Need honest answers

Over the past several months I’ve written emails and surface-mail letters to several of our “public servants.” Some were elected ones; others appointed. I got no replies, let alone honest answers from any of them.

I asked some in children’s services and others on committees two questions: First, what is the legal policy of Arkansas concerning adoption/fostering by legally married same-sex couples? Second, what is the present actual practice in that regard? They’re legally equal before the law, or they’re

not. Which is it to be? Currently they seem to work almost exclusively with “evangelical Christians” whose primary concern appears to be to get them “saved, baptized, and under their church’s covenant.” The religion seems to be of greater concern than warm, well-fed, well-loved kids in stable homes.

Your Bob Jones University fundamentalist governor and his cohort of mainly Baptist legislators probably know that Jerry Cox and his league will have a collective spasm and pitch a hissy fit, not to mention withhold funding donations if they do what they should be doing. Doing the best thing for the nearly 5,000 kids in legal limbo apparently takes second place in the considerations of the religious nuts among us.

There are questions I’d pose to the folks controlling this paper—but in 300 words every 30 days, how in the dickens am I to get that done? Among others, what medals does Tom Cotton have? What were they awarded for? Has he ever been in actual combat, or is he just a loudmouthed selfpromoter as many of us perceive him to be? Does that oak leaf cluster have a “V” for valor on it?

KARL HANSEN

Hensley