This is Viewpoints for Monday, Oct. 26, 2015
What did he mean?
Mike Smith responded to my recent Viewpoints letter, saying "We need to get lazy people off welfare." Who was he referring to? Was he referring to senior citizens receiving Social Security? Social Security is not a welfare program. It's an earned benefit. And contrary to what Sen. David Perdue has been insinuating, Social Security did not contribute one cent to the national debt.
There are something like 15 million children in this country going hungry. Charles Richardson, in a recent commentary (Richardson: Sounding the alarm, Oct. 4), wrote: "There are higher numbers of children in poverty in our public schools than ever before. Today, more than half of Georgia's schoolchildren are impoverished (62.2 percent)." Was Smith referring to these children?
Perhaps he was referring to our veterans. Republicans waved and cheered when they sent young soldiers into war — Iraq and Afghanistan. When they returned, they were ignored and forgotten. Republicans continue advocating pouring more money into the military budget but oppose helping our returning veterans.
So who was Smith referring to as being lazy? Senior citizens who have worked hard all their lives and are now receiving their Social Security? Or begrudge a hungry child a meal? Or simply lambasting our veterans for the meager assistance they receive?
It gets a little old hearing greedy, narcissistic individuals making exaggerated claims about people receiving some type of assistance as being lazy.
— Ronald L. Cain
Elko
Likes the changes
In response to the letter from Jeanna Hayes Cook about the puzzle page, I too was upset the first day. We humans hate change, I get that. But after realizing that the crossword was bigger and the Sudoku was a tad easier, I was happy. Also, she should try the 7 Little Words to replace Cryptoquote. I meant to write and let you know how pleased I was with the changes right away, but again, humans also have a tendency to only comment when there is a problem.
Which brings me to my sincere plea. Please, please, please find a way to put the crossword grid at the bottom of the space and the answer to yesterday's puzzle at the top. Anyone who actually works the puzzle will tell you, it is very awkward to reach up over the clues to fill in the grid.
— RuthAnn Fitzpatrick
Warner Robins
Challenging puzzles
Kudos to Jeanna Hayes Cook for her letter on the puzzles (or lack thereof) in The Telegraph on Oct. 23. I have been completely frustrated with trying to complete the Universal Crossword each day. I realize I should be challenging my aging brain, but this is too much.
My hardcopy crossword dictionary and use of computer still leaves me with omissions. According to the editor's note, "Keep checking the page. Changes are afoot." Those changes can't come soon enough.
— Wynanne Hilliard
Macon
We can do better
As I was reading Rinda Wilson's "Special to The Telegraph" opinion piece this morning, I disagreed with pretty much everything she said, which is not unusual. Her narrow-minded and condescending views make me sad, but I accept that she is not alone in having them.
However, I was truly astonished to read her last paragraph which included, "Every vote for a Democrat literally furthers the radical social agenda vigorously approved of and promoted by the leaders of this political party. And to those voters who didn't realize what a vote for a Democrat fully means — well, now you do."
My surprise didn't come from Wilson's having this belief, but from the fact that she is chair of the Bibb County Board of Elections.
Oh, she must have stepped down from that position, I thought, because surely no one who is expected to be fair on the Board of Elections would blatantly share those views publicly even though I understand the board slots are partisan. I even called the Board of Elections to verify that she was still the chair — and she is. Surely Wilson — and we — can do better.
— Laurie Lankin
Macon
The right to vote
It's bad enough that we have to have original copies of our birth certificates and Social Security cards to obtain a driver's license in our state. But now we can look forward to the same requirements to register to vote. Just like in Alabama, Arizona and Kansas.
Whenever our bureaucrats and politicians in Atlanta work out the details for the new requirements to register to vote, we will see a roadblock designed to deny our citizens their right to vote. Is this a blatant attempt by our Republican state government to deny our poorest citizens and college students, et al., who would mainly vote for Democrats, the right to vote?
— Frank W. Gadbois
Warner Robins
Biblically correct
Although there was strong consensus as early as the fifth century, Christian biblical canons weren't formalized until the late 16th century and early 17th century. So it's only been in the past 400 years that we have become so strident concerning what is or is not biblically correct. Thank you, Dr. Cummings, for your scholarship and please correct any misstatements I may have made.
— Neal Snyder
Warner Robins
No hero title
In response to a comment about being a hero, sometimes it takes someone speaking up to make positive changes. I ran into a paramedic who remembers picking up many bodies before the traffic light was installed at an intersection in Fort Hill. Prevention can help prevent tragedies.
So I spoke up and lives were saved. The children at the school on Second Street are too close to the street. The flasher and signs will help keep them safe because I spoke up and no heroic title is necessary.
— Renee Lee
Macon
This story was originally published October 25, 2015 at 7:27 PM.