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THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 23. 2021 PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS PAGE 5A
Letters to tAe Editor
Letters welcomed - No letter more than 450 words; Send
to news@pickensprogress.com or Pickens Progress 94 N.
Main, Jasper, Ga. 30143; All letters must have a full name
that will be published, and contact info. (Email Address or
Phone Number), which will not be published.
To the Editor:
As a subscriber to the
Progress and as a journalist
for four decades, I’m writing
in reaction to the paper’s A1
article last week on a speech
in Jasper by U.S. Rep. Mar
jorie Taylor Greene. In my
professional view, an article
on the front page - and really,
anywhere in the newspaper -
should respectfully offer
readers a fair and balanced
view of its topic, informed by
the reporter’s own diligence
(along with the editor’s) in
providing appropriate con
text. The Greene piece failed
to meet that basic standard.
The story by a 'contribut
ing writer’ (who has previ
ously produced some
informative articles in the
Progress), mainly enumer
ated Greene’s positions fault
ing the Biden administration;
she noted she’d introduced
articles of impeachment
against President Joe Biden,
and the story said 'Impeach
Biden’ bumper stickers were
distributed, leaving the audi
ence 'delighted.’
No context followed. Not
even passing reference was
made to arguments defending
Biden’s positions, the prover
bial 'other side of the story’
that fair reporting calls for.
Nor was there any mention of
official questions about
Greene’s own fitness for of
fice, which led to her re
moval from House
committee assignments.
The headline dodged the
story’s gist, saying simply
that Greene 'asks for prayers
in these times of crisis.’ An
editor presumably wrote this
headline, which, for whatever
reason, obscured the speech’s
overwhelmingly partisan
message. Further, the story
asserted that Greene is a de
vout Christian.’ This may or
may not be true, but since it
is something no reporter can
know, such careless phrases
are normally — and appropri
ately — removed by an editor.
As the Progress continues
to cover political news in our
community, let’s all hope
oversights like these will not
be repeated.
Sincerely,
Chris Sullivan
To the Editor:
The topics on the growth
issues were effectively high
lighted by the Gary Pichon
and Eric Celler letters. The
debate over growth in Jasper
and Pickens County will not
be settled by either of those
letters and certainly not by
this one either. For me the
better question to ask is
whether or not our elected
representatives favor grant
ing significant changes in the
current zoning of large
parcels within the city or
within the county. We still
have the power to vote for
our representatives. They are
the final decision makers.
A quick web search sug
gests the Jasper population is
about 4,000 people. If the re
cent approval to build town-
house ultimately is
constructed in full it will
likely add at least 500 new
residents. That is more than a
10% population increase for
Jasper. Based only on popu
lation that seems to be a large
increase. If I am mistaken on
the math please offer a cor
rection.
I am not a zoning expert
but I assume that changes in
zoning within the city for sig
nificant parcels like the re
cent approval for the
townhouse development also
impact the county. Does the
county also have input on this
approval? I do not that an
swer but I am eager to learn
what it is.
All of the questions and
opinions on road capacity,
water supply, sewer collec
tion and treatment along with
public services like police,
fire, medical, etc, are all valid
and fair to ask. The simple re
ality is developers develop,
builders build and eventually
people buy those homes and
move in. If not for this se
quence of business most of
would not be living here at all
because very few of us want
to or can build our own
houses.
My priority question is -
Should we as existing prop
erty owners have an expecta
tion that the zoning of
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adjacent parcels will be
maintained as such or reason
ably modified as the develop
ment cycle unfolds?
Allowing large parcels
currently zoned AG (for ex
ample) to be rezoned for mul
tifamily high density
development for me is unde
sirable. Is it unreasonable for
me to believe that the charac
ter and appearance of the city
and county can and should be
maintained to some reason
able resemblance of the place
I moved to?
Final thought - If we can
all agree that private property
rights should be respected
can we also agree the owners
of those parcels already know
what their zoning is? Selling
that parcel to another buyer
that intends to get a signifi
cant zoning change in an ef
fort to substantially increase
the allowed building density
is not just a private property
right. If that were true there
would be no need for zoning
categories at all.
Dan Loy
To the Editor:
We must do more to
strengthen our power grid
against an electromagnetic
pulse (EMP) event. Such an
event can result from an at
tack by terrorists or by an
other country (e.g. China
may already have the capa
bility,) or it can occur natu
rally. It could result in
devastating loss of life.
There is disagreement on
this, but why take chances?
We should also have a
ground-based GPS back-up
system, (like Russia has,) or
we could lose internet at the
least in an anti-satellite at
tack.
Alvin Blake
To the Editor:
A September 16 letter
says that Rev. Elder [Minis
ter’s Column] was wrong for
preaching his message from
the Bible. Teachers must
teach from a handbook. The
theory of Darwin is taught
from a handbook. Does that
make them racist?
Why is it there is always
an article in the media that is
throwing racist into anything
that is written or spoken
about homosexuality? Or
women’s rights? This bait
and switch must be noticed
by more then just me. They
always equate racist with ho
mosexuality. Why?
I was married to a homo
sexual for many years. When
he became ill the clergy was
always present at the aids
clinics. And that was a time
when aids was considered to
be contagious. I saw it expe
rienced it with my own eyes.
The gay community would
have nothing to do with the
quarantined. I saw it all over
this country. No parade at the
dying bedside of the aids vic
tims. No hand holding. The
red quarantine signs on the
hospital doors did not stop
the clergy.
Let me say this for All
who are called by God to
minister. The Bible is our
handbook. We must use the
Bible to lead all to Christ. If
it makes one uncomfortable.
So be it. Do not All public
figures put their hand on this
sacred book to swear hon
esty? You can’t pick and
choose when to reject the
Bible and still use it in the
courts and all other manner
of oath. Our court system is
derived from the word of
God. There is no racism in
the preaching of the gospel.
Are you to play God because
you are religious and had
some clergy in your life?
Everyone has a handbook to
follow in their job and des
tiny in life. You only equate
preaching from the word of
God with racism, really? By
the way my husband is
Puerto Rican and we have
never heard any pastor
preach from the word and
sprinkle racism in it. So
please address the subject
without the crutch of adding
to it. Just because one isn’t
white does not mean that
can’t read what you are writ
ing and understand what you
are insinuating. Very sad.
Maybe you should devote
your time to visiting the sick
and isolated that you claim to
care so much for. Your time
holding the sick’s hand cost
you nothing. God bless and
thank God for His holy word
that’s guides our country
everyday and sets us apart
from all others.
Kathleen Rios
Bryan Lawrence
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