Immigrant ruling should worry liberty-lovers
The Supreme Court has ruled that undocumented immigrants, refugees seeking asylum, and green card holders can be held indefinitely in detention at the whim of the government. For anyone who cares about liberty, due process and the Constitution, this ruling should be deeply disturbing. Like the 1857 Dred Scott decision, it creates a permanent underclass that is legally defenseless against arbitrary government actions. This means that immigrants can be held in a remote, privately run detention center for years with no right to a lawyer, no bond hearing, and minimal family contact. It means that people fleeing death threats from Central American gangs are held in detention until their asylum claims are heard, only to likely be deported. If the government is allowed to treat anyone this way, none of us is safe. Our silence is deafening. It’s time for those who are more than “sunshine patriots” to speak up.
STEVE BABB, LAWRENCEVILLE
Protecting faith agencies doesn’t equal gay-bashing
I suspect most Georgians agree with faith-based adoption agencies that believe children need both a mother and a father. These organizations aren't "gay bashers"; they're child proponents. They recognize that moms and dads tend to model diverse traits, offer unique perspectives, and interact differently with children. Children without opposite-sex parents may feel a void, as even part-time Georgia resident Elton John acknowledged about his and David Furnish's son: "It's going to be heartbreaking for him to grow up and realize he hasn't got a mummy." Georgia Senate Bill 375 protects faith-based child-welfare agencies without depriving other entities of their right to place children with same-sex couples. The sky hasn't fallen in other states with similar laws. In fact, Austin, Dallas, and Northern Virginia are on Amazon's list of 20 potential HQ2 locations, even though Texas and Virginia have this religious exemption. SB 375 should become law. CHARLES D. EDEN, ATLANTA
