A big sigh of relief

I would like to comment on two recent events here in Arkansas. First, I would like to thank the Northwest Arkansas edition of the Democrat-Gazette for actually showing the crowds in attendance at the Pride Parade in Fayetteville. If you had only seen local television news coverage, it would be easy to assume it was a non-event. It appears these entities are uncomfortable with the realities of love and affiliation, and chose to largely ignore it.

Second, while we can all sigh in collective relief that the C&H hog disaster has been brought to conclusion, let's stop for a moment to review what went down: Behind closed doors, without input from the citizenry, a deal was made to allow a large-scale hog production facility in the watershed of our first national river. We'll never know what transpired to make that happen, but I'll wager it involved some ugly business. Now that issue has been resolved with the aid of over $6 million to buy C&H out. The outcome is good, but who do you think is paying them off? You and me, with taxpayer monies.

We live in an area that will be growing in population for the foreseeable future, so we as citizens must be constantly on the lookout for dirty deals that enrich a few at the expense of everyone else. We've dealt with "carpetbaggers" in the past.

STANLEY LANCASTER

Springdale