This is Viewpoints for Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Adults acting like children
I have seen this behavior before, and I'll bet you have, too. When a teenager becomes resentful because parents have failed to go along with some of the young person's wishes, the teen sometimes makes unwise choices. We've seen young people get back at parents through drugs, alcohol, unsafe sex, reckless driving and disconnecting from education. I see a parallel in many adults' behavior regarding presidential politics.
Our nation has gone through a very rough economic downturn. Despite a steady recovery period, some still experience lesser lives than they had before. For many, this election cycle has made them more bitter as candidates do what politicians do: claim the nation is in ruin and they can fix it. In their anger about these real and exaggerated ills, we see millions of American voters make unwise choices. To express their anger, they will select a candidate who has demonstrated his lack of qualification by making outrageous promises, by engaging in petty insults about other candidates' appearance, by evading serious discussion of significant issues in our nation and by shouting primitive prejudices that declare entire groups of people unworthy. Such behavior certainly expresses many voters' anger, but it serves only to qualify that candidate as, at best, a gang leader. As with the teenager, we can make a good-faith effort to present the dangerous consequences of such recklessness.
— Roby M. Kerr, Ph.D.
Macon
Not the same city
I am 66 years old, born and raised in Macon. Graduated from Lanier High School in 1967, attended Macon Junior College, and later, went on to earn my MBA elsewhere. After graduation, I became employed by the city of Macon in the Signs and Markings Division. For a year, I made street signs and painted lines and curbs throughout the city. In 1968, I enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where I was trained as a firefighter. Upon the end of my four year tour of duty, ending in South Korea, I returned home to Macon. The day after my return, I went to work immediately, with the Macon Fire Department under Chief "Red" Shafer.
I loved Macon. My family was raised here, too, and my dad was a deputy in the Bibb County Sheriff's Office. The quality of life here was outstanding. In later years, after working in various positions, I built a company here, which I named, Cellular One Of Central Georgia. That company was sold, and is now known as Verizon Wireless. My career took me to Greensboro, North Carolina, where I have resided for the past 20 years, retiring from an executive level position with the telecommunications company, GTE.
I have sold my home there and wanted to return to my hometown where my family is. I have spent the past several months here and have become depressingly disappointed in what I've found. This city is no longer the city I loved as a younger man. The city officials need to do some serious self-evaluation. Macon appears dirty and unkept. The streets are in serious disrepair. The traffic flow, for a city this size, is deplorable. If there is a city traffic engineer, they are not doing their job, or, are not qualified.
As I've searched for property to purchase, I've discovered the property tax equation for Macon-Bibb County is completely and utterly out of control. I must question where the money is going. It obviously is not being efficiently used to increase the quality of life for the general population. As a result of my findings, I just cannot justify the annual tax expense for the upper price range of home I desire. Nor can I feel "comfortable" living my final years in the wonderful city I once was so proud of. I beg of the taxpaying citizens of Macon, start demanding better performance from your local officials. Start demanding accountability. Please. For the sake of my grandchildren and yours.
— Bob Vaughn
Greensboro, N.C.
Daybreak Clinic
My name is Felicia Jackson. I do not have health insurance and I needed medicine for my asthma, high blood pressure and other medical problems. I heard about Daybreak Clinic. I went through intake, got an appointment and started getting help. On one visit I had a breast exam and they found a lump so they referred me to the Health Department to examine me. They sent me to the Breast Care Center. The mammogram and ultrasound confirmed the lump. They got a grant to do the biopsy. The test came back undetermined. The doctors said I should have it removed. I am waiting for another grant to have it removed. I want people to know there is medical help for people with no insurance. Daybreak Clinic helped me ,and if it was not for them I would not have gotten the help I needed. Women, we must get mammograms. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and three years later she was gone.
— Felicia Jackson
Macon
Leading the way
With the coming of the new virus spread by mosquitoes that deforms new born babies heads, we need to start a major drive to get rid of mosquitoes. We can't sit back and leave it to the health department and the county spraying programs. The public needs to be educated about how mosquitoes reproduce. I have found that few people realize a little cat food can, even a piece of old aluminum foil, zip-top bag, old gutters on the house, and many other things that can be found in a yard with just a little water, can produce mosquitoes.
I'm asking The Telegraph to lead the way working with the health department, county government, TV stations, to really clean up everywhere to prevent mosquito reproduction. We may save a friend or relative's new born. The time for action is now. Please lead the way.
— Gary Gordon
Warner Robins
This story was originally published March 14, 2016 at 8:40 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Tuesday, March 15, 2016 ."