OPINION WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2014
THE ITEM
A7
To submit a letter to the editor, e-mail letters@theitem.com COMMENTARY
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It’s OK to feel sorry A
t one time in our the then commander of nation’s history, U.S. Pacific Command, blacks feeling “My fear is that the whole sorry for whites was verisland will become so boten. That was poroverly populated that it trayed in Harper Lee’s will tip over and capPulitzer Prize-winning size”? Adm. Willard renovel, “To Kill a Mockplied, with all sincerity, ingbird.” This is a novel “We don’t anticipate published in 1960 — and that.” I’d pay serious later made into a movie money to know what the — about Depression-era admiral and his white racial relations in the staff said about Johnson Deep South. The novel’s after they left the hearing character Tom Robinson, room. a black man, portrayed in Then there’s Rep. the movie by Brock PeSheila Jackson Lee, Dters, is on trial, falsely ac- Texas, who asked NASA cused of raping a white scientists whether they woman. The prosecuting could drive the Mars attorney, while grilling rover to where Neil ArmRobinson, asks him why strong placed the Amerihe spent so much can flag. Actually, time doing chores Armstrong plantfor the alleged ed the flag on the rape victim when moon in 1969. In he had so much 2010, Jackson Lee of his own work pointed out: to do. After per“Today we have sistent prosecutotwo Vietnams, Walter rial haranguing, side by side, North Robinson timidly WILLIAMS and South, exadmits that he felt changing and sorry for her. That reworking. We may not sponse elicits shock and agree with all that North dismay from the proseVietnam is doing, but cutor and the courtroom: they are living in peace.” How dare a black man The fact of business is feel sorry for a white that as a result of North woman?! Vietnam’s conquest, As a result of the today it’s only one naachievements of the civil tion, Vietnam. Another rights movement, which Jackson Lee geographical gave black Americans full observation was her refconstitutional guaranerence to “countries like tees, I am free to feel Europe.” But we sorry for guilty or timid shouldn’t be that critical white people. But there of her, because President may be less of a need be- Obama also has referred cause of white people’s to people from “countries response to former NBA like Europe.” Referring to player Dennis Rodman’s “countries like Europe” is bizarre interview from just as ill-informed as North Korea in which he saying countries like Africlaimed that North Koca or countries like South rea’s evil tyrant, Kim Jong America. Of course, they Un, is his best friend. are continents. Rodman has since apoloSome might recall the gized for some of his refield day the media and marks. But he’s been a bit social commentators had of catharsis. White liberwith Vice President Dan als, both in and out of the Quayle and his misspellmedia, made criticizing ing of potato, some of him nearly a national which was quite ruthless. pastime. Even Sen. John Esquire named Quayle McCain, who couldn’t among “The Dumbest summon up the courage Vice Presidential Picks of — nor would he allow his All Time.” That kind of presidential campaign field day wasn’t seen in staff — to speak ill of mainstream media in the Barack Obama’s minister, cases of Johnson, Jackson Jeremiah Wright, told Lee and Obama. To have CNN’s Piers Morgan in done so might have been reference to Rodman: “I deemed racist. think he’s an idiot. I think The bottom line is I’m he’s a person of not great glad the day has come intellect who doesn’t un- when I can freely feel derstand that he really sorry for whites, who does provide propaganda have to bite their tongue for this very brutal, ruthwhen it comes to critiless young man.” cism of blacks. The widespread and open criticism of RodWalter E. Williams is a man shows that there’s professor of economics at been considerable progGeorge Mason University. ress and that I don’t have To find out more about to feel as sorry for white Walter E. Williams and people. But what about read features by other the weak media response Creators Syndicate writto Rep. Henry C. Johners and cartoonists, visit son, D-Ga., who, during a the Creators Syndicate 2010 House Armed SerWeb page at www.crevices Committee hearing ators.com. concerning U.S. military buildup on Guam, told © 2014 CREATORS. Adm. Robert F. Willard, COM
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Can we find 15 honest people to serve on health care board? There have been numerous complaints on ObamaCare. First there were the websites. Then it was high deductible and co-pays. Praise has come from those who are now covered. Most of those issues will be surpassed by the ultimate board created by ObamaCare. The board is called the Independent Payment Advisory Board. There are 15 members appointed by the president and certified by the Senate. Members serve until January 2017. They cannot be removed unless they die or become negligent. This board is powerful. They are duty bound to cut costs. They can increase penalties for excess hospital admissions. They can set age limits on treatments such as heart by-pass or knee replacements. Their goal is less expense, not better care. Is it possible to find 15 honest people to
N.G. OSTEEN 1843-1936 The Watchman and Southron
H.G. OSTEEN 1870-1955 Founder, The Item
serve on IPAB? I doubt it. Just look around. People in high places want kickbacks. Virginia’s Republican Gov. McDonnell allowed a friend to market health products at the governor’s mansion. His fee was $30,000 for the daughter’s wedding, a $12,000 coat for the wife and $6,000 in jewelry. In South Carolina, a college board chairman wanted a new Porsche for a school land transaction (accused not convicted). A Columbia councilman wanted $5,000 for a land transaction (accused not convicted). Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska obtained $800 million in free Medicaid for his vote change on ObamaCare. This board will mostly be honest, but a few will seek a kickback, and remember their decision could deny you the treatment you need. You have already paid the premiums, and you deserve the care. PHIL BRANDT, M.D. Sumter
EDITORIAL ROUNDUP Recent editorials from South Carolina newspapers: Jan. 17 The State, Columbia, on state hack: The modern world and its computerized record keeping are quite convenient and quite problematic, too. We’d venture to say that most folks probably are not aware of how exposed they are to the tentacles of deceit and theft online. ... But that wasn’t what ran off with personal South Carolina files — again — late last year. It was an employee with a runof-the-mill flash drive taking his or her mouse and dragging and dropping more than 4,000 files on current and former employees of South Carolina’s unemployment agency before security software detected the unauthorized download. The downloaded data included names, addresses, birthdates, Social Security numbers and bank account information. It took four weeks for the state to let anybody know. Really? The massive hack of 2012, which exposed the accounts of 6.4 million South Carolina people or businesses to possible fraud, never seemed to receive the full attention of the government or the governor until too late. All it’s really seemed to lead to are millions of dollars in contracts to credit monitoring services that taxpayers are paying for to clean up the debacle. The unemployment agency hacker has been caught and fired, and the files have been retrieved. So unlike that first fiasco, at least the state knows who has been hacked and the
H.D. OSTEEN 1904-1987 The Item
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information is in safe — we use that word extremely liberally — hands, although there are no guarantees the bank routing and Social Security numbers obtained haven’t already been compromised. We do not pretend to know what’s in the mind of a cyber thief. We don’t know the capabilities they have at their disposal. As more and more breaches such as the recent Target hack come to light, we as a society might have to resign to the fact that there is no such thing as hacker-proof protection online. But protection against a wayward flash drive? Grandma Pearl could probably figure that one out. It’s about time South Carolina did so, too. Online: http://www.scnow. com Jan. 18 The Herald, Rock Hill, on strengthening S.C. Freedom of Information Act: While ethics reform, government restructuring and now education are likely to consume much of state lawmakers’ attention during the new legislative session, they also need to find time to address a bill that strengthens the state’s Freedom of Information law. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Bill Taylor, R-Aiken, won approval in the House, 101-1, in 2012 but stalled in the Senate in the final days of the session. Taylor re-introduced the bill last year, and hopes were high that it would pass. But at a hearing on the bill in the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Rick Quinn, RLexington, offered an amendment that would have removed
the section that exempted legislators from having to comply with the rules. That amounted to a “poison pill,” killing any chance it would pass. Fortunately, the bill still is active for this session, and we hope lawmakers will resurrect it. A strengthened FOI bill would not necessarily prevent all injustices. But it might help discourage governmental bodies from openly and brazenly ignoring the spirit of the law. Rep. Taylor’s bill would reduce the time officials would have to respond to an FOI request from 15 to 10 working days. It would hold fees for copying costs to the local prevailing rate. Governments have squelched FOI requests by charging exorbitant fees for copies of documents, sometimes thousands of dollars. Under the bill, documents must be turned over to those making the request within 30 days, although more time is allowed for documents over two years old. The law currently sets no time requirement for delivery of documents. The bill also sets up an appeals process for both citizens and public bodies through the Administrative Law Court. Currently, anyone who wants to challenge an FOI decision must hire an attorney and take the appeal to circuit court, which is costly and slow. These are relatively minor changes in the law but ones that would solve many of the access problems now facing those who make FOI requests. The need is there, and we hope lawmakers make time to address this crucial bill this year. Online: http://www.heraldonline.com
HUBERT D. OSTEEN JR. | EDITOR AND CHAIRMAN
Founded October 15, 1894 20 N. Magnolia St. Sumter, SC 29150
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MARGARET W. OSTEEN 1908-1996 The Item
H. GRAHAM OSTEEN II Co-President
KYLE BROWN OSTEEN Co-President
JOHN DUVALL OSTEEN Vice President and Publisher
LARRY MILLER CEO