Piedmont Park hijacked by Shaky Knees — again
For the second straight year, the Shaky Knees festival hijacked Piedmont Park — but this year, it was worse. This year, the entire pond area and adjacent green spaces were fenced off, leaving park users with access only to the oval, the tennis courts and the forest.
This was unacceptable and wrong. I am dismayed that the AJC has apparently not reported this angle; at least I have not found any story about this online.
I enjoy walking around the park’s ponds, and I pay for it through taxes. I know Shaky Knees pays something, but as far as I’m concerned, it is a lame argument for them to make. Shaky Knees charges hundreds of dollars for tickets, which are unaffordable for many city residents, unlike the Jazz Festival, which coexists much better with the park.
As a taxpayer, I feel ripped off, and I believe the festival organizers’ intentions do not override my rights.
If the city and park must have such grossly exorbitant and ostentatious events, at least keep the trails around the pond, oval, courts, and forest open.
The city should make some semblance of a gesture to taxpayers, instead of kowtowing to the festival organizers who clearly don’t care about us.
KEN ERNHOFER, ATLANTA
Free speech requires a free press
I voted for President Donald Trump three times. I remain a staunch Christian conservative. I cannot support Trump’s taking press credentials from any reporter from any network — supportive, critical or neutral.
The very essence of free speech is that all views, all opinions — good, bad; constructive, disruptive; moral, immoral, amoral — all opinions be aired. A free mind in a free country can discern the significance, truth and/or usefulness of them, responding as culture, education and conscience dictate.
Trump was wrong, and the fact that networks of all stripes refused to cover the unveiling of the new presidential helipad confirms his error.
ELAINE W. KROMHOUT, MORGANTON
Are Democrats working to save democracy, or end it?
The Sept. 13 Patricia Murphy article, “The Democratic Socialists believe what? A closer look at the bloc’s ideas,” ended by noting that Democrats currently running for public office and Georgia party officials said they were not part of the Democratic Socialists of America.
Democrats spent the past year assuring us they were “working to save democracy.” The article suggests DSA wants to end democracy. If candidates on a Democratic ballot want to save democracy and others want to end democracy, how is a voter to know what part of the big tent they are voting for? Asking for a friend.
BILL CAVIN, MCDONOUGH
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