Commission abused taxpayers in Cobb
When an Atlanta Public Schools employee attempted to use a state-issued credit card to purchase wedding supplies in a popular craft store, the checkout clerk refused it. The APS employee was told those items were not on their list of acceptable purchases for school use. Standing in line behind her, I noticed she didn’t appear to be the least embarrassed by the rejection, and I was grateful at least the store was protecting taxpayers.
There appears to be no one in place to protect Cobb taxpayers from abuse by their county commissioners and, by the time voters are allowed to protest at the polls, it will be too late to stop a taxpayer-supported stadium from being built. I don’t know if our state constitution allows for the impeachment of local government officials, but if it doesn’t, it ought to.
MARGARET CURTIS, ATLANTA
Apology to mother belittled at store
I would like to apologize and give a hug to the mother humiliated by another shopper at an East Cobb store for purchasing a treat for her children with WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) ("Humiliation for no good reason," Readers write, May 27). I live in East Cobb and am ashamed that any member of my community would behave with such absence of compassion, but I can honestly say it doesn't surprise me.
My daughter and her family have experienced hard times as well, needing assistance from me as well as from official resources. Her experiences have brought me to tears. I don’t know what has happened that people feel comfortable and entitled to belittle and demonize people who are doing their best, but experiencing hard times. We should all remember we might someday walk in their shoes.
DEBORAH CANTRELL, COBB COUNTY
Our Great Society is no longer great
It is the responsibility of the individual to provide themselves shelter. It is the responsibility of the parent to feed, clothe and educate their children. It is the responsibility of the family to care for their elders. If said elder paid into Social Security, then they are entitled to medical coverage and retirement cash payments. These are not the responsibility of the government. The government takes tax payments for services such as military protection, fire protection, police protection, teachers’ salaries (from property taxes), road construction and maintenance, etc.
People who believe government is here to raise us and provide for us are the reason we are no longer a Great Society. A Great Society allows its citizens to create their own successes or failures, without interference. This Great Society began to fail when the government decided it could control our lives better than we could.
HEIDI BAKER, CARTERSVILLE
GPB betrays its mission, Georgians
As a public radio advocate, I am shocked at the disservice Georgia Public Broadcasting plans to do to the state by depriving it of one of its greatest cultural resources and the most impactful musical institution in the state — Georgia State University’s outstanding student-run radio station WRAS.
Rather than enriching our lives, as GPB’s mission dictates, this decision impoverishes the lives of Georgians by removing the greatest source of unique, locally produced content from the airwaves and pulling the plug on the most important incubator for Georgia musical artists.
This decision opposes rather than supports GPB’s mission. Unless they reverse it, they cannot claim to be acting in the public’s interest. Why on earth would they want to be known as the broadcasting company that ruined the state’s most widely beloved and influential music institution?
