Category: Opinion

A Short Story by Jack Mint With his palms next to each other, he turned the scalded remnants to the sky. “Please, mister. I’ll die out here otherwise.” The iron shackles clinked on each word pouring from the desert of his mouth. Cracked, waterless lips and dead gravel eyes pleaded again. I undid the strap on my canteen and tossed it from the back of my horse. The black and grey of his uniform was dark brown. I did not recognize that clay in the desert we stood upon. The fugitive thanked me with artless gratitude but began to ask…

Dear Editor, Re: Jack Ehrhardt’s missive that I had so strongly offended his sensibilities. I will try to explain but will not apologize for my thoughts. I am puzzled by the comment about my victimhood. I do not feel victimized in the slightest measure. I was born into and raised to adulthood in a staunchly Democrat household, so I know and appreciate full well the feelings and sentiments therein. I changed, as I aged, to the other side of the aisle. I have watched for well over a half century, the infiltration and co-opting of the Democrat party by communists…

Dear Editor: Arizona’s tax dollars must be used to fund Arizona’s needs. State Senator Borelli and Representative Cobb are supporting the payment of tax funds to schools out of state by supporting the expansion of the ESE Voucher program. The Senate’s bill is SB1224 and the House bill is HB2898. It is important for Mohave County voters to contact Representative Cobb and Senator Borelli to let them know that these bills are misguided at best. There are multiple reasons to oppose these bills. First, Arizona’s funds for schools have increased somewhat, but are still not at pre-recession levels. It is…

Dear Editor, Well! Well! The Democratic Party is in the process of expiring. Quoting from the Guest Column, “Who killed the democratic party”. “The Poverty Pimps constantly preach the evils of self determination and pride of accomplishment and the selfishness of those who work hard to get ahead.” At first glance the reader would speculate the “Poverty Pimps” do not work hard in order to get ahead. The writer then shoots his theory in the foot by labeling them “The privileged elite”. “Their constant mantra is ‘trust me, vote for me … you will not have to work for it…

A short story by Jack Mint His face is haunted. Cheekbones press against his sallow skin like bruised fists. He hasn’t eaten in days. The grocery store shelves went empty a month ago. Between the shooting pains of his stomach eating itself and the ever-approaching void of his mind are the moans of his children. They cry themselves to sleep to escape the hunger. He cannot escape their cries and his hunger, and he hates them for it. He’s done everything he could and still they want and want. Cooked the cat and the dog, but the fish was the…

A Short Story by Jack Mint Grass grows over most of the up and down landscape. A few places are islands of bare gravel. They are surrounded by yellowing halos where the green of that grass sank to somewhere else below the footsteps of ants. They proceed in the sporadic lines of a march step they’ve known forever creased in the crisscross nature of continuing. Casting spritely shadows on the ants, bees peruse the sunlight on the clearing like marooned sailors. They look down mostly. They search for flowers the scouts had reported back at the hive. Bees dance to…