Service highlighted shared humanity
On Monday, I attended a Requiem Eucharist for homeless people who died this past year in Atlanta. I cannot understand why the media was not all over this amazing event. More than 900 people gathered in the sanctuary of The Cathedral of St. Philip to remember 67 people, classified as homeless. While most of those whose names we heard were poor African-Americans, the pews were filled with people of every economic strata, race and religious conviction.
While so much news is bad news, for one evening, we affirmed our common humanity and the value of every human life in the heart of God. Last night’s requiem represented the best of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The city of Atlanta owes a debt of gratitude to Anita and Jim Beaty, the Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless and the 40 care organizations committed to protecting the most vulnerable among us. Last night was a reminder that there are no throwbacks in God’s family.
THOMAS ARE, STONE MOUNTAIN
Too many students are misdirected
Peter Morici’s column in the Nov. 4 AJC (“Too many college grads, too few tradespeople,” Opinion) struck a nerve with this college history teacher who sees too many students in college because their parents and the “system” say that is where they should be. More important than Morici’s pitch for “trade” education is the need for our education system to help students find what they enjoy doing and guiding them to achieve that goal.
As so clearly noted by Aristotle almost 3,000 years ago, virtue and happiness are achieved when you do well what you enjoy doing. We have far too many social science graduates who would rather do high-tech metal work, build houses, fly helicopters or work on a television production stage — jobs that do not require a college degree but are in high demand in Georgia. I do not suggest that college is not a good thing; just that college is only one of many paths to success.
JEFF MARLIN, SNELLVILLE
Do we really want more warming?
I was astounded by the Oct. 29 op-ed by Anastasia Swearingen (“Protect nature, fill gas tanks,” Opinion, Oct. 29). We should keep drilling for and burning oil because oil spills aren’t as bad as predicted? That’s like saying you should keep eating fat, because you’ll only need a triple-heart bypass instead of a quadruple. What her article failed to mention: If we burn all the oil we have found so far, we will generate enough carbon dioxide to raise global temperatures tremendously. Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Montreal and every other city and town will have the climate of Miami. Is this what we want?
HENRY SLACK, DECATUR
