Enemy in common
We are now in a war against a common enemy, the virus, not each other. I have heard some people say that they won't adhere to the restrictions because of their "personal freedoms." I was not around during World War II, but I have read accounts of that time as I'm sure you have, too, of all the sacrifices and restrictions everyone went through.
Everyone worked together for the common good against the enemy at that time, the Axis. There was food rationing, gas rationing, tires were in short supply; everything was pointed toward the war effort, to win against the common enemy. There were scrap drives, paper drives, rubber drives, anything that could be saved to help the cause was done by everyone because we were all in it together.
Now is the time for all of us to realize that we have to pull together again. A quarter of a million lives have been lost: our mothers, fathers, daughters and sons. Please: Wear your mask, wash your hands, and keep your distance. The war is not over, it has just begun. Let us rise to the challenge and do our part to defeat the enemy, and the enemy has a name: covid.
MARSHA HEIEN
Stuttgart
Move up inauguration
Perhaps it's time to consider a constitutional amendment to change the inauguration date of the president in the U.S. Where else in the world is someone fired from their job but then gets to remain in their position for three months with all their powers and resources at their disposal? Many people are fired on a Friday and escorted from the building that day--end of story. The U.S. inauguration date needs to be moved up to avoid just the kind of erratic, damaging behavior we are witnessing now.
If there was never a reason to to look at this before, there is now. It could be called the Trump Amendment so we never forget why it was put in place.
JOYCE WILLIAMS
North Little Rock
Listen to navigator
I think I can sum up Governor Hutchinson's response to the pandemic by saying if the governor had been a deck officer on my ship in the Navy, our old man would have kicked him off the bridge for ignoring the navigator in treacherous waters.
GENE REID
Little Rock
Trump's slush funds
While I am sure many in Trump's cult don't care where their donations go, it's important to note that Reuters has reported individual donations under $8,000 to the Trump recount efforts actually are slushed into a number of miscellaneous Trump campaign areas (not directly related to recount legal fees). The "Save America" PAC gets 60 percent and the RNC gets 40 percent until the individual donation limits are reached for these funds, then maybe to the recount account established to finance election challenges. So in a $500 donation, $300 goes to Trump's Save America PAC, $200 to the RNC and zero directly to the election defense fund.
By refusing to acknowledge his loss and continuing to fundraise to hopelessly fight the count, Trump can stretch this con game to his supporters out longer.
CLIFF SCOGIN
Fayetteville
In way of democracy
Enough votes are counted to confirm that Joe Biden has won the presidential election. In spite of any legal challenges or recounts, the margins are sufficient to ascertain that Biden has won the presidency.
We have watched enough of Republicans catering to Trump's false claims of election fraud. It will become apparent very quickly that Republicans are disputing the election results only as an effort to appease Trump supporters. This purpose is only to bolster support for the runoff elections in Georgia.
Enough has been done by Trump and his Republican lackeys to create misinformation. How dare the Republicans claim to be the party of "law and order" when they are engaged in such un-American conduct? It must be personally traumatizing for any decent Republican to go along with this venture. If not, such persons have no morals and no real respect for American values.
Are Senator Boozman, Senator Cotton and Representative Hill without morals and American values? Are they in support of this frivolous and dangerous endeavor?
I urge my elected officials to stand up and say "Enough is enough!" It is time to start the transition for the presidency which was chosen by the American people.
God bless America, and may God help anyone who stands in the way of our democracy.
CHAD DIXON
Bigelow
Disservice to readers
Mike Masterson's Nov. 14 column included several statements that were misleading. For example, the "legal questions still swirling around" have to date been dismissed by the judiciary as either invalid or irrelevant to the outcome of the election based on the small number of ballots being questioned. He insinuates the election may have been illegitimate, biased, or even fraudulent when evidence sufficient to change the election results has not been brought forth. He implied mainstream media somehow selected the president by usurping "the authority to call the winner." He should know the constitutional process for election of the president does not involve media, and you should have prevented him from fueling voter suspicions and confidence with such false implications.
State election officials, Democrats and Republicans, have clearly stated the election process was free of fraud and any significant errors. The Federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has stated there is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised.
Allowing the false election narrative to continue circulating does a great disservice to the readers.
MARK SMITH
Dover