IMMIGRATION
Those here legally also seek a better life
Letter writer David L. Perry asserts that the “vast majority” of illegal immigrants are here to “do an honest day’s work and make a better life for themselves and their families” (“Illegal immigrants here for an honest living,” Readers write, Opinion, May 17).
Perry should understand that those qualities also apply to those who choose to come here legally. Those “legals” also have the added quality of having not broken the law to come here.
Ed Dalton, Kennesaw
POLITICS
Tucker misrepresents Gingrich’s suggestion
I am no supporter of Newt Gingrich, but Cynthia Tucker’s “Poll test rhetoric taints Gingrich” (Opinion, May 18) used “straw man” logic to misrepresent his opinion. She spends two paragraphs ridiculing him, saying he is more “incendiary, more irresponsible and even less honorable” than she had imagined him to be. She accuses him of being petty, deceitful, and having overweening arrogance. And all this vilification because she thinks he is using the race card by suggesting that maybe voters should have the same knowledge of American history and citizenship as naturalized citizens.
Tucker, what is so irresponsible about asking voters to understand their privilege to vote? You take two sentences of Gingrich’s speech and give them racial overtones linked to some old Southern strategy to hinder black advancement by suppressing the black vote. This is the presidential campaign of 2012. Have we not moved past such arcane criticism?
Butch Entrekin, Stockbridge
GOVERNMENT
Street renaming not handled well
I have to wonder whether John Portman was asked about the street renaming (“Contentious vote changes name of street,” Metro, May 18). I would imagine that Portman has a sense of history. He certainly knows what a boulevard is. The question at the recent Atlanta City Council meeting was not whether John Portman was deserving of being honored in the cityscape, but how. Five council members understood that. It seems to me that a little more imagination was in order for honoring someone like John Portman.
Alida C. Silverman, Atlanta
POLITICS
It will take great wisdom to put U.S. back on track
I am concerned for our country. Our nation is spoiled beyond belief when compared to other nations. Our wages are too high, and our standard of living is beyond comparison.
But we are now in a global economy — and with the advent of communication methods such as the Internet, we are in competition with all nations. Our survival as an independent country is in jeopardy.
The good Lord put us here to both enjoy and protect this Earth with all its beauty and wonders. Are we up to this task? Our challenges include overpopulation, greed and corruption. It will take the wisdom of truly great leaders — acting jointly — to address these issues.
M.B. Johnson Jr., Newnan
