Sunday’s Letters to the editor

OPINION

Do your research

Dear editor:

In a recent letter from our local liberal Village writer Judith Zitko, while well-meaning I'm sure, she mentioned claims that I would deem borderline misinformation or at the very best half-truths; an anti-Republican agenda for sure.

She rants about Republicans not supporting equal rights for women, not supporting even more restrictive gun laws, voting against food assistance, against education, against various employer benefits, and Republicans attacking children who are gay or trans. Any factual rebuttal would take way more room than I am allowed in this letter.

Instead, I urge readers to do their own research from several sources, as neutral as possible. First off, validate claims and read on why Republicans in this case, did vote the way they did, assuming Ms. Zitko is correct. Obviously, it wasn't on a whim; they had legitimate reasons (i.e. need to cut spending, applicable laws already on the books, proposed legislation would prove harmful in other areas, morally wrong, potentially unconstitutional, etc.), which of course the liberal-leaning media will not mention, and neither will Ms. Zitko, because of her political leanings.

The truth is out there if you are willing to look. Don't take any one source, whether it be a letter (including this one) or a media site as gospel.

Mike Williams

Hot Springs Village

What's best for libraries

Dear editor:

I am over 70 and believe it hard for most of us older folks to imagine what legislators and governors did when doctors had medical opinions and lawyers had legal opinions and teachers had educational opinions and librarians knew what was best for libraries.

Of course, we have few lawyers passing laws nowadays; in fact, we have lots of folks passing laws who just made it out of high school. Aren't our colleges and universities designed to provide our citizens a better understanding of the arts and sciences?

I am so proud of our local librarians -- in fact, librarians across the state. I used to tell my students no book could hurt them -- except the Oxford English Dictionary, which was so heavy it might break their toes if they dropped it.

Surely we are all happy that Governor SHS has promised teachers raises, but I worry about the out years when the pandemic money is all gone and the dew is off the roses. I can see how Lake Hamilton and Lakeside could be fine, but what about other county schools like Mountain Pine and Cutter or rural schools like Poyen?

Did you notice the other day that SHS signed a bill to loosen requirements for hiring children under 16? She wants to "empower parents" to use vouchers to keep their children out of scary public school, but wants parents to have less power over 15-year-old boys and girls in the workplace. Notice I wrote "children" and "boys" and "girls," not "kids."

And did you read Sunday's Democrat-Gazette? I'll bet Governor SHS was not happy with it. On the National page, two articles mentioned guns in schools, one mentioned a Florida official called out for claiming COVID vaccines were harmful, another said Oregon is going to mandate climate courses in K-12 classes, also a family in S.C. is suing a teacher/school for slamming their daughter into a wall over the Pledge of Allegiance, and finally concerns are growing nationally over hungry school children. Our governor, however, so busy with bathrooms and libraries and Black History, says nothing about the world I live in.

Ken Cook

Hot Springs

A 'cheap floorshow'

Dear editor:

Have you noticed? The Democrats do not have anything to offer that will benefit the United States over the next 20, 30, or 50 years. They have not submitted feasible and functional plans for Immigration Reform, Pathway to Citizenship, Border Security, Voter Security, Entitlement Reform, Solution for Dreamers, Social Security Reform, Health Insurance, Cost of Health Care, and Cost of Prescription Drugs which would benefit all of our society -- not just a small part of our country's inhabitants. They have offered nothing for the current citizens who are working and paying taxes.

What they have done is harass those who do not agree with their Socialist Platform and they have perfected the art of Political Obstruction -- even if what they are obstructing would be good for our country. They whine and use techniques including character assassination as a routine part of their machine. Justice Kavanaugh is a good example of attempts to ruin a person's name and character just for the sport of it. Countless attempts to undermine President Trump -- before he was elected, while he was President, and after he left office -- are just a sad part of their daily show. False accusations and investigations are a part of the vaudeville circus they present to the public. It is a cheap floorshow that more and more middle class, middle age citizens, regardless of color and social/economic standing are beginning to understand and see through. The Democrat/Progressive/socialists are running on putting down (even disrespecting) our historical past instead of presenting creative ideas that would benefit our country and its citizens and assist in our probable continuity for the next several generations.

Come to think about it, the conservatives aren't doing much better.

John Grillo

Hot Springs

Banking regulations

Dear editor:

Regulations for banking, savings and loan, credit unions or any institution and element dealing with money cannot be run with lax regulations. No one is above greed, fraud, corruption and illegal activities when money and wealth are involved.

Reagan caused the failure of 1,043 Savings and Loan Associations, and the Resolution Trust Corporation closed or resolved 747 institutions for a $402 billion book value. In 1996, the General Accounting Office estimated the costs to be $160 billion with $132.1 billion taken from the taxpayers. George W. Bush created the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression and the crisis generated by Trump is not yet totaled.

All of this was because of the deregulation of the financial institutions. The party of the rich is constantly making efforts to increase their wealth at the expense of others. The lessons learned from the Wall Street Crash of 1929 identified the need for regulations and that must continue.

Jerry Davis

Hot Springs

Democracy and education

Dear editor:

I am writing in support of a letter that appeared last week from a concerned citizen and fellow Unitarian Universalist. I agree with the concerns stated that we may be losing our freedoms because of recent actions by the Arkansas state Legislature.

Many people think that democracy is just "majority rule." However, democracy is also recognition and respect of those who may be in the minority. What our Legislature is now doing is not democracy, rather it is tyranny -- a tyranny that forces a narrow opinion on others.

The primary goal of educating our youth is to help our young to learn to think for themselves. Education is not the same as indoctrination. American society has benefited greatly from a public school system that is currently under attack because of a fear that our children will learn facts that might cause them to question those currently forcing their perspective on all others. It is a fear that our children will learn to accept those who may have a different culture, religion, or lifestyle. A free society that is so afraid to see or understand different perspectives will not be free for long.

Jesse J. Davis

Hot Springs

Fallout of HB 1147

Dear editor:

Current abortion legislation does not permit prosecution of a woman who has an abortion. House Bill 1174 now pending in the state Legislature will permit prosecution and conviction of a woman who has an abortion according to existing homicide law.

Let me rephrase that:

House Bill 1174 will permit prosecution and conviction of a woman who has an abortion according to existing homicide law.

Let me state that another way:

House Bill 1174 will permit prosecution and conviction of a woman who has an abortion according to existing homicide law.

There is language in the bill permitting abortion to save the life of the mother, and that language is so specific as to include "ectopic pregnancy." Which begs the question as to what the investigative powers of the state shall be when an "illegal" abortion is alleged. Will "ectopic pregnancy" imply some favored status as to "permissible condition" that will limit the decision-making power of women and their providers? Will any new investigative powers derived from HB 1174 squelch the ordinary rights to medical confidentiality, including those guaranteed under Federal HIPPA legislation? Or will our new administration and its toadies be so disrespectful of said rights of privacy as to invoke HIPPA's privacy exceptions for purposes of criminal prosecution?

Will the fallout of HB 1174 be sufficient to sate the lust of our new attorney general for filling up the new prisons he wants to build in an administrative environment wherein ADC seems incapable of staffing existing facilities?

All the foregoing lead me once again to gleefully celebrate the day I declined admission to law school.

Hoisting now a pint to Saint Patrick.

Tom Heckmann

Hot Springs

Upcoming Events