This is Viewpoints for Monday, September 18, 2017

Blessed

Irma has passed on leaving a mess we are determined to address. Lost power early Monday, restored around 7 p.m. Thursday by a “crew” from Massachusetts. (They did not ask any political/religious questions, only responding to my crisp military salute with one of their own as power was restored. I then thanked them as they left inviting them back South under more hospitable conditions. “Coming together is a beginning; staying together is progress; working together is success.”

We are all most blessed, only lacking in acknowledging same, more frequently.

Blue Week

The Georgia Prostate Cancer Coalition will once again hold its GPCC “Blue Week” (beginning Sept. 18) and “Know Your Score Night” with the Georgia High School Association to increase awareness of the disease that strikes thousands of men each year.

On Sept. 22, “Know Your Score Night,” throughout the state, football coaches will wear “Know Your Score” wristbands and players will have blue decals on their helmets. Game officials will be throwing blue penalty flags.

For more information about “Blue Week” contact Harry Taylor at 478-718-7173.

Where are we going?

We have condoned misusing and abusing our waters and animals that God gave us. We have condoned the use of our bodies in ways God did not intend. We have killed babies and brought children into the world without love and care through adultery and fornication. We have allowed foreigners to take over our businesses and we have become involved in every sort of sexual deviancy. What is this great nation coming to?

No more DACA

I will not suggest any solutions to DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). What I worry about is 10 years from now and DACA 2, DACA 3 and so on. Let’s grow up and protect our borders No more DACA.

No good deed

Last June I met this homeless couple who I thought was down on their luck. I agreed to let them stay in my home for two or three days if they would work around the yard. After two days of them not doing anything, I asked them to leave and they refused. I had to get an eviction notice that gave them three days to leave. After seeing the notice, they went outside to talk and soon after, a Houston County Sheriffs deputy shows up to arrest me on several charges the couple made up. I didn’t have a criminal record and I couldn’t believe this was happening. I’m taken to jail while they’re in my house. A house that’s in only my name.

I bond out and go to a friends house next door. About an hour after being released, here comes Houston County again and I’m arrested for aggravated stalking. Again, false charges, but there is no bail and here I sit in the Houston County Detention Center.

This same couple I tried to help has broken into my safe and stolen my guns, a $1,600 lawn mower and a Social Security check, plus they hot-wired my truck, and took all my tools and anything else they could sell. Who reports all this stuff stolen? The homeless couple who have a long criminal record for doing the same thing to other people, but nobody wants to listen to me.

Most emergency visits valid

Patients in a medical emergency generally make the right call, but as mentioned in your June 29 article, “Going to the emergency room? Starting July 1, this insurer may not pay,” (http://www.macon.com/news/state/georgia/article158817114.html) if a Georgia patient goes to the emergency department with an issue later determined not to be an emergency, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield may not cover their visit.

In a recent study, researchers from the University of California at San Francisco found that only 3.3 percent of emergency department visits can be considered “avoidable.” The research shows that defining what constitutes an “avoidable” visit is arbitrary, and determining this after the fact overlooks the disparity between initial symptoms and final diagnosis. Understandably, it is difficult for anyone other than a licensed medical practitioner to classify their symptoms as an emergency.

Unfortunately, a local insurer has taken action to increase the fear and worry around emergency department visits. Anthem changed its emergency department policy for Georgia policyholders earlier this summer, forcing patients to make tough medical decisions without the input of a doctor.

As long-time health care advocates, we want to highlight this study and urge Anthem to fix its policy. We believe it violates the basic tenants of the insurer/patient agreement and provides yet another example of abusive practices that prevent Americans from accessing quality health care.

History lesson?

During the 1930’s, a man (Hitler), amazingly galvanized the people of Germany, not unlike what has happened in North Korea, to establish the master race. Fifty million lives later, tens of millions injured and hundreds of millions left homeless. America, like others, did not heed his warning or take action until we were attacked at Pearl Harbor.

Now with North Korea, we are looking at a nuclear war. Russia has been very aggressive with its acknowledgments. Putin knows talk will not resolve this. The United Nation is asleep. It was announced today, “Korea will eats grass in order to prevail with their nuclear systems.” China refuses to put the hammer down. South Korea and Japan are moments away from total destruction.

Guam is home to one of our military bases and has been announced as a first target area by North Korea. Talk is not the weapon of choice this time. Could some the hundreds of retired officers reading this article present a logical plan to survival?

This story was originally published September 17, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Monday, September 18, 2017."