This is Viewpoints for Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015
Please go away — for good
When is it ever OK and timely for a large development corporation to decide to place a humongous project into an existing neighborhood ruining not only that neighborhood but another one across the street? “People who say, “Well, it’s eventual” or “you can’t stop progress” (sound familiar Commissioner Al Tillman?), they are just wrong. It’s not eventual and never should be. It’s an intrusion into our community zoned for single-family homes, not apartments. A project for single-family condos would be willingly accepted.
This is what Southern Pines and Sierra are trying to do. I live in Stone Edge and my neighbors are in Ashford Park and along Zebulon Road. We just came out of a lawsuit against Planning & Zoning. Judge Ed Ennis declared P&Z out of bounds regarding a proposal by Blackwater of Alabama. We can’t believe we are facing this again. How could Southern Pines and Sierra ever think this would be OK? Zebulon Road is not Roswell Road or Peachtree Street/Road and we don’t want it to be. They have land for sale beside Kohl’s. They should use that for more restaurants. It’s zoned for that. We were promised no more commercial development beyond Northway Church and Sonny Carter School.
At the most recent meeting with the new encroachers “they” stated that developments such as this had gone up in Atlanta with no ill effects. I don’t believe the surrounding neighborhoods would agree with that assessment. I grew up there. This is not Atlanta and we don’t want four-story buildings with apartments and stores/restaurants scattered about. The Lofts on Bass, College Street and Mercer University are huge. I understand they are also trying to do the same in a downtown neighborhood near the Medical Center much to the heartbreak of those neighbors.
The recent Telegraph article Sept. 17 by Linda Morris implied that we, the residents, might be OK with some version of this proposal. We are not and do not accept the inevitability of such projects like Blackwater or Southern Pines/Sierra.
There are no berms high or trees tall enough to block out the sight of four story buildings or the accompanying lighting. And the drawbacks to the community of noise, traffic, possible crime and added students to Sonny Carter are no different than the Blackwater proposal.
“They” say they are on our side and wish only to protect us from companies like Blackwater. Who are they kidding? Not us.
— Diane Gambrell
Macon
Macon Charter problems
I was delighted to learn some teachers and parents at Macon Charter Academy are speaking out against some school policies and behaviors of a few students at that school. According to The Telegraph there have been numerous incidences of student disruptions and even property destruction at MCA and it is not being kept in a sanitary condition. Student discipline is lacking as reported by a school volunteer and teacher, and there are few consequences for those that bite or strike a teacher. Some school leaders consider such acts as “age appropriate” or cultural deprivation reflections. Even the owners of the building are reportedly concerned about maintenance of the new facility and investment security.
Bibb County taxpayers are spending thousands of dollars each year for MCA’s product and everyone should join those parents and staff in holding it to higher standards. Perhaps a beginning is to institute a policy of progressive punishment for disruptive students that culminates in suspension.
The students at MCA have just a few short years to get a basic education that prepares them for vocational training or college attendance, and if that is not done some will become victims of our massive welfare and penal systems.
I have lived in public housing and in spacious brick homes with garden yards, and can attest to which is better. A few years of education made the difference. Hopefully, MCA’s problems will improve in the near future with continued parental and community oversight and more attention from its state regulatory authority. It has been said that a mind is a terrible thing to waste, and that is just what will happen unless it is filled with discipline and education. That outcome is as predictable as night follows day.
— John G. Kelley Jr.
Macon
More invites?
Our country was richly blessed by the pope’s visit and it truly was a historical event. After his welcoming by our president and his speech in front of Congress I was expecting an outcry from the “separation of church and state” crowd.
What, no protests from the American Civil Liberties Union, the crowd that decries school prayers at football games and graduations? I guess the separation of church and state crowd doesn’t apply to a religious leader who lectures us on global warming, income inequality and immigration policies and other social ills (and he has every right to do so).
I wonder if the head rabbi, or the leader of the Muslim or Christian or any other faith would get an invitation to speak in front of Congress. I think not.
— Lou Stennes
Warner Robins
Eliminates all sin
I can’t remember when I’ve read a bigger blunder than Bill Cummings’ Sept. 27 column on the Bible. I don’t know what church Cummings attends, but I’ve heard several pastors preach verse by verse through 1 Timothy and all of the rest of the books of the Bible. Cummings repeatedly attacks the Bible which he says contains “stupid statements.”
In essence, he is saying the Bible has errors and is not the word of God. He offers no proof for these accusations except his own opinion. He says, “I refuse to hold God accountable for these blatant blunders,” yet it is God who gave us the Bible, so actually he is holding God accountable. He is calling God a liar.
What he should’ve done is admit he doesn’t understand the Bible because if he did he’d realize that belief in and obedience to the holy scriptures would eliminate all crimes and discrimination against women not to mention do away with child abuse, abortion, murder, robbery and all other sins that plague society.
The problem is while the Bible is perfect and pure, man’s heart is evil and wicked so instead of admitting their sinfulness they’d rather attack God’s word.
— Craig Giddens
Warner Robins
This story was originally published September 28, 2015 at 5:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015 ."