Lotteries aren't the best bet
In his opposition to a state-sponsored lottery, Lowell Grisham, as usual, got it just right. Using a lottery to fund scholarships is a bad idea. Three further questions come to mind.
First, if people who want to gamble will just take their business to Oklahoma, then haven't we, by not offering a lottery opportunity at home, simply hurt ourselves without helping the poor with whom Grisham is concerned ? "Everyone else does it"is never a morally persuasive argument. The fact that other states may sponsor gambling doesn't make it right for Arkansas to do the same. We should take the lead in persuading all the states that gambling is an unacceptable way to support the government.
Second, if we favor increased support for education, and if we reject the lottery as the source of revenue, where will additional money for education come from ? I'm not a candidate for public office, so I can respond without fear that we should raise taxes, in particular, we should raise the state income tax on those with higher incomes. Higher taxes are the price we should gladly pay for a more noble, fair and progressive society. Third, does my position in opposition to the proposed lottery mean that I believe that gambling is wrong ? No. I don't choose to gamble myself, but if consenting adults, using their own money (and not money required for the support of their families ) want to place bets, that's up to them.
Rev. Dave Hunter / Fayetteville
Choosing America's best candidate
I will be voting this November for a leader that makes it okay for me to be me. Someone who calls me to be the genius that God made me to be. This leader will not judge me; rather, he will be a great cheerleader and coax my highest good by acknowledging my contributions, no matter how small they may look to the greater humanity. He will know there is a greater power than physical war, and that power is love and respect for all of creation. Those people who seek to divide humanity will not have credibility with me. Life has been destroyed by fear since the beginning of creation of life, and so it is today. Teach fear, hate, greed, jealousy and harvest death (hell ). Teach love and respect and harvest from the garden of Eden (heaven ). The time is drawing near. Who will you vote for ? What path do you think we've been on ? Do we continue our present path ? A different path means a lot of change, especially our collective consciousness (the way we think about stuff ). Can we let go of fear ? Only faith in a higher power, such as love and respect, can allow us to let go and fear not. It's totally not easy to change, but with great leadership, we can do it. You figure out where I'm going to put that mysterious X in November this great year.
David Nicewarner / Elkins
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