Focus on disaster relief, not politics
Georgia has just been through a catastrophic tropical storm, with deaths and devastation documented across the Southeast. This is a time for local, state and federal officials to unite behind getting aid rapidly to the people, families and businesses affected by this terrible disaster. It is not the time for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp to reunite with former President Donald Trump, who has been spreading lies about the federal response to gain cheap political points.
This has only confused those in desperate need of assistance. Let’s focus on helping those in need. The governor should have known better and not involved himself in this shameful electioneering stunt.
MICHAEL BEACH, ATLANTA
Climate crisis is reason to vote, and vote early
As Georgians, we’re no strangers to extreme weather, but the challenges we face now are becoming harder to ignore.
With hurricanes Helene and Milton causing devastation in Georgia and neighboring states, it’s clear the climate crisis is a reality we must confront head on. This makes the upcoming election more important than ever, as the policies we vote for will shape how Georgia and the nation respond to these growing threats.
Early voting in Georgia, from Oct. 15 to Nov. 1, allows us to cast our ballots without worrying about long lines and work responsibilities on Election Day.
For those of us in the Latino community, these elections are a critical opportunity to advocate for policies that prioritize the well-being of our families and communities. Extreme weather doesn’t just affect our homes and livelihoods; it affects our future. By voting early, we can help shape the policies that will tackle climate change, improve disaster preparedness and ensure a sustainable future in Georgia.
CRISTAL VALDEZ, NORCROSS
Compare candidates’ words and actions
Coming soon is a most important election, and voters need to get it right amid a lot of questionable commercials and misinformation.
If voters honestly compare the words and actions of both candidates over at least the past eight years, they will be able to ferret out the truth. The truth suffers from distortion attempts by campaigns and the media, and sometimes it is deliberately avoided and hidden.
JOHN SNOW, PEACHTREE CITY
Attacks on Trump say nothing about Harris
Regarding former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan’s Oct. 9 opinion column, “Republicans don’t need to spread lies”:
Because Duncan and his Democratic pals have nothing good to say about Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, they have to keep criticizing former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, to have something to write about.
Voting for Trump is our only chance to avoid a Harris catastrophe.
JACK FRANKLIN, CONYERS
Election infighting pales compared to world problems
In terms of the world, the words Democrat and Republican are tiny. While Americans obsess about the nasty infighting between those parties, things of far greater import unfold. The most profound world problems are occurring in Ukraine, the Middle East and the Pacific sphere. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump might bicker about how to address world problems, but the American public, in general, remains mesmerized by our domestic turmoil. Issues of abortion, taxation and immigration are headline news. These are important, but Russia’s threatened encroachment on Western Europe, the chaotic breakdown of any hope of peace in the Middle East and China’s efforts to colonize the Pacific dwarf them.
Our media is bedazzled by conspiracy ideas. Americans have developed an insatiable appetite for hatred, the fast food of news. We starve from a lack of commitment to the world beyond our shores. Though the outcome of our coming election hangs in the balance, forces of greater weight suggest how out of balance the U.S. perspective really is.
RICKS CARSON, ATLANTA
