More freedoms will be lost with Trump in charge
How ironic to see Trump supporters at his latest rally wearing t-shirts emblazoned with the words “live free or die.”
What is it they want to be free to do:
Free to dictate to you what religion you can practice, free to dictate who you can marry, who you can have sex with, free to dictate what books your children can read, free to dictate what history can be taught in elementary schools, free to overturn the results of an honest election because their candidate didn’t win.
They just do not understand how much freedom they will lose if Donald Trump is re-elected, things like the freedom to disagree with him.
PAUL GLASSER, DECATUR
Would you trust someone with 91 felony charges?
In today’s news, one of your neighbors was charged with seven felony crimes and is now free on bail. Tomorrow, he knocks on your front door. Do the seven felony crime charges make a difference in whether you allow him into your home?
You have a choice. How many people with felony charges have knocked on your door before? Although everyone is innocent until proven guilty, will you choose to accept risk and allow him into your home? Will you allow anyone with 91 felony crime charges, currently out on bail, to be the President of the United States of America?
You have a choice. If you vote yes, then welcome in the neighbor with only seven felony crime charges. Whatever happens, you allowed it; you asked for it.
LUKE LAURENT, ATLANTA
Global economy needs improved IMF, World Bank
A constantly changing world requires constant work and improvement to accommodate modern society. In the economic sector, it appears that the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and World Bank are moving at a slower pace than society to modernize.
Since 1944, the main functions of the IMF include tracking economic events, advising members and issuing loans and assistance to countries facing hardship. Debt is huge, but the system may be broken.
There is a definite global debt crisis in which the IMF and World Bank must modernize to accommodate the modern world and global economy and to prevent inequalities. Both the IMF and the World Bank need to increase transparency, accountability and policy that aligns with the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.
Without modernization, the potential for inequality, dominance and conditional lending will continue to increase. If greater modernizing efforts are applied to the IMF and the World Bank, greater opportunities to grow the global economy are enabled while reducing the inequalities that impact our world economy.
ERICA BIBBEY, MARIETTA
Transition from fossil fuels only rational path to take
While the title of a Dec. 26 letter, “Climate change demands rational solutions,” is absolutely correct, the letter nevertheless defends the burning of fossil fuels.
During the entire existence of Homo sapiens, CO2 levels in the atmosphere have hovered around 280 parts per million until, that is, humans began burning fossil fuels, elevating the level of global warming CO2 to 420 ppm. And it continues climbing.
Despite the undeniable past labor-saving benefits of fossil fuels, it is now increasingly apparent that the consequence of burning fossil fuels at anywhere near current levels is unsustainable for a livable world. The dire effects of climate change from burning fossil fuels are growing worse, depressing economies worldwide and polluting the air we breathe.
The means to affordably transition away from fossil fuels are available. Nearly every nation on earth recognizes this is the only path that will allow humanity to thrive. It’s the only rational thing to do.
DOUG NICHOLS, FAYETTEVILLE
