Appreciated homage to Rosie the Riveter
It was encouraging to see Michael Ramirez’s updated rendition of Rosie the Riveter as a cartoon in the April 5 Opinion section. For those of us old enough to remember who she was and what she represented, it was a timely piece that is much-needed in this day of worry and concern related to the COVID-19 crisis. I would encourage anyone not familiar with Rosie the Riveter to do a little research. There is indeed a connection in great courage between the past Rosie and the modern Rosie the Registered Nurse. Perhaps the AJC can use its op-ed section for more encouraging reminders of past times of crisis our country experienced and overcame through the courageous and selfless acts of so many of our hero citizens.
KIP HOWARD, MARIETTA
Dr. King’s shouldn’t be only criminal record expunged
I enjoyed the article about the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s arrest record getting expunged (“Decades after arrest, King’s Fulton record to be cleared,” News, April 4) and applaud Solicitor General Keith Gammage’s efforts. But the reality is, Georgia’s expungement law is extremely narrow, only allowing arrests that didn’t lead to convictions to be restricted and failing to recognize rehabilitation in the convicted. As a person of faith, I believe in redemption and mercy. God never gives up on us, and we can’t give up on others. Forty-one states expunge convictions, but in Georgia – no matter how long ago or how a person has changed—convictions stay on a person’s record forever, creating lifetime barriers to employment and housing. SB 288 is a first step toward correcting this injustice. I urge the Georgia House to pass it. Dr. King never marched alone. He marched for all. He would not want his record expunged without similar justice for the most powerless.
CAROLE MADDUX, GEORGIA INTERFAITH PUBLIC POLICY CENTER, ATLANTA
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