Conway was right to defend officers
Instead of calling Gwinnett County Sheriff Butch Conway names, perhaps his critics should actually read his comments (“Gwinnett sheriff issues scathing statement: ‘All lives matter,’” News, Sept. 16). He did not condone police misconduct. Quite the contrary, he declared his department wouldn’t tolerate it. However, he defended the thousands of hard-working law enforcement officers across the country who literally put their lives on the line every day.
If one school teacher is arrested for child molestation, we don’t automatically classify everyone in that profession as pedophiles. If one accountant murders his wife, all accountants aren’t suddenly murder suspects. All Conway and fair-minded people are saying is to give police officers the benefit of the doubt. If the current atmosphere continues, the results may be dire. The number of people willing to do the job may decrease, and the next time you need help from the police, there may be no one to answer the call.
JACKIE WHITE, HOSCHTON
Cameras, media expose misconduct
I agree with Gwinnett County Sheriff Butch Conway that all lives matter. For a very long time, that has simply not been the case. As a black man over 60, I’ve experienced and seen police atrocities on “people,” not just blacks. Police authority was assumed to be warranted because they wore that uniform.
In any large population of any size, there are going to be “bad apples.” Cameras are now exposing these individuals; the media is helping to alert authority organizations and the general public of instances of mistaken identity — for example, of the famous black tennis player outside his hotel — and of police invading a home mistakenly, shooting the owner and the family dog. It alerts those police organizations that they need to cull those individuals or change their procedures. Frankly, I feel a little bit safer now.
GIL THOMAS, ELLENWOOD
McDonald’s switch to cage-free eggs
I was grateful to see McDonald’s has switched to cage-free eggs. This is a change that will be “truly meaningful to customers.” Those words by Marion Gross, a senior vice president at McDonald’s, could not be more accurate. McDonald’s’ announcement directly addresses the fast-growing interest of consumers to know where their food comes from, and (not) from facilities that are inhumane and at great risk for public health hazards. I am confident I speak for thousands of others when I say the egg industry needs to join the 21st century and stop defending the cage-confinement of chickens. It’s time for all egg producers to go cage free. McDonald’s made the right decision, and I hope the egg industry pays attention.
REBECCA PORTMAN, DECATUR
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