Spoke up for unborn
I love my Arkansas Democrat-Gazette iPad. I probably cannot truly afford my subscription, but it is my gift to myself. I read the editorials, journalist articles and the letters to the editor, even the ones with which I very much disagree.
I do not watch television for the news. My opinions are based on listening to my friends and relatives that live in several states, my neighbors and the words of people I admire--people from all walks of life, some well-read and with time and money to travel the world over, and people who spend more than half their time in the work-a-day world making a living for their family. We may not agree on anything, we may have a totally different solution to the problems in this world, but we disagree with respect for the other's beliefs.
I must say with all my heart, I truly appreciate President Trump participating in the March For Life. I am delighted he, as president of the United States, spoke up in public for the innocent unborn. Thank you, President Trump.
MARY VANCE
Morrilton
Nation will overcome
I believe God created America through a series of revivals. God has the right to choose an individual or a nation. God's gifts and call are irrevocable. Jesus said to Peter, "Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not overcome it." My kingdom is in the world, but not of the world. If it was then, my servants would fight, but to the contrary do not take revenge but leave room for God's wrath. If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.
In Revelation, the white horse is the church; the rider is the Holy Spirit guiding the church on a conquest overcoming evil. The rider is clothed in a robe dipped in blood and his name is the word of God guiding the church overcoming the systems and principalities of evil. Their weapons are persecutions, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life, spirit of materialism, etc. They are overcome with the church-going and -making disciples; who make disciples with the gospel, converting them also with the spirit of God living in the hearts of men.
I believe God is saying to America: I know that evil is raging to and fro and in this world you are having trouble, but the church is overcoming. Take heart, little lamb, I have overcome the world. Remember, the father sent me; I am sending you to overcome.
BW FERGUSON
Lonoke
Maybe change name
Re "Rethink tactics, y'all" plus columns from Bret Stephens, Dana D. Kelley and more: I like the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette newspaper, but suggest you change the name to Arkansas Gazette (leave out the Democrat). And John Deering is pretty snarky to conservatives.
I really enjoy reading the ADG using the iPad, and getting daily updates by email. It shows that the ADG is alive and well, and will continue to exist. And the folks at ADG are good business folks.
JOHN SOWERS
Hot Springs Village
Can't afford conflict
My world as a young person feels like it is on fire. In some places (see: Australia), it quite literally is. In others, like America, "fire" feels like war and declining economic opportunity. America has been at war for most of my lifetime. And now, with less than half the time I've been alive to avoid climate disaster, politicians and media tout "American interests" to garner support for more military escalation in the Middle East. We must resist this false patriotism by scrutinizing how media and politicians fail to acknowledge the true costs and tradeoffs of military conflict over climate action.
I remember patriotically reliving 9/11 each year in school, feeling profound gratitude for the bravery of our service members. With a father who served in the Air Force, my mind immediately goes to the soldiers recently sent to the front lines of Trump's ego. However, I am shocked by the costs of conflict that media and politicians do not emphasize: I imagine the 10,000-plus troops whose lives were uprooted by recent deployments, mostly young and pushed into service by declining economic opportunity; I imagine their families and Iranian families negotiating a livable future through bullets.
Arkansas makes the firefight feel distant, though. The costs of war and climate feel at odds with our everyday reality. However, the costs of climate change increase exponentially as we delay action and will land squarely on the youngest generations. We cannot mitigate added costs of expanded military conflict. Our battle is here at home against the existential and universal national security threat that is climate change. My plea from the young is that you do everything you can to scrutinize the commentary made by media and politicians in times of conflict in the context of our one common global interest: a livable future.
MAXIM APPLEGATE
Conway
To protect democracy
B.E. Spurgeon, are you really upset by the wording of a political cartoon? Why quibble over such a trivial matter? President Trump swore under oath to God that he would to the best of his ability preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. His sworn oath proclaimed that he would protect our democracy to the best of his ability, including laws that prohibit anyone from accepting help in any form whatsoever from a foreign country that would help any candidate running for office in the United States of America.
Honestly, how much longer can we possibly keep America if we don't care about the integrity of the Constitution and sworn oaths before God? If the Republican Party continues to put Trump and its party before country and before God, what is our future? I fear we are seeing the end of our once great country. It makes the MAGA hats ironic and tragic.
STEVE EASTON
Fayetteville
Editorial on 01/28/2020