Atlanta City Council members work hard to serve citizens
Although I’ve been out of elected office for 47 years (president of the Atlanta City Council, then called the Board of Aldermen, 1965-1973), I have a good understanding of the council’s work. I urge the public across the city to realize they earn their salaries. Keep in mind that when you have a complaint to register, the likelihood is it’s made to your council member. These elected leaders take calls (and emails) day and night, but what most don’t realize is that under (the city’s) charter, they usually don’t even have the power (or responsibility) to correct the issue.
SAM MASSELL, ATLANTA
Hoping well-meaning Republicans return to normalcy soon
The lawless thugs who led the assault on the U.S. Capitol were engaging in domestic terrorism long before Trump even ran for office. They are the white supremacist “deplorables” Hillary Clinton warned us about. Trump gave them legitimacy with his racist, xenophobic rhetoric. Trump’s own Homeland Security Department warned us that domestic terrorists were the biggest threat while Trump was demonizing Muslims and Hispanic immigrants. I believe the deplorables make up a minority of Trump supporters, and the remainder are otherwise well-meaning people deluded by the lies constantly spewing from Trump and his propaganda machine. Elected officials, who parrot Trump’s lies in the cynical hope that this will ingratiate them to his base, should be lumped into their own class of deplorables and ostracized. My hope is that once Trump has lost the platform of the presidency and his lies begin to ring hollow, well-meaning Republicans will be released from his evil grip and return to sanity.
J.R. THOMSON, MARIETTA
Liberals taught conservatives the power of taking to streets
The recent riots in Washington are deplorable. Is this not what American policymakers have taught us to do? If we want change, take to the streets with marches, demonstrations and protest. It has worked for some minorities for at least 50 years, including the few overzealous individuals who damage property, injure people and create havoc. Now that the shoe is on the other foot and conservatives are now in the minority, it will be interesting to see how we handle it. I’m betting we will react very differently.
GARLAND HOBBS, DALLAS
Republicans should have objected much earlier to Trump’s actions
As reported by the AJC, Republican politicians have asked Biden for help. They wanted the president-elect to persuade Speaker Pelosi not to impeach Donald Trump for inciting the terrible riot at the Capitol. We could only wish Republicans had urged Trump himself not to inflame division with lies and baseless attacks on our democracy. Where were they when he repeatedly attacked the legitimate powers of our legislative branch of government? Did they object when Trump divided our nation with baseless claims of voter fraud, attacks on our state governors and election officials, and rejection of the election itself? That was the time to speak out, before violence broke out. Now, as we begin to heal, these tragically late politicians should contemplate the truth of a prophetic biblical verse: Those who sow the wind shall reap the whirlwind.
HARRY FINDLEY, BROOKHAVEN
