Letters to the editor
Time to speak up Dear editor:
The First Amendment ensures that all citizens of the United States have the freedom of speech — yes, we know that! With free speech, each of us has the responsibility of not sullying that right by the use of vile language, disrespectful name calling or attempted spread of hatred and intimidation. Touting “free speech” while inciting violence is shameful.
Various political “far-right” and fundamentalist Christians call themselves the “silent majority.” So many of the “silent” group certainly are raising a clamorous ruckus and spouting hateful slogans, name-calling and ideology that the noise is deafening. Has it become fashionable to spread bigotry, racism, misogyny and intolerance? I think not! Surely it could be expected that we’ve learned by now the art of tolerance. Parents, through the years, have taught us: “If you can’t say something nice, say nothing” and “Treat others as you want to be treated.” The Bible teaches: “Judge not lest ye be judged;” “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” Yet the population of neo-Nazis, white supremacists, Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups is openly growing, fertilized by the excitement of watching their targets being panic-stricken.
Our current president has yet to quell the insurgence of shameful impropriety of bigotry and hatred which are generating viciousness. Watching the so-called “fake” news, as it is happening, of violent demonstrations and slogans, hearing a demonstration with arms raised, saying “heil Hitler” and “heil Trump” is appalling, un-American and frightening. Hatred expressed in body language, flying fists, words and angry slogans was surreal in Charlottesville.
While moral leadership of the president is expected, today’s leader of this country didn’t help restore order and respect. Violent behavior is immoral. Our country sent its children to possible death, and physical and mental harm to fight in World War II to end the terror of Nazism. Families are still hurting from these sacrifices. To bring back the Nazi era is dishonoring their service to their country and generating instability.
Is there no shame in inciting riots? Our law enforcement agency personnel are risking their own lives to restrain the brutality.
Too many moderates with our more open-minded views of political beliefs and religious faiths are targets of these intimidating tactics. Too many times I hear my “liberal” friends say that they’re afraid to express their opinions publicly, afraid of retribution. No doubt, some of the extremists are applauding their successes in provoking fear and keeping us quiet; thus, it is we who are becoming the “silent majority,” afraid to communicate the desire for peace.
So, I challenge the moderates, progressives, independents and those who wish to live in a peaceful society to speak up instead of whispering among themselves in small groups. Barbara Thexton Hot Springs
Sick of the ‘free ride’ Dear editor:
Page 5B Tuesday about the free lunch programs got my blood boiling. Apparently if you have no shame and make bad decisions in life, your kid gets a free ride. For example, if you have four kids and make less than $31,000 annually, you qualify. If you already get food stamps (nicely termed SNAP Benefits), you qualify. If you get food stamps, I’m already paying for your kids to eat free. Every time I stop at a convenience store, I see people paying for junk food with their food stamp card, then using cash to buy lottery tickets, beer and cigarettes. I’m sick of it.
If you have four kids in a single family home, you’ve made bad decisions that I’m paying for. Migrants? Another category on a free ride.
When I was a kid, you had to raise your hand in class in the morning when they took lunch money and say “Free lunch.” It was shameful and should have been. Now we are indoctrinating these kids to think that society owes them something and they will think that way the rest of their lives.
I am especially disappointed in Lake Hamilton for even participating in this program. They have always been a strong working class school. Where is “Wolf Pride” when we are teaching kids that life gives them something for nothing. At the very least, make the free lunch kids clean the cafeteria or school rooms or something to make them earn it and teach work ethic.
Maybe I’m just the grinch. Heck, let’s give it all away. Free phones, free cable, free everything. Somebody else down the line will pick up the tab. Disgusting. Ashton Miller III Hot Springs
Too much pride
Dear editor:
“The night of the fight, you may feel a slight sting. That’s pride messing with you. (Expletive) pride. Pride only hurts, it never helps.” — paraphrased quote from “Pulp Fiction.”
I thought of this quote today, Aug. 19, with everyone downtown. Too many groups with too much pride these days. Gay pride, black pride, trans pride and so on. But when someone says white pride, all the sudden it’s like Wile E. Coyote going off a cliff. I don’t agree with either side. But I believe they have a right to say it, like it or not the First Amendment gives everyone the right to say what they want no matter how smart or dumb it is. You don’t have to like it, but you don’t have the right to stop them from saying it.
That’s where the other side goes off the rails. They want to stop someone from saying something, so where does it stop from there? What’s next? Is this the new Soviet Union, where we tear everything down and pretend it never happened for 70 years. Then tear down another wall a fascist built? Funny how history repeats itself isn’t it?
At least if we’re going that way, we’ll get universal health care. We’ll have to wait in line for toilet paper, but hey, at least that statue won’t be there anymore! If you don’t like the statues, don’t go see them; you don’t like the flags, don’t buy one. That’s how America use to work.
I remember when I was a kid the Klan would have their little parade. No one went, they walked they went home. We ignored them. That’s what people need to learn to do these days, ignore each other, stop worrying what your neighbors might be doing. Unless they are killing someone or cooking meth, leave them alone. Have pride in being Americans. This is why the rest of the world thinks we’re a bunch of idiots.
Now that I’ve said my piece, I’m going to sit on my hill and mind my own business. I suggest you do the same. Ron Swanson Hot Springs
‘Thanks’ for tabs
Dear editor:
Through the generosity and support of all our friends, $38.10 was recently given to Ronald McDonald House of Little Rock.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank each of you in making a difference. Beegie Caroom, the Faubel family of Dallas, Texas, Jim and Carol Pafford, Mary Hutzel, Sandra Boyette, Brenda Shaw, the Steven’s family, Shirley Roe, Ben H. Bateman, Bridgette Dunn and Lake Hamilton Elementary in memory of Bryce Briggs, Bill and Connie Akins.
Also, Knights of Columbus and The Bridge House, Jean Wallace and the city of Hot Springs Parks and Trails Department, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Hot Springs Village, Team Falcon Terrace Pull Club, Sherilyn Silva, Mr. Guy Silva, Mrs. Patty Silva, Mr. David Starkle, Lisa and Ben Shirley. We would also like to thank Hot Springs Emblem Club 194 for their large box of tabs.
This donation will help four families stay at RMH! Awesome job everyone! Tina Murphree Hot Springs
We do care
Dear editor:
I wish that I didn’t care. I wish that I didn’t care when I see the hordes of slaves in the streets, bought and paid for by the Democrat Party. I wish I didn’t care that Hillary and her cohorts have lied to them, convincing them that they love them. I wish I didn’t care that the ultrawealthy (Hillary, Maxine, Loretta, Elizabeth, Nancy, Harry, etc.) are living luxuriously in their mansions while the slaves do their dirty work in the streets.
But — I do care.
I wish I didn’t care that the flag our young men fought to protect when they were fighting the Nazis can now be trampled and burned, I wish I could be indifferent like most.
But — I do care.
I wish I didn’t care that our news is so one-sided. I wish I didn’t care when our president is spoken of like he is trash. I wish I didn’t care that liberal writers get preferential treatment.
But — I do care.
I know — all but a handful of conservatives wish that I would just shut up.
Do I sound discouraged? Just for a minute! I do not believe that Christians should be silent. This “modern-day slavery” should be protested by every Christian. It is an atrocity!
I once heard that when the devil is throwing everything he has at you, you must be doing something right!
Matthew 5:14-15 says, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.” (Doesn’t sound to me like indifference.)
One more I wish I didn’t care — I wish I didn’t care what Bill Clinton said to Loretta Lynch that let her to tell James Comey not to refer to the investigation into Hillary’s emails as an investigation, but as a “matter.”
But — I do care. Incidentally, did you know that thousands of black Christians voted for President Trump and are reminding us to pray for him?
Pray for our country and for President Donald J. Trump. Thank you. Mary Robinson Hot Springs
We need a leader
To whom it may concern:
Would someone please find the leader of our country? Our ship of state has lost its captain and it’s beginning to flounder at sea.
Once before we were faced with the “wrath” of Mother Nature and we had an incompetent leader in the White House who had no idea what it meant to deal with the reality of a hurricane. Hurricane Katrina brought out the weakness of the George W. Bush administration. People died and the cost was exponential in public trust and financial liability.
Today we have Hurricane Harvey barreling down on the Texas coast and we have no one at the helm of our ship of state. Having gone through a hurricane, albeit not as savage as Katrina, I can tell from experience we need someone in charge to organize and facilitate the services that will be needed before, during and after Harvey makes landfall. It’s not a matter of “maybe” FEMA is prepared, it’s a case of FEMA has to be prepared. Lives and resources, plus the environment, depend on it.
The Gulf Coast is the largest refinery-based economy in the United States. Those refineries cannot be left to a “wait and see” game. Strong leadership and a plan for the evacuation and securing these refineries to prevent a disaster of a magnitude not seen before if we’re not prepared. The refineries have in place their own emergency plan and I’m sure they can try to prevent a catastrophe to the immediate area, but they need a safe place for their employees to ensure they don’t have to worry about their families left in the path of certain harm and even death. This calls for FEMA to have in place a plan.
I hope and pray FEMA is capable, even though Trump has left many positions vacant since he became president. Judy Ladd Hot Springs
The ‘liberal machine’
Dear editor:
I certainly want to thank and praise Mr. Tony O’Bryan for his great, much-needed letter entitled “An uncensored opinion” (Wednesday, Aug. 23)! I agreed with practically everything he said except for his brief criticisms of the Republican Party, for it is still easily the very best hope that America has to choose from, politically.
I agree entirely with his main point about how that The Sentinel-Record is overwhelmingly liberal in its content, instead of being “fair and balanced” as they claim. Mr. O’Bryan was absolutely correct when he pointed out those liberal columnists that you publish regularly from The Washington Post. Even some of those who are supposedly conservative in that group, really are only trying to fool everyone with their clever, deceitful way of writing. We understand what they are doing, so we are not being fooled, but we sure don’t appreciate their dishonesty!
Not only are the columnists from The Washington Post almost always liberal, but so are those from the AP or The Associated Press, as well as anything from The New York Times. They are all a huge part of the liberal mainstream news media which only gives us liberal propaganda!
Unfortunately, The Sentinel-Record and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette are also a big part of this liberal machine. Arkansas is located in the heartland of America and is also very much a part of what we commonly refer to as the Bible Belt. We are not the West Coast or the East Coast, so we would certainly like to see our newspapers more accurately reflect Arkansas family values! The Sentinel-Record and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette both publish a “Statement of core values” on Page 2A daily and in it they claim that their readers are supposed to be their top priority in consideration. Hopefully, they will honestly try to seriously listen to us when we tell them what we think about their publications. You just lost Mr. O’Bryan because he just couldn’t take anymore of your liberalism!
I know other good folks who couldn’t take it and have also dropped their subscriptions. Don’t you realize that many people in Arkansas hate your newspapers’ overall content because you insist on cramming that horrible liberalism down our throats, even when we plead with you to stop it and truly change for the better?
If you keep it up, you certainly could lose more and more subscribers, especially since you charge such a high subscription price just so we can read more of your insults!
There really are other sources people can go to for their news, such as the Fox News Channel, especially “Fox and Friends” starting at 6 a.m.! Later on, at 9 p.m., turn on Hannity for more great conservatism.
Conservative talk radio is also great! Turn on 102.9 FM (KARN) from 9 til 11 a.m. with Kris Plante. He is awesome! After that, stay tuned for Rush Limbaugh for a real education from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.
For great Christian programs, turn to 88.7 FM (Freedom Radio) and I promise you that you’ll be blessed! Lloyd Hoffman Hot Springs
‘Thanks’ for fixing main
Dear editor:
Hooray and a great big thanks to the guys Zack Maxwell, Travis Bennett and the other guys who helped get the water main for Levi Towers fixed so quick on Aug. 21, 2017. We all appreciate them for getting our water turned back on as fast as they did.
Also, we want to thank our manager, Tiffany Maxwell, for being so kind and keeping us informed of what was going on concerning the problem. Also, thanks, Tiffany, for being so concerned.
God bless you all. Janet Corkran Hot Springs