University of Missouri leaders set bad precedent
Many of us were shocked when the top administrator at the University of Missouri threw in the towel. The Tigers don’t give up that easily on the football field and I for one don’t understand the sudden decision to give up without negotiation. Maybe the school was wrong, but couldn’t they work with the protesters and students to make it right in the future? Instead, they just promptly fell on their collective swords. I remember the stubborn stance President Bill Clinton made when they had the goods on him with Monica Lewinsky. He stood fast, like Admiral Farragut (Damn the torpedoes!) and he was Teflon — the excrement didn’t stick. The University of Missouri leaders set a bad precedent. However, in my considered opinion, major college athletes should be paid. It’s a huge business now. Maybe they should form a union or two, in the good old American way when workers are being short-changed.
ROBERT REDMOND SR., CANTON
Social Security, Medicare not entitlements
I am sick and tired of Congress referring to Social Security and Medicare as entitlements. I am a senior citizen who has paid into both thousands of dollars over the past 45 years. This is my money the federal government has collected and held without a choice on my part. By doing this, I and other seniors expect a return for our contributions to these programs. If I could have kept the Social Security withdrawals all these years and invested it privately, I would be much better of today. Welfare, food stamps, WIC, and housing subsides are entitlements because the folks who benefit did not contribute to these programs. What happened to the Social Security “lock box” Al Gore promised? No matter how much I may agree on a Congressman’s ideas., I will never support one who refers to these as entitlement programs.
KEVIN COYLE, BETHLEHEM
MARTA doesn’t practice diversity hiring
Is it right that MARTA has practiced non-diversity hiring?. Is it best that we support non-diversity hiring practices by giving MARTA more tax dollars? While The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is doing a fine job of covering the transportation issues, you ignore the elephant in the room which is giving more tax dollars to MARTA is supporting non-diversity hiring practices which is not the best for our community. I thought we valued diversity hiring? MARTA needs the money to pay their generous pension benefits; improving traffic problems will get little attention.
LYNN EVERITT, BRASELTON
