Angst over Jerusalem

It is with some amusement that I observe the angst of the left and the European Union over President Trump’s statement of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. I believe he is in good company, for the eternal God had named it that thousands of years ago in the time of King David, the second ruler of the nation of Israel, God’s covenant people through the promised descendants of Abraham’s son Isaac. It will never belong to the Arabs regardless of those who propose to give it to them, regardless of their world title.

It was another leader of this nation, President Harry Truman, who was the first leader in the world to recognize Israel as a nation in 1948. He also faced much objection of his Cabinet and the people to reject it and, in my opinion, America has been blessed by the eternal God because of the courage of these two men.

Regardless of the dire warnings of other nations, especially the EU, we are still standing as a strong nation because of the truths of God’s word that any nation that blesses his people will be blessed. The Bible also states that those who seek to divide this holy land will suffer the consequences of the creator of all things. His covenant will not be broken by human dwellers in any circumstance. His word is eternal.

Merry Christmas; after all, it is Christ’s birthday we celebrate regardless of the date on our calendar. WILLA ROMINE

Bryant

Yes, it’s true our current tax code allows U of A and other colleges to set up not-for-profit institutions, such as the Razorback Foundation, allowing donors to avoid public scrutiny, write off huge contributions on their taxes, and get their names put on scoreboards and buildings. In my opinion, this should be abolished.

People with last names like Tyson, Walton, Stephens, Reynolds, etc., usually have a problem the rest of us would love to have: At the end of the fiscal year, they actually need large tax deductions. So instead of giving to a legitimate cause like United Way, Red Cross, the Boys and Girls Club of America, they give to big-time college athletic programs. All in the hope of insider access, or as mentioned above, a building in their name.

The other fallacy is that once these buildings or fields are built, down the road the maintenance, staffing, and upkeep of them will fall on taxpayers, and mainly students, who are forced to pay higher and higher tuition and student fees. When is the last time you saw a university lower any of these?

In short, if we are serious about responsible spending, true tax reform, and lowering our national debt (and I don’t think Arkansas’ current delegation is serious about any of these), eliminating the classification of these as not-for-profit would be a small, but excellent, place to start. ANTHONY LLOYD

Hot Springs