Pipelines for the greater good
Many thanks to the AJC for highlighting both sides of the debate regarding proposed new natural gas pipelines in Georgia. New pipelines throughout the Southeast will help this market gain access to the glut of natural gas in the Northeast which will drive down the cost of heating, cooking, and (indirectly) electricity. Some of this infrastructure — such as the proposed pipelines that will run through east and southwest Georgia — does not benefit Georgia directly; the indirect benefit is that these pipelines, through economies of scale, help support construction of additional networks that bring low-cost natural gas to our state. Pipelines are the safest, cheapest, and most efficient way of transporting natural gas. The temporary disruption and inconvenience to private land owners is offset by right-of-way payments from the pipeline owners and the greater good to the citizens in the Southeast gained by lower energy prices.
TOM FURLONG, MARIETTA
Leadership welcome to cut gun deaths
The tragic murders in Lafayette, Chattanooga and Charleston make me wonder again just what is needed for America to address mental illness and gun safety; with the latter being a particularly daunting problem. A loophole let Dylan Roof kill nine people. The Lafayette shooter had a criminal record. Politicians brave enough to propose gun safety legislation or advocate for enforcing existing laws are usually voted down or voted out. I have seen leadership on gun safety from Atlanta clergy representing various faiths; and College Presidents for Gun Safety, a national group headed by Agnes Scott President Dr. Elizabeth Kiss and Oglethorpe University President Dr. Lawrence Schall. While neither clergy nor educational leaders face elections, they lead nonprofits dependent on donors who may not support their actions to make our country safer. Their leadership takes courage, which I hope will inspire politicians from both parties to work for gun safety.
MARGARET PERRY DANIEL, ATLANTA
Hillary Clinton’s recent comments about the Sandra Bland tragedy , “It was heartbreaking to read about. It is essential that we all stand up and say loudly and clearly, ‘Yes, black lives matter’ ” were given widespread coverage by the media. What has not been reported is anything that Ms. Clinton might have had to say about issues involving race in her adopted hometown. The Clintons reside in Chappaqua, N.Y., a highly segregated city where suburbanites have been fighting the construction of affordable housing. If she truly wants to demonstrate her conviction behind her words, supporting the racial integration of her hometown would prove that her support for black lives mattering is more than just political bloviation.
MIKE WALTERS, ATLANTA
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