This is Viewpoints for Thursday, March 10, 2016
Public policy?
I would like to comment on Stanley Dunlap's Feb. 26 article, "Macon protesters speak out against 'anti-gay' bill." Why do gays and lesbians feel the need to be married in a church by a pastor? How about the courthouse or city hall where they bought the licenses? No uproar.
Anna Hagemeyer's statement, "I believe you can have whatever religion you want. You can believe whatever you want. However you are not entitled to your beliefs dictating public policy." Think about that for a moment. This is exactly what the gay and lesbian community and their supporters are trying to do. They are trying to dictate their thinking into public policy against everyone else, and they are outnumbered 99 to 1.
— Carl Lewis
Fort Valley
Dark side of social media
What did you do your first time? Did it make you mad? I know it didn't make you laugh because it hurt so much. It appeared so innocent ... until you used it and it attacked you with a mad vengeance. I'm speaking of the disbelief on our faces and those feelings of anger building up from our insides when someone destroys our thoughts at an online site. We never know how stupid we are or how utterly ridiculous our beliefs until they're put on a website.
You think your Harley looks great? I dare you to post it on Facebook. Hundreds have better. You think your aunt's restaurant is the best in town? I double dare you to post it on TripAdvisor and read the replies of other expert diners. And if you think your political candidate is the best choice — I triple dare you to post that to the online comments section of The Telegraph. You better have your armor on.
The trolls are alive and lurking with phony names and indecipherable avatars, happily tearing apart our honest thoughts and beliefs for no other reason than they can. The web's anonymity gives cowards the courage to vent their frustration at total strangers and claim the higher ground without deserving it. It allows them to think warm and smug thoughts of superiority while hiding in obscurity.
Most conversations with a troll seldom lasts more than two responses. That's how long it takes them to resort to name calling, insults or crazy rationalizations. Seldom can we have the honest and civil exchange of ideas online as we do in person. Just as we see drivers race to pull ahead of us on the road, they will do anything to win. Even if it's only a pretend victory. The promise of an interactive world has been hijacked by the petty, the lowly and the hateful. A sad result for a great opportunity.
— Bob Norcott
Byron
Extend airport runway, now
What is it going to take to get our Macon Regional Airport runway extended? Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport moved 626,000 metric tons of cargo last year, which represented 4 percent growth over 2014. January 2016 numbers are up 4 percent over January 2015.
There is a proven, measured and as close to guaranteed opportunity for Macon-Bibb as there ever has been. I have had the pleasure of living in Macon for 35 years and have seen the economic growth of Middle Georgia decline since Brown & Williamson left in 2006.
Macon, want to see downtown Macon thrive, not as just a Mercer University overflow housing destination? Macon, want to see historic areas, houses, landmarks, etc., get saved overnight? Macon, want to see our school performance change? Macon, want to make it hard for generational poverty to continue to entrap our community?
Economic growth and prosperity will benefit all areas of our local community. I have been a fiscally conservative guy forever. However, if a county commissioner would propose a dedicated, earmarked SPLOST for this project alone, I believe you would see a groundswell of support.
Moreover, if we could get our local economy humming what else might come — sports teams, high speed rail to Atlanta, finishing the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail, Macon-Milledgeville bike trail and maybe get the Georgia State Fair back?This opportunity seems to be the greatest treasure waiting for Macon to take advantage of it. Let's make it happen in 2016. A rising tide lifts all boats.
— David Lee Jr.
Macon
Bad deals
National news services are reporting that Iran on Tuesday again threatened to walk away from the nuclear agreement reached last year with global powers, hours after the country breached international agreements by test firing ballistic missiles.
Iran's most recent ballistic missile test, which violates current U.N. Security Council resolutions, comes a day after the international community's nuclear watchdog organization disclosed that it is prohibited by the nuclear agreement from publicly reporting on potential violations by Iran.
So Iran is holding the rest of the world on edge with threats of scrapping this agreement even though they don't abide by its restrictions. And by agreement the watching world is not even allowed to know that the Iranian government is not to be held accountable regarding their violations.
The current administration is proud of this accomplishment, but this is exactly the kind of bad deal Donald Trump has been railing against. Does the word "loser" come to mind? I don't think The Donald will be suckered into such a contract.
— Dan Topolewski
Kathleen
Bulldozing history
State Senate Bill 346, which passed the Senate and was sent to the House for action within 10 days, would exempt all state funded road projects less than $100 million — about 90 percent of all state road projects — from all the requirements of the Georgia Environmental Protection Act. The sponsor of the bill says not to worry because federal protections will still be there. But they won't in crucial areas. For example, other than for Native American burial sites, there is no federal law requiring cultural resource studies for projects that are entirely state funded and don't involve federal lands or highways.
What this means is that if DOT road engineers were to discover a terrifically important archeological site during one of its road projects, that site would be bulldozed with no further thought given to it.
We might expect ISIS to treat cultural history this way, but do Georgians really want to join them in this complete disregard for the past? All the cultural resources study requirement of the state EPA ever did was ask DOT to stop and think about some harm it discovered it was about to do, and then to see if there were some sensible way of avoiding it. Surely we should ask this of any governmental agency. Please join me in contacting your Georgia House representative asking him or her to oppose SB 346.
— Jack L. Sammons
Macon
This story was originally published March 9, 2016 at 9:08 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Thursday, March 10, 2016 ."