EMPLOYMENT
No shame in any job done with honor, dignity
I read in the AJC that over one million people applied last month for jobs at McDonald’s (“Fast-food jobs in higher demand,” News, May 31).
Maybe people are realizing that the phrase, “do you want fries with that?” doesn’t sound so bad after all. There’s a saying that if the job does not bring honor to you, then you bring honor to the job. No matter what the job, there is dignity and worth in honest, dedicated, hard work. The economy and tough times have made that more evident today than ever before.
Jerry Schwartz, Alpharetta
ANIMAL CRUELTY
Offenders need intense mental health treatment
The case of the man charged with badly burning a puppy shows why routine punishment isn’t enough to address this type of crime (“Police: Man puts puppy in hot oven as revenge,” ajc.com, May 25).
Studies have repeatedly shown that anyone who can harm an innocent animal like this has serious psychological shortcomings that could also result in violence toward human beings.
Georgia allows judges to order counseling in addition to jail time and fines for convicted animal abusers. A special program called AniCare deals specifically with animal cruelty, and tries to get to the root of the behavior before it repeats.
The injured dog received proper medical treatment, but without proper mental treatment, her attacker remains a danger to other animals.
Kenneth Shapiro, executive director, Animals and Society Institute Inc.
IMMIGRATION
Consequences of new law is not surprising
Our governor and the Legislature should not be surprised that so-called immigration reform has caused workers to look to other states for work.
The reality is that the legislation is all about discrimination against people who are Hispanic. Discrimination was wrong in the 1960s when “law” prevented people of color from voting and from using public transportation, water fountains, and restrooms that were also used by others. Discrimination in 2011 is just as wrong. Our state’s leaders should acknowledge the foolishness of what they have done, and repeal this unwise legislation.
Ronald H. Grizzle, Flowery Branch
SOCIETY
Metro community needs should be colorblind
Mayor Kasim Reed has complained that a transportation panel doesn’t look like the region (being composed of four white men).
The question that comes to my mind is: does Mayor Reed represent all of Atlanta, or does he just represent the black men of Atlanta? I would guess that he would say that he represents all of the city, even though he certainly doesn’t look like all the people in the city.
We need to get beyond this idea that I can’t understand you unless I am like you. The idea that only a black person can represent blacks is as ludicrous as the idea that a black man can’t represent whites. When we all begin to try to understand each other and our common needs, the race, gender, and other characteristics become meaningless.
Vernon Peppers, Atlanta
