Judge Marvin Shoob leaves a lasting legacy
The article praising President Jimmy Carter’s legacy of judicial appointments did not mention one of his outstanding appointments: Judge Marvin Shoob. While serving on the bench in Atlanta, he was assigned a very controversial case involving the “Mariel Boat Cubans,” who had been locked up in the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary by the Immigration Service. Shoob ruled that, even though these Cuban refugees were not U.S. citizens, they had due process rights that entitled them to a hearing about their incarceration. Shoob, like Carter, believed that all people have inalienable human rights, a hard lesson Shoob learned firsthand while serving his country as a 19-year-old Army private, fighting in Europe to end Nazi oppression.
Shoob’s judicial career also included handling a multiyear prison conditions case involving the Fulton County Jail. He ruled repeatedly that the jail did not meet fundamental constitutional requirements. Shoob also was called upon from time to time to enforce the Constitution’s requirement of the separation of church and state. Last, he lived out his creed by treating all litigants who appeared before him with dignity and respect. Judge Shoob is a wonderful testament to the Carter judicial legacy.
MIKE EGAN, ATLANTA
Vaccines are a cost-effective benefit to public health
As a student pharmacist and global health advocate, I’ve seen vaccines’ life-changing impact. Through my work with policymakers and the Student National Pharmaceutical Association, I’ve witnessed progress in fighting preventable diseases — and the challenges that remain.
Even today, 1.5 million children die annually from vaccine-preventable diseases, and 1 in 5 lacks basic immunizations. These aren’t just statistics — they’re real lives lost.
This issue is personal. I work with communities facing health care barriers daily. Expanding vaccine access saves lives, strengthens health systems and prevents outbreaks from becoming global crises.
Investing in vaccines has far-reaching benefits. Programs such as Shot@Life show that every $1 spent on vaccines returns $54 in economic gains. Vaccines are among the most cost-effective ways to improve public health.
I urge policymakers to fully fund global vaccine programs. It’s not just a smart investment — it’s the right thing to do. Every child, regardless of birthplace, deserves a healthy future.
CHARLES AJALA, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
SNPhA NATIONAL OPERATION IMMUNIZATION
Look who’s calling the kettle black
President Donald Trump issued an executive order that targets transgender service members, asserting that “many mental and physical conditions are incompatible with active duty.”
The order accuses transgender military personnel of living in conflict “with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful and disciplined lifestyle, even in one’s personal life.” But here is where the extreme lowering of standards by Trump has brought us. The commander in chief and the secretary of Defense are either unable or unwilling to meet that standard of an honorable, truthful and disciplined lifestyle. How can they expect those who serve to meet a standard that those in command are incapable of meeting themselves?
SUSAN LAUTENBACHER, DUNWOODY
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