Courage needed on transportation
The missing element in meeting Atlanta’s transportation needs is courage on the part of the governor and key legislators. They need to call for an increased transportation tax of some sort. They are so fearful of proposing a tax they would rather allow Atlanta to decay into nothingness than take flak from no-tax zealots. Yes, it takes courage to call for transportation taxes in the face of rural legislators who view Atlanta as a foreign country and suburban citizens who’re terrorized at the sight of black skin on a MARTA train. One positive step they could take — an increase in the gas tax — is so obvious it is comical to see our leaders dance away from it. We need courage, not timidity, in shaping Atlanta’s future.
JOHN POOLER, DORAVILLE
DeKalb residents need vote
Our area of the LaVista Hills map has been neglected for over 20 years. We pay higher taxes than do cities in DeKalb County, but get a bare minimum to show for it. Crumbling streets, little or no law enforcement, no planning and code enforcement, no animal control, etc., are no longer acceptable. Now the county is cutting our only good service, garbage collection! Any better-run areas of DeKalb ultimately help all of DeKalb. Incorporating is creating a local level to help our ailing, dysfunctional county government. I want to see our county thrive throughout. Positive economic development is happening in incorporated areas of DeKalb, but most businesses choose not to locate in unincorporated DeKalb due to such poor local services. If we can get local planning and code enforcement, along with adding local police and repairing streets, it will make a huge difference now and in the future. This is the third year our area has been before the legislature – it’s time to give us a chance to vote.
L.G. EDMONDS, DECATUR
Talk shows mask real issues
Every week, the Sunday morning Washington talk shows go on and on about insider politics and terrorism, terrorism, and more terrorism, with a little bit of Putin’s latest nastiness thrown in to fill the gaps. No one watching would ever suspect there is in this country a generation unable to earn enough to buy a house or a car, and living hand-to-mouth. Getting married and raising a family is not something they can reasonably aspire to. It is in fact reduced to some antiquated pipe dream from ’60s TV shows. They have been forgotten by their parents watching the Sunday talk shows, and they are being pointedly ignored by those shows. Obviously, corporate TV is using “1984” as a playbook. Fear and hate keeps the proles bamboozled and justified rebellion at bay.
DEAN POIRIER, DULUTH
Leonard Pitts (“Thank You, Jon Stewart, for helping me to stay sane,” Opinion, Feb. 22) writes, “Jon Stewart is why I’m not crazy,” which confirms a source for his far-left views and the amusement I receive reading them. Stewart is an entertainer and comedian. Conservatives who criticize Stewart’s biased opinions are dismissed by liberals who remind us that he is a comedian. The Far Left knows well that the majority of young adults get their biased liberal news on his show and others like it. Now that Stewart has announced his retirement from The Daily Show, who will Pitts rely on to keep his sanity while maintaining his fair and balanced reporting?
RICHARD PAPP, KENNESAW
Holy war not ours to fight
Jay Bookman is correct when he says Feb. 22 that ISIS’ best hope is to bring the United States into a “Holy War,” and that some “extremely foolish people” want to succumb to their wishes. ISIS clearly wants their war to be a “Holy War” between Islam and Christianity. But it is not that at all, and it would be folly for America to let it become that. Conversely, to deny that there is, in reality, a Holy War being fought is folly as well. This is a war for the heart and soul of Islam, and while there are long-term American strategic interests involved, our participation must be limited to supporting the moderates who are fighting for their faith. No American soldier should die fighting for the soul of Islam. That should be for Islam itself to do.
WILLIAM MILLER, ATLANTA
