Atlanta’s leaders would condemn Deal
Last Sunday’s opinion column by Kevin Riley (“A trait of leaders, then and now,” Opinion, May 29) examined the traits of great leaders of Georgia’s past to favorably compare them to the stand made by Georgia’s governor against the Religious Liberty Bill. However, the main difference is that the people who moved Georgia and Atlanta to the next level in the 20th century – William Hartsfield, Ivan Allen Jr., Billy Payne, and Martin Luther King, Jr. – did so with righteous, moral goals. There was never any attack against the thousands of churches and millions of church-goers in this state to achieve these milestones in state history. In fact, churches all across the south were used as organizational and motivational meeting places by the Rev. King and church pastors as they implemented the morally correct civil rights movement.
Based on ancient biblical teachings, the Rev. King and his fellow pastors would probably condemn Governor Deal’s actions if they were around today. When future stories are written about this time, Governor Deal will be seen by most Georgia people not so much as a hero, but more so as an antihero.
JOEL SMITH, STOCKBRIDGE
Gov. has attributes of great leader
Editor Kevin Riley,
You gave a positive character study of Georgia’s conservative Gov. Deal (“A trait of leaders, then and now,” Opinion, May 29) after kicking around the ridiculous restroom ruminations. You suggested the governor has the attributes of a great leader. I agree. Thanks for the thoughtful evaluation. Perhaps you are not a “flaming” liberal after all.
CATHERINE BOONE SHEALY, ATLANTA
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