Sowell is off base attacking diversity
To trivialize global terrorism by blaming it on the current quest for diversity is not the work of an accomplished scholar, as Thomas Sowell holds himself out to be (“Look at what ‘diversity’ has done for Europeans,” Opinion, Jan. 21). Global terrorism is a very complex issue and has deep roots ranging from the Crusades to colonialism and slavery. Instead of attempting to shape history by offering alternate and politically expedient views, we should have learned from the past.
The quest for power and resources through the brutal subjugation, segregation and marginalization of others is wrong. There is nothing worse in this world than war and the brutal killing of innocents in the name of religion or power, whether it’s done by terror groups or governments. But at the very least, we now know how not to conduct foreign policy. Remember the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
RONALD D. JOHNSON, AUSTELL
Inhumane to deny food to inmates
When I saw the AJC headline, “Jails’ costs seen in food fight” (News, Jan. 20), I had images of food flying across tables in a cafeteria. But having read the story, I can see no prisoner in Gordon County would even consider flinging away what little they had to eat.
I’m appalled the profit motive is so strong, it includes depriving Georgia prisoners of food. Maybe Georgia can adapt satirist Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal,” only instead of the hungry eating their children, prisoners can eat children DFCS didn’t have the resources to save. Is this poor attempt at humor inappropriate? You bet. So is not feeding prisoners adequately.
NEVA CORBIN, DECATUR
With extra points, keep things simple
I noticed in today’s AJC the NFL, during the Pro Bowl, will experiment once again with the extra point following a touchdown by moving the kick back to the 15-yard line. Incredibly, the article also states the NFL will experiment with narrowing the uprights to 14 feet for the extra point.
Instead of taking the radical step of changing the goal posts, why doesn’t the NFL adopt the rugby football rule, where the conversion kick (equivalent to the extra point) can be taken at any point from the point of the touchdown along a line parallel to the sideline? The kicker decides the distance to spot the ball to give him the best angle. This makes for much more exciting extra points, requiring a higher level of skill from the kicker, particularly in windy conditions.
Let’s not mess with the uprights and the game’s fundamentals when there is a simpler, more exciting solution.
IAN SHAW, CUMMING
