Social Circle rightly resists ICE facility plans
The Newark, New Jersey, ICE detention center is in the news, with detainees on a hunger strike because of the horrible conditions. Pregnant women needing care. No access to medical attention or legal aid. Spoiled food being served. Protesters outside being sprayed and hit with batons. The governor says the state health department has been denied access to certain areas of the facility.
In Social Circle, population 5,500, the Department of Homeland Security purchased a $129 million warehouse to convert into a detention center for 7,500 to 10,000 detainees and approximately 2,000 staff members, which has almost unanimous disapproval from the town’s residents. The town has filed a lawsuit.
The site is less than a mile from an elementary school, and there are major concerns about traffic, water supply limits and emergency services. In documents supplied to the city by DHS, it is stated the proposed facility will have “no adverse effects on the community and surrounding properties,” even though the water and sewer capacity is lacking.
Our federal government is treating human beings inhumanely and seeking to have more facilities to continue this horrific treatment.
How is our state government planning to respond to this proposal?
CLAIR MULLER, ATLANTA
U.S. has lessons to learn from Iran war
Whenever the Iran war comes to a close, I hope the U.S. government/military will take time to learn some of the lessons this war has already taught those willing to learn.
Iran was able to shut down the Strait of Hormuz and inflict damage on its neighboring countries and U.S. military bases primarily with $20 thousand to $50 thousand dollar drones. Although Iran’s navy and air force are no match for the U.S. military — much like Ukraine — they have learned that cheap drones can hold at bay a much stronger opponent, if not outright determine the terms of the conflict. It seems pretty clear the future of warfare will be fought by relatively cheaper drones and other autonomous fighting platforms.
We would do well to learn this lesson now and start building up our drone forces and rely less on legacy platforms, which are quickly becoming obsolete.
MATT WILLIS, LAWRENCEVILLE
QR code readers would eliminate voter skepticism
QR codes are normal in everyday life in the USA.
If Georgia voters are not comfortable that what is printed on the ballot is what is in the QR code, give them a way to prove it. A device like an iPad with a QR code reader and display, used before scanning to cast the vote, would eliminate that skepticism.
And yes, it would cost, but making the voter feel confident his or her vote was counted would be worth the expenditure.
JOHN O’CONNELL, SNELLVILLE
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