On prayer in public
Read the first eight verses of the sixth chapter of Matthew, then look at some of the iconic photos of the football coach at the center of the recent SCOTUS decision that feature the 50-yard line, Supreme Court building and U.S. Capitol. What conclusion does that lead to?
RUSS LEMOND
Roland
We’re electing crooks
How can we the people vote to elect someone we don’t know who may be crooked, doesn’t ever tell the truth and lies when the truth is better? How do we find these people who should never be elected to anything, much less a position of power? The worst thing is we do it over and over. Look at all the people who have been re-elected and are just as crooked now as they were in their first term. Do we never learn?
ROBERT MAYNARD
Hot Springs
Give up pipe dream
It seems Asa Hutchinson is displaying why he is not presidential material. With a $1.6 billion budget surplus and a teacher pay rate that ranks 45th in the nation, he won’t push the issue of teacher raises in the special session because “there is not support in the Legislature.”
A leader’s role is to work to garner support for critical issues. Clearly, Hutchinson isn’t up to the task. But he does have support to return tax dollars to corporations and wealthy individuals who would be critical to bankroll forthcoming Republican electoral campaigns and his pipe dream of running for president.
Sorry, Asa, after the most recent Republican presidential debacle, if you have no backbone to do the right thing, all the money in the world isn’t going to put you in the White House.
TIM JEFFERY
Mabelvale
View too optimistic
A good part of your article “Analysts split on Ukraine war outlook” last Sunday I felt was too optimistic for a Ukrainian win, remembering from my high school history class from 65 years ago on how the War between the States flowed.
First the smaller Southern states had many victories but later, with the determination of Abraham Lincoln to hold the United States united and the greater resources of the Northern states, the Northern armies crushed the Southern armies. Now to the present, Ukraine started with many victories. But Russia has the determination of Putin, huge energy resources itself, and the probable backing and resources of China. I will not be surprised that in the end Russia will crush Ukraine. (The lateness and slowness of U.S. and Europe assistance didn’t help.)
DAVID W. BASH
Little Rock
‘Great Conversation’
By tracing the thoughts of both ancient and modern writers, students are exposed to many facets of the world. One could argue that mankind’s main objective since creation has been to understand the how, when, and why of their existence. Every author, regardless of time period, has dreamt of expressing a core truth about humanity. These truths, buried in the likes of Aristotle, Victor Hugo, Emily Dickinson, and other great thinkers, leave a trail of research for the next generation, my generation. The resulting path is known as the “Great Conversation.”
If schools focused more on reading and discussing classical books, they could break the stigma of reading old texts, and thereby open the door for teenagers to continue the conversation. Of course, one of the first objections to this proposal is that it is a waste of resources and time. Students should learn the base skills of the workforce. Deep, abstract discussions are for philosophy classes in colleges. Don’t bother already burdened teenagers with digging through boring sections of Plato’s “Republic.” These objections make sense.
As a teenager myself, I understand a heavy homework load. And I do admit that not all of these books are page-turners. However, I believe the power to think is worth the hours of labor. If given the right teacher, students can dissect these books. And the dissection of these books provides the anatomy of modern thoughts.
Discussing and debating Plato is like examining the genetics of a modern thinker.
TAYLOR BLEDSOE
Little Rock
Slaughter in streets
Our elected officials are not doing their primary job of keeping citizens safe. They are taking away our freedom to live our lives. We are no longer safe in our schools, churches, grocery stores, movie theaters, concerts, medical facilities, places of worship and now Fourth of July parades. When we scream loud enough, they pass soft “feel good” measures to make it look like they are doing their jobs. The reality is innocent Americans continue to be slaughtered every day.
Elected officials, get your hands out of the NRA’s cash bag. Work to enact laws that will get assault and military-grade weapons off our streets. Rewrite or repeal the Second Amendment.
It’s not that hard to do the right thing. If we can no longer live our best lives due to slaughter in the streets, we can forget about that uniquely American goal, the pursuit of happiness.
MELODIE MARCKS
Fayetteville