Readers Write 10/12

MEDIA

Great journalism — just not often enough

Your article about Randy Johnson was some of the best investigative journalism I have seen in the AJC in a long time (“Ex-Falcon spent sad life in long, lonely end zone,” News, Oct. 4). It is obvious that Steve Hummer engaged in dogged determination to uncover all the facts, and explore all perspectives about Johnson. He presented balanced views on Johnson’s life mixed with verifiable facts.

It’s really too bad that the AJC doesn’t rise to the same standard of reporting with issues such as global warming, corruption in the Democratic Party, unions, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the economy.

Brian Wilson, Atlanta

MEDIA

Pitts wrong to imply that Fox folks are insane

Leonard, Leonard, Leonard. I know you can do better than that (“ACORN simply doesn’t get it — wrong is wrong,” Opinion, Oct. 1). While preaching that ACORN simply doesn’t get it, and that killing the messenger will not solve their ills, you, too, took an opportunity to kill the messenger. Using either/or logic, you equated the people at Fox who reported the ACORN debacle as insane. If the reporting of this sting had been left up to the “sane” people at MSNBC or Time, we’d yet to see a story.

Jamie Kincaid, Cumming

POLITICS

Friedman has reason
to fear for America

I seldom agree with Thomas Friedman, but I agree with “American political divide turns deadly” (Opinion, Oct. 4). His call for “change” to overcome the political divide gripping America today, a divide that could turn deadly, is real.

Turning around this political divide, however, may not be that easy. In 1776, the inspired seeds of America’s liberty were sown by America’s founders and were fertilized by the people’s love of their freedom and their God. Soon, however, the inspired leadership of the early presidents was replaced by men more interested in power and self-glory than in the people who began planting the seeds of progressive secularism. The new seeds took root and slowly began to choke out the founders’ seeds of liberty. Today, America is harvesting the fruits of those progressive secularism seeds. It will be a bitter harvest that, unless checked, always leads to self-destruction, and a return to bondage.

Donald S. Conkey, Woodstock

HEALTH CARE

Cost and complexity up, while coverage is down

As a kidney failure patient, I can verify that the cost of insurance and health care has continued to rise — as has the complexity of the system — while coverage has decreased. I recently received information regarding my 2010 HMO coverage, and sure enough, my monthly premium has again increased by about 10 percent.

Frankly, I feel that if there were more choice for consumers, insurance companies would be more responsive to consumer needs. I truly believe that a public option would provide the competition that would result in our having more of a choice in the marketplace. I also support the idea that all citizens should be able to afford insurance.

I feel that the president’s plan, with a public option, would move us toward that reality.

Alice R. Martin, Stone Mountain