Republican-led secessionist movements a danger to nation
How ironic that the party of Lincoln, which fought to preserve our union, is now the party of secessionists!
Jan. 6 wasn’t the end; now we contend with “national divorce” and “Buckhead City.”
These secessionist movements, based more on ideology and ignorance than principle, are a danger to our domestic and international standing. The fallout from any secession will be financial, political and civic chaos.
It is time that more level-headed Republicans ensure that their secession-promoting members do not take down their party, city, state or country with them.
SANDY GAINES WOOD, ATLANTA
Drop culture wars, work on problems facing all Georgians
Greed, envy, racism and fear of people who look different are the foundations of the Republican culture wars against LGBTQ people and women, teaching the truth of U.S. history in schools and repairing structural barriers to equal opportunity for all Americans.
It’s not surprising that these cultural warriors support separating Buckhead from the rest of Atlanta. It’s outrageous that Republican senators who do not live in Atlanta are willing to put their culture wars above the good of all Atlantans and Georgians by supporting bills that would cripple the city of Atlanta.
Their rationale is that Buckhead residents deserve a vote on de-annexation. Well, that’s already been done. We had a vote in 2022 and voted to elect representatives who oppose de-annexation. It’s time to drop the culture wars and turn your attention to the many problems facing all Georgians. Access to healthcare, including women’s reproductive rights, decent housing, quality education for all Georgians and protecting Georgia’s ecological gem, the Okefenokee, would be a good start.
KATHLEEN MORIARTY, ATLANTA
Coach Smart needs to address team’s reckless behavior
As a state employee myself, I find it infuriating that the highest-paid state employee, UGA’s football coach, presides over a sports culture that condones or turns a blind eye to the reckless behavior that contributed to the deaths of two young people in their prime and the arrest of a third. This latest tragedy is not an isolated incident, of course. Star quarterback Stetson Bennett was arrested for public intoxication in January, and another football player was recently arrested on charges of domestic violence.
There’s no easy fix to this situation, but the buck stops at the top. Kirby Smart should not get another dime until he cleans house.
SARA T. CUSHING, DECATUR
Students need STEM classes, not Black history
Re: Maureen Downey’s Feb. 28 opinion column, “AP class opens students’ eyes to Black history,” there’s no shortage of books about Black history; libraries provide histories of every living thing - no secrets.
Students need classes in subjects that will prepare them for professional entry into technical and manufacturing fields required to keep our economy moving forward. We need scientists and engineers, not experts on human history. Applying for a position with history as your major will be best received in the teaching profession.
None of my forefathers engaged in human bondage, as they were generally hillbillies who had dirt floors in their homes and made whiskey to sell to their redneck mountain neighbors. And very few could read. Moreover, I never read about them in history books. Deplorables, ‘ya know.
An afterthought: The students being taught in the AP classes mentioned in this article should be reminded that slave owners were often Democrats who supported Jim Crow laws and the Klan.
JACK FRANKLIN, CONYERS
