Letter to the Editor

The News Courier encourages letters to the editor. Submissions should be no more than 400 words and include name, address and telephone number for verification. Submissions that do not meet requirements are subject to editing. Writers are limited to one published letter every 30 days. Send letters to P.O. Box 670, Athens AL 35613 or email to adam@athensnews-courier.com. The deadline for letters is Wednesday at noon.

Inhumane treatment?

Dear Editor:

Locally, Tractor Supply Company is selling live baby chicks. This is certainly fine for when someone decides to raise chickens, but while standing in line the other day, I saw a young lady asking about “getting one for her son.”

Now, they weren’t going to get a heating lamp with it nor food to sustain it; nothing but the chick. TSC personnel informed her that there was a four-chick minimum, and she was mulling it over when I left the store.

I know these are just chickens, some would say, and there are more important things in the world than the stewardship of small and insignificant animals. However, selling these chicks to persons whose only intent is to provide momentary entertainment to a child is inhumane.

The owner of a fish store would not allow someone to buy a fish and carry it home in their hand. A pet adoption service, including the Athens Pound, takes measures to ensure the person adopting the pet is planning on nurturing and protecting it. Everyone should voice their opinion to TSC to do the same.

The cruelty that awaits these poor animals that are chosen as mere temporary toys is unwarranted. Please publish this and encourage callers to voice their opinion to TSC.

Sincerely,

Jeff Smith

Athens

Support Trump’s wall

Dear Editor:

This letter is in response to Ken Hines’ letter to the editor on Saturday, Feb. 23.

Mr. Hines thinks we cannot let President Trump succeed on his emergency at the border. He things we should allow our normal Democratic processes to address it.

The Democrats in Congress will never address it, other than to leave the border open as it is now.

I do think we have evidence of an emergency at the border. We have many unwanted people coming across every day in greater numbers than ever before.

I also think if the president’s name was Obama, and he was asking for the same money at the border for a wall President Trump is asking for, you would have never seen Mr. Hines’ letter.

You see, it’s all about the name “Trump” and the hate Democrats in Congress have for this man. If they want the border secured, they sure don’t want Donald Trump to be the man who gets it done.

I would like to call on all Americans to support President Trump’s desire to control the border with a wall. I think this president cares more about protecting the border at Mexico than the Democrats in Congress do.

Sincerely,

Harold Vessels

Prospect, Tennessee

No fan of gas tax

Dear Editor:

I was watching TV and what to my wandering eyes should appear but an ad for a traffic app, which was paid for by none other than Alabama’s Department of Transportation.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Our politicians are screaming that they need to increase our taxes on gas because there’s no money for road repairs, while spending out of our road fund for a TV ad and traffic app.

I don’t know about you, but I would rather see my current taxes be used on road repairs.

The state does not know how to stop spending. You and I know they will never attempt to save money after they raise our taxes.

Our state leaders know we are a conservative state and only want basic constitutional things from our government. We want the taxes we current pay to be spent on safe rooms, not TV ads.

Sadly, they make us feel the pain by diverting $63.5 million from the road fund into the general fund, where its spent on projects not related to roads. Now, our Republican legislators and governor are telling us they need more money for roads.

They are currently attempting to ram a gas tax increase down our throats. I’m not falling for it.

Call your state representatives and governor and tell them you do not want to pay higher gas taxes and demand our current taxes be spent wisely on our roads.

Sincerely,

Deborah King

Elkmont