5/28: Feels institution
of marriage is under attack
Editor, the Forum:
Gay marriage has never been a constitutional right in America
-- or any other civilized nation. Those who are against gay marriage
aren't trying to deprive homosexuals of any of the legal protections
they currently enjoy; instead, they are trying to prevent runaway
courts from creating out of thin air new "rights" that
would prove detrimental to society.
The truth is, the Constitution is going to be altered one way
or the other. Either that change will come from unelected, unaccountable
judges intent on creating a right of homosexual couples to marry
when the Constitution grants no such right; or it will come from
the American people through this amendment to preserve marriage
as it has served society for millennia.
It is not homosexuals, but marriage, that is under attack. Left
unchecked, rogue judges intent on finding new rights in the Constitution
will succeed, someday soon, in extending marriage benefits to
gays. Supporters of a marriage-protection amendment aren't out
to discriminate against anyone; they simply want to preserve the
institution of marriage as it has served society for centuries.
-- Randall G Lewis, Chamblee
(Editor's Note: Your letter raises questions
in my mind when people talk about "unelected" judges.
After all, the Judiciary is appointed legally,
and the judiciary is a third independent arm of government.
So what's with all the talk about unelected judges when rulings
go against your own way of thinking? And granted, officially
Georgia elects judges, but most judges come to the bench through
first an appointment. Blowing smoke at a problem is tantamount
to a weakened argument. ---eeb)
5/25: Doesn't routinely
think that far in advance himself
Editor, the Forum:
About your remarks concerning John Oxendine running for lieutenant
governor: you sure think a lot. I cannot think that far ahead.
It's all I can do to stay ahead of the near future. Two years
at most.
-- Roy McCreary, Dacula
5/25: Perils you
face when you simply get out of the house
Editor, the Forum:
On a recent walk on a local street, I encountered:
- (a) An overgrown right of way.
- (b) Large Fire Ant mounds at the edge of the pavement (where
one would need to be should auto traffic approach).
- (c) A "quick" changing traffic light on Sugarloaf
Parkway (which, should a short, fat, 58 year old come a long,
would cause him to have to sprint for his life.)
- (d)A sort of "third degree" questioning from a youthful
video store attendant who seemed irritated when I, in turn,
asked him questions.
The walking route is pretty well traveled and there seems to
be a danger to the walking public. I found that at gwinnettcounty.com
one can easily submit a service request to the Department of Transportation.
We may soon need our walking paths whether we are less affluent
or want to stay affluent!
As for the clerk at the video store, I am afraid nothing can be
done. That is due to "executive decisions" to effect
cost savings by eliminating responsible supervision.
-- Randy Stephens, Duluth
5/18: Rob from poor
to give to rich? But what of tech students?
Editor, the Forum:
So I guess my take from the poor and give to the rich analogy
was right on the money! After threatening to pick the pocket of
ALL Hope recipients, the politicians (Hamrick and McBee) slide
$4.5 million in Hope money to part-time students at private colleges.
Today we find out that the poor kids at the technical schools
are having the rug of Hope pulled out from under them to save
a measley $2.2. million? And were also starting to transfer Department
of Education programs to Hope for funding? Why, that's against
the law!
Somebody's rolling out the red carpet for future Governor Mark
Taylor...and it looks the carpetbagger is Sonny boy himself.
-- Brian Luders, Duluth
5/18: Would re-partitioning current GJAC be best way to go?
Editor, the Forum:
In regard to the proposed $300,000,000 expenditure to house expanded
Gwinnett court facilities, there may be a way to save a couple
of (hundred million) bucks. Since the partitions in the current
"Government and Judicial Center" appear to be movable,
would it be possible to do most or all of the expansion of courts
space within that current facility and locate other offices in
leased space (build-to-suit if more prudent) adjacent?
Other offices would then be more expandable or re-locatable as
needed. Also, for the courts, perhaps Magistrate Courts could
be dispersed, in part, to areas of the county with less easy access
to the County Seat itself, thus freeing up more space for State
and Superior Court functions. In Georgia "State Regulations,"
there appears to me (not a lawyer) to be some state funding for
remote Magistrate Court sites.
As my Mama said, "If you can't seem to help yourself, try
at least help someone else."
-- Randy Stephens, Duluth
5/18: Feels need
of new, third party to help save our country
Editor, the Forum:
Is it possible to extract ourselves, with honor, from the poison
of Iraq?
I sure hope so, and we will see in July. I am an ultra-conservative,
independent, no-party member, but we must withdraw from Iraq.
This "war" must not turn into another Vietnam!
I'm starting to think that Republicans and certainly the Democrats
are very bad for this country. We need a powerfully strong, third
political party, and I do not mean the Libertarian Party. The
Republican imperialists and the Democratic socialists are ruining
our country. Whatever happened to our Christian values, upon which
the USA was founded? Our illustrious Supreme Court is killing
those values.
If either one of the front running candidates win this next Presidential
election, we will be headed for disaster. A strong third party
candidate is the only answer, and I don't have a clue who that
could be.
-- Roy McCreary, Dacula
5/18: Upset that
people against the war are called unpatriotic
Editor, the Forum:
I am constantly amazed at people who keep their heads in the
sand like ostriches. I must read and hear things differently than
other people. I heard and saw the Saudi prince being interviewed
by Tim Russert on Meet The Press. When he was asked if he went
to President George W. Bush and asked him to let their private
jet fly all over the United States picking up some of Osama bin
Laden's relatives, he couldn't even look Russert in the eye when
he told him no. Russert asked him again and the prince constantly
had to be clearing his throat when he denied it.
Another thing that irritates me is for people to say that other
people who are against the war are unpatriotic. I see it as being
just the opposite. We are against the war because of the deception
used to bring it about and all the young people being killed and
maimed in this war for greed and vindication.
This administration really has not brought honesty and integrity
back to the White House.
-- Joan E Herbig, Atlanta
5/14:
Combine chocolate and Vidalias? Says it tasted good!
Editor, the Forum:
Here is something I tried recently. Core a Vidalia onion and
cut up a small Snickers bar into little pieces. Wrap in foil and
bake in oven.
I know. I thought it was too weird, too, but then I thought of
how I love Vidalias and how I LOVE chocolate. The interesting
taste to me was I could taste the caramel and then the crunchy
nuts. Makes me think I might put a square of caramel on top of
the Snickers. Strange thing about this is I can't get anyone in
the office to confess to being the one who gave me this idea.
I DID NOT make it up and can't for the life of me recall who said
it, just last week.
-- Susan Shenefield, Lilburn
5/11: Does not subscribe
to idea that president is bungling fool
Editor, the Forum:
Much has been written about Bush being a bumbling, stupid fool.
I don't subscribe to that idea at all; in fact the man is a genius
who cleverly portrays himself as Joe Everyman, a "regular
guy." Howard Gardner, a Harvard researcher and author of
books on "Multiple Intelligences," has identified interpersonal
genius in salespeople, cheerleaders and politicians.
Bush is brilliant at hoodwinking the public and exploiting facts
and people to portray situations to his liking. Bush manipulated
Congress and the public to believe in a connection between Saddam
and terrorism, that WMDs were found in Iraq, that invading a country,
killing its citizens and destroying its infrastructure is a method
of instilling democracy, and that war is a humanitarian endeavor.
Using his genius to craft his super-slick sales pitch, Bush has
usurped power from the American people, taken tax dollars from
the poor and middle class and handed them to the wealthy and to
donor mega-corporations, and convinced many Americans to like
him despite all of this. Only a very savvy, clever salesman who
cold-bloodedly uses trusting people, their faith and their patriotism
could have accomplished these goals. George Bush is a genius.
-- Amelia Bird, Beverly Hills, Calif.
5/7: So-called business
"rights" are merely a red herring
Editor, the Forum:
The whining of smokers who say it is the rights of businesses
that are being destroyed is a true red herring. Business rights
have nothing to do with it. Smokers just want to smoke regardless
of their consequences to others.
I have no problem with people smoking in their own home. What
gets to me is when their "rights" affect my right to
breathe healthy air. Ever wonder why most people, as well as organizations
like the CDC, oppose the 'rights' of business owners to pollute
the environment and to ruin people's health? It's because it is
the right thing to do.
… Should a business owner have the right to use fireworks
for a rock band in their club?
… Should a business owner have the right to have only one
entrance to their building; after all it's their building.
… What about the right to not have a fire alarm?
… The right to have unsanitary conditions in their kitchen?
… The right to serve alcohol to minors?
Anti-smoking laws fall into the same category of public health,
and when it comes to public health, I will certainly take the
word of reputable studies in this area, instead of that of the
recently deceased CEO of a major tobacco company who to his dying
day (last week) said that smoking was not harmful.
-- Jim Nelems, Norcross
5/7: Concerned about
possiblity of us closer to Armageddon
Editor, the Forum:
I have been reading and listening to a lot of verbiage concerning
the USA being very close to Armageddon," because this is
already a fallen country. Sunday, I listened
to a sermon about this, and the minister said that the rest of
the world was not far
behind us.
In my opinion, this was the only mistake the preacher made. I
think the rest of the world has already fallen and the USA is
being the last one to fall. Hopefully, the minister was right
and the USA is just falling like Rome did for the very same reasons,
but I don't think so...it's a fallen world.
-- Roy McCreary, Dacula
5/4: Feels more
of an issue concerning individual rights
Editor, the Forum:
In response to Mr. Nelems' Feedback, here is what the Gwinnett
Commission was thinking with the smoking ban and denying an exemption
to Wild Bill's: VOTES!
I fail to see a connection between any alleged CDC, Gwinnett
Anti-Smoking Coalition, American Cancer Society, et al, "reports"
(ad nauseum), and the Commission's action. Simply put, the Commission
felt that there were more votes to be gained by supporting the
ban, restricting free enterprise and business owner's rights,
than by rejecting it.
To wit: business owners have more at stake and will just deal
with the outcome, as they can't just pack up and move. Whereas
if they rejected the smoking ban, they'd be harangued by the whining
masses of anti-smoking zealots who need the government to save
them from themselves, thereby abdicating their personal responsibility
and civic duty.
Surely smokers weren't going to say anything; they've already
been successfully ostracized and marginalized. Those of us who
still support personal responsibility, freedom and business-owner's
rights were howled down and reduced to letters such as these since
almost every story clearly took the pro-ban stance.
Mr. Nelems, the constitutionality issue was not about the "right
to smoke," it was about the rights of business-owners to
make their own decisions regarding their business. Let's call
a spade a spade: those people who felt we needed the government
to save us from ourselves merely support coddling the weak (willed).
Let's see if you and the rest of smoking-ban supporters leap with
the same relish to sacrifice someone else's rights when the next
big idea comes along…and this time it negatively affects
you. Welcome to the slippery slope.
-- Anthony Rivera, Suwanee
