PETA’s complaint ludicrous
Concerning animal rights legislation, I’d be more inclined to agree to its usefulness if it wasn’t for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the radical organization that put a monastery and 30 monks out of the egg production business in South Carolina. It was their means of support.
Then there’s the fact that in Virginia PETA slaughtered 97. 4 percent of the adoptable companion animals under its “care” in 2006. Despite raising $ 31 million and just spending $ 27 million in 2006, PETA found adoptive homes for just 12 pets.
In 2007, two PETA employees were charged with [but not convicted of ] 21 counts of animal cruelty in Ahoskie, N. C., when they collected living animals from shelters and vets’ offices, then killed the animals, put them in plastic bags and tossed them into a Piggly Wiggly supermarket trash bin. In 2006, an average of 34. 7 percent of pets were euthanized in Virginia by humane societies. PETA euthanized 97. 4 percent. They have killed over 17, 000 pets since 1998 in Virginia alone. One official of the Center for Consumer Freedom has petitioned the state to change PETA’s status from “humane society” to slaughterhouse. PETA’s complaint about the euthanizing of Eight Belles, the filly that ran second in the Kentucky Derby, is ludicrous, since it seems to know so little about the ethical treatment of animals.
STEVE HILL / Bella Vista
Vote issues, not party
Communism is a form of government in which a strong central government has the power to control the means of production and distribution of wealth by adopting the Marxist method of taking from each according to his means and [giving to ] each according to his need.
Every nation, including Soviet Russia, that adopted this form of government collapsed in bankruptcy or revolution. In our free-enterprise system, government takes a minor role in managing the economy, and we built the strongest economy of any nation on Earth. However, there are many voters who see no danger in a government that micromanages our economy.
For example, increased demand drove up the price of oil. Politicians made tough speeches claiming that big oil was driving up the price of gasoline. Some advocated price controls and others demanded an excess-profits tax. Totally ignored was the fact that the government does not trust our free-enterprise system. It refused to allow us to drill for our own oil, build atomic power plants and refineries, and develop clean-coal energy. Instead, it mandated development of ethanol using food grains. Now we face $ 5-a-gallon gas and doubling food costs. The condition of our school systems, housing loan failures and outrageous environmental rules causing forest fires are only a few of hundreds of examples of how dangerous it is to elect politicians who insist on micromanaging our economy. Voters need to begin voting according to specific issues instead of party affiliation.
ARTHUR O. MILLER / Little Rock
China underestimated
One of the prime rules of military engagement is never underestimate the power of your adversary. China has placed itself in an adversarial position face-to-face with the United States, and U. S. thinkers in government have consistently underestimated China’s capacity and, yes, desire for war with the U. S.
During Bill Clinton’s watch, China was given control of both ends of the Panama Canal and may have been given a beachhead on the West Coast by allowing it control of the former Long Beach Naval Station. Go to a hardware store and try to buy something not made in China. Hu Jintao rattles sabers every time he talks to reporters about the United States. China is given the economic status of most favored nation, a position handed to the Chinese communists by Richard Nixon and continued later during President Bush’s term.
American unions and management have both had a hand in driving entrepreneurs out of our country, easily accomplished if China undersells American businesses by using slave labor. We need to recapture entrepreneurship and give Americans jobs, compete with the slave-labor salaries paid by China to their slaves. How can we do this ? By getting smart, energetic people together to pinpoint various manufacturing, funding it by numerous investors and recapturing the marketplace. If and when China decides that America is weak enough to engage in hostilities, it will merely turn off the spigot from which all our supplies are made and we’ll have to look for a pitchfork to meet them on the field of battle.
RODERICK PARKER / Amity
‘Resource’ under attack
I would like to expand on Dana D. Kelley’s excellent column, “Put trust in instinct.” I agree that this natural instinct of right and wrong is intrinsically inbred in all humanity. Unfortunately, natural laws of nature are being destroyed by the liberal laws telling us that as long as it feels good, we want it and we have no informed conscience to the contrary, we can accept the lie that it is OK, it is my choice. Case in point: People will relate to the confession of Gary Hilton mentioned in the column in which he describes raping and continuing to hit Meredith Emerson with a jack handle as she tried to protect herself by putting her hands up as the jack handle mercilessly shattered her fingers, hands and head until she stopped breathing. The scene is horrible to imagine—that anyone, even in a deranged mind, could do such an act. Yet every day abortionists tear apart live babies up until just shortly before birth with the support of the culture-of death-society. Science now reveals the terrible pain that aborted babies feel as early as two months from conception. Our natural instinct tells us that it must be wrong. These pre-born babies are our own brothers and sisters as each and every one of us could have been aborted the same way. We are killing our own children every 23 seconds. Our most valuable resource is being exterminated and our enemy is not having to fire one bullet.
ROBERT J. PEARSON / Bella Vista
No choice about giving
Re the Bill Fritz letter: I am seldom moved to write to the paper, but this one deserves a response. Being “rich,” whatever that means, does not oblige anyone to be charitable. Charity comes from the heart, and it is not the province of government to dispense charity on behalf of the taxpayer. I understand that 40 percent of the citizens don’t pay taxes, leaving the burden to the rest of us. Moreover, there are many getting government handouts who are not deserving, and government gives us no choice as to who is worthy and who is not. I am incensed at the way liberals buy votes with my tax money.
D. B. HAASE / Hot Springs Village
Perspective one-sided
It seems to me that the whole debate about Jeremiah Wright Jr. and his remarks are within the framework of a purely white perspective. I don’t believe that Wright’s comments were that far out of line. A great deal of what he says is true, whether or not one likes it. I mean, it’s not slander to say that rich white people run America. Wright’s comments pale compared to anti-Semitic remarks once made by Billy Graham or the homophobic blather of Pat Robinson, yet these people, because they are white, are not subject to the censure or ostracism that Wright has been subjected to. To accuse black people of being racist or anti-white when they complain about being abused is a crude attempt to shift the onus of racism onto black folks. No one’s convinced by this artifice except other racist white people. However, judging from the size of this skewered debate, there must be quite a few of them. My advice to my fellow white people who are in denial about who is responsible for racism in this society and who are so offended by the truth: Get over it.
ROBERT SWEET / Mabelvale
Griffen deserves notes
I’m for Judge Wendell Griffen and probably for the very reasons that the Democrat-Gazette is not. The Democrat-Gazette says that the politics of a judge should be a mystery. I say that is exactly what is wrong with how we have elected judges. We don’t need our judges controlled by political parties, but we do need to know their politics. Do they love the written Constitution or do they believe in the “normalizing” and “world opinion” effects upon an evolving Constitution ? Should we know that they have worked with the Boy Scouts and are quiet and unassuming, or would it be better to know that their judicial opinions are respected, that their colleagues respect them and that they respect the law ?
For far too long, it has been the case of our electing judges who couldn’t cut it as lawyers but were loyal to the party. And what did they believe ? It’s a mystery.
Griffen has been loyal to his position and is trusted by his colleagues, respected in his profession and in his judicial opinions, and loyal to the Constitution. He is part of a team that is respected throughout the United States for its efficiency and effectiveness. He deserves to be reelected to that team, the Arkansas Court of Appeals. We should give him our vote, out of gratitude if for no other reason, for going against the money crowd and removing the mystery of judicial politics.
RICK SCOTT / Maumelle
Bush at top of two lists
According to the latest polls, George W. Bush is the worst president in history. I think he’s also the dumbest. Both Bush and Bill Clinton have had their indiscretions, Bill with his sexual escapades and Bush with alcohol. Bush was a C student at Yale and Bill was a Rhodes Scholar. All things being equal, wouldn’t you rather have had a Rhodes Scholar than a C student for the most important job in the world ? Columnist Bradley Gitz obviously has seen the futility in defending a moronic president. so he has taken the tack of attacking Barack Obama. Gitz has spent the last few years kissing [up to ] Bush. He was really vehement when Bush donned that flight suit and landed on that aircraft carrier and proclaimed that, essentially, war was over with the “mission accomplished” banner flying behind him. One cannot help but wonder if Gitz ever said to himself, “This nut is making it difficult for me to continue to write my columns. Hey, here’s an idea: I’ll start to attack Hillary Clinton and Obama. I sure as hell can’t defend Larry, Moe and Curly,” i. e., Bush, Karl Rove and Dick Cheney. I see that Gitz teaches at a college. I wonder if he ever warns his students never to praise a politician until one makes sure that the politician has an IQ higher than Alfred E. Neuman.
GARY USELTON / Benton
Feedback : Rebate eludes some
“The check’s in the mail” editorial stated that “good ol’ Uncle Sam” has started sending out checks, “anywhere from $ 300 to $ 1, 200 for just about everybody—rich or poor, skinny or fat, responsible or no-count.” I beg to differ. My poor, skinny, responsible three sons will be left out in the cold. These two college students and one high school senior are still dependants on our income taxes, but because they are over age 17, they (we ) will receive zip, nada, nothing. It seems to me that if the federal government is trying to help American taxpayers, certainly those of us trying to afford the steep cost of college need this check just as much if not more than parents of younger school-age children. Could someone please enlighten me as to why this particular group has been denied what almost every other taxpayer will receive ?
TERRI ELLIOTT / Little Rock
Don’t support lottery
Re the proposed lottery amendment: How can Lt. Gov. Bill Halter, an elected official, run all over the state promoting his agenda, one that is detrimental to Arkansas ? We never heard of a state official ever introducing such a proposal before. Where did this guy come from and where is his support coming from ? He is surely being backed by one or more of the casino kingpins. Ask some of the people whose lives have been ruined because of the gambling industry. Education will not be helped. It will, instead, cost our state money. Don’t let this amendment pass. Please vote against it.
CLOVIS & JUANITA CYR / Heber Springs
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online