This is Viewpoints for Friday, February 2, 2018

Boycott the big game

I ask every veteran and family member of a veteran to boycott the upcoming Super Bowl. The NFL has refused to allow a short commercial to be aired asking people to stand for the national anthem. This was not a free commercial — a veterans group was willing to pay for the ad. This is just another slap in the face of all free people of this country and the ones that have served to insure our freedom. The NFL has made their stance clear that freedom of speech only applies if they agree with the speech being put forth. This is just another clear case of the further downfall of the once great nation. Again, I ask all veterans and family member of a veterans to to not watch the upcoming Super Bowl and let the NFL and others with their same feelings know how we see their lack of respect for others ways of thinking by speaking with our dollars as that seems to be the one form of speech that they understand.

Casting too many stones

To Frank W. Gadbois:

Sir, I have read a good many of your letters. In the latest you say that President Trump has told many lies. You have slandered the president in just about every letter published. You take the president’s words and twist them around to suit your own selfishness. I was a Democrat at one time. It is because of people in the party like you that I changed parties. Just about every time I hear a Democrat speak he or she has something derogatory to say about whoever is a Republican leader like the president. Do you hate yourself or the president or both? I bet you never warmed the pew in a church or you would know Jesus said, “He who is without sin cast the first stone.” I have just dropped my stone.

Always build relationships

The greatest leader I ever encountered was my last commander, Col. Matthew St. Clair. In the first days of reporting to my unit, Col. St. Clair handed out a laminated card with his command philosophy. Of the bullets listed on this card, one remains with me: “It’s not about relationships, it’s all about relationships.” See, the world works because we all fill a role to ensure the mechanism of society turns unimpeded. From drilling for oil out on the coast to refining it to pumping it into someone’s car for them to drive to their job supporting people who use their company’s electricity to support other people with their online business, etc.

This thing called life works because we all play a part in keeping it together. When something goes wrong and the machine breaks down, we have to reach out to the person responsible for keeping that section of society running. That’s where the significance of “it’s all about relationships” becomes apparent. Have you ever tried calling customer support and being extremely rude right off the first ring? It doesn’t always work out does it? What about finding a new job? You often need help.

If we want to succeed in this life, either personally or professionally, we must be relationship-centered. We must work together to accomplish the goals we’ve set forth for ourselves and abandon selfish desires to become successful in isolation. When we win when others win. After all, it’s not about relationships, it’s all about relationships.

The Republic of Error

Steve Bullington of Adrian wrote an eloquent letter about winners and losers but lost all credibility when he mistakenly referred to our system of government as a “democracy.” A lot of people make this mistake and I’m not sure why. Is it ignorance ore indifference?

Let’s really be equal

Please, not the state of Georgia. Do we not understand as long as our leaders advertise and practice hiring people based on race will never end racial conflicts nor discrimination? We use diversity as a tool to do both, yet our country passes laws against both and then brags about how we are a country that follows the rule of law, against racial profiling, discrimination, treat all equal and etc. Same practice as allowing illegals and illegal activity.

Therefore, forgetting about Georgia and our country’s failure to stand for laws, justice and equalization, have we lost all common sense as in a statement made by Valdosta Police Chief Brian Childress? Mr. Childress, who is in charge of protecting all to the best of his capability by hiring the best applicants based on their qualification and capability, instead thinks hiring people based on race makes us stronger. Stronger in what — discrimination? In my opinion, it makes better sense to hire based the capability and qualifications of individuals. Why in this world do some continue to degrade, judge and hire based on race? Even Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was against such. Does Mr. Childress assume that so-called minority applicants will not meet the department’s qualifications? I expected more from Georgia than from our government that is noted for governing based on its classification of all people.

No, not everyone should be able to have a gun

I don’t agree with our mayor’s recommendation of a fully armed city of Warner Robins because of recent shootings in our city. I don’t want to see a city hall where all staff are openly carrying weapons. More guns usually only produce more crime and shootings.

Our recent state gun law does not require mandatory gun-safety training after obtaining a concealed weapons permit/firearms permits,etc. But after a resident self-commits for mental health/drug treatments and is released, they can go buy a gun at a local store. This ignores the basic fact that their treatment is not likely to cure them forever!

Even if we had an armed citizenry that had gone through mandatory gun safety training this would not guarantee that every citizen would fire a gun safely if required to. Shooting the alleged bad guy could force you to hire a trial lawyer to defend yourself in court which would be very expensive.

Let’s let our mayor and city council hire private security guards who are fully trained for our city hall. That would be the professional way to handle security at our city hall. Not trying to convert our city employees to be on our police SWAT Team which would likely create liability issues.

This story was originally published February 1, 2018 at 2:11 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Friday, February 2, 2018."