This is Viewpoints for Sunday, August 30, 2015
Time to change
Last Sunday morning my wife and I bicycled out toward Gray, and on the return loop, as we neared Walnut Creek and Clinton Road, a powerful storm hit. We reached a gas station and under its awning watched as two to three inches of rain fell within half an hour. After it stopped, we descended through Shirley Hills, down to the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail’s northern end. What we saw on the river was disturbing — from the Interstate 16 bridge at that end of the trail all the way down to the Second Street bridge — the river was covered with trash.
There were thousands of bags, cups, cans and bottles floating down river headed for the nearby swamps, our neighbors in Hawkinsville and Abbeville and, eventually, the Atlantic. And though we couldn’t see it from the river walk, there was certainly a potent mix of toxic chemicals in the river’s turbid water, stuff like petroleum residues, antifreeze and hydraulic fluid, excrement and the Lord only knows what else.
We rode through downtown and garbage, which a future storm will flush into the Ocmulgee, littered the streets. Then, as we cycled out of downtown, we passed storm sewers with “Dump No Waste — Drains to Waterway” embossed on lids and a billboard with this question/admonition: “Seriously ... y’all still litter? Time to change your ways.”
— Michael and Yukiko Ryan
Macon
Loose cannon
Donald Trump says he would build a wall on the border and make Mexico pay for it by imposing a tariff on Mexican trade goods. That would be an illegal violation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Think about it: do we really want another loose cannon in the White House?
— Charlie Adams
Fort Valley
Work never done
As a long-term member of the Grand Old Party and a supporter of anyone it offers in opposition to any Democrat in the coming presidential election, I want to personally thank Telegraph columnist Charles E. Richardson for using all his space on last week’s editorial page to instruct we voting pachyderms of the hazards in supporting contender Donald Trump for president of the United States.
Richardson’s generous act almost brings me to tears when I ponder how his column could have been used to rehab front Democratic contender Hillary Rodham Clinton and her current email scandal, Benghazi cover-up and Clinton Foundation slush-fund debacle. Decisions, decisions, decisions.
An editor’s work is never done.
I never miss Richardson’s meanderings whether column, editorial or a mixture of the two beasts. He has some award-wining ideas on how children should be brought up and how they should behave and study in school while mastering a trade or profession that will lift each from poverty and crime into wealth and peace. Albeit, there have been a few times Richardson’s pen has wobbled, particularly in his support of one past county school superintendent.
I yet cannot believe he really wrote that the teaching of a Chinese language in Middle Georgia where a large percentage of our residents are Hispanic was brilliant.
Again, thanks to my newspaper friend for offering to help all GOP’ers regain a foothold on the presidential race many earlier viewed as a shoo-in coronation for Hillary. His grace is without equal. Meanwhile, until a better candidate comes along we will just Trump it up.
— John G. Kelley Jr.
Macon
Circus in town
As an active card-carrying Democrat, I felt that the best way to view the Republican candidates was in a manner we could all enjoy. So I wired the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus and suggested that the next city where a big tent show was scheduled, the entire group of Republican office seekers be invited to debate.
This would be a riot, and the circus clowns could take the night off. No reply yet, but I think it’s a great idea.
— Alfred J. Graham
Macon
Church not in decline
There are over 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide encompassing every race, ethnicity and socioeconomic group on planet Earth. Every second of every day, a Catholic priest is openly and secretly celebrating Mass somewhere on Earth. This includes places like Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Iraq and Somalia. Dr. Cummings in his Aug. 23 column, “Is American Christianity dying” said, “If Catholics go to church, it’s because they have to” is the most ridiculous, asinine and irresponsible statement ever made.
Each and every priest I have known is a devoted disciple of Jesus Christ, not subservient to church doctrine.
The priest’s allegiances and the allegiances of the Catholic community are to the teaching of Jesus and to the physical and spiritual needs of the poor and to God’s children regardless of age or religious affiliation.
Cummings says the Catholic Church needs priests willing to follow the example set in Germany by Father Martin Luther in 1517 if it wants to increase attendance. Believing a priest quitting and starting his own religion would do that is stupid on steroids.
That Cummings wants priests to talk about things like gay bashers, global warming and discrimination instead of the real purpose for our being here is disconcerting to say the least. In the small Catholic Church I attend, it’s not unusual to see whites, blacks, Chinese, Europeans, Hispanics, Koreans, mixed marriages, tradesmen, laborers, doctors, teachers, police officers, etc. with their children kneeling together under the same roof being shepherded by a black priest from Africa whose village and family live in constant fear of attack.
And Cummings asks, “So how do we explain the fact we still have so much segregation in our churches.” Lord have mercy.
— Travis L. Middleton
Peach County
Clampetts are here
I saw a recent news story about an incident that took place at the Save Yourself Survival and Tactical Gear store in Oklahoma. The store declared itself a “Muslim-free” business zone, and then allegedly received a number of death threats. A number of armed, local citizens rushed to protect the store, no doubt believing an attack by ISIS was eminent. What could possibly go wrong? One of these local defenders dropped his weapon and shot himself in the arm.
When the Muskogee County Sheriff Charles Pearson arrived on the scene he commented, “They were holding their weapons with the fingers on the triggers; you can tell a couple of them have no idea about weapons safety. It’s like the Clampetts have come to town.” Law enforcement has enough to do dealing with criminals. They should not also have to worry about boneheads.
Some people like to say, “The only thing that can stop a bad man with a gun is a good man with a gun.” This may or may not be true, but I think we now have evidence that an ignorant man with a gun can stop himself. No one should be allowed to own a firearm without at least a modicum of firearm safety training because the untrained are a danger to themselves and to others.
— Charles J. Pecor
Macon
This story was originally published August 30, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Sunday, August 30, 2015 ."