This is Viewpoints for Monday, July 24, 2017

I-16 enforcement

When the four young ladies were killed because a semi slammed into the rear of their vehicle killing these promising nursing students, I wrote in to this column to decry the lack of law enforcement on this highway. I go to Dublin on this road and some people think it is their personal racetrack, weaving in and out of traffic to arrive at their destination maybe five minutes sooner than if they had obeyed the speed limit.

Once again we are hearing of tragedy on this highway as three people were killed by another semi driver who has allegedly been charged with vehicular homicide. I hope someone with connections on The Telegraph know someone, anyone, who can get the message out for stricter policing on this thoroughfare because it is very dangerous to be driven.

Rules of the road need to change. Big trucks should never be allowed into the passing lane. On my way home from the VA in Dublin, I had to jam on my brakes because the semi in front of me was going one or two miles faster than the semi in front of him. Only when law enforcement is on the side of the road should they be allowed to traverse into the passing lane if there is no traffic beside them.

The truckers are hauling many of the containers coming into the port of Savannah, and are a vital life link to getting goods to the marketplace. Yet it seems as though the drivers are ill-trained, reckless, and are causing traffic problems. When I pass the semis I can tell the professional drivers from the ones who think they own the road. Courtesy should be the rule of the day on any highway, but on Interstate-16, there needs to be some real enforcement.

Error comment

Mike Smith’s “Fake news” letter (7/17 ) was very true and well written. It is obvious the editor disagrees as she had to make a snide remark in reply to his letter. I think, Smith mistakenly used Paul McCartney’s name instead of John Lennon’s in his letter. Was it really necessary for his error to be commented upon by the editor ? It is very reassuring to know that every article printed by The Telegraph is error free.

The editor is a he, and since Mr. Smith was talking about “fake news,” there was no controversy over John Lennon’s death. He was assassinated by Mark David Chapman on Dec. 8, 1980 in New York City. McCartney, however, is very much alive.

Did I miss something?

Just when I think Erick Erickson is starting to make some sense, out pops something. “It may not be illegal, but getting Russian help to beat an American presidential candidate is way more Manchurian candidate than anything Obama did.” Did I miss something? What sort of colluding did Obama do? Could you please stay on topic? If I am uninformed about this Obama colluding, please teach me. If you are just dropping another, blame it on Obama, please stop it. It hurts his position.

Intellectual plane

I saw a billboard on Hwy. 96 the other day that read “A cockroach can live for a week without its head.” So, it was of no particular surprise to find out that Sean Hannity of Fox News has managed to live much longer without a brain. His particular brand of conspiracy theories seems, in some ways, to eclipse that of the venerable whack job, Glenn Beck. Beck, whose own career arc included an almost endless stream of increasingly bizarre and baseless rants on his canceled CNN crazy cast, eventually burrowed his way into the Fox bunker. Too weird for even Fox News, and that is saying something. Beck was soon off to greener pastures on radio.

Fortunately, we have Kelley Anne Conway to help us through the gibberish. Did I write help? Yes, improbable as it seems, Kelley Anne, as agile and slippery as that pile of Hagfish dumped on the highway yesterday, came out on Fox (where else) to explain current events to the poor unenlightened Fox News viewers and hosts. She even brought flashcards to make it easier for folks to understand the inexplicable chain of events brought on by that group of real estate salesmen now in the White House.

The flash cards, more commonly seen on Sesame Street and other childrens shows on PBS, seemed to be very effective, as the segment was repeated on other Fox News shows over several days.

I suppose one might fairly surmise that both Sesame Street and Fox New viewers operate on the same intellectual plane. Just saying.

Disappointing trend

I’m concerned that American political dialogue is sinking to name calling and derision for all citizens holding opinions that differ from our own. Bob Norcott’s opinion “Fools,” published July 13, exemplifies this disappointing trend that sets American against American. Calling each other stupid, dimwits and fools adds only heat but no light to our political debate.

I served 28 years in our military defending every American’s right to express their own opinion, even when it’s opposite to mine. America’s future rests on its citizens’ willingness to remain civil, listen to each other, and work to develop mutually acceptable compromises. It is my prayer that we can find the wisdom and strength to do so.

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