Country was not safe on Bush’s watch
There was a big lie at the Sept. 16 GOP debate. Jeb Bush responded to Donald Trump that his brother George W. Bush when president “kept us safe.” Kept us safe? What was 9 / 11 ? President Bush and his team allowed the worst attack on America since Pearl Harbor. Not one of the other presidential candidates had the courage to speak up, and that is not right. The U.S. was attacked on 9 / 11 and 3,000 people lost their lives. The World Trade Center was destroyed. Are the Republicans afraid of the truth? Sept. 11 happened on their watch. “W” did not keep us safe. He put us in great danger and the world is now paying for his administration’s bad decisions.
DAVID P. SMITH, WOODSTOCK
Ferguson lies prevent honest discussion
“Yes, Michael Brown was likely guilty of what might been adjudicated as misdemeanor assault…” (“No easy way out,” Opinion, Sept. 21) What a way to minimize Brown’s responsibility for his own death. He assaults a store clerk, attacks a police officer, runs away after the gun discharges when he tried to grab it, and charges back towards the policeman. Andre Jackson scoffs at the policeman describing Brown as “Hulk Hogan” when he charged. Brown, according to the autopsy, was 6’3”, weighed 289 pounds. Hulk Hogan is 6’7’, about 300 pounds; most people would say that comparison isn’t far off. Contrary to Mr. Jackson’s obvious belief, there is no law requiring a policeman or any other citizen to allow himself to be beat, possibly to death. The simple fact is the Ferguson reaction was based on lies, and we continue to hear about Michael Brown, “the unarmed black youth killed by the police.” As Mr. Jackson ably points out, police abuse does occur. Let’s have a discussion about that real issue without demonizing an innocent police office and excusing a criminal’s violent act.
TIM HEWETT, TUCKER
Time to call off this execution
As a conservative Republican lawyer, I urge the state of Georgia to commute the sentence of Kelly Gissendaner to life in prison without parole. I believe our government must be limited, efficient and accurate in all that in does. This is especially true of our state’s criminal justice system, which is the most fearsome power our government possesses over its citizens. The system must act at all times with wisdom, prudence and, at times, restraint to maintain the confidence of the public. If it fails to do so, public confidence can be quickly shaken. The state of Georgia has committed a number of serious missteps in the pending execution of Kelly Gissendaner. These errors are well known and have shaken the trust of the public in our criminal justice system. In light of these errors, I feel it would be a serious misjudgment to proceed with her execution.
DAVID J. BURGE, ATLANTA
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