This is Viewpoints for Tuesday, August 22, 2017

New committee

I see other small cities have cashed in on what they have. One small city started up a fishing derby on a nearby lake and it now makes millions of dollars. I have always wondered why Warner Robins people think it no big deal that over many years the area has beaten out places like New York City and Chicago when it comes to beauty pageants and Little League sports?

I am so very proud of the young people here who have outdone millions of others around the U.S. Can any other city large or small say its Little League baseball teams, boys and girls beat out the entire nation?

I think we should appoint a panel of citizens to come up with ideas to promote Warner Robins and take advantage of what we have. Maybe a new beauty pagent complex? We have Miss America, but take little advantage of that fact.

Individual charity

Contrary to Terry Thompson’s typical liberal belief, the Constitution is not a living, breathing document that changes with the times. Times changed in December 1941, so I suppose that he agreed with the internment of tens of thousands of U.S. citizens of Japanese ancestry simply because times changed? The Constitution exists to protect the rights of the minority. Without it, our government would simply be like two wolves and a lamb voting on what’s for supper.

When Jesus confronted the rich young ruler, he didn’t say for him to sell all he had and give it to the government so that they could take care of the poor. He told him to give it to the poor directly. Charity was expected to be voluntary and done by the individual, not the government. President Ronald Reagan said that a government big enough to provide for your every need is big enough to take everything that you have. Unlike liberals, I believe in personal responsibility, not a nanny state.

Unicorns don’t exist and neither does inexpensive, universal health care. That is a liberal pipe dream. True conservatives understand that absent the profit motive, costs will not be controlled. Inherently inefficient, government is incapable of delivering inexpensive, universal anything.

I have grown weary of the liberal mantra about big corporations and “fat cats” not paying their fair share of taxes. The Supreme Court got it right in 1935 when it stated, “Anyone may so arrange his affairs that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose a pattern which will best pay the Treasury; there is not even a patriotic duty to increase one’s taxes.” Taking advantage of provisions of the tax laws is not evil as liberals would have us believe.

Study wrong

America doesn’t need another Pearl Harbor, especially a nuclear one. While high powered mucky-mucks in Washington, D.C., squander time, someone of the high powered mucky-mucks better come to the conclusion that it is no time to look for interceptor missiles we don’t have, or 30-year-old retaliatory missiles that have been reworked many times.

It’s almost past time to take out North Korea’s launch capabilities. Our Navy in the area should be ready to take out his ships and missile capabilities. But we will probably wait until we absorb a nuclear attack, you know, in traditional fashion.

‘Worst of times’

On February 8, 1736, the ship (Brig) reached Savannah, Georgia with the first group of colonists from England. It was said of England in those times: “The prisons and poor houses were full and a colony not for paupers or criminals, but for those who might become so without help was decided upon by wealthy Londoners.”

But, who were they that wasn’t poor in England at the time since every acre of land was owned by some duke, earl or lord. And when Parliament passed the Enclosure acts, the rich royalty fenced in their estates and shut out the poor forcing them into the streets. It was reported that in 1741 alone, of the 10,000 unemployed. most of them starved to death. Women and children worked 12 to 15 hours in coal mines as slaves.

The same man who accompanied James Oglethorpe to Georgia with the first colonists later returned to England and in 1741, John Wesley established two Christian schools for children. These were just part of the many things Wesley did to rescue the poor. Wesley’s income was about $100,000 per year, but he gave it all away to help the poor.

Charles Dickens, the noted writer of “The Christmas Carol,” said of the 18th century in England: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” For the poor it was the worst of times, but Wesley and his workers tried to make it better for the poor. It is no wonder that it is said that Wesley died penniless.

Pay it forward

Please allow me to use your letters column to share a random act of kindness and to express my thanks to four unknown persons who assisted me in a most stressful situation.

My car died on Aug. 15 at the busy Riverside Drive/Pierce Avenue intersection during the heavy noon time traffic period, partially blocking the Pierce Avenue southbound lanes. While calling AAA for towing assistance, a very nice female Bibb County deputy arrived telling me I had to move the car. She crossed over to the drive-in market and recruited three volunteers who, along with her,pushed the car uphill into a parking lot which relieved the traffic situation. My effort to give them a few dollars was politely refused and when leaving, they wished me a “may God bless you.” Again, my thanks to each of them and I intend to pay it forward.

Good deeds all around

I wanted to express my gratitude of thanks to the family and their friends who placed the headstones back on their bases at Evergreen cemetery. Also, thanks to the lady who noticed this act of vandalism and took photos to place on 13 WMAZ’s Facebook page, which brought it to the attention of my cousin’s wife, who in turn, let me know, since one of the pictures were of our grandparents’ headstone.

I would like it made known that Clark Memorials had agreed to place the headstone back on our grandparents’ base prior to that family doing this great deed. Clark Memorials had already spoken to a lady from the city of Macon and told the lady that they would place all of the headstones back on their bases at no charge to anybody.

This story was originally published August 21, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Tuesday, August 22, 2017."