This is Viewpoints for Monday, April 24, 2017

No regard for health

Another Earth Day came and went with little notice in Middle Georgia. Yet the real facts tell us humanity is headed up the wrong alley and the children today will have a tough time dealing with the climate their ancestors are leaving them. These people include parents, grandparents and entities run by people such as cities and even churches.

Recently, I was saddened to see a banner on Cherry Street government property advertising an oil company. I was also amazed to hear that St. Joseph Catholic Church accepted oil money from this local oil company and Exxon.

I have been trying to get information on Macon’s climate action plan but apparently, growth trumps it’s residents’ health, with their vision to waste money on airport runways, and expensive road improvements which do not take pedestrians and bike riders into consideration.

Without leadership from the the city and the churches to be kind to the planet and all of its creatures, we are headed straight down the alley to hell.

A way forward?

I am glad Warner Robins has identified a list of recreational facilities. I never was a proponent of a multi-field softball park. But I think four multi-covered basketball gyms is excessive. The yearly maintenance and security cost for four would be high. Therefore, I think one would be sufficient. The city would be better served if it built one basketball gym and four outdoor basketball courts. An adequate senior citizen facility would get a lot of use. A multi-use program facility is a great investment. It should be large enough to host a fine art center, a photo center, a pottery center and a ceramics center. There are many groups in the community that would provide volunteers to teach classes. This would be very beneficial to young residents and adults who want to expand their interests and talents. Participants could hold exhibits, conduct competitions and sell their work. This will increase community awareness and interest and may even bring in tourists.

My only concern is the cost. I hope the city does not spend more than the $20 million expected from the sales tax. I realize the tax will generate money over a six year period. Therefore, I recommend that the city develop a plan to construct these facilities as the money becomes available. The cost to issue bonds and pay interest will mean less money for the facilities. We do not need everything at once. We have waited this long, a little longer will not be detrimental.

Compliments?

We moved here from Southern California in June so my granddaughter, who is six, could get a better education, which has worked out quite well. However, after reading the Orange County Register (California) newspaper for 45 years, I was worried that I would not find a comparable newspaper in Georgia. Boy was I wrong. For me The Telegraph is a much better paper, smaller and covering the major issues quite nicely. The comic section is the best I have seen. I have trouble walking due to back surgery so my delivery person, Amanda Beasley I believe, brings the paper to my front door which I appreciate.

I do have a couple questions: 1) my brother and myself are Auburn alums (engineering), as is my daughter (math and computer science) and my uncle (veterinarian), so why then is the word Auburn not allowed in this fine paper; and 2) why is The Telegraph such a left leaning paper in central Georgia which is quite conservative? A prime example are the articles in the Opinion Section by Thomas L. Friedman from the N.Y. Times. Both Friedman and the Times are flaming liberals, does anybody ever fact check what this guy writes. Thanks for a great paper

Man’s rights

It really disgusts me when one, especially members of Congress, identify “rights.” While the Trump administration is attempting to delete and replace Obamacare, one member of Congress who is against repealing Obamacare said Trump has to replace it because Congress passing Obamacare into law made having health insurance a “right.” If Congress can pass laws making them “rights,” it seem to me the law have to apply to all, and should cost the same for the same coverage. “Rights” are not passed out by Congress with exceptions.

Government was set to protect man from harm including criminals. The Constitution was written to protect man from government and the Bill of Rights was not directed against private citizens, but against the government. Therefore, individual rights supersede any public or social power. So the two potential violators of man’s rights are criminals and the government.

Wake up

A great letter by Carlton Cook. He is exactly right. This is exactly what the mission of Muslim Fatah is all about. I personally don’t trust any of them. The Bible states in Genesis that Satan was more crafty or shrewd than any other creature and he just slithered into the garden and got him an inch and gained a mile. That’s exactly what the Muslim Fatah agenda is all about. Our Lord and Savior declared in his holy word that you can’t serve two masters. Wake up America before its too late and we become like France.

Parables

I enjoyed reading Tracy McCollister’s viewpoint about Sonny Perdue. She mentioned how Sonny “is well qualified to follow in the ‘blood line’ of God in the agriculture job. He is a solid Christian with an understanding of seeds and harvest.”

A good explanation of seed time and harvest is when Jesus mentioned in Matthew 13:1-11.

Sonny Purdue is perhaps best known as the Georgia governor who prayed for rain on the steps of the state Capitol during a drought. The event drew a crowd and national headlines. According to McCollister, it rained. Let’s continue to pray for our president and his cabinet.

This story was originally published April 23, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Monday, April 24, 2017."