County term limits
Dear editor:
Because of the lack of transparency from the "powers that be" to the citizens of Garland County among many other issues of concern to which I would be glad to address through a phone call to 501-680-7264, or in person, there needs to be "terms limits" for the quorum court, county clerk, county assessor, county tax collector and all elected officials.
For example, a victory for Dayton Meyers, District 7 Justice of the Peace in the June runoff with John Faulkner would bring a strong influence for that which is morally and ethically right. Just because something is "law" does not mean the issue is morally and ethically right. We need the Christian community to stand for that which is morally and ethically right and not be a "rubber stamp" for all that comes down through the pipeline.
Term limits would bring new ideas and challenges to the current "run-a-away" train in spending and lack of accountability in Garland County to the citizens of Garland County.
Bill Fleming
Hot Springs
A title not earned
Dear editor:
I will no longer refer to Tom Cotton, or Boozman as senators because it's a title that must be earned. Both lost the right to bear that honorable title because they lack the integrity, honesty, morality and compassion to do so while ignoring their oaths of office to "protect and defend the Constitution" not the president and especially not their own political careers.
They want to ban all abortions, not to protect a mother's life or out of any sense of morality, or even religious conviction, but because they want us to believe that it's a "baby" at inception, which is fiction. Even the Catholic Church knew better so gave it the heartbeat test, which I suppose indicates "life." When a person dies, the soul leaves the body so it makes sense that life does not begin until/unless a soul enters the physical body and no one knows when that is. "Life requires a soul" otherwise it's just a lifeless corpse. Could be just prior to birth, or after the vehicle for the soul (human body) enters, if it so chooses. For a mere human man to assert that he knows that life begins at inception is an insult to my intelligence and to God.
He says he wants to "save the babies" but turns a blind eye to all who are this side of the mother's womb when they are mercilessly slaughtered by what Republicans refer to as "America's favorite gun," which is not even true; it's the favorite of a few, not the many. Neither has a real solution to ending the mindless slaughters of "babies" who actually are alive, but scramble to protect the weapon of choice to accomplish the most damage while ignoring the actual act and even the bullets that so damaged these children that DNA tests had to be done to identify them all. A "moment of silence" is no solution; it's a cop-out.
As for the Second Amendment and the Supreme Court's decision that we all have the right to keep and bear arms, tells me that SCOTUS doesn't read the Constitution either because they keep wanting to change it themselves, which is unconstitutional. They purposely omit the first half of the one sentence amendment that states "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
When the framers were trying to get the slave states to ratify the Constitution, they changed the Second from free nation to free state to appease them due to their slave patrols, which we now know as "police." It has been honored with National Guards in all 50 states in this country and they are "well regulated" but they leave their weapons in the armory.
Judith Zitko
Hot Springs Village
Gun rights 'absurdity'
Dear editor:
The Second Amendment has accelerated gun buying by many that desire to overthrow the government. This, within itself, is mental instability, but Trump made it legal for the insane to own guns. This amendment should have revised 200 years ago, but politicians have used it to get elected for 50 years. They keep working to increase their appeal and buy votes, making gun ownership, use, and carry easier. This is the absurdity and insanity. Republicans are the killing party, buying votes with the lives and blood of the innocent.
There are 393 million guns, owned by 82 million, including 15 million hunters. The number of illegal and ghost guns is unknown. The laws have liberalized ownership, open carry, and concealed carry in most states. The irrational argument used by the NRA and gun owners is: "lay a gun on the table and it will not kill anyone." Therefore, regulating people that buy and own guns is the answer.
Using the gun rationale, automobiles in the driveway or garage will not kill anyone, but automobiles kill 45,000 people a year, with 2.3 million people sent to the hospital, due to vehicle accidents. To legally operate a car, a driver must be of legal age, with proper training, pass written and driving tests, buy a license, have approved physical and mental abilities, and have insurance. After licensing, the United States has 696,644 full-time enforcement officers to insure drivers are following the laws and regulations. If they do not, they are cited, arrested, or their license revoked.
Do you see the inconsistency and absurdity? I fear nothing that Congress will do to make me unqualified to own a gun. Only the unqualified would have concerns. Politicians, churches, and the Supreme Court ignore the Ninth Amendment: "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." People have the right to be free of the fear from those with guns, and women have the right to make decisions about their bodies. Do you understand that? The Republican Senate and the courts have ignored it. The House passed common-sense legislation two years ago and it has been blocked by Republican senators, as it has been for 30 years. Is there sanity in the 248 million that do not own guns, or will they sit in apathy and indifference, asking why doesn't someone do something? Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
Jerry Davis
Hot Springs
The Straw Man lives
Dear editor:
"A well-ordered militia ... " reads the Document. Why do the movers, shakers and adjudicators choose to ignore the plain meaning?
Several articles address the abuses by the Brits. The powdered wig guys didn't know exactly what they wanted but did know what they didn't want. States' rights were left open to interpretation on matters not addressed by the Document, otherwise, the signers would not have signed. Likewise, a provision implied that a state could withdraw from the Union; a concession necessary to get the ratifying votes.
I suspect that the leadership believes that a multitude of wackos with machine guns is a serious deterrent to foreign invasion. So, what we (the People) get from our elected officials are discussions about the following: bump-stocks, magazine capacity, background checks, waiting periods, age limits, plastic mail-order guns, and, believe it or not, mental health treatments after the fact.
Meek is one thing, timid is another. May our leaders ponder these facts: Most people can get guns. Private sales circumvent the rules. Some laws themselves impede effective countermeasures. Restricting sales of the .223 NATO rounds would only drive the price up. Fine, upstanding citizens are foolish dimwits concerning the security of their own deadly weapons.
Enough for now; I go to a quiet place to meditate.
John Clark
Hot Springs
Barnacles on a buoy
Dear editor:
During my preteens, I was lucky to spend a day on a Coast Guard cutter off the west coast of California. Their job on this day was pulling buoys out of the ocean and scrape and clean barnacles, mussels, off the buoy. When asked why, I was told to keep the buoy afloat.
Our democracy is sinking like a buoy that has not been cleaned in a long time. Our votes during 2022 and 2024 elections could and should keep the buoy afloat with cleaning. Former President Trump had his chance. The lust for power and extreme selfishness have been his downfall.
This nation is great, thanks to own veterans and service members. Our children and grandchildren deserve a great nation and the chance to make it a more perfect union. That is what matters most. Thank you.
Michael K. Caviness
Hot Springs
Common sense?
Dear editor:
What is common sense?
1. Closing a nation's borders during a pandemic.
2. Drilling our own oil and gas so our nation is not at the mercy of opposing nations.
3. Upgrade our nation's power grid before rolling out electric cars and all other devices that need electric charging to run.
4. Solve your own country's problems before giving away billions and trillions of dollars around the world.
5. Do not defund and demoralize the police departments around the nation and expect crime rates not to soar. The police departments of Chicago had 9,000 officers quit and 51 applicants for the job.
6. Discharge armed forces for refusing a vaccine and expect to have the experience and enthusiasm once in the ranks is not common sense.
7. Taking armed officers out of schools and making schools gun-free zones only makes the students and teachers sitting ducks.
8. Do not think out outlawing guns will convince criminals to give up their guns. Common sense! Also, Hirohito and Hitler had ships, subs, planes, and parachuting troops into the U.S. during World War II. Their plans to invade and go door to door in the U.S. were dropped when they found out that many Americans had guns. Good guys with guns won the war.
Paula Woodman
Hot Springs