Tribute

Tribute

I would like to take this opportunity to thank one of Glen Burnie's unsung heroes - a man who has spent a lot of time in, and around, the prison system, yet he wasn't locked up. It was his job.

He retired after being injured by a prisoner and still continues serving today as an auxiliary police officer and a member of the Glen Burnie Freemason lodge, giving his time to others because he cares about the community.

Anybody who knows Jimmy Agee knows that they have a good friend who will always be there for them. If we had more people like Jimmy out there, the community would be a better place.

RICK SVOBODA

Glen Burnie

Robocalls

As a recipient of one of Councilman Michael Peroutka's robocalls, I was pleased to see that two of his associates will serve jail time for their crime. However, I'm not sure that one month in jail will be sufficient deterrent to this anti-democratic and deplorable act.

Arguably, both political parties push the boundaries of election laws, but the hard right - exemplified by the Peroutka gang - seems to have no underlying sense of decency to limit their apparent conviction that the end justifies the means.

Make no mistake; although this was just a small, local election, there is a clear tendency by the far right to push the bounds of election laws. They cannot win in a fair election because they are disadvantaged by their own bigotry and lack of effective policy.

Although Councilman Peroutka was not charged with a crime, this conviction reflects very poorly on his judgment and management ability, and betrays the weakness of his self-righteous approach to politics.

ROGER SCHAFFER

Severna Park

Conservative circus

The Conservative Political Action Conference circus has arrived. The conservative white male supremacists are giddy with the possibility of erasing the Constitution and bringing forth a totalitarian evangelical Christian government.

There is no acknowledgment that their savior lost the popular vote by more than 3 million citizens and that their base is consolidated in the ignorance of the Midwestern religious right wing and the ever-present prejudice of the South. The prejudice of the Dixiecrats has unfortunately found life in the beliefs of the Dixiecans.

Kellyanne Conway's definition of feminism is hilarious. First, no one is pro-abortion. "Pro-choice" means the decision needs to be made by an informed woman and her doctor.

Nobody is forced to have an abortion, but the anti-choice radicals base their objections on their religious biases instead of medical facts.

Once they force their decision on a woman; they promptly abandon both the woman and child. This is self-righteous hypocrisy.

Now these same radicals are calling for the birth control mandate in the Affordable Care Act to be eliminated so more woman will face the abortion choice. This is sexist ignorance.

What an evil group of people Republicans have become.

That is why liberals, progressives and independents need to protest. Hopefully, women, gays, transgenders, Hispanics, Muslims and other ethnic and religious minorities have learned that the Republican America is one of exclusion, hate, religious intolerance, ethnic prejudice and biblical bigotry.

In 2018, intelligence and the embracing of diversity needs to replace every Republican in office. Their party is just too damaged. Let's hope there is an America to salvage.

ALAN McALLISTER

Severna Park