FEMA unfairly targeted in media
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is being unfairly castigated by the media because they have not paid a personal visit to each of the millions affected by the recent string of major disasters. FEMA is primarily a coordinating agency which calls upon other federal agencies and the military for contracting and logistical support. There are not thousands of FEMA employees stacked up in the Atlanta or Fort Worth regional offices waiting to contact you when you need disaster assistance. More like a few dozen.
FEMA employees are doubtless working as tirelessly today to aid unfortunate storm victims as they did when I was assigned to help them during disasters like Hurricanes Hugo and Andrew. To borrow a famous quote, “never was so much owed by so many to so few,” and thanks to underreporting, most people don’t even know it. You have to be there to appreciate the enormity of their task.
ROBERT REDMOND SR., CANTON
Help should be pushed for storm victims
Recently, the AJC front page “Storm victims in Texas, Florida feel ‘abandoned,’” News, Oct. 23, was the story about the frustration and anger felt by the residents of Texas and Florida, for FEMA assistance. Recently, there have been three major storms that crippled Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico. President Trump said, “In Texas and in Florida, we get an A-plus.” In Puerto Rico, he recently scored the response to the relief effort, a 10 out of 10.
Hurricanes Harvey and Irma made landfall on Aug. 25 and Sept. 10 respectively. In Texas and Florida, folks who have lost everything are calling FEMA for answers and are waiting for hours after being put on hold. These questions go unanswered. I say we forgo a tax cut for the rich until we rescue these Americans, who are crying out for our help.
DAVE FEDACK, DOUGLASVILLE
Athletics no longer an activity that unites
Watching the Falcons standing on the field with “locked arms” during the national anthem in a self-identified stance of “unity” does not project a warm feeling of inclusiveness as proposed. It is undeniably a political stance in response to our president saying that those who kneel in protest during the anthem should not be allowed to play due to their lack of patriotism. The Falcons and all others in sports who are taking such physical poses during the anthem are demonstrating for their political positions and thereby alienating millions who have opposing views. Their demonstrations do not contribute to “unity” of anything. It is another element that divides our nation and polarizes those who have different positions. Support for organized sports is diminished by all the politicizing. Athletics as an activity that brought everyone together in support of their team is yet one additional tradition that has been lost.
R. B. KUTER, CUMMING
School values mold responsible adults
In “Election could reshape issue of school vouchers,” Opinion, Oct. 25, Star Parker states “values transmitted in public schools are based on secular humanism.” Says who? Where is the secular humanism content? Is it in the books and curriculum approved by our elected officials? The administration? The teaching methods? It is the mission of public schools to remain neutral with regard to religious content. Neutrality, however, does not equal secular humanism. In a free society, parents play an important role in conveying their values to their children through their own teachings and those of the religious and cultural groups of their choice. To complement those teachings, public schools can help teach the values of our civil society, such as integrity, individual responsibility, fairness, justice, patriotism, respect for others, hard work, working well with others and being a good citizen. These values that children learn during their school years will constructively serve them and the world they will help shape as adults.
LESLIE WOLFE, ATLANTA
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