Collins Doesn’t Listen to Us
No one likes to hear that they are doing something wrong or making a mistake. Whether the messenger is a spouse or partner, daughter or son, or well-intentioned friend or neighbor, we often do whatever we can to avoid hearing important, sometimes life-saving messages. And yet, it can be vital that we do so.
Elected officials, with immense power over our lives, have a duty to listen to their constituents, especially those concerned that their actions are misguided and detrimental to our community. But are they doing so?
Mike Collins, our congressman, has consistently refused to meet with the voters in our District 10 and turned a deaf ear to those who seek to express their concerns to him. We do not need to look far to find examples. At a recent event, Collins used law enforcement to eject a veteran concerned about attacks on the Veteran’s Administration and even an individual simply because she had run against him in a prior election.
Large numbers of District 10 voters have been seeking to communicate their serious concerns about Collins’ support of measures that dramatically increase our national debt, deprive millions of Americans of basic health care, bestow billions in tax benefits on the wealthiest Americans, and cede all power to a president who seeks to rule by executive order. Surely we are ill-served by a congressman who is determined to ignore his own constituents and their concerns about his dangerous and irresponsible actions.
District 10 includes over 16 counties in the heart of Northeast Georgia. We the people deserve respect and a congressman willing to listen and serve everyone in his district.
Conolus Scott
Danielsville
Democratic Party of Georgia District 10 Chair
U.S. ‘Eliminates’ Our Own Top Brass
Recently the Israeli Defense Force used the word “eliminate” in reports of the deaths of Iran’s senior intelligence officer, its armed forces chief of staff, about 20 other military leaders and top nuclear weaponry scientists in a series of attacks. Many members of the media ran with that banal word. While I took note of the euphemism and worry deeply about the risk of a widening war, a troubling parallel strikes me.
Without firing a shot, President Trump has essentially “eliminated” the highly qualified leaders of our own military and intelligence services. For example, he fired the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Adm. Lisa Franchetti and other top brass earlier this year via social media.
Brown’s replacement didn’t even have the legally required expertise to serve in that capacity. And more worrisome still is Pete Hegseth serving as secretary of defense; his background at Fox News trumped any vital qualifications and concerns about his alcohol use and treatment of women.
The president, who can’t even sit through short briefings, now lacks knowledgeable advisors during this tense time in our history. His elimination of top staff—an inside job carried out by Republican senators right out in the open—risks not just the ongoing Republican ruin/nation but a much wider calamity. No need for our enemies to launch bunker-busting weapons or drones. Our loss of seasoned and experienced military leaders is self inflicted.
Pat Priest
Watkinsville
Supporting Mothers
As a part of the Athens community, I want to advocate for mothers struggling with substance use disorders. I am a graduate student at UGA studying social work, and I would like to discuss the issues mothers with substance use disorders go through and how our community can help and support them. Many pregnant women avoid care because of current stigma and systemic barriers.
Due to shame and stigma, pregnant women do not get the prenatal care they need out of fear of losing their child. Substance use disorder is a complex disorder, and many struggle to quit without assistance such as therapy, rehab or medication assistance treatment. Instead of shaming anyone with substance use disorders, we should lend support wherever they need to help repair our community. Creating support systems for mothers fighting substance abuse is critical in getting them the help they need.
Athens has a few places pregnant women with SUDS can go. Advantage Behavioral Health Systems enables mothers to focus on their recovery while pregnant or caring for young children.
Advantage Behavioral Health Systems also has group therapy to further support women in need. Athens THRIVe Infant-Toddler Program is the first program in Georgia that aims to help women struggling with substance use disorders who have children under three years old. THRIVe is a trauma-informed program that focuses on a rapid response to families and children. THRIVe connects parents with substance use treatment, mental health care and parenting support.
While THRIVe is breaking barriers, the community can also support pregnant women with SUDs. CASA has a volunteer program to advocate for children in court. The Athens Area Diaper Bank helps parents who are struggling to provide their children with fresh diapers. We can donate to Athens Area Diaper Bank at 130 Conway Drive, Suite E, Bogart, GA 30622. Helping Mamas is a statewide supply bank that provides diapers, period products, car seats, strollers, safe sleep packs and other essential items. We can donate to their online wishlist, which includes formula, bottles, books and more. By supporting programs like THRIVe, volunteering with CASA, or donating to the Athens Area Diaper Bank and Helping Mamas, we can help women in Athens heal.
Katie Stephenson
Athens
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