This is Viewpoints for Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2015

Gun control facts.

A YouTube video goes a long way in disputing the progressive argument currently raging in our country about the level of gun violence vis-a-vis the rest of the world. Subtitled "Number one with a bullet."

— John T. White

Kathleen

Simple answers

According to Fox News, "The only thing that can stop bad guys with guns are good guys with guns." So all we need to do is get guns for all the good guys and tattoo a big "B" on the foreheads of all the bad guys.

I always look to Fox News for simple answers.

— Neal Snyder

Warner Robin

Better option

The newly opened Amerson River Park is a midstate treasure. My wife and I go there almost every day and enjoy walking the trails that meander around the Ocmulgee River.

On Friday afternoon, we decided to curtail our walk when we encountered a man with five large unleashed dogs. Not only does this present a serious safety hazard for all, including children in the playground, having an unleashed dog violates park rules as well as a city ordinance.

If you're planning to take a dog to Amerson Park, please make sure it is on a leash. For those wishing to give their dogs more freedom to run, the Macon Dog Park is a much better option.

— Mark Jurgensen

Macon

Islam and ideology

Is Donald Trump right? Should we ban all Muslims from immigrating to our country? Ponder the following: Muslims adhere to a belief unlike any other religion on the face of the Earth. Islam is really a political ideology intermingled with "religious" overtones, an ideology of world domination in which all non-Muslims must either convert, submit by paying a tax and be a non-entity or be killed. This type ideology was once incompatible with our ideas of freedom.

Islam has been violent since its inception about 700 AD. It has been spread by force and coercion up until Christianity militarily put a stop to it several hundred years ago and has been dormant up until recently. It has been estimated that Islam has been responsible for the death of about 270 million people.

Communism and Nazism had a similar ideology of world domination. In their heyday, would we have allowed untold numbers of Communists and/or Nazis to come into our country? That would be like trying to commit suicide. Are we trying to do that now?

I am a Catholic and I believe in helping the other man and loving my enemy, but I can do that without embracing the ideology of Islam, which will be forced down our throats if they have their way. And, it will happen if we continue with our stupid, politically correct ways and do not stand up to this. There was a time when we did, Christians that is.

— David Burkovich

Macon

Here we go again

Our leaders in Macon-Bibb County are once again preparing another useless regional transportation sales tax on already stressed out taxpayers. First we had the property reappraisal debacle, then several SPLOSTs, and also a recent increase in the hotel-motel tax. All of these new taxes make the poor poorer.

In addition, garbage fees, water rates and the gasoline tax have skyrocketed. But our decision makers keep saying this is good news for the schools, road construction projects and you and me. The only results I see are stagnant high school graduation rates, white flight from the county and the destruction of our neighborhoods for more roads and less trees and half-baked consideration for anyone living in a retail corridor.

Leaders with short-term visions have set up residents for colossal failures. Upward economic indicators today can and will become the county's worse nightmare tomorrow. As an example, extending water lines in Monroe and Crawford counties did not bring in more taxpayers and jobs, and the fight for land from Macon-Bibb County by Monroe leaders shows they see the end of revenues — perhaps Georgia Power's coal facility.

Another recession due to debt overload or other threats is overdue. For poor residents the fire is burning on both ends of the candle, Government should not be in the business of saying it is our way or the highway.

— Fred Gunter

Macon

Stingy

Because the government is so strapped financially, it needs my 1.5 percent Cost Of Living Adjustment raise because the fuel prices are so low. I suppose that because I live on Social Security alone, less than $1,500 per month, I should feel lucky that they don't take money from my check, as the fuel prices continue to drop.

I apologize for my stinginess to our government. I would like to see a politician have to live on the money (I earned, not an entitlement) on a monthly basis.

— Sam Ryan

Warner Robins

Held hostage by Cox?

I'm sure every Cox customer has received a letter that Cox is going all digital on all their channels? According to the letter, unless you have one of their new boxes (which is free the first year but will cost $2.99 a month from then on) you can't watch TV?

Well I think I could just pick 10 channels (if they would let me) to watch and be satisfied. I really have never watched all 150 or more channels.

Why can't we just pick and pay for what we want to watch? Why don't we have another cable system in Macon to compete with Cox?

Have you ever really looked at your monthly bill from Cox and seen all the extra fees and surcharges? It takes a lawyer or an engineer to figure out what they are charging you for? A lot of my friends are getting off cable, going back to an antenna and not dealing with that large monthly cable bill anymore and are really happy.

I pay more than $130 a month for stuff I don't watch and whenever it goes out, I don't get credit for anything. Anyone else get that feeling, monthly?

— Steven Huff

Macon

This story was originally published December 14, 2015 at 10:15 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2015 ."