we read or hear about crimes. There is one crime which happens every four years which you never hear about. The crime is donations to someone running for political office.
There are millions of people who donate to someone who makes promises of how they are going to fix something or change something, which we know will never happen. These are the same people who would never consider making a donation to a charitable cause and, to me, that is a crime.
JOHN P. SELIG
Corning
Editorial on 01/07/2020