What We Think
What We Think: A lesson on civility
In a society that believes in free speech, the open discussion of ideas took several hits last week from local schoolhouses to the floor of Congress to some of our mailboxes.
School systems shutting down a presidential stay-in-school speech. A congressman heckling the president during a national address. The National Rifle Association targeting Valdosta Mayor John Fretti for participating in discussions on illegal guns.
Civil discussion has taken a backseat to audacity, rude behavior and intimidation.
School systems nationwide received calls or feared receiving calls from anti-speech parents when President Barack Obama wanted to address students about staying in school and working hard. So, many schools pulled the plug on a speech from the duly elected President of the United States, or gave parents the choice of opting their children out of the presidential speech. The Valdosta City School System opted out of the speech completely. Lowndes County schools allowed parents to opt their children out of the speech.
During a presidential speech to a joint session of Congress, a South Carolina representative loudly accused Obama of lying. An elected official essentially called the President of the United States a liar on the floor of Congress, during a televised speech to the nation.
Mayor Fretti says he joined the national Mayors Against Illegal Guns so he could participate in a discussion on how cities can better protect police officers and the public from criminals with illegal guns. The NRA has labeled MAIG as being anti-gun and sent flyers to cities across the nation demanding individual mayors withdraw from MAIG. Funny thing is Fretti isn’t anti-gun. He’s also an NRA member. But that didn’t stop the NRA from targeting him, or demanding Valdosta-area NRA members to ask him why he wants to take their guns away. Fretti says he doesn’t want to take away law-abiding citizens’ guns; he just wanted to talk to fellow mayors about handling criminals with illegal guns.
He just wanted to talk.
Problem with just wanting to talk is there seems to be a lot of folks across the nation right now who don’t want to civilly listen to anyone whose opinions differ from their own. Seems a lot of folks don’t want anyone else to listen either.
Don’t like what you hear? Shout someone down. Or call someone a liar. Or launch a campaign of intimidation to shut them up.
At a critical time in our national life, with our country in two wars, a battered economy, real health care concerns, and a battery of other issues, we should not seek to shut up or shut out fellow Americans.
We should seek as many ideas and opinions as possible. Shouting for someone to shut up may express the shouter’s opinion, but it does nothing for a conversation of ideas.
Debate is healthy. Debate and disagreement are necessary in a free society.
But too many people have mistaken shouting and accusations for debate.
People can disagree. They will disagree. But disagreeing shouldn’t be an excuse to be disagreeable.
- What We Think
-
-
What we think: Public has right to know
The accidental release of three inmates from the Lowndes County Jail was an unfortunate incident.
-
What we think: Wanted: Your vote
Early voting for the runoff election to see who will make it to the November general election begins today at the Elections Office in Lowndes County, 2808 N. Oak St.
If you voted in the primary election, you can only vote in the runoff election for the same party you voted previously. -
What We Think: Wanting answers for Wanat
Family of American soldiers killed in Afghanistan have wanted answers.
-
Severe heat warnings
More than two thirds of the counties in Georgia were on extreme heat alerts Monday as temperatures rose to the high 90s with a heat index well over 100 degrees.
-
Blood for all ages
While many children have spent the summer swimming, Sammy Giltner, 8, and Savannah Dallas, 5, have endured chemotherapy treatments.
-
Where’s the money?
As part of a large transportation public hearing this week, the city unveiled its proposed plans for the new Gateways Project that will affect West Hill Avenue from Interstate 75 to downtown, and Madison Highway from the airport to South Patterson Street.
-
Thumbs up, thumbs down
THUMBS DOWN: To the candidates who have not removed their campaign signs from area roadways and yards. The only candidates who need signs at this point are those heading into the runoff and — maybe — those who are already guaranteed a place on the November ballot.
-
What we think: One vote
Think your vote doesn’t matter? Did you have a candidate you liked but didn’t vote because you thought, well, what’s one vote?
-
What we think: Sad end for Fresh Start
Fresh Start seems to have been a good idea that came to a rotten end this week. After all, there was the disappointed anger of those turned away a few weeks ago because the program lacked the manpower to handle hundreds of applications at one time.
-
Election vote
Every election is important, but some seem more important than others. This is one of those elections. With the state’s budget on the ropes, education funding bled nearly dry, and a multitude of other issues crowding for attention, management and money, this may well be one of the most important elections in Georgia’s history.
- More What We Think Headlines
-
What we think: Public has right to know





