Recent editorials from Georgia newspapers:
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March 10
The Brunswick News on the coronavirus pandemic:
On March 2, 2020, Gov. Brian Kemp announced that the state had its first confirmed case of COVID-19. At that time, no one really knew how the virus would shape the next year of our lives.
What started as an unknown became a global pandemic that affected every aspect of life.
We wondered when life may go back to normal. One year later, we can see something close to normal on the horizon.
The first time The News wrote about COVID-19 was in February 2020. In the 12-plus months since that first story on the coronavirus, we have written more than 1,000 articles about it. Many of those focused on the virus itself in some form or fashion, but there are also plenty of stories about how the pandemic has impacted daily life.
Terms like virtual learning, Zoom meetings and stay-at-home orders entered the popular parlance. We wrote about everything from people not being able to find cleaning supplies and toilet paper to how to stay entertained while sheltering in place.
In that time span, we have seen the toll the virus has taken. The first confirmed case in Glynn County was announced in mid-March last year. As of Tuesday, there have been 6,429 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Glynn County. Since Gov. Kemp announced the state’s first case, there have been 830,114 confirmed cases in the state.
Of course, the worst thing to come from the pandemic has been the lives lost. There have been 15,647 confirmed deaths from COVID-19 in Georgia with another 2,331 deaths probably caused by the virus. Glynn County has seen 145 of its citizens perish because of the virus. We mourn those who have died from this horrible disease and pray their friends and families find comfort in such difficult times.
As bad as the pandemic has been, there was still plenty of good news to report over the last year. People reached out to help those in need as the need grew larger during the pandemic. We found creative ways to celebrate while following needed health protocols.
We also gained a new appreciation for the frontline workers who have continued to work while the pandemic raged. Doctors and nurses have had to sacrifice a lot during this pandemic. We are in awe of the work they have done day in and day out as this pandemic has progressed.
We are also grateful for the workers who kept store shelves stocked to the best of their abilities, the teachers who had to adjust to virtual learning on the fly and the countless other jobs that we might have taken for granted before the pandemic.
Thankfully there is a light signaling a potential end to this year of darkness.
There are now three COVID-19 vaccines that have been approved for use. It is a miracle of modern medicine that these vaccines were made so quickly.
As more and more people become vaccinated, a return to a more normal life will become possible. We will be forever grateful when that day finally arrives.
Online: https://thebrunswicknews.com/
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March 10
The Daily Citizen-News on a bill that would have allowed state legislatures to increase their salaries:
We were getting ready to write an editorial objecting to the fact that members of the state legislature have the power to increase their pay — Wouldn’t you like to have that ability? — when word came down that the Senate had decided against it and the House declined to consider a similar bill.
The Senate voted 33-20 to reject Senate Bill 252, with some Republicans saying lawmakers don’t need a raise.
Base pay for the 180 House members and 56 senators would have risen from $16,200 a year to $29,908.
“I do think that our salaries are too low, but I do think that moving us to a salary that is in line with full-time Georgians is not reflective of the work that we do in three months at the Capitol,” said Sen. Greg Dolezal, a Republican from Cumming.
The pay of state legislators and statewide officials may indeed be too low currently, but who are the legislators to make that call? Talk about a conflict of interest.
Lawmaker pay hasn’t changed since 1999, according to the State Compensation Commission, The Associated Press reported.
The commission studies and recommends compensation for state officers and members of the legislature. Why not create a commission to decide whether state lawmakers and state officers should get an increase in pay? Surely that would be better than the lawmakers making that determination themselves.
“Those who support pay raises say many people can’t afford to seek election because of low pay, and that what is supposed to be a part-time job eats up a lot of time even when lawmakers aren’t in Atlanta,” The Associated Press reported.
Well, the current group of lawmakers knew what the pay was when they ran for office. It’s a little hollow to hear them complain about the pay once they are there.
That is not to say they may not have a legitimate argument. They are just not the ones who should decide the result.
So we congratulate those senators who voted to reject the pay raise. It would have been unseemly for them to have voted to increase their own pay.
That should be the responsibility of an independent body, perhaps appointed by the governor, so that our representatives and senators who are there to work on our behalf aren’t there working on theirs.
Online: https://www.dailycitizen.news/
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March 9
The Valdosta Daily Times on domestic violence awareness:
Domestic violence is a problem everywhere, including Valdosta, Lowndes County and South Georgia.
A large percentage of 911 calls and law-enforcement responses are the result of domestic violence.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence:
- Every nine seconds, a woman is assaulted or beaten in the United States.
- An average of 20 people are physically abused by intimate partners every minute in the U.S.
- There are more than 10 million abuse victims across the U.S. annually.
- One in three women and one in four men have been physically abused by an intimate partner.
- One in five women and one in seven men have been severely physically abused by an intimate partner.
- One in seven women and one in 18 men have been stalked. Stalking causes targets to fear they or someone close to them will be harmed or killed.
- On a typical day, domestic violence hotlines nationwide receive approximately 20,800 calls.
- The presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide by 500%.
- Domestic violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime.
- Domestic violence is most common among women between the ages of 18-24.
- Nineteen percent of domestic violence involves a weapon.
- Domestic victimization is correlated with a higher rate of depression and suicidal behavior.
- Only 34% of people who are injured by intimate partners receive medical care for their injuries.
We are fortunate to have organizations such as The Haven, along with local churches and faith-based groups to provide services to area women who have suffered from domestic violence and important educational programs.
Schools in the Valdosta, Lowndes County and adjoining school districts have trained counseling professionals on staff to help young people address issues associated with violence in the home.
We also commend law enforcement in both the county and city for trained professionals who are often called upon to diffuse dangerous situations and to deal with victims in caring and sensitive ways.
Domestic violence knows no socio-economic, racial or geographical boundaries.
It exists among all social groups and in every community.
Domestic violence within families is something no one wants to discuss.
However, it is a conversation that must take place.
The culture needs to be changed and the cycle needs to be broken.
We encourage more public dialogue and more conversations among families, especially children, to make it clear that violence is not a solution to problems in relationships and is never the right way to express frustrations or anger.
Online: https://www.valdostadailytimes.com/
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