Readers write

Join together to end homelessness

On May 3, there was a wonderful story by Ben Smith about DeKalb County police Officer Jeremy Turner (“Protecting and serving homeless,” Metro News). That day, there were letters to the editor reflecting the bickering and finger pointing that we must avoid. In today’s economic climate, people are losing their jobs and homes at alarming rates. However, we should not lose sight of what we’ve accomplished in ending homelessness for thousands during the past five years, and how those accomplishments lay the foundation for ending homelessness in the future.

Our community has had tremendous success working together to end homelessness. The United Way Regional Commission on Homelessness has been a catalyst for ending homelessness. We’ve adopted the housing first model, which is starkly different than the traditional mass sheltering of homeless men and women. Our programs are designed to help people move into safe housing by addressing the root causes of homelessness.

In the past five years, our partners have created more than 2,000 housing units with support services for the homeless. We have organized an outreach group to help our community’s chronically homeless. Through these efforts, more than 80 percent of the people we help are stable and living in decent housing.

The story of Jeremy Turner is the spirit we should all seek to embody. In these challenging times, let us focus on the positive results that our community has achieved, and how these results can inspire each of us to help end each person’s homelessness. Let us join together to end homelessness.

Horace Sibley, chair, United Way Regional Commission on Homelessness

Milton J. Little, Jr., president, United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta

Unions have been good for workplace

A recent letter writer (Readers Write, May 4) tried to blame the UAW for the failures of the American auto industry. Members of the UAW do not decide what type of car is built. Management makes this decision. The auto worker will build any car the company gives them to build. The writer’s claim is straight out of the anti-union talking points of right- wing media outlets like Fox News and talk radio. The union bashers should review all of the positive improvements in the workplace that were the result of the labor movement. The standard 40-hour workweek, overtime pay, sick leave and workplace safety rules, for example, are all taken for granted by American workers today, but resulted from union action —- not the benevolence of management. Like it or not, unions have been good for the American workplace, and they need to be supported through legislation like the Employees Free Choice Act.

Mike Haremski, Tucker

Charlotte must be our partner, not our foe

Sunday’s exegesis concerning Charlotte’s challenge to Atlanta’s regional prominence (“Charlotte vs. Atlanta,” Business, May 10) could be narrowly interpreted as little more than a thinly disguised screed against Georgia’s lack of vision with respect to transportation. However, I believe that it lays the groundwork for creating a shared vision for Atlanta’s emergence from the current economic malaise as a global leader in economic development.

Atlanta’s leadership must create a shared vision between all of the Southeast’s political, cultural and commercial interests for a win-win collaboration that establishes the region, with Atlanta as its hub, as a 21st century globally competitive center of innovation and transformation, with transit being the driver. The new federal transit initiative provides ample seed capital to leverage the resources required to develop an economic development strategy that will enhance Atlanta’s urban environment and address the region’s transit issues. Cities like Charlotte must be our partners in our region’s growth and development.

James R. Oxendine, Atlanta

Traffic problems are out of control

After 34 years of accident-free driving, it finally happened. Last Wednesday, I was rear-ended while trying to get onto Barrett Parkway in Marietta. I never saw the car that hit me, and thank goodness no one was injured. But if I can drive for over three decades and not have an accident, and then have this happen, I think our traffic problems are out of control. How many more people will have to suffer what I am now experiencing before we realize that this must be addressed?

Daniel Fitzpatrick, Marietta

Protect the privacy

As a nurse in a large Atlanta hospital, I am highly aware of the importance of protecting the privacy of famous people. I don’t even tell my family if I’ve cared for a famous person, unless the individual mentions it publicly. Even then, I would never divulge any personal information. I wouldn’t even say if the patient acted like a total jerk (which some of them do). While I agree with Leonard Pitts about Farrah Fawcett (“Fawcett’s treatment shows too far no longer enough,” @issue, May 13), I was not aware what type of cancer she had, until I read his opinion piece. It’s ironic, isn’t it? In trying to defend her right to privacy, he has disclosed her private information to a whole lot of people.

Doreen Henricks, Stone Mountain

Find new approach About a month ago, President Obama stated that his goal was to try to create a world totally void of nuclear weaponry. In theory this sounds great, but one has to realize that because a number of countries around the world had a stockpile of nuclear weapons, it probably prevented the start of World War III. If we completely disarm the world of all nuclear weapons, how are we going to stop one country or a number of countries from starting World War III? Not that I don’t think we can’t, but we do have to find another approach.

Corbin M. Wright, Buenos Aires