This is Viewpoints for Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016
Hear the roar
From the players to the coaches, band, cheerleaders, dance team and event staff, attendance at a Mercer basketball game in Hawkins Arena feels like Fan Appreciation Day each and every game. Kudos!
-- Hal and Carol Clarke
Macon
Light your world
I live in the Rosa Taylor Elementary School area of north Macon and I am happy to see all the new LED street lights going up in the neighborhood. These new lights give off much brighter, clearer light than the old street lights, and I'm sure are much more energy-efficient.
So, great job Georgia Power, Macon-Bibb or a combination of both for beginning the work of replacing all the lights in my neighborhood.
-- Jacob Cox
Macon
Email questions
Now with the State Department confirming they will not under any circumstances release 18 emails exchanged between President Obama and Hillary Clinton while secretary of state, the obvious question comes to mind is, why? Could it be that would directly and tacitly confirm Obama's acceptance and participation of a ongoing criminal activity? If this is proven to be accurate then both would be guilty of multiple crimes as willing participants in ongoing crime(s) and impeachment and prosecution of both would be warranted.
Many people have been prosecuted and sent to prison for far less criminal activity. The mere receipt of classified and unsecured email and the retransmission of a response to same should be archived in accordance with the law requiring retention of correspondence under the Federal Records Act.
Yet, not one news organization or congressional committee has addressed this question.
This pattern of behavior is consistent with Obama stating on national TV he first became aware of this only when news reports surfaced.
-- Michael Snipes
Kathleen
Holding onto lies
Another Benghazi expert has given testimony in The Telegraph opinion page. After Fox presented at least 85 segments by five opinion pundits, hand-picked guests and experts over a three-plus year span on a stand-down order in Benghazi, the GOP went into full attack mode and wasted $20 million on an investigation by invented innuendo that came to the conclusion by the Republican House Intelligence Committee verifying that there was no stand down order. Even Fox acknowledged it on a couple of small, quietly presented segments. The CIA station chief in Benghazi has repeatedly called out the lie of a stand-down order. Yet we have key experts residing right here that claim they don't know much about Benghazi but they do know there was a stand-down order. Perhaps this perceived knowledge is being ascertained by movies now.
It is self-evident that Benghazi did not have enough security. I do know the Republican House skimped on money for security in Benghazi because it was not considered a priority. I know this because I watched and heard Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, say it. No pundits, experts, or movies were necessary.
It's OK to be wrong. But to know the truth and still not only hold on to the lies but to continue to spread them is unconscionable.
-- Pat Fair
Macon
Meat-free
Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent, the 40-day period before Easter when many Christians abstain from animal foods in remembrance of Jesus' 40 days of fasting in the desert before launching his ministry. But meat-free Lent is much more than a symbol of religious devotion to Christ. It helps reduce the risk of chronic disease, environmental degradation and animal abuse.
Dozens of medical reports have linked consumption of animal products with elevated risk of heart failure, stroke, cancer and other killer diseases. A 2007 U.N. report named meat production as the largest source of greenhouse gases and water pollution.
Undercover investigations have documented farm animals being beaten, caged, crowded, deprived, mutilated and shocked.
Lent offers a superb opportunity to honor Christ's powerful message of compassion and love by adopting a meat-free diet for Lent and beyond.
After all, it's the diet mandated in Genesis I:29 and observed in the Garden of Eden.
Our supermarkets offers a rich array of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, as well as the more traditional vegetables, fruits and grains. Entering "vegan recipes" in our favorite search engine offers more products, recipes and transition tips than we can use.
-- John Bennett
Macon
This story was originally published February 10, 2016 at 9:54 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016 ."