Jan. 23, 2004

By Staff
Dumb move
To the editor:
There is only one word that can describe the action of the Department of Education's action to remove geometry from our high school graduation requirements: stupidity.
Geometry is used every day in all walks of life by seamstresses making dresses, carpenters building houses, engineers, etc. How can Mississippi attract new industries by lowering our standard of education?
Today we have high school graduates who cannot even fill out an application for a job. Why do we send people to school unless we want them educated? If we are not going to educate our young people, let's just give them a "diploma" when they reach the age of 16 and save the state a lot of money for teachers.
Geometry is not only a math course but also teaches people to think and visualize a situation, whether in engineering or in a business transaction. If this course is removed from our schools then we are handicapping our children even more than they are today.
Roy P. Gibbens
Meridian
Tax hike on smokes should pass easily
To the editor:
There have been discussions in the press about an increase in the tax on cigarettes in Mississippi, and the articles I have seen concluded it would not likely pass this legislative session.
I am just a country lawyer, but I am having a hard time understanding why a cigarette tax would not pass. The state is broke and needs more revenue, and an increase in the cost of cigarettes may reduce the number of cigarettes some folks smoke. Are any of these results bad things?
Who is going to fight this other than the tobacco companies?
Thomas L. Sweat Jr.
Corinth
Attacks' on 186th ARW should stop
To the editor:
I am a retired Air National guard officer and I am offended by Lt. Col. Bryant's continued attacks on Maj. Gen. Harold Cross and the 186th Air Refueling Wing. Lt. Col. Bryant has had his time before the Inspector General and that decision has been handed down, clearing Gen. Cross. The things he reported and found to be true have been corrected and some officers have lost their positions.
His continued attacks do nothing more than bring bad publicity to the men and women of the 186th ARW, who are serving our country in the "war on terrorism." I think if the truth was known his attacks are personal against Gen. Cross because Lt. Col. Bryant was not selected as commander of the 186th ARW.
I have known Gen. Cross since he was a lieutenant, over 30 years ago. I know him to be a man of the highest integrity. He served as an instructor pilot in the squadron I commanded. During the time I served as commander of the 172th Air Wing in Jackson, Gen. Cross served as commander of the flying squadron. During Desert Storm he was the Deputy Commander for Operations. He is very knowledgeable and will be a credit to the National Guard in the state of Mississippi.
I urge Lt. Col. Bryant to think of the men and women of the unit he was once part of and stop these attacks.
Col. (Retired) Shellie M. Bailey Jr.
Clinton