U.S. should continue to be a ‘light’ for brave Ukrainians
On Sunday, January 1, in my church, the Gospel reading was John 1:1-18. It contains the sentence, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”
As I listened, I thought of the light of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the brave Ukrainian people and the darkness of Vladimir Putin and the Russian army. For this coming year, it is my hope and prayer that the “light” of continued U.S. and Western allies’ military and financial support will not be diminished by the “darkness” of the “America First” (pro-Putin) right wing of the upcoming Republican House majority.
JOHN T. COBB, ATLANTA
Luckovich cartoons have contributed to political polarization
I enjoyed revisiting the cartoons Mike Luckovich selected as his favorites of the year.
However, as I read his commentary on his cartoon tribute to the former speaker of the late Georgia House Speaker David Ralston, in which he laments the corrosive polarization consuming our country, I had to wonder, does he not read his own cartoons?
Other than the occasional tribute or sports theme, nearly every published creation of Mr. Luckovich either demonizes or ridicules the GOP. Even conservative Democrats don’t escape his scorn.
If Mike is serious in his concern for the dangerous divide in our country, perhaps he might try drafting the occasional editorial cartoon conveying even the slightest respect and goodwill for the other side.
JON REGITSKY, MARIETTA
Ranked-choice voting could save time, resources
There is strong support for implementing ranked-choice voting (RCV) in elections. Voters eagerly sign my petition when I collect signatures for the change. RCV allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, ensuring that the winning candidate truly reflects the will of the majority. This system has been successful in several state and local elections, which has led to increased voter turnout and decreased negative campaigning.
Additionally, RCV can save time and resources, eliminating the need for costly runoff elections. In states like Georgia, where voting machines are already programmed for swift election results, implementing RCV would not necessarily lead to longer tabulation times or chaos at the polls.
RCV is a fair and effective way to ensure that the will of the majority is accurately represented in the electoral process. Instead of focusing on eliminating runoff elections, we should be exploring ways to improve the electoral process and increase trust in our elections, such as implementing RCV.
JEFF JOSLIN, ATLANTA
Cartoon trivializing climate change ignores facts
I was deeply disappointed to see The Atlanta Journal-Constitution run a cartoon, “From the right,” that trivialized the impact climate change has on our world. Responsible media outlets abandoned this discredited “both sides” approach years ago because it makes no sense to give equal weight to a side that ignores fact-based reality.
The science is clear: Burning fossil fuels over the past two centuries has increased the level of heat-trapping gases in our atmosphere, driving up temperatures with disastrous effects. On the same weekend you published this cartoon, an atmospheric river unleashed massive rainfall that caused widespread flooding in California.
Transitioning away from fossil fuels is essential to avoid the worsening effects of climate change. Last year, Congress took an important step by passing the Inflation Reduction Act, which incentivizes clean energy. Oil and gas companies, however, would prefer to maintain the status quo to keep profits high. By sowing doubt about climate change with cartoons like this, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is doing them a huge favor.
STEVE VALK, ATLANTA
