Why not just ‘Mr. President’ ?
Barack Obama won his election with 53 percent of the popular vote. However, it is puzzling that so many will refer to him as either black or African American.
We know that his black father deserted him when he was a toddler (just what Bill Cosby speaks about ) and left him to be raised by his white mother and white grandparents and never in a black environment or culture. Accurate journalists such as Ruben Navarrette Jr. refer to Obama as a biracial candidate with a multicultural background, since he is neither black nor African American. In a news conference after the election, Obama referred to himself as a mutt when discussing what kind of puppy he will be buying for his children. You will note that Tiger Woods put a stop to being called the “black golfer” by making it clear that he is not black and that his mother is Chinese and Thai and his late father was Caucasian, black and Indian. Tiger will tell you that his middle name is Tont (a Thai name ) and he calls himself Cablinasian. Perhaps down the road Obama can be referred to as Mr. President.
CHESTER D. KASS / Mountain Home
Where is the evidence ?
Mike Masterson’s column, “One step closer,” exhibits the shading of truth commonly practiced by proponents of a felony animal cruelty law.
He states that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders “lists animal cruelty as one of the behaviors signaling conduct disorder” and goes on to cite Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy and David Berkowitz. One would conclude from this that all animal abusers have severe psychopathology requiring external restraint.
Conduct disorder is a disorder of juveniles classified with attention deficit disorder. Diagnosis requires a repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior. At least three criteria must be displayed within a 12-month period. An episode of animal abuse does not equal conduct disorder.
Conduct disorder is often associated with the early onset of sexual activity, drinking, smoking and use of illicit substances. Does Masterson advocate felony charges for these behaviors ? In a majority of individuals, the disorder remits by adulthood. Why must people recurrently resort to dissembling and hyperbole ? We are told that 45 states have such legislation. There must be an ocean of data out there. How about citing some ? What has been the experience in other states before and after the law ? What happened to rates of animal abuse, spousal or child abuse ? Above all, how about propounding an underlying philosophical rationale ? What animals have what rights and why ? Why should animal rights exceed those of human infants ?
STEVEN C. SCHUELLER / Crossett
Line forms to the right
Although I voted against the Arkansas Adoption and Foster Care Act, I am glad it passed with such overwhelming support. After all, I am sure all of those people who care so much about the state’s children to limit their sources for adoption will be lining up to provide homes for them.
JAMES J. McCLURE / North Little Rock
Positions contradictory
I’m just wondering: If you are a member of the approximately 56 percent of the electorate that voted for limitations on adoptions in this state and you don’t support a women’s right to choose, exactly whom are you helping ?
Exit polls suggest that this referendum [on foster care and adoption ] was supported largely by self-proclaimed evangelical Christians who were informed by a grass-roots movement that began in the pulpit. As with most religious initiatives, I would imagine that this somehow was inspired by a unilateral moral obligation to keep children out of the hands of “evil homosexuals,” so I surmise that if the mother can’t abort and loving couples can’t adopt, it must be the responsibility of the state to raise children. With that in mind, we wouldn’t want to support a party that safeguards social welfare, would we ?
MATT HOFFMAN / Fayetteville
No whining to be seen
Letter writer Ronald Byrd Jr. has it backwards. I don’t ever remember seeing anything in print or otherwise of a conservative saying, “If you don’t like it here, please feel free to leave.”
I did see several times well-known folks of the liberal persuasion saying that if George W. Bush got elected or re-elected, they’d leave the country, but that just turned out to be big talk. What Byrd evidently has not learned is that conservatives and Republicans are not like Democrats in that, if they don’t get their way, they whimper with their tails between their legs, complaining and making threats of leaving. Conservatives face facts and times straight on. If our new president does the job, fine. If not, he may not be around in four years with impeachment.
ED HENRY SR. / Mount Ida
Welcome to the jungle
From George Washington to Barack Hussein Obama: That sums up what our country has become. From a gentleman schooled in such enlightenment concepts as individual freedom and rights who prepared to lead the battle against tyranny to establish the first real constitutional republic, now we have an activist intent on redistribution of wealth, stealing from the producers to disburse as government desires.
Washington fought and endured great privation with dignity, had impeccable ethics and fierce loyalty to justice against those who would subdue the new nation. Obama is a self-serving, power-hungry politician and egomaniac eager to do anything it takes to attain his collectivist goals. Washington conquered the enemy through courage and dedication. Obama works with anti-American activists dedicated to the destruction of all of Western civilization. America once was the hope of the world, but no nations followed our beginnings due to powerful, greedy leaders, their people too ignorant or fearful, all by design, just as in our country. As a people, we have lost sight of justice, truth and the value of a single individual and allowed the barbarians not only within the gates, but to remake our rugged, individual philosophy into a sorry, pathetic, tragic mess of victimhood; rule by the elite, not law; brutality and, as Ayn Rand said, hatred of the good for being the good. Obama seeks to force us back to the jungle out of which men like Washington led us.
BARBARA McCUTCHEN / Fort Smith
Suit action to the word
Good job, Arkansas. Now gay and lesbian couples cannot adopt or foster minor children. Nor can couples living together in a sexual relationship outside the bonds of holy matrimony. Nor, if I understand the definition of “cohabitating,” can good friends who happen to share the same house.
Well, to each of the fine, upstanding, Christian married folks who voted for this initiative, I would say go at once to the Department of Human Services and open your fine, upstanding, Christian home to one of the 3, 700 Arkansas children who currently are waiting for one.
They’ve made it abundantly clear that they’re the only suitable placement options for such children, so I guess they’d better step on up to the plate and put their money where their vote is. And while they’re at it, each of them probably should go ahead and adopt a child, preferably an older, disabled, minority child. If they have any reservations about this, they shouldn’t worry, just ask themselves what Jesus would do and then do that. Hey, it works great on a wristband or in a voting booth. Why shouldn’t it work just as well when there’s actually something at stake ? Like maybe some forgotten kid’s future. Once again, Arkansas, good job. I’m sure God is very proud.
JAMES C. PATTERSON / Paragould
Improvement isn’t one
If anything is more tiresome than political ads it has to be the promotional ads for digital television. DTV ads tout the great pluses of digital signals over analog signals but neglect a very important problem: The digital signal is weaker and your antenna likely will need replaced with a highly sensitive directional antenna. The only channels I can receive are within 40 miles or so. The eight channels I used to get from Oklahoma, Missouri and even Pittsburg, Kan., as well as Fort Smith simply will not come in with digital signals. Great improvement, eh ? And this is the same government that’s going to fix the economy.
TERREL SHIELDS / Siloam Springs
Movement needs unity
When Virginia and I beat a former president of the Senate and a veteran member of the House of Representatives in the first primary for a seat in the Arkansas Senate, it was heady wine for a 25-year-old.
My mother brought me down to Earth by reminding me that “damn near half” of the people in my district didn’t want me to be their senator.
A final review of the current presidential election returns shows that more than 47 percent of the voters didn’t want the apparent winner to be their president despite the left-wing media’s protestations to the contrary.
If the self-anointed conservative leaders who have spent much of their careers courting their enemies will stop their panic and appeasement and realize that there was no real conservative in this race (except maybe that little girl from Alaska ), take a deep breath, marshal our assets, present a united front and join hands in the spirit of our founders and he who led them, we shall not fail in the prevention of the judicial destruction of the greatest governmental document conceived by the mind of men.
JIM JOHNSON / Conway
Intimidation on agenda
With the selection of Rahm Emanuel as his chief of staff, President-elect Barack Hussein Obama reveals his campaign hypocrisy to make politics more civil and unmasks his true face of confrontation and intimidation. The White House chief of staff sets the tone internally and shapes the president’s decision process. Emanuel’s tone and process shaping are extremely disturbing. The four-time congressman from Chicago is best known for his in-your-face aggression. With the nickname Rahmbo, his disposition and demeanor are more like those of a mobster. A political foe
1 who ticked off Rahmbo received a 2 1 / 2-foot decomposing fish in the mail. Is this how Obama intends to conduct domestic policy ? At the dinner the night after Bill Clinton was elected in 1992, Rahmbo reportedly began ranting at a long list of Clinton enemies. As he shouted each name, he stabbed the table with his steak knife: “Nat Landow ! Dead ! Cliff Jackson ! Dead ! Bill Schaefer ! Dead !” Should tax-cut advocates now fear for their lives ? Rahmbo, who in 2 1 / 2 years as a banker made $ 16. 2 million, also sat on the scandal-plagued Freddie Mac board involved in the subprime mortgage irregularities, which triggered our current financial crisis. Scandal and crisis are not the processes we need in the White House. Obama selected Rahmbo to set the tone and shape of his presidency: intimidation and scandal. Will Blanche Lincoln, Mark Pryor, Marion Berry, John Boozman, Mike Ross and Vic Snyder stand silently by or will they stand up and fight for us ?
RICHARD WALTERS / Smithville
Much is left to be done
Are we safe ? Yes. I am sick of them blaming President Bush. Could the speakers professing hate and blame for our president have done a better job ? 9 / 11—a war—wow. Yes, I voted for Barack Obama. I changed from Republican to Democrat, but not because of Bush. Polls ? The lowest. What a laugh. Who are the jerks running the polls ? I applaud President and Mrs. Bush. I look forward to Presidentelect Obama and his wife. It’s sad that Arkansas won’t allow [cohabiting ] people, straight or gay, to adopt. So they stay in foster care. Are you happy ? You made the vote, jerks. Let’s make sure we make it a felony for cruelty to animals. Don’t let this fail.
NANCY LAIDLAW / Hot Springs
Feedback : System may be better
I feel the need to reply to Justin Helm’s letter, “Many types of homes can love.” I was in the system for three years. If you asked me if I would rather get adopted by just anybody or stay a foster child, I would stay in the system a million times over. I don’t know what is best for kids who can’t speak for themselves, but I do know what is best for me. What’s best for me is if I got to pick who I wanted to live with and not get adopted by just anybody. Oh, and by the way, as a 10-year-old, even I know there is no such thing as a “single couple.”
JOEY VORE / Brookland
Children are waiting
I hope that all who voted for the adoption ban have made plans to get down to the proper state offices to sign up to be foster and / or adoptive parents. Their services are now desperately needed. After all, they’re the only ones capable of giving a child a loving home, right ? Hurry on down there. The children are waiting.
ELLEN YEHLING / Little Rock
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