Why is firing over dreadlocks news?
Regarding “Man says he was fired over dreadlocks” (Metro, July 16), a man works for a firm with a dress code. He refuses to comply with the dress code. He receives a warning. He still refuses to comply. He gets fired. Where’s the story? How is this news?
MIKE CANFIELD, ATLANTA
Long-term congestion solution is needed
The never-ending debate over how to improve Atlanta’s traffic congestion is a continuation of the myopic fixation with cramming more people into a small space. For Atlanta to truly grow into a properly functioning, pleasant place to live, an outer perimeter with space for more homes, airplanes and automobiles is the only reasonable solution.
Unfortunately, politicians who control the future of Atlanta are more concerned with providing jobs for their constituents than looking for an obvious, long-term solution to congestion that is guaranteed to get worse.
ERIC SANDBERG, ATLANTA
We need fairer system to fund improvements
On July 31, we will be asked to approve a sales tax to address the Atlanta region’s transportation problems. There are many reasons to oppose this proposal, but they include the following.
It is primarily the poor and middle-income folks who will bear the brunt of the proposed tax. We need to develop a fairer system of paying for any improvements.
In looking over the list of proposed projects, one must wonder why many are not covered by Georgia’s gasoline tax. Many would involve widening or redesigning state roads. One must suspect that county commissioners do not wish to raise property taxes for many of these projects.
STAN CITRON, ATLANTA
Consider causes of higher temperatures
Regarding “Heat wave toll tops 30, bakes much of U.S.” (News, July 8), it’s time to reflect on why people all over the country are dealing with triple-digit temperatures. While for many people, the heat has been merely unpleasant, for many, it has also been an extreme inconvenience. Record-setting temperatures in cities all over the nation are threatening our health and lifestyles. But why are we facing such heat?
It’s difficult not to attribute some of these changes in weather to global climate change. For those who have until now viewed climate change as a myth, this should be quite convincing evidence that global warming is indeed real. It’s been getting hotter every summer, and the trend could continue. I would urge everybody to consider global climate change as a factor in this summer’s extreme heat, and think about how much worse things will get if we don’t work to rectify the problem. If the heat is already derailing trains and cracking highway pavement, what could another few degrees do?
STEFAN BUGGE, ATLANTA
