Speak Out

Development is not altogether anathema, but the idea of a tower taller than the stately capitol building in Montgomery is so. Will the next grandiose plan involve the movement of the Confederate White House once again?

Venice, Fla., allowed enormous condominium towers to be built along the intercoastal waterway. These monstrosities (with another, although shorter in stature, soon to be constructed, despite the real estate downturn) have merely raised the skyline over the once-quaint downtown proper. Many of the units remain empty and overpriced. Venice proclaims itself "historic" and it is despite the chipping away brought about by power brokers and builders.

Anniston has a longer and more colorful history than that of Venice, yet we have seen fit to allow our history to be neglected. The grand homes on Woodstock Avenue have either fallen into ruin or become offices. History is in peril throughout these United States and Americans are being robbed of many vestiges of the past.

Progress is good. "Progress" at the expense of sound planning and preservation is bad.

Otis Hunter
Anniston

Enjoy the cruise

I beseech Anniston Mayor Chip Howell not to run for another term. He should step aside and allow the most vocal muckraker of his crew to step forward and take responsibility for constant negative actions. If by some chance of misfortune such an individual is elected, then the citizens deserve what they asked for, the complete disintegration of a government body.

Howell should realize that what I have proposed is purely conjecture. However, given the storm-tossed ship of his administration (through no fault of his), it is a wonder that it stays on course with some of his crew constantly attempting to toss overboard the ship's compass.

It all comes down to the good citizens making a choice; a ship without a compass is a ship without a rudder. Trying to replace either one in stormy seas is surely a most foolhardy undertaking. If citizens or members of Howell's crew take umbrage from my letter, then good people leave the compass alone and enjoy the cruise. Life is far too short to spend your stimulus check on a ship of fools.

T.J. Summers
Saks

Misleading stats

Re "And justice for all?" (Speak Out, June 16):

I am not one to point fingers because I have my own personal defects, but where facts and figures are wrong someone must set the record straight.

Letter writer Erek Smith must not have done his homework. He said he was in the majority by being male, but figures show females to be the majority, according to the 2000 U.S. Census. Smith also left out a big classification of people when he listed his qualifications to speak as a majority of Americans. Seventy-six percent or more of Americans identify themselves as Christian. I have no idea of Smith's social or economic status, but to speak for the majority of America one must include this.

Smith must have a personal ax to grind in his statements about justice for all because of these omitted stats. I only hope and pray his statements about the future are as misleading as his qualifying statement.

Daniel Wysner
Heflin