Religious liberty bills about neither
Thank you so much for your coverage of former Attorney General Mike Bowers' critique of the so-called "religious liberty bills" ("Ga.'s former top lawyer slams 'religious liberty,'" Metro, Feb. 25). In calling for their defeat, Mr. Bowers is correct theologically and legally.
In our history, religious trappings have been used to cover up bad theology, and legislation has been used to institutionalize that bad theology. The prime example is slavery. The separation of races was preached from pulpits as God’s intention. After slavery was abolished, this bad theology returned in Jim Crow laws.
The law should never be used to undergird bad theology. Signs of bad theology include discrimination. In my opinion, “religious liberty bills” at their heart are neither religious not about liberty.
THE REV. JIM WATKINS, DECATUR
Politics motivate AP history critics
Once again, our elected representatives are working hard to make Georgia look foolish with the recent hearing on the AP U.S. History course and exam and threats to create a “Georgia-grown” version of the course. Colleges and universities will not accept a state-created competitor to AP courses, and this will put our children at a distinct disadvantage.
The purpose of education in general, and AP courses in particular, is to foster critical thinking skills and build an educated populace who can think for themselves. To learn to think critically, you must be presented with all the facts, good and bad. No one, not even APUSH teachers or course developers, is saying everything we as a nation ever did was bad. Conversely, if we wrap ourselves in the mantle of “American exceptionalism” and only teach the history that makes us look good, we will be unable to acknowledge the missteps in our past and strive not to repeat them. I believe that is one of our greatest strengths as a nation; we can admit our mistakes, learn from them and make this an even better nation than it was before.
From efforts to roll back the Common Core standards to opting out of APUSH, the positions of the GOP in Georgia are not striving to create an educated populace, but an ill-informed electorate who will believe whatever those in power tell them. While that may best serve those in power, it does not best serve our republic.
HOLLY JONES, WOODSTOCK
Follow football scholarship winners
The AJC recently published a list of Georgia high school football players who have committed to play college football. I assume each of these athletes will receive substantial financial assistance, up to and including a “full ride.” I would request that the AJC report, five years from now, just how many of these 800 athletes ultimately earn a college degree.
BILL GEIDL, DACULA
