This is Viewpoints for Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014 | Macon Telegraph

Race an advantage?

Please permit me a pinch of space to reply to a letter by contributor Faye Tanner in The Telegraph where she opined on my earlier piece suggesting it is time for the Bibb County Board of Education to hire a strong, experienced black female educator as school superintendent. I hasten to say the reason for Tanner’s objection to my suggestion escapes comprehension, but it apparently had something to do with miss-hits, Band-Aids, attributes and God.

Let me be perfectly clear, there are a few jobs where race sometimes is an advantage, and we now see that clearly in Ferguson, Missouri, where Capt. Ron Johnson, a black highway patrolman, is leading security for that troubled town. His relationship and success so far simply could not be reached by a peace officer of any other race. Other examples, suppose an Asian actor tried to perform the part of Morgan Freeman in a movie, or a white singer attempted an Aretha Franklin concert? Success, I think not.

I believe that scenario is present in the Bibb County Public School System where more than 70 percent of the student population is black. Many of those youngsters arrive for the first day of school woefully unprepared due to a lack of early childhood home education. Volumes of reasons have been offered as to why this is a truism, but the fact remains those deprived youngsters have a lot of catching up to do if that are ever to be successful in life. The families of students need someone they can relate to, and the school system needs someone that can stand up to any cry of racism or inequity in the classroom without community outburst. At this time, that can best be done by a qualified black female.

Our new superintendent must bring community change as well as classroom change, else our cycle of poverty and ignorance will continue. There is no magic potion anyone can bring from another city or county that will resolve the early childhood education starvation some children in our community are now experiencing. The basic tenants of education must be blended with computer technology and paths leading to special education, vocational school or college for us to succeed.

Let the search begin for this lady we need so very much, and let it begin by a consideration of the Bibb County teachers and administrators for the job.

-- John G. Kelley Jr.

Macon

Need blessings

Our rights are bestowed upon us by God. The Constitution and our founders affirmed this. The left has continued to attempt to erode this vision and move to have government be the arbiter of our rights. This is why this nation was founded, to be rid of tyrannical government.

We have been lied to and deceived by politicians since our founding and our original rights have slowly been eroded. Either we will have another revolution to cleanse us, or we will become slaves of tyranny.

This is a historic turning point. Will we make the right choices? Will we let our comfort of material things make us selfish cowards or will we sacrifice all for the future freedoms of our progeny? We cannot do this alone.

We need the blessings of God, whom we have forsaken. Will we turn back to him and salvation or embrace his evil counterpart and endure destruction? The time for action is now.

-- David Burkovich

Macon

No big deal

Frank W. Gadbois seems to think there’s a terrible epidemic of gun smuggling going on at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. He shows concern that the new Georgia gun laws “weakened the penalties on passengers caught trying to smuggle loaded guns in carry-on bags.” The new Georgia law only says that valid Georgia Weapons Carry License holders can carry in unsecured areas of the airport. The old laws of flying with your gun stayed the same. Most folks are not very well versed in gun law and as such they are guilty of being negligent, but that’s a far cry from being a gun smuggler.

According to www.Atlanta-Airport.com, nearly 76 million people fly into and out of Hartsfield-Jackson yearly. My math isn’t what it was back in my school days but it seems to me that 90 out of 76 million is not that big of a deal.

-- Matt Renno

Perry

Canine soldiers

As the wife, daughter, sister, great niece and cousin of veterans of this country’s proud service, I very much disagree with the tone of J.S. Waters’ Nov. 11 letter. Yes, Veterans Day originated to honor our country’s fallen heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifice-losing their lives in our country’s service. It was later expanded to include honoring all veterans.

Does Waters not realize how many tens of thousands of troops are alive today because military working dogs prevented them from stepping on land mines or IEDs? How many canine soldiers have been clubbed, stabbed, shot -- or otherwise wounded by enemy combatants in the protection of our troops?

Anyone who has ever been saved by a canine soldier will vouch for the fact that indeed, military working dogs are soldiers, too. I salute our valiant and valued canine service dogs and their most able handlers/partners. A.C. Pup’s column was spot on, and I thank him for recognizing our canine soldiers.

-- Sherry G. Lazzaro

Warner Robins

Turn signals

The purpose of that six-inch lever on the left side of your steering column is to notify oncoming drivers and those behind you that you intend to make a left or right turn.

And please use it correctly, before you brake, not as you are making a turn. I sometimes wonder if the turn signal lever were in the shape of a cell phone, if it would be used appropriately. Using your turn signal is not only a sign of intelligence, it’s a courtesy to other drivers, and not using it is against the law.

Because of improved medical care, our citizens are driving at an older age. Good for them, but there is inherent danger to them on our high speed roads. No one wants our parents or grandparents seriously injured or killed, and speed does kill. Please drive responsibly and obey our traffic laws.

-- Lee Martin

Macon