CIVILITY
Our words track how moral fabric unravels
The column, “The words we use say a lot about us” (Opinion, May 27), describes how our society has become much more individualistic, with one result being the strong moral fabric and culture of America’s past are now almost extinct. Until that moral fabric is restored, government and politics — whether liberal or conservative — cannot effectively address our problems.
No large organization, be it church, political party or corporation, is likely to rebuild that moral fabric. It is up to each of us as individual citizens to work to restore honesty, decency and values in our individual spheres of influence. If enough individuals do so, large organizations will be forced to join us, and improvements will be revolutionary. We have individual power. We also have individual responsibility.
Our real enemy is not liberals, conservatives, big business or the media. Our real enemy is who we see in the mirror, when any of us looks to others to rebuild our moral fabric.
BILL FOKES, BRASELTON
HIGHWAY SAFETY
Don’t blame bicyclists for dangerous drivers
Several commentators in the AJC have recently suggested that bicyclists have no place on the roads of Atlanta, and go so far as to suggest that bicyclists must accept being targets of careless motorists. That is an unfortunate view.
Thousands of Atlantans use their bikes to get to work and school daily. Bicyclists are not the offenders of traffic regulations, as claimed by some. Look around: It is motorists who are speeding, tailgating and running red lights — that is, imperiling others. Many vehicles, such as school buses, metro buses and trucks delay traffic far more than bicycles.
No other users of Atlanta roads have to endure the same verbal and physical threats as bicyclists, regardless of how safely the bicyclist is operating.
Except for freeways and the like, there are no reasons bicyclists cannot be safely accommodated on our roads. There is absolutely no justification for hitting a bicyclist. Slow down, pay attention and be tolerant; that is all that is required.
JIM GRATTAN, GRAYSON
FALCONS STADIUM
Money is better spent relieving traffic jams
The Falcons need better access to the Georgia Dome, not a better stadium.
Atlanta is a major-league city with minor-league traffic engineers. What we now face while trying to get to events is gridlock traffic on the way in and on the way out. MARTA is no help, as they seem to ignore what is happening in the area. After hockey games, there would be a 20- to 30-minute wait until a single four-car train arrived. I can’t imagine what the stations are like after a football game.
Decreasing the time and hassle spent getting to and from sports events would make me much more likely to attend the events, not building a new stadium. A billion dollars would go a long way toward improving access to the venues, but would largely be wasted in building a new venue that no one can get to.
RICHARD BARLOW, ATLANTA
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