This is Viewpoints for Friday, April 8, 2016
Health care maze
What has happened to our health care system? It has become more difficult to schedule an appointment with a physician than it is to reach customer service in India. We recently returned to Houston County after a four-year relocation to Brunswick. I was fortunate that I was able to resume care with my previous physician upon our return. My husband was not so lucky. He had been treated primarily in Glynn County by the VA, where the care was adequate, even though the wait for appointments was lengthy. The VA care here is worse, in that appointments are not even scheduled because no one returns calls. So it became necessary to find a doctor in the private sector, and that is where the insanity begins.
Physicians have barricaded themselves behind telephone recordings, rude receptionists and worse, patient portals. In order to actually see one of these illusive health care providers, a complete list of medications and current complaints is given to the receptionist, at which time she relates that your information will be reviewed by the physician, or physicians, and contact will be made in 48 to 72 hours confirming you have conquered the maze and will be seen, or for those unlucky ones, are advised to find another doctor. No wonder the emergency rooms are overcrowded. The Veterans Administration has received major press lately for its poor medical care of veterans; perhaps the American health care system in general should be re-evaluated.
— Elizabeth Stinson
Warner Robins
Child Abuse Prevention Month
We all play a role in the lives of children and their families, and their healthy development is crucial to the future health of state. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and that means that throughout the month the Bibb County Department of Family and Children Services and Prevent Child Abuse Georgia, will be holding events and working hard to let people in communities across Georgia know that promoting the healthy development of children and families is the best way to prevent abuse.
We all can work together to achieve this by looking for the unique ways in each of our daily lives that we can use to help promote healthy children and families. For instance, those of us with free time in the morning could volunteer at local schools or community centers to ensure that before-school programs are well-equipped and prepared to help kids learn.
If you have time in the afternoon, you could volunteer at after school programs or help coach sports teams to ensure that parents have a safe place for kids to go when they get out of school and before parents typically get home from work. We all can also donate time or money to local organizations like Prevent Child Abuse Georgia that are focused on prevention.
Anyone interested in learning more can contact Bibb County DFCS at 478-751-3112 or visit preventchildabusega.org to learn more about the ways that we can help promote the healthy development of children and families and how that helps prevent child abuse from ever occurring. Log on to find out more about events that may be happening near you. Together we all can help prevent child abuse throughout Georgia.
— Shannon E. Fields, MSW
Director, Bibb County DFCS
Still under attack
In 1963, the battle against Bible reading and prayer in public schools was a victory for those who believe there is no God. Since then, according to my understanding, it is not allowed in schools. But, the war against the Bible, from those who believe that there is no God, continues. As one man put it, the battle against nothing continues on today.
Some "science experts" have publicly said that if any parent taught Bible truth to children, instead of evolution, they should be charged with child abuse. In other places people want to bar anyone from certain educational facilities if they believe in Bible creation. But, if the Bible isn't true, why do they continue to battle against it? How can the Bible hurt anyone, if it is nothing but "old fogey, hog-wash"?
Yet, the fact is, down deep, men know this is no battle against nothing. It is a battle against truth. Someone has said, one of the most powerful things in the world is truth. And the truth hurts if it hinders someone's sinful ways or habits. And truth hurts if it tells someone that they are accountable to a holy God for the way they live their lives. If we look around today in the world, what religion is under attack? It is the biblical religion that has been under attack even before 1963, by those who say it is nothing.
— Dwight Poole
Hawkinsville
History repeats
In the late 1990s, Hillary Clinton was being investigated by the Office of Independent Counsel. In spite of their using terms such as: "crime(s), "criminal," "fraudulent," "misrepresented," "inaccurate," "deceive," "mislead," "misstatement" and "concealed" 27 times in 20 pages to describe actions by Clinton and Whitewater associates, the prosecutors ultimately decided not to prosecute because of the difficulty of persuading a jury to convict a public figure as widely known as Hillary.
Now history repeats itself, except that now it is the FBI not the OIC and the subject matter is far more serious. The question is, will the end result be the same? It looks like the answer is yes, now that the president has indicated that he will campaign for her.
— Robert M. Buck
Macon
Walker's to blame
Concerning Larry Walker's March 13 column in which he complained about trash on roadways; I blame him partially for the fact that as a state legislator he did not introduce or support a bill to require a deposit on drink containers (bottles and cans). The state of Michigan requires a 10-cent deposit on drink cans and bottles, and therefore they do not have the littering problem we have. I live on a state highway and am continually picking up such debris. I have talked with my local representative who will not respond either way.
— John G. Thompson
Forsyth
Old looking new?
Did anyone beside me notice when Donald Trump was saying he was an Evangelical Christian and he held up a Bible and said his mother gave it to him? The Bible looked like it had just had the cellophane taken off?
My Bible is over 30 years old and ragged. But, I've used mine a lot and can't turn loose of it. I'm sorry, I can't stand the thought of a man like him being our president.
— Elbert Neese
Lizella
Many thanks
The Twiggs County Board of Commissioners would like to express our sincere appreciation for the Macon/Bibb Water Authority's assistance with locating water leaks in the Dry Branch Water System pipelines. This service was most instrumental in getting the problems corrected.
It is encouraging and refreshing to see a larger county with more technical expertise assist a smaller county with less technological resources, and also being a good neighbor. If we can ever be of service to you or the authority, please let us know.
— Donald C. Watson
Commissioner District IV
Jeffersonville
This story was originally published April 7, 2016 at 6:58 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Friday, April 8, 2016 ."