NWA Letters to the Editor

At the pearly gates, one possible answer

Rewriting a popular story: A virus is sickening and killing humans worldwide. Vaccines are developed, distributed and encouraged throughout the world, yet many Americans choose not to partake. Often heard: "God will protect me, if it is His will."

Unvaccinated, Darcy has died from the virus and meets St. Peter at the pearly gates. Darcy asks: "Why didn't God save me?" St. Peter answers: "It might be because God provided a vaccine and you chose not to take it."

Lisa Milligan

Fayetteville

Incident shows futility of 'unwinnable' war

When I first heard about the Fayetteville McDonald's standoff, I assumed that the Fayetteville Police were intervening in a crisis of unknown origins, likely rooted in mental health issues. But as I read the Sunday Democrat-Gazette, I learned that, in fact "members of the 4th Judicial District Drug Task Force attempted at about 3 p.m. Friday to purchase methamphetamine the man involved, which led to a suicide threat.

Wait, what? This potential tragedy was rooted in a small-time drug sting? Hundreds of diners, shoppers and motorists (including my own kids) were needlessly put in harm's way to put away a former officer who has developed a criminal and drug history?

In all fairness, it appears that, when summoned, the Crisis Negotiation and Emergency Response teams did what needed to be done to protect the community at-large. I have not yet read that former officer has died as a result of his injuries and hope that remains the case.

But when is this 50-year war on drugs going to end? How many billions (trillions?) of dollars have been spent and lives lost and families ruined due to this unwinnable "war." Prohibition does not work. We learned that 100 years ago. When will we start investing more in crisis stabilization units and mental health and drug courts rather than jails and prisons? When will we invest more in building strong children than repairing broken men? When will we stop using taxpayer dollars to "entrap" people who clearly have problems that incarceration won't solve?

There are more drugs and addiction now than ever and that will continue to be the case until we implement other solutions. Now is the time.

Josh Moody

Fayetteville

Don't forget when Asa runs for the presidency

How sad it is that due to the cowardice of our governor and state legislators, our vulnerable Arkansas seniors in nursing homes, children in day care centers and youngsters in school will be exposed to this deadly covid-19 Delta variant by unvaccinated, unmasked workers. It is a very small political cost to do what is right to protect public health, but these elected officials won't risk their cushy jobs to save lives.

This pandemic would end if leaders displayed some courage instead of playing politics.

When Asa Hutchinson makes his inevitable run for president, I hope people remember what happened here in Arkansas. Bad leadership made us the poster child of contagion.

Lise Frulia

Bentonville

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