EDUCATION

Students should learn

both sides of America

In his column “Toxic teachings do harm to America’s schoolkids” (Opinion, Jan. 8), Thomas Sowell argues that we should be teaching our children only one side of the truth about our country.

His lack of faith in the ability of the American people to grow up, mature and tolerate paradox, including the reality that we are both light and dark, is disheartening. The great accomplishments of our nation and its people need to be taught alongside our historical wrongdoing. When both are considered, America is still a country worth fighting for.

DARBY CHRISTOPHER, DUNWOODY

IMMIGRATION

ACLU prison stance

suits political agenda

Azadeh Shahshahani’s opinion piece continues to demonstrate that the ACLU of Georgia will go to any lengths to attack our company (“Immigrant detainees exploited,” Opinion, Jan. 3).

The author levies selective allegations and provides little explanation to readers. This comes as no surprise. When the ACLU of Georgia issued its report, our company worked in good faith to provide more than 14 pages of detailed comments, responses and explanation. Much of that information was either excluded from the final document or relegated to the end notes. Just as disingenuous, the ACLU continues to assert that our company lobbies on detention policy, which is strictly against our longstanding corporate policy. It’s sad that the ACLU of Georgia, an organization that exists to protect civil liberties, is so closed-minded when it comes to facts and perspectives that might challenge its political agenda.

STEVE OWEN, SENIOR DIRECTOR, PUBLIC AFFAIRS, CORRECTIONS CORPORATION OF AMERICA

NEWTOWN SHOOTING

Cartoonist was wrong,

mental illness not ‘evil’

The Dec. 28 AJC included a political cartoon from Michael Ramirez (Opinion). It was titled “The Root of Evil.” All of the roots are very negative things, and are things that society and/or individuals can create. The one exception is mental illness.

Is an illness the root of evil? Is it the same as all the other roots (e.g., exposure to violence)? Do people choose to be mentally ill or create the illness? The evil is the lack of resources provided for people who have a mental illness, stigma of mental illness (which this cartoon furthers), and lack of help families get in caring for mentally ill family members.

I am a person with a mental illness. I volunteer with the National Alliance on Mental Illness and other mental health concerns. I was dismayed that the AJC, which has done great service to the mental health community with many articles, would print this stigmatizing cartoon that equates mental illness with other “roots.”

EDI GUYTON, DECATUR