Mother’s Day
We don’t appreciate moms nearly enough
My mother; my best friend, I love you.
I know I do not say it often, but I feel so very blessed to have you in my life. I don’t know what I would do without you.
God has made mothers from a unique mold. They are beings who love, care and pray for you unconditionally.
My mother came from Pakistan almost three months ago just to help me finish school and attend my graduation ceremony. Now that she is going back home thousands of miles away, I feel sad.
Still, I am grateful that she was able to spend time with us and made new memories with my children. May God Bless you always.
SAIMA AHMAD, SUWANEE
DEATH PENALTY
Constitution doesn’t require painless execution
So, Mary Sanchez writes, “Botched execution should be end of death Penalty,” (Opinion, May 6).
No, Mary, the botched execution should be an end to the state’s effort to find a painless way to execute a killer and, in doing so, end the effort to end the death penalty.
It is known that any chemical will not have the same effect on all individuals. Therefore some will take longer to die from a lethal injection. That is not the case for a bullet; bullets affect all individuals in the same manner. Execution by firing squad is instantaneous.
The Constitution doesn’t require a totally painless execution, just one that is not unusual or cruel.
States should revert to execution by firing squad, a method which was not considered unusual or cruel when our Constitution was written. Thus, the constitutional requirement concerning execution of a killer would be satisfied.
BILL SMITH, STOCKBRIDGE
GUNS
More guns likely to incur more tragedies
Instead of trying to reduce the amount of guns in use, it seems we are guaranteeing that more guns will be carried in our public areas! And not all of these guns are being carried by “good” guys. Situations will arise where a person pulls a gun, has had little or no training, and innocent people will be hurt. This can sometimes happen when a legitimate officer fires his weapon. Why are we so determined to increase the number of guns in the public sector? Do we really want to have more shootouts by people with itchy fingers? Will there be more secure areas because more people are sporting guns?
This is not colonial times or the Wild West. We are supposedly civilized, and should only be worried about the deranged person using a gun, but instead we have to worry about the average “Joe” being armed and willing to “help” or assist others. We are only increasing the likelihood of more people being injured or killed by the increase of more guns being used!
DAVID CLARKE, BUFORD
CLIMATE
Misguided policies increasing energy cost
The AJC article “U. S. electricity prices may jump, stay up” (News, May 4) stated electricity prices will rise and reliability of supply be jeopardized. Price increases are due to less coal use, and more renewable energy use. Supply reliability is threatened by EPA rulings forcing the shutdown of 25 percent of coal-fired power plants.
The common thread to all these events are governments’ belief that carbon dioxide from fossil fuels causes global warming — which necessitates eliminating coal use and replacing it with renewable energy. Twenty-nine states have mandates for renewable energy use — with California leading with 33 percent electricity generation required by 2020. California’s electricity costs are 50 percent higher than Georgia. The EPA’s mercury and toxic substances rule is forcing shutdown of coal-fired power plants nationwide.
Carbon dioxide from coal use has negligible effect on climate and its cheap electricity saves lives by allowing the poor to have heat and air conditioning.
JAMES H. RUST, ATLANTA, PROFESSOR AND POLICY ADVISOR, THE HEARTLAND INSTITUTE
