Governor gets prison reform right
I want to publicly commend Gov. Deal for rethinking lifetime prison sentences. The AJC’s Carrie Teegardin and Bill Rankin have done a wonderful job reporting on the new law and its effect on a prison population which, prior to now, had no hope. Now, Governor, how about providing leadership to do away with the death penalty? The sheer expense of it, even without regard to problems of administering it and the inhumanity of it, should make it a conservative target. We need your leadership.
TRUMAN A. MOORE, ATLANTA
Addicts, dealers are not the victims
I read with interest the article entitled “Rethinking lifetime prison sentences” (News, Aug. 23). The article is written as if the prisoners were the victims. The dealers did not pull the trigger that killed the addicts but, indirectly, they are responsible for their death. Maybe not a physical death, but one that robs them of their productive life. Eventually, the user will depend on the state and/or their family for their every physical need. The user chose to ingest the drugs and they should bear some of the burden. Many of the users finally figure it out, make a recovery, and become productive. I doubt this is true for dealers; the life is easy, the money is good, no taxes to pay, no up early and off to a real job. I believe the majority of the dealers did not intend to become a dealer, but in order to support their habit they began dealing.
LARRY NEWSOME, FAYETTEVILLE
Shelter’s TB victims deserve care
When I try to connect the dots between Mayor Reed’s concern over TB at the Peachtree/Pine shelter and his plans for the use of their building, it seems to me that “The emperor has no clothes.” eed has expressed his hunger for the building of the Task Force for the Homeless, but I hear nothing from him as to how he intends to help those who may have TB, other than by pulling their beds out from under them. It would be helpful if the mayor shared his plans for the less-fortunate with as much detail as his plans for the use of their building. It seems to me that Anita Beaty, risking her own health by living every day with the homeless, deserves the mayor’s support, not his harassment.
THOMAS ARE, STONE MOUNTAIN
What do you think of American tourists now?
As anyone who has traveled through France can attest, American travelers are a barely tolerated fact of life for the French. Hopefully, the recent incident on a French train where young Americans prevented a likely massacre will give the French a reason to reassess the benefits of American tourists!
ERIC SANDBERG, ATLANTA
