LETTERS
Posted on Saturday, October 4, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Editorial/239189/
Hunting tradition swept away
The old cliché, “You can’t fight City Hall,” is true, especially here in Arkansas. The recent mandate by five of six autocratic and elite Game and Fish Commission members is proof plenty. Lifting the spinning-wing decoy ban gives new definition to the terms special interests, cronyism, playing by different rules, money talks and the ruling class. Arkansas had distinguished itself in a much-needed positive way when enacting the ban in 2004. By lifting this ban, that positive move has been swept away along with tradition, heritage and fair play. A flawed survey that included a large number of out-of-state hunters—why should they have a say in what we do?—was the lame excuse for bringing this matter up in the first place. Subsequent [feedback indicated ] that an overwhelming majority of Arkansas hunters were against lifting the ban. This group of commissioners, most of whom were appointed by the previous administration, chose to ignore the wishes of the majority and rule in favor of what appears to be retailers, manufacturers and private club owners. With an enforcement division that acts more like the Gestapo than public servants and a group of commissioners who appear to put special interests ahead of the common hunter, the G&FC would seem to be out of control. I implore Gov. Mike Beebe to appoint more commissioners like Brett Morgan.
JOHN JAMES
Little Rock
Not all back VP choice
I’m tired of hearing that the polls show that Sarah Palin is drawing middle-class female voters to the Republican ticket. For the record, I am one middle-class female voter who is not going to vote for her.
John McCain is not a leader, he’s a follower and a copy cat. It was a politically necessary move for him to name an attractive female as his running mate. What else could he do but choose a minority after the historic Democratic primary in which there were two minority candidates who were major contenders ?
Being female certainly doesn’t make Palin an advocate for women’s rights. She will not get my vote because she doesn’t represent my interest in a woman’s right to choose. Nor does she represent my interest in controlling the guns that kill public servants such as Bill Gwatney, 6-year-old girls such as Kamya Weathersby and countless school children such as those in Jonesboro. Further, she does not represent my interest in quickly ending a senseless war that was started based upon [falsehoods ] and has cost thousands of mothers the lives of their sons and daughters. I’m a female, not a fool. I won’t be voting for the female minority candidate and her running mate.
JUDITH ELANE
Little Rock
Choice was a smart one
If the credit for selecting Sarah Palin as a running mate actually belongs to John McCain, then he’s a very shrewd man indeed. On the other hand, if the suggestion was made by one of his advisers, that person should run for president.
BETTY VAN CLEVE
Osceola
Change claim dubious
Here’s a simple question for all those “liberal to the point of brain death” Barack Obama supporters: How does Joe Biden represent change in Washington ?
DON THOMPSON
El Dorado
Emerson misconstrued
Recently, columnist Bradley R. Gitz quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson and then proceeded to make his pitch based on his self-limited understanding of Emerson’s theme, thus potentially misleading his readers. First, the full context: “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen, philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern humself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict everything you said today.” When Emerson speaks about a foolish consistency, he is really talking about self-limiting beliefs or opinions used to entwine ourselves in the never-ending web of ego-centered restriction and imaginational bias. We become rigid in these views; we fight to the death for them. By insisting on them, we’re really taking the easy way out, making our beliefs and opinions sound like the truth when they are not. Spiritually, this obviates the necessity to go within for the only real source of truth on any matter. Nor do we question any of the mythology that has held our dysfunctional world in place. Indeed, a foolish consistency is the mischievous imp that leads us astray from the truth. The truth of which Emerson speaks he calls intuitions. Intuition releases real meaning: Truth heard in silence, the language God speaks. Emerson calls this perpetual spiritual sourcing from intuition self-reliance.
JIM YOUNG
Beaver
Torture is no bonanza
Just about the time I think I have read everything on the Voices page, here comes a letter from Mollie Wiseman stating that John McCain reaped a bonanza from his five years in the most cruel, horrible prison in the world. This is really hard to believe. A bonanza ? I doubt most people would call five years of torture a bonanza—except a Democrat. Wiseman stated, “I have yet to hear of one who exploits his service as McCain does.” I would like to call her attention to Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. He knows how to exploit his service. I have never heard McCain exploit his service. Has Wiseman no shame ?
BILLY J. BURKE
Hope
Worse times will come
I may not believe in stop signs, but if I keep running them, I will eventually get broadsided and maybe even killed. I may not believe in God, but if I keep running his “stop signs,” I will also pay the consequences. God allows tragedies only if we won’t turn to him any other way. Even though it grieves him to send them, he’s that good a father. So what if we don’t want anyone, even God, running our lives ? Our children say the same things and it grieves us because we know what is in store for them, just as he does for us. It’s been seven years since 9 / 11, when our whole nation fell on its knees. How quickly we forget. So if we keep killing babies and condoning practices that God says are sin, we just better be prepared for tragedy after the stock market crash, after war, after more tragedy, because they are coming whether we believe in God or not.
LINDA STELL
Fordyce
At least Hogs look good
I believe it is important for Razorback fans to keep focused on the bigger picture. Things might not look too rosy right now. But remember how before the season all the new coaches were trotted out, the new athletic director and staff were trotted out, the new players were trotted out and the new uniforms were trotted out ? This is a new era for the Hogs. Yes, the Razorbacks had to mount fourth-quarter heroics against lesser programs to win the first two games. Yes, the Hogs took a tusk-lashing against the Crimson Tide and an even bigger woodshedding against the Longhorns. But man, don’t those new uniforms look good ?
BARRY THOMAS
Fayetteville
Resources squandered
The area of the world known as Iraq was once known as Babylon. You may have heard of Nebuchadnezzar, under whose reign the Hebrews were held in captivity. They suffered under this captivity while their prophet, Daniel, fenced with Nebuchadnezzar to show him the power of God. The king’s sanity was taken from him until he gave up his pride, becoming appropriately humble before Yahweh and his people. Perhaps if our chief executive let go some of his pride, or ego as they call it, his reasoning ability might improve. The United Nations started as a way for the world’s powers to settle their differences without having to resort to violence. The people who represent the U. S. A., the world’s only superpower, have nothing but scorn for the U. N. and intend to rule the world by intimidation. Is it realistic to intimidate a suicide bomber ? Not so long ago, there were scores of Westerners being held captive by radical fundamentalists. When intimidation and ransom failed miserably, the U. N. succeeded with diplomacy. It obviously has some valid purpose for which the Bush administration won’t give it credit. The Bush administration has had all the opportunity it needed to bring the Iraq war to a close. The Republicans can’t do it because they only know one approach and they refuse to try anything else. We have big problems, but our resources are being squandered. Our lives are being squandered.
F. W. WILSON
Little Rock
Get on the lottery train
There is nothing I would change about Arkansas and its beautiful scenery. Arkansans are warm and friendly. However, there are some who need to rethink their beliefs. Each time the lottery or casinos rear their heads in Arkansas, there are a chosen few who like to roadblock progress. Those few would never be caught buying a lottery ticket or visiting Tunica. (The key word here is “caught.” ) I suggest that they take a drive down to Tunica and look at the perfect highways, schools that would put some universities to shame, buildings, businesses thriving and jobs, jobs, jobs.
Should you get lost and stumble into a casino, look at the pictures of the winners on the walls. Please note how many are from Arkansas.
Not gaming in Arkansas is about as dumb as a dry county. Do you think people aren’t going to drink because the county is dry ? Do you think people aren’t going to gamble because Arkansas is living in the 19 th century ?
Arkansans travel to Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and Mississippi every day to spend some of the money they have earned in Arkansas. Would you not like better jobs, better schools, and the best equipment for our fire departments and law enforcement ? It’s available. All we have to do is loosen our Bible belts a notch or two and everybody wins. How many thousands of new jobs would it create ? How many tourist dollars would it generate for our state and cities ? Wake up, people. The train is ready to leave the station. I want Arkansas to be on it.
DANIEL GEORGE
Little Rock
Get back to the basics
Re the letter from Bill Moreland, “Frustrations misplaced”: Oh, really ? I am a born-again Christian pastor of 38 years, probably to the right of Rush Limbaugh politically and to the right of Jerry Falwell religiously. Moreland, former Christian, now avowed atheist, has been victimized by Christianity turned religious rather than Christianity cultivating biblical spirituality. That his children gave him more heartaches than he could stand, well, hello, modern-day parents. He’s not alone. Has anyone asked himself why ? We are in the midst of a five-generation slide away from the absolute truths of God’s holy word, the youngest generation living in a world of moral relativity because the church in general is focusing on political correctness and emotionalism to the expense of teaching the absolute truths of God’s word. Moreland alluded to a passage of Scripture regarding prayer. He has done what many Christians do. He has told us what the Bible says without considering... what it means. If he has cast aside his belief in God for atheism founded upon the fact that God did not answer his prayer, he has done himself a great spiritual disservice and his new position of atheism does not change the reality that unbelievers go to Hell and the God whom he denies still loves him. Until Christianity gets back to the basics of sound Bible teaching, this country will experience an onslaught of Bill Morelands. What a tragedy.
JAMES A. BRETTELL
Maumelle
Feedback Wealthy can pitch in
I just saw Forbes’ recent list of the 400 richest Americans. Interesting to note that the people in the top 48 slots have more than $ 700 billion in wealth. It follows—just a thoughtthat all 400 people could be levied with a one-time, small tax (unless they do it again ) and voila, problem solved, leaving this tiny number of Americans still multibillionaires with no worries about Dom Perignon or Beluga shortages. DAVID RAINES Little Rock Predictions in reverse After listening to many news broadcasts and following the congressional hearings regarding the financial problems of our country, I’ve come to the logical conclusion that economists are very good at predicting what happened.
JACK SADENWASSER
Bella Vista
Calling George Bailey
Remember “It’s a Wonderful Life” ? Where is George Bailey when we need him ?
AL JANSSEN
Little Rock