YOUR TAX DOLLARS
Senate should disclose discrimination details
The racial discrimination claim settled by the state Senate for $80,500 was hushed up (“Senate pays law firm $80,500,” Metro, Sept. 21). The Senate has forgotten that they are not running a private business. As one of their employers, I want the full facts — so that the Senate will know that they can’t cover up discrimination with money out of a budget allocated with some of my tax money.
RICH CHALLEN, SNELLVILLE
DEATH PENALTY
Davis’ execution spurs question about justice
It seems that worldwide protests and prominent individuals calling for a halt to Troy Davis’ execution bolstered, rather than mitigated, the resolve of Georgia authorities to kill this apparently innocent man. How could it possibly benefit the state and people of Georgia to have executed this man? On the other hand, a man who many saw murder a judge, a court reporter and another person was not given the death penalty — and Georgians have to house him for life. Where is the justice in this? This case has made me a firm supporter of the abolition of the death penalty in the United States.
MUHAMMAD YUNGAI, DECATUR
POLITICS
Education shouldn’t be seen as sign of elitism
In “The brains-vs.-gut question in politics” (Opinion, Sept. 21), Kathleen Parker states that “in GOP circles, being an ordinary American is viewed as superior to being an egg-headed elitist.” She also observes that many Republicans are “willing to dumb themselves down to win the support of the party’s base.” This strategy seems to imply that the “ordinary American” doesn’t value higher education and, furthermore, they should distrust it. This insults the intelligence of all voters, whether they have a college degree or not. This anti- intellectualism is also reckless, given that U.S. students continue to lag behind their counterparts in most other advanced nations in math and science.
MARGARET TATE, DECATUR
REGULATIONS
Environment deserves to be political priority
In response to “EPA in GOP crosshairs” (News, Sept. 18), your quote from GOP candidate Herman Cain says it all for me: “We just want reasonable regulations that cut down on bureaucracy and help businesses succeed.” Why is there no mention of the need to protect the environment (as well as the health and well-being) of the citizens of the United States? If our elected government does not specifically state and enforce the desire to balance the needs of businesses against the needs of the citizens, there is no doubt who will lose when conflicts of interest come up between businesses and citizens and the need to protect and preserve our nation’s environment.
JAMES THOMAS, MARIETTA
