Editorial Roundup: Georgia | Idaho Statesman

Recent editorials from Georgia newspapers:

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Oct. 7

The Brunswick News on a Confederate monument that’s located in a Georgia city:

The Confederate monument in Hanover Square near downtown Brunswick — oh, what to do, what to do. That is the question Mayor Cornell Harvey and the city commission have been asking the community and themselves since the 1902 monument resurfaced as an issue earlier this year.

Whether they are ready to announce a decision may very well be revealed tonight when the City Commission convenes at Old City Hall. They face two choices really: leave it where it has reminded those visiting the park for over a century of America’s war against itself or follow the lead of some municipalities around the nation, deeming it an affront to African Americans decades after the Civil War, and move it.

If moving it is the option chosen by the mayor and commissioners, the next question will be, to where? To Oak Grove Cemetery, the final resting place of men who fought on the side of the South? Seems appropriate, if relocation is the final word on the monument, that is.

Either way, it’s a tough decision. Either way, someone is going to be unhappy. In the world of politics, it’s a no-win situation for the five members of the city commission.

To see how tough of a decision it is, just look at the committee the city commission asked to investigate the issue. The diverse committee’s ultimate recommendation — to follow state law and keep the monument where it stands while also erecting a sign near the monument to add more information about African-American union soldiers — passed on a slim 5-4 margin.

For different perspectives on the monument, The News has invited two outspoken advocates of the two sides of this issue to present their views on the matter. A history professor at College of Coastal Georgia writes about the monument’s controversial history, while a retired Brunswick native and renowned history buff attempts to correct what he considers a distorted and inaccurate view of the catalyst that triggered the American Civil War.

You may disagree with one and not the other, or you may disagree or agree with both. It’s that freedom of choice that continues to make America a great nation among nations regardless of where one stands on the issue.

Online: https://thebrunswicknews.com

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Oct. 7

The Valdosta Daily Times on the upcoming debate between Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic challenger Kamala Harris:

Watch tonight’s debate.

Watch and listen.

Listen closely.

Vice President Mike Pence debates Sen. Kamala Harris.

The debate will be held 9-10:30 p.m. Wednesday at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, and is televised.

Susan Page, Washington Bureau chief, for USA Today will moderate.

There will be social distancing, plexiglass between the candidates and protective masks will be required in the debate hall. Those are most certainly the right things to do. COVID-19 must be taken seriously, and anyone who minimizes it or suggests there is nothing to worry about is being completely irresponsible. More than 210,000 Americans have died.

It is unlikely this debate will be the debacle of the first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, derailed by Trump’s constant interruptions, even spatting with moderator Chris Wallace.

This debate should be far more substantive.

If you only watch the debate to cheer on your champion and jeer the opponent, then it will be a waste of time.

If, however, you watch to learn, it can only serve to make you a more informed voter.

Clearly, people vote for the top of the ticket.

However, each of these No. 2s align with the running mate, if not in temperament, certainly in ideology.

Informed voters are better voters.

If you tune in with a closed mind, you will lose out on an important opportunity to learn, grow and make the best possible decision for yourself and for the future of the nation.

Pence and Harris will talk about the nation’s response to COVID-19 and the death toll of the pandemic. They will talk about the economy and the jobless rate. They will talk about filling a vacancy on the Supreme Court. They will talk about national security. They will talk about protests, white supremacy, racial and social unrest. They will talk about division and unity.

They will talk about America.

They will talk about our future.

We expect them to be adults and to speak in clear but reasonable tones. Anything less does not serve democracy.

The election is now just weeks away and we are faced with one of the most stark contrasts the nation has ever seen in the race for the White House.

We encourage you to watch the debate and to listen — really listen.

Online: https://www.valdostadailytimes.com

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Oct. 7

The Daily Citizen-News on Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the North Georgia Health District is urging women ages 40 and older to talk with county health department personnel or their doctor about screening for breast cancer. The health district says women who cannot afford mammograms may be eligible for free screening.

Free breast exams will be provided at the Murray County Health Department on Thursday, Oct. 15, from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. and from 1 to 3:30 p.m. as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we encourage women to take advantage of this opportunity. No appointment is needed. For more information, call (706) 695-4585.

The health district says breast cancer screenings are “critical” for women over 50.

“Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer among Georgia women and accounts for 30 percent of all new cancer cases among women in Georgia,” the health district said in a press release. “It is estimated that during 2020 in Georgia, 8,340 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 1,380 women will die from breast cancer. Moreover, a disproportionate number of deaths occur among minority women or lower-income groups.”

The health district notes that the Georgia Breast and Cervical Cancer Program “provides access to breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services for lower-income, uninsured and underserved women who are between the ages of 40 to 64 for breast cancer and 21 to 64 for cervical cancer.” Through the program, mammograms are free for all eligible women.

Helpful information about breast cancer and prevention is available at www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/index.htm. You can learn more about the Georgia Breast and Cervical Cancer Program at http://bit.ly/BreastCancer- NorthGA.

“Whether you do it for yourself or for your family, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is the perfect time to get screened,” the health district says, and we agree. We encourage women to contact their county health department or doctor to schedule a screening, and to take advantage of the opportunity on Oct. 15 for the free breast exams in Murray County.

Online: https://www.dailycitizen.news