This is Viewpoints for Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Evil Democrats

John Ricks of Cochran might not be a believer, but evil lurks in this earth. Yes I know there are evil Republicans and evil in all races. I know it’s hard for double standard liberals to admit there are evil liberals. I said I was not calling out individuals, but it is a fact that the Democratic Party represents the people behind all the evil laws against God in this country. The Democratic Party was not as it is now. Jimmy Carter certainly was not evil, just naive. The Democratic Party was also the party of slavery, and still is.

Treason?

I’m writing about my concern for America’s relationship with Europe following President Trump’s first overseas trip. The fact that our allies are questioning our loyalty due to Trump’s behavior is terrifying when you consider the Russia investigations surrounding this administration. It looks as though Trump is trying to disrupt our relationships with our allies. Why? Is he acting on Putin’s command?

I believe that Germany saying we are no longer considered trustworthy calls for a conversation about treason. I do not believe Trump is acting in America’s best interests. With all of the recent details about Russia, including Jared Kushner’s business deals and communication, it is becoming clear that something must be done to preserve our democracy, because no legislation is as important as knowing whether or not our president has and is continuing to commit treason. I ask Sens. Johnny Isakson, David Perdue, and Rep. Austin Scott to s tart this conversation and show that we will not tolerate this.

Know your PSA number

The government through the years has gotten a lot of things right, i.e. seat belts, air bags, discouraging any smoking and drinking alcohol to excess. The government’s recommendations concerning prostate cancer have, in my opinion, been dubious. First and foremost, the people making the recommendations are not, as a rule, urologists, “experts.” We do know that all men of African American decent need a PSA blood test starting at 45 years of age. When the PSA is over three they then need close observation or a biopsy and staging. All other men need a PSA starting at age 50 or sooner if they have a strong family history.

Early diagnosis and treatment is important in all cancers. Watchful waiting if the PSA is static or slowly rising. Eighty percent of individuals 80 years old have the slow growing or microscopic prostate cancer. I have a colleague who had prostate excision for cancer, when he was 80 years old because all of his family lived until their 90s. The options for early prostate cancers are many. Some cancers are slow growing like an oak tree and some are fast growing like the pine tree.

In treatment options one must weigh the benefits versus the risks. I had prostate cancer at 57 and that had a nerve sparking prostatectomy that had a positive margin. My PSA started elevating 10 years later and I underwent external beam irradiation. I am 82 years old and my PSA is zero. My brother is seven years my junior and at age 52 he had prostatectomy and his PSA is zero. I told my surgical patients who had cancer to undergo all of the treatments and then get on with their lives.

In America there are around 200,000 cases of prostate cancer a year and around 30,000 deaths. Again, early diagnosis is the key. Know your PSA number. Get your colonoscopy when indicated. I have known too many friends and colleagues die from prostate cancer. It can be a terrible disease.

Extreme view of meat

John Bennett offered a fascinating review of meat industry history and statistics and I gather he probably doesn’t like to eat meat. That’s fine and he’s not alone in that preference. But he never gives any suggestion of why he thinks it necessary to shut down the meat and dairy industries. That’s a pretty extreme position to take for just not liking meat.

Appropriate label

For several decades, the left wing media in this country has attempted to attach labels to every segment of our population, especially the segments which do not share its worldview. l was reading a a story last night on Yahoo news and I think whoever wrote it came up with a label that I’d never seen before but one I think I can live with. It’s one that they meant to be derogatory. I am now a “white nationalist.” Yep, I’m white and I love this nation I live in.

The story was written about a U.S. congressman who was foolish enough to actually lament the decline of the white population in this country. The congressman used a poor choice of words to express his sentiment and has been subsequently and appropriately vilified by said liberal press for his crimes against humanity. Anyway, I just wanted to thank Yahoo news (what an appropriate name) for helping me figure out a label that I can wear proudly.

Stellar page

The Telegraph “foretold their bases loaded home run in Tuesday’s edition, Page 4A Opinion Page so emphatically that I felt compelled to look at the date to assure myself that it was not also an opinion with all that was on this page.

The column at the left from the chief “opinionated” Yarbrough set the stage for those determined to “out Cummings” Cummings.

“To the woodshed” you questioners of fundamentalists; moralist do-gooders; fallen Democrats; until you again read Albert Reichert Jr.’s letter of brotherly love or should a very limber switch be administered, with the admonition “this will hurt me more than it does you” is shouted from the Opinion Page.”

No cruelty here

I am tired of vegetarians and vegans trying to push their choice of foods on me. I am going to eat real meat and drink real milk. I also want real eggs. I do not want and will not drink soy or almond milk. I do not want imitation meat, and that is what plant-based meat is. Animals are meant for eating. If you don’t want to then that is your choice, but as for me, I will eat meat even if I have to raise and slaughter them myself. And that is not animal cruelty.

This story was originally published June 6, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Wednesday, June 7, 2017."