This is Viewpoints for Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015
'Gunshine State'
The Florida Legislature is considering legislation on its ridiculous "stand your ground" law to make it even easier for the defendant/shooter to shoot people as well as to intimidate them. No longer would the shooter have to prove that he or she was "in fear of their lives." Prosecutors "would be required to disprove the self-defense claim in a pretrial hearing."
The new law actually presumes that the shooter was right to do such from day one. Florida is now known as the "Gunshine State." The Tampa Bay Times in 2012 found out that in 200 cases that the law had been used "to defend drug dealers, gunmen and countless violent offenders with most of them going free."
We do not need to pass a another gun law in our state that actually makes it easier to shoot someone for no good reason and then get away with it. We do need mandatory gun safety training when one obtains a state firearm license.
— Frank W. Gadbois
Warner Robins
Great win, but ...
First, my congratulations to the Houston County football team on its win over South Effingham. Second, I was in attendance only because my granddaughter is a member of the Marching Mustangs band.
I do, however, have some questions concerning the Houston County head coach's decisions with the game well in hand. Houston County was up 43-6, South Effingham ran the ball on third down with about 35 seconds left in the first half with the intention of running out the clock.
They were stopped short of a first down with less than 25 seconds left. Now with a 25 second play clock you would think that all they had left to do was wait for the clock to run out.
However, a 37 point lead at half time was apparently not enough for the Houston County coach as he called time out in order to force South Effingham to punt so that Houston County would have possibly another chance to score. This was highly probable. South Effingham was clearly outclassed, as anyone at the game could see, by Houston County.
Now I have no problem with the Houston County coach starting his first string offense at the start of the second half. However, after they scored and raised the score to 50-6, I question why he still kept his first string offense in the game until they added a field goal later in the quarter. Only after the score was 53-6 did he replace any starters.
Again, my congratulations to the Houston County players. They played well, they played hard and exhibited great sportsmanship. Not so for their coach.
Mike Liotta
Macon
When the Saints ...
UGA has the loot, why not fire coach Mark Richt and hire coach Sean Payton from the Saints? Without a doubt UGA could afford to hire the $8 million coach away from the Saints. Not only would they have a proven icon, the university would have a coach who knows how to prepare his team to win the big game rather than just the push overs. Most important, coach Payton would ensure UGA could compete with the other programs in recruiting..
— Roy Curl
Warner Robins
More to the point
In the Editorial Board's landfill opinion, it was stated that the proposed increase for garbage fees for former city residents would be 25 percent. The increase from $15 to $20 is 33 percent. I do not know what the former unincorporated county residents are paying, but I am sure the increase would be more than 36.25 percent.
As for selling the methane gas, the city has been doing that for years.
— Jim Owens
Macon
Solution to terror
French authorities admitted that there were no signs of a pending attack. Obama, because he is stupid, said a day earlier about ISIL, aka ISIS, "We have contain them," and "I don't think they are gaining strength."
Today, he said that we in the U.S. are not in any danger from ISIL. Dream on, oh dreamer. To you readers, please do not believe him.
Solution?
Imagine a scene at a dance club with 100 people where no guns are allowed. two terrorists enter and begin shooting. How many will die waiting for someone to call 911 and then waiting for the police to arrive? Now, compare that with another dance club where guns are allowed and two terrorists enter. How many will die?
Would the difference matter if it is you or someone you love who survived? Another reason I cannot be a liberal or a Democratic supporter because gun ownership is never a solution offered by them.
— Charles Sanferrare
Byron
Give 'em time
I am taking Jim Costello's advice and speaking up about the UGA football program as he suggested in his opinion on Sunday's Viewpoints page in The Telegraph. My view is different from his. A change has already taken place in UGA's football program. It happened two years ago when coach Jeremy Pruitt was hired. He is a difference maker. He possesses a great heritage and history. He is unsurpassed as a recruiter, a teacher and a motivator.
He is in the process of building the best defensive team in the nation. He has instigated changes in structure and infrastructure in the program. The effect of these changes is slowly developing but they are surely coming.
We know coach Mark Richt can produce an offensive team as prolific and explosive as anyone in the country. He has done it consistently, both before he came to UGA and since he has been at UGA. He will do that again. He is also a great recruiter and a man of impeccable character and respect. He is a man of his word. He can be trusted.
Our best chance to have the team we all want and deserve is to support coach Richt and coach Pruitt and to allow time for these incredible forces we have to align. Go Dawgs.
— Edsel Davis
Macon
This story was originally published November 16, 2015 at 8:56 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015 ."