Supporting the paper

It has been ironic amusement for me to see ads for Arkansas Democrat-Gazette subscriptions featuring a recent Doonesbury strip. High on my list of hopes has been that newspapers and Doonesbury would last longer than I do. Both are getting problematic.

Garry Trudeau has been doing Doonesbury for 50 years, and this paper has broken 200. The ADG, I suspect, has always looked askance at Doonesbury since it clearly did not follow the editorial slant of the paper. Remember having to find the daily strip on page 2 of the classified ads section? Now it appears they have common purpose: the survival of newspapers. Doonesbury has been on the theme for years—and, incidentally, spoofing Donald Trump for over 30. Seriously, check out the Doonesbury site.

My wife and I recently got our tablet and are capable of using it. We would prefer paper, and we are having serious misgivings about how we will manage breakfast with only one device. We have a long, happy marriage based in part on passing sections of the paper and not talking at breakfast. We’ll work it out because the local newspaper is too important. I’ve been needing to replace my antique laptop.

Little Rock is blessed to have a topnotch local paper; compare the sad Commercial Appeal in Memphis and feel happy. As Doonesbury is trying to tell you, a healthy local paper is key to civic engagement and democracy. And how are you going to know who died? We will support the ADG as long as it is available, and I will continue to hope that Trudeau can keep Doonesbury going, even if only on Sundays. ROGER WEBB

Little Rock