Letters

Jun 05, 2024

Diverse customers

Business leaders seeking to diversify their workforce are not woke ideologues. They are simply trying to appeal to their diverse customer base.

Gender and race are often relevant for legitimate reasons in the business world. For example, if 40 percent of the customers who buy your line of cosmetics are Black women, then sound business strategy dictates that your marketing team includes a few Black women, rather than being composed entirely of white men. Furthermore, many pregnant women prefer to consult a female gynecologist, and a defendant appearing before a Black judge may want to employ an attorney of the same race.

Those who rail against efforts to achieve diversity in the workplace are in actuality opposing the capitalist system.

RICHARD A. WILLIAMS

Little Rock

Apologies to Kipling

Inspired by Gov. Sarah Sanders' recently implemented LEARNS legislation, I am writing a new U.S. history textbook to provide the warm reassurance about our past that the governor might wish students in home, private and defunded public schools around the state to enjoy. I call it "Just So U.S. History." Below is a sample passage, dealing with the Civil War:

"In the Great State of South Carolina, once upon a time, O my Best Beloved, there was a fort. It was called Fort Sumter. Fort Sumter was occupied by the storm troopers of the evil federal emperor of the North, Abraham (who was almost certainly Jewish). This made the peaceful Christian citizens of South Carolina and their happy, carefree dark-skinned helpers very sad. So one fine April day in 1861, a delegation of harmless tourists set out for Fort Sumter to convince the storm troopers within to join them in a joyous display of fireworks to celebrate the harmonious lifestyle of the plantation South. And who, O Best Beloved, would not be charmed by the strains of 'Deep River' wafting toward the big house from the quaint cottages of the field hands or by ladies in hoop skirts who say 'Fiddle-dee-dee'?

"But what happened? The federal storm troopers rejected this friendly gesture and began to fire their cannons at the peaceful tourists. Having been thus assaulted, the aggrieved innocents had no choice but to fire back in defense of their homeland, their way of life and their peculiar institution. Well, they directed their fireworks so skillfully that the evil storm troopers from the North all piled onto a big boat and sailed back to the chilly remote region from whence they had come. It was a great victory for the people of South Carolina and for their dark-skinned helpers, each of whom was, of course, only three-fifths of a person, which they didn't mind at all because they weren't burdened with as many responsibilities as whole people were (like voting). And that, O Best Beloved, is how Abraham's Evil Empire of the North started its War of Aggression against the peace-loving Southern states for no reason at all."

ALEX MIRONOFF

Fayetteville

Whiter shade of pale

Just a thought: In the booking photo of Donald Trump, his hair shows how the former president is aging. Now, instead of "Orange man bad," his critics need to go ahead and chant "White man bad."

GILDA SKRMETTI

Little Rock

Improve accessibility

Recently, I was summoned for jury duty. I have a rare medical condition which prevents me from standing more than 60 seconds and from walking unaided. Unfortunately, the handicapped options at the county courthouse are almost nonexistent.

When I arrived at the courthouse at 9:15 a.m. for my orientation, I found zero handicapped parking. There was a handicapped dropoff spot, but I was forced to park west of Broadway, approximately three blocks from the entrance to the courthouse. Although I was using a rollator, I found myself sweating profusely and exhausted upon reaching the courthouse entrance.

As instructed I took the elevator to the third floor only to find there were at least 10 steps down to the orientation area. An employee said she could get me to orientation by using another elevator and we returned to the first floor. She walked off and never returned. I sat on my rollator for about 10 minutes. Another employee, named Tricia, came to me and said she could get me to orientation by going to another floor. By then I had concluded the poor handicapped accessibility would make it impossible for me to regularly serve as a juror and I asked Tricia to get me excused. Tricia was very kind and drove me back to my car.

The county courthouse must come up with better handicapped accessibility. Handicapped people who need to utilize services offered at the courthouse are being discriminated against every day, and many are being denied their right to serve on a jury.

TIM IRBY

Little Rock

The party of Lincoln?

When I saw your "Trump visits jail" headline I laughed aloud. But Matilda Buchanan beat me to the post office (or computer), so her letter about this world-class understatement was printed. She writes better than I do anyway.

Suggested alternatives: "Former president of the United States booked on 13 additional felony counts." "Trump's fingerprints, mug shot taken at Fulton County jail." "Trump posts bond for felony charges." "Fourth felony case for former president; total counts now 34." "Trump and 18 others booked on serious criminal charges." Or, tabloid style, "13 heavy on 45."

The second title could be "Accused posted mug shot as fundraiser." It's probably best to not add "Gullible citizens will respond." They will, of course (indeed, they already have).

And it appears this man will be the nominee of the party of Lincoln, the one that used to claim morality and lawfulness as its gold standards.

RICHARD CHAPMAN

Little Rock

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