Afghans caught in deportation quagmire
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s letter to the Department of Homeland Security spotlights one consequence of the Trump administration’s heedless, heartless deportation policies.
Raffensperger has urged DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to thoroughly vet the asylum applications of Afghan Christians before acting on her decision not to renew their Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Noem based this decision on her assessment of Afghanistan’s “improved security situation.”
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom says that Afghan Christians “face targeted, state-sponsored persecution, and near-certain execution under Taliban interpretations of Sharia law.”
The Trump administration has just granted “refugee” status and a chartered jet to 59 South African Afrikaners. At a compassionate minimum, Afghan Christians facing “near-certain execution” deserve a renewal of their TPS status. Then, as Raffensperger has urged, their applications for “refugee” asylum status deserve a thorough and impartial vetting and evaluation.
KEN SCOTT, DECATUR
PSC has been partisan for far too long
How undemocratic that three of the five Republican Public Service Commission (PSC) members have stayed in office long after their terms expired. It’s wrong that there have been no PSC elections for five years. Thankfully, an election is finally scheduled.
During this time, voters had no chance to weigh in on six rate increases or have any say in the fossil fuel-heavy electricity production that continues despite most Georgians acknowledging climate change is a real problem. PSC members must live in their districts, but all votes are tallied statewide, which means minority-majority districts often go unrepresented. Plus, no third-party candidates are allowed. Where is the fairness in that?
The result is a partisan board that consistently votes to protect Georgia Power’s interests, raises rates, slows the growth of cheaper, sustainable energy, and resists faster climate action.
Now, Georgians have a chance to push back by voting in the June 17 primary and the Nov. 4 general election. Learn who’s running, talk with others, and vote for a more affordable, sustainable future.
JEFF JOSLIN, ATLANTA
True Christian values look different
Some of our lawmakers in Washington D.C. lament the USA doesn’t allow freedom of religion. To these folks, there is only one religion, Christianity. What is Christianity? I was taught that it’s following the teachings of Jesus. When Jesus fed the 5,000 hungry folks, he didn’t say, “I’m unable to feed you due to budget cuts.” He never said to increase spending on weapons of war or to cut resources to heal the sick. Jesus was about healing, feeding, and welcoming those less fortunate souls.
I wish Christian values were followed, and then we’d have fewer hungry people, fewer sick people, and fewer lost souls.
DAVE FEDACK, DOUGLASVILLE
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