This is Viewpoints for Thursday, March 23, 2017

Major adjustment

House Bill 515, a bill currently awaiting a vote in the state Senate, is nothing short of an assault on voting rights. The bill makes adjustments to boundaries of nine districts and would result in thousands of people being shifted, without an opportunity to vote, into another representative’s district. Setting aside the fact that this is a craven attempt to preserve voting majorities (this bill would overwhelmingly benefit sitting congressmen who won with slim margins last year), it robs people of their right to be represented by someone who campaigned for their vote.

Imagine, if you will, the fury and betrayal you would feel if you woke up tomorrow and found out that, instead of being in Rep. Austin Scott’s district, you were in Rep. Sanford Bishop’s (or vice versa) district. Imagine that this was a move made without your consent or input. Well, that’s not a hypothetical for the citizens of nine Georgia precincts. If voting rights matter to you, please contact your state Senator and urge them to vote against HB 515.

No Christian Crusades?

There were no “Christian Crusades” or “Christian Inquisition.” The Crusades and the Inquisition did happen, but they were sanctioned by the Roman Catholic Church. They were never supported or endorsed by Bible believers.

Jesus came to the Jews as their Messiah. When they rejected him, Israel as a nation, was set aside and God chose Paul to be the apostle to the Gentiles revealing to him the truths concerning the body of Christ which is the church. Jew and Gentile alike are saved by faith in Jesus Christ and make up the body of Christ. One day the body of Christ will be removed and God will once again deal with Israel as his favored nation and will restore it.

As you read the Pauline epistles you are reading what Jesus revealed to the church through the Apostle Paul. If you reject the doctrines and truths revealed to Paul you are rejecting Jesus and what he has to say to the church. It was Jesus himself who said, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Consider this carefully

Things have really become confusing. We are now told that there are different kinds of news. There is the regular news, “fake” news, and another news category akin to “fake” news which one of the president’s closest advisers introduced. To this mix we can add “speculative” news.

President Trump revealed that former President Obama had ordered that phones at Trump Tower be wiretapped. FBI Director James Comey suggested that the Justice Department refute Trump’s claim. Some pundits have surmised that Comey’s position may have been predicated by his having been involved in the wiretapping. At the time, that was pure speculation.

Where we get our news is very important. Not everyone is as trustworthy as Walter Cronkite had been. Fox News and CNN are obviously biased. The former leans to the right while the latter goes left. Major network newscasts are usually neutral. If they veer in any direction, it’s generally to the left. Social media, which are replete with fairy tales, should be avoided. Some want to hear only what they want to hear. But those who seek the truth must consider their news source very carefully.

Looking for opportunity

Each month, we see colorful ribbons representing different causes adorning the lapels of business leaders and soccer moms alike. There are so many different causes that many of them share the same color. During the month of March, we celebrate and shine a light on a cause that gets little press or attention. March is Developmental Disability Awareness Month and I hope you will join me in bringing attention to a cause that is near and dear to my heart.

I have spent a good portion of my adult life providing support to persons with developmental disabilities. During this time, many changes have occurred, both good and bad. During the last 10 years, Georgia has closed institutions and now provides services to individuals in their communities. Many now live in nice homes with their own bedrooms full of their own things which they bought with their own money. Instead of activities in completely segregated settings, individuals are being supported to participate in clubs, churches and recreational facilities in their communities where they can meet people and have the opportunity to develop friendships.

Individuals are learning about “rights.” They are learning that they have these rights, can exercise these rights, and that these rights cannot be taken away. They are exercising the right to wear what they want, eat what they want, get up and go to bed when they want. And yes, they are exercising the right to eat junk food, stay up all night, and keep a messy room, rights each one of us has exercised at one time or another.

I have witnessed these advances, yet other changes come more slowly. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ushered in some positive changes. Public transportation is more accessible now, the aisles in grocery stores are wider, and ramps are widespread. However, one thing has gotten worse: employment.

I know of many, many individuals I support who have volunteer jobs, but very few receive compensation for services they have provided. Even though many companies proudly say they hire persons with disabilities, the numbers don’t add up. The employment rate for the general population in 2010 was 79 percent compared to 41 percent for persons with disabilities and the vast majority of those were persons with physical disabilities with a college education.

During the month of March extend the hand of community and friendship to persons with developmental delays. Like the old saying goes, they don’t want a hand out, just a hand. The hand of opportunity. Opportunity for friendships, opportunity for inclusion, opportunity for community and opportunity for employment. Isn’t that what each of us wants in the end?

This story was originally published March 22, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Thursday, March 23, 2017."