Sunday's Letters to the editor

Different view on ACTI

Dear editor:

In response to Bruce Smith's Sunday letter, I must beg to differ. While his heart is certainly in the right place, I don't see any chance of success with his plan to save the ACTI building, certainly not a path toward progress by putting the Chamber of Commerce and our local city government in charge of it.

Smith advocates a plan for Garland County citizens to donate $10 a month to allow city government and the chamber to oversee a fund toward saving ACTI for some other purpose. With all due respect to Bruce, I wouldn't give a dime to this group of lug nuts to run a lemonade stand. Bill Burrough, our board of directors, and our city government have proved themselves incapable of providing us with the most basic of services with the tax money they already receive -- things as basic as safety, flood abatement, and drivable, well-marked and well-lit streets. I'm not going to voluntarily give another cent to a group who have let the rubble pile formerly known as the Majestic Hotel sit as an eyesore downtown after spending nearly $2 million to clean it up, only to turn down an offer from a private investor to purchase it for more than that amount.

I'll tell you what Burrough and the board would do if you gave them a lemonade stand: They'd immediately hire an outside consulting firm for six figures to do a feasibility study, then hire a consulting firm to look into citrus fruits, then an engineering firm to study the location and prepare a plan. A million dollars later and you might have a $50 lemonade stand. And of course, they'd want to issue bonds to pay for it all, further indebting taxpayers.

So while I understand Smith's passion for saving a landmark, these are not the people you want in charge of the money.

Noah Little

Hot Springs

When is it enough?

Dear editor:

I am one of those skeptics who questions the hysteria, panic and paranoia generated by the Wuhan Virus (coronavirus) and to a similar extent the draconian steps imposed on our country, state and county.

Has anyone compared the 2019-2020 influenza and the number of infections with that disease of the Wuhan Virus? The following statistics are from the CDC website for the period October 2019 through today, March 27.

Total number of flu cases in the U.S.: 39 million. Total number hospitalized: 400,000. Total number of deaths: 24,000. Does anyone reading this, recall any government-imposed or suggested shutdowns, social distancing or any other steps to stop of number of deaths from flu? I certainly don't!

As of March 26, the CDC has reported 85,356 cases of the Wuhan Virus and 1,326 deaths. The relative scale of this epidemic (Wuhan vs flu) and the reaction of the government and private institutions is hard to understand. The only difference seems to be there is no known vaccine for the Wuhan virus but several vaccines do exist for the flu which obviously has not stopped the large number of deaths.

The argument used by some is if we can only stop one person from dying it will be worth all the pain imposed on our culture. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a bogus and unstainable bit of logic. If we applied that logic to everything, we do in life virtually everything would be restricted. That would include going fishing, because you might drown or get sunstroke, walking across the street because you might get hit, eating too much because you might get a heart attack, driving cars, etc.

I have no problem with some the cautionary steps offered but seriously doubt this epidemic should be treated any differently than the flu. And I certainly don't recall giving any of our government officials the right to restrict our free movement or the number of people willing to meet. That is a violation of our constitutional rights and is not justified by the bogus reasons used for our safety.

Comments and criticism of the above thoughts are welcomed.

Dennis L. Bosch

Hot Springs

God-directed judgment

Dear editor:

During a recent update on the COVID-19 pandemic, President Trump said he didn't believe the virus was an act of God. This is like saying the Holocaust of the Jews never occurred. If the present disease is not a God-directed judgment on mankind, what would it take for world leaders to believe Bible prophecies are coming true concerning the latter days?

Jesus warned His disciples that in the final days there would be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes (Matthew 24:7). Let's look at the pestilence we are confronted with today. In mankind's history, when has a disease: been responsible for shutting down nations worldwide; halted many forms of transportation; barred citizens of one country from entering neighboring countries; caused governments to pass laws ordering workers to remain home; closed restaurants, theaters, shopping malls, sports events, beaches, etc.; becoming a global pandemic that has killed thousands, etc.?

So far, in the United States alone, there have been over 800 deaths. James 4:13-14 says we are not promised to live one more day. Everyone has an appointed day and time when we will die (Hebrews 9:27). Our bodies will cease to function with life but our spirit-soul will live throughout eternity (Luke 16:19-31;2 Corinthians 5:8). Those who have died will hopefully have had Christ Jesus as their Savior (Philippians 1:21-24; Revelation 20:11-15).

When the virus reaches its peak and the number of deaths diminish, people will return to work, it will be business as usual, and the majority will have learned nothing unless Christians share with them the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many, however, will attribute the world's healing to scientists and doctors instead of giving God the credit; they will make fun of His prophecies (2 Peter 3:4) and be satisfied to remain in the darkness of eternal death (John 3:19).

As terrible as the COVID-19 virus is, there is another coming which will be a thousand times more deadly that will affect every continent. It will come by stealth and cunning; it will be known, for a better term, as "Apollyon-666" (Revelation 9:11) by those who have the knowledge of God's truth (1 Timothy 2:4). Those without this knowledge will eagerly welcome this virus which will come in the form of a man (Revelation 13:14). He will have regal authority, bringing a pseudo-peace, and win worldly victories through his political mastery of oratory and negotiations (Revelation 6:2).

God has given us His remedy for the virus: If we are willing to humble ourselves before Him, and ask for His forgiveness of our sins, then He will forgive us and heal our nation (2 Chronicles 7:14). As the archangel, Gabriel, told Mary, "With God nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:37).

Donald Cunningham

Hot Springs

Waste and inefficiency

Dear editor:

Any senator or congressman, including our own Bruce Westerman and Tom Cotton, who voted yes on the $2.2 trillion aid package should be voted out of office at the next available opportunity. This bill, in my opinion, will consist of 75% waste and inefficiency, 20% outright theft and fraud, with perhaps 5% getting into the hands of those who need it. Our country, thanks to Donald Trump's tax cuts, is already nearly $23 trillion in debt.

There was a simple solution to the economic impact that coronavirus has had: It's called the unemployment insurance program that has already been in place for years. You simply pay unemployment to those laid off. Would that cover everything? No, but we've forgotten the word sacrifice in this country. Can no one do without their cellphones, internet, and cable television for a couple of months?

And what this bailout will do is set a precedent where anytime we have any sort of adversity, everyone -- individuals, businesses, banks, corporations -- will have their hands out and expect to be compensated. As to the huge companies who've made billions, you should have had a rainy-day fund to prepare for something like this, rather than using the money on exorbitant CEO salaries and stock buybacks that further enriched the 1%.

This is a shameful use of money we don't have on the part of Bruce Westerman, Tom Cotton, and the rest of Congress who is sending it to an administration that shouldn't be trusted with a dime. And it's a sad statement on how soft we've become as Americans.

Semper Fi.

Gunnery Sgt. Ron Collins, USMC retired

Hot Springs

Not happy

Dear editor:

It is very sad that the Democrat/liberals in Washington, D.C., believe that politics should be involved in solving a major national problem. The greatest country in the history of the world -- the United States of America -- is determined to overcome a virus. The Democrats failed to help all of us in the approval of an Economic Recovery Package. Why? They wanted to deny President Trump a "victory" for and on behalf of the American people. Also, they wanted to add political items to the bill such as the funding for Planned Parenthood -- probably the largest provider of abortions in the country.

There are about 160,000,000 employees (jobs) in this country and many folks are not working now. The recovery package would have provided a payday for hourly workers who will not get paid for the next several weeks and would have provided their employers funds to buy inventory and pay expenses that are accruing while they are not creating revenues. If these businesses fail, then the workers lose their jobs.

Supplies are being made and truckers are getting them to the stores. The hoarders will not (hopefully) be back in the stores for a while -- thus allowing inventories to rise and meet the needs of the shopper who, at this point, is only buying necessities.

Today, the FDA approved a drug to combat the coronavirus and it will be out soon. People are taking cautions to prevent the spread. All it takes is common sense and everyone rowing the boat together in the same direction.

I am angry that the liberal Democrats have politicized and stopped the Recovery Package -- an economic package that is definitely in the best interests of the United States and its citizens.

In seven short months, we will vote for men and women to represent us in Washington. I anxiously hope that people will realize and acknowledge that many of the Elected Elite have failed to properly and ethically represent us. Many of them are simply unable to see the "Big Picture."

The citizens of the U.S. have been designated "A Sleeping Giant" in the past. Seventy-nine years ago, in 1941, following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, a Japanese Admiral stated that he was very afraid that Japan had "Awakened a Sleeping Giant." He was right.

Now it is up to all of us in 2020 to awaken with passion and enthusiasm and remove those Elected Elite Democrat/Liberals who betrayed us.

John Grillo

Hot Springs

Editorial on 03/29/2020

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