RELIGION
Cartoonist out of line
making fun of church
The media gets in an uproar about God in schools and government.
Well, I am in an uproar about Mike Luckovich’s cartoons — and I use that term loosely (Opinion, Feb. 12).
Mike Luckovich: Stay out of my religion. It is off-limits.
MARILYN CANTWELL, WOODSTOCK
ENVIRONMENT
Jekyll Island officials
indifferent to ecology
Regarding “Order to quit clearing comes too late for Jekyll” (Metro, Feb. 9), for Eric Garvey to peddle clear-cutting along Downing Musgrove Causeway as an honest mistake is outrageous. This clear violation of the Coastal Marshland Protection Act is another example of the Jekyll Island Authority’s indifference to the ecological sensitivity of the island and the importance of protecting it.
Attempting to minimize public criticism of the authority’s indiscriminate destruction, Garvey implies that the incidental discovery and cleanup of trash during clear-cutting was a kind of lagniappe that somehow justifies the damage. His rationalization is as credible as that of a dentist who extracts the wrong tooth from his patient’s jaw, and maintains despite the mistake that only now is he able to see and clean the buildup of plaque that would otherwise have gone undetected.
If the authority wants to avoid inflicting further damage upon Jekyll’s habitats, members must acquaint themselves with environmental law, believe in its efficacy and oversee its implementation. Only then will Georgians trust them as the responsible stewards of the island they claim to be.
BRENDA CONSTAN, DECATUR
JUSTICE
Flipped-off, flustered
judge owes an apology
Regarding “Woman sorry for flipping off judge” ( News, Feb. 9), after reading about the interaction between Ms. Soto and Judge Rodriguez-Chomat, it seems to me that the instigator was the judge himself.
By saying “bye-bye” in a flippant tone to the defendant, the judge overstepped the bounds of courtroom sobriety. By responding “adios,” Ms. Soto was merely meeting the judge at the courtroom level he had established. Her response to the judge’s doubling her bail was understandable — even if unacceptable.
While Ms. Soto has apologized, I believe the judge owes her — and the court system in general — an apology: to Ms. Soto, for his emotional response, and to the justice system for his blatant abuse of power. As the professional, the judge needs to remember that he sets the tone for the courtroom, and this includes not allowing any deviation from the standards of courtroom procedure, even (and especially) by him.
STEVE G. DECLAISSE-WALFORD, GRAYSON
