A wonderful tribute
What a great remembrance from John Deering in last Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette of George Fisher's Old Guard Rest Home.
If my feeble eyes weren't deceiving me, I not only recognized Dale Bumpers welcoming Ray Thornton, but also Casey Laman, Frank White, Orval Faubus, Justice Jim Johnson, Bob Riley, and of course George Fisher strumming the guitar. I'm not sure of the identity of the cowboy-hatted guy with his back toward us, but can only guess that it might be Sheriff Hawkins. I also looked for "Snooky," Mr. Fisher's tribute to his wife, but was unable to find her nickname.
Those were indeed the good old times.
MARION MONK
Hot Springs Village
Label doesn't matter
There has been much in these pages in recent months about socialism, and an unfortunately strong contingent of supporters of Bernie Sanders, he of the Soviet Union honeymoon, who at least has the honesty to openly admit his allegiance to that failed utopian philosophy.
Whether his openly avowed socialism, the sneakily disguised "progressivism" of that disciple of Saul Alinsky, Mrs. Clinton, the international variety of communism, or the nationalistic varieties of national socialism or fascism, I believe they all spring from the same poisoned root, the belief that society can be perfected by the use of the coercive power of the state.
Utopianism is the belief that an ideal society can be perfected, which goes against human nature and therefore is always doomed to failure. Attempting to force all humans into a particular manner of belief and action for the common good fails because it goes against human nature, and its failures, frustrating to utopians, result in greater coercion and inevitably a constant growth in the size, power and interference in our everyday lives and decisions of an increasingly powerful state, which, contrary to Marx, never withers away.
These accretions of state power for our betters in charge to control our actions leads to less freedom, as surely as a command economy controlled by a central government always leads to shortages, want, deprivation, and misery. The 20th century in particular is lettered with millions of deaths brought on by various types of socialist governments.
These are the bitter fruits of socialism, no matter what happified appellation you put on it. I believe a vote for a socialist, whether independent, progressive, national or international, is a vote for poverty, enslavement and death.
KARL T. KIMBALL
Little Rock
Don't widen the road
In last Thursday's paper there was an editorial titled "This is help?"--I agree with the whole thing. It explained that the interstate should not be widened and that it will cause many problems.
There is absolutely no need to widen it, in my opinion. I believe that if Interstate 30 is widened then it will make traffic problems worse, especially while they are working on it. One example, Jacksonville. I travel through Jacksonville maybe once or twice a week, not much, but I hate it. The construction on the roads is taking forever and it makes traffic horrendous, just like Little Rock and North Little Rock will be.
Please do not widen I-30!
CARA POZZA
Sherwood
Astounding ineptitude
The political ineptitude displayed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Education Commissioner Johnny Key in the abrupt sacking of Baker Kurrus as superintendent in the Little Rock School District is astounding.
It appears there was no consultation or discussion with the Little Rock community. They ignored Kurrus' solid knowledge and experience with the district, and his success in building bridges with district staff and the community at large.
Key explained that his replacement superintendent would provide instructional leadership. Granted, we need strong instructional leadership, but the district's greater need is for leadership that can overcome all the distrust and animosity in the district and lead the staff and community in a united and positive direction. The wiser course would have been to take advantage of Kurrus' unique skill set, proven track record and experience in the district, and employ an effective academic dean as a deputy superintendent.
But with the arbitrary, top-down, dictatorial approach exhibited by Hutchinson and Key, there's no opportunity to explore ideas and alternatives.
Hutchinson and Key may choose to avoid media inquiries and hide behind press releases, but their aloofness won't mitigate the disrespect and arrogance they have directed at the state's capital city.
JIM ARGUE JR.
Little Rock
Editor's note: Jim Argue Jr. is a former state senator, president pro tem of the Arkansas Senate, and chair of the Senate Education Committee.
Did I read that right?
I am writing in response to the editorial under the headline of "The responsible vote." In that editorial, a previous editorial from July 29, 2012, is quoted. The author of that earlier editorial appears to encourage the government of Arkansas to accept federal dollars to pay the bills for Medicaid clients in Arkansas.
I must use the word "appears" because the recommendation of the editor is, to me, unclear. Even the writer of the column of April 13 immediately admits that the recommendation to "Take the money!" is a testy one.
As a reader for some few years of your editorials, I have noted that the writer(s) seem to be of one voice. The writer(s) strive much too hard to be clever and adroit. When sarcasm, irony, mockery, scorn, derision, and condensation are used in most every column to both recommend and condemn an action of our government, business, or person, the point of the editorial may be easily lost in the confusing word play.
Why not, from time to time, simply write a straightforward opinion and avoid the attempts at exhibiting the wit and cunning of the writer?
Thank you.
ROBERT LAIRD
Magnolia
Editorial on 04/21/2016