Recent editorials from Alabama newspapers:
___
Sept. 2
The Decatur Daily on the census:
Alabama is poised to lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, but you can help prevent that from happening by taking a few minutes to participate in the 2020 census count.
State and local officials are scrambling this week to ramp up final efforts to improve the state’s 61.8% response rate. The effort got more complicated when federal officials announced they would wrap up field data collection at the end of September. That’s one month earlier than the original Oct. 31 deadline.
In the midst of the frantic news cycle of 2020, the urgent matter of successfully completing the U.S. census isn’t capturing enough people’s attention.
Census forms were delivered to American homes months ago, but the pandemic has made it difficult for the officials to capture enough people’s attention for this once-a-decade count.
The national self-response rate of 64.9% isn’t a whole lot better than Alabama’s rate, but then only 10 states have a congressional seat at stake - Alabama, California, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia.
It’s important for Decatur-area residents to remember that they have the power to prevent an undercount, and thus protect Alabama’s seven seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and its nine electoral votes. How?
It’s simple. If you haven’t filled out the census form yet, do it now. The easiest way to do this is to go to my2020census.gov and fill out the form there. You can also call 844-330-2020. Or if you still have the paper form, you can fill it out and return it by mail.
You can also be alert for local efforts planned in the weeks ahead to improve our response rate. Field workers have begun their door-to-door efforts.
Filling out the census form just takes a few minutes, but taking part in it has an immense impact because the census is so important.
The count determines how $1.5 trillion in federal spending is distributed. Those federal funds help pay for home heating in winter, assistance with food expenses, and help with health care for those who can’t afford it on their own. Distribution of funds for those programs is determined by census data.
The census is mandated by the Constitution, and participation by every American household is required by law.
So don’t wait any longer. If you haven’t done it already, take a few minutes to complete this simple task and help the Decatur area and all of Alabama.
Online: https://www.decaturdaily.com
___
Aug. 31
The Dothan Eagle on a Republican congressional nominee in Alabama who posted a meme on social media that appeared to support a teenager charged with killing two people, and wounding a third, during protests in Wisconsin:
Barry Moore, the Republican candidate for Alabama 2nd Congressional District House seat, made a poor judgment call over the weekend, and then muffed an opportunity to walk it back.
On Facebook, where ill-advised actions can quickly take on a life of their own, Moore posted a meme addressing Illinois teen Kyle Rittenhouse’s fatal shooting of two and injury of another during unrest in the streets of Kenosha, Wisconsin. Moore’s meme showed two people on the ground, apparently injured, with the caption “Didn’t fight back.” The third image was Rittenhouse, wearing gloves and carrying what appears to be an AR-15-style rifle. “Fought back,” the Rittenhouse caption read.
The post didn’t stay up long before Moore deleted it, championing a vigilante is a stunningly misguided expression from a man who seeks to represent the people of Alabama’s 2nd District in Congress.
The situation in Kenosha is chaotic, with people protesting the police shooting of an African-American man days earlier. Unfortunately, the protests have been accompanied by property damage. These are matters best addressed by law enforcement, not a teenager from another state who is in violation of the law in both states by simply owning and carrying his weapon.
Moore later issued an “apology,” expressing regret for the graphic nature of his meme. However, he failed to renounce its message, which suggests his apparent support of Rittenhouse, who faces two counts of homicide and other charges in the shooting.
“We have the right to defend our lives, our families, and our property, and the 2nd Amendment allows us to do so with firearms,” Moore’s statement read. “We must never relinquish this basic right because we never know when an angry mob (or tyrannical government) will come against us.”
Mr. Moore’s willingness to pass judgment without full knowledge of facts and throw support behind an armed teenager responsible for the death of two people and injury of one other in a misguided campaign of vigilante justice is revealing.
Reasonable voters may choose to “fight back” in their own way at the ballot box in November.
Online: https://dothaneagle.com
___
Aug. 31
The Cullman Times on giving:
2020 has been a tough year for everyone. People have lost loved ones, jobs and a sense of “normal.” With everything happening in our country - hurricanes, wild fires, racial tension, civil disruption, political divides - it is easy to focus on the negative. But we must also focus on what brings us together… our humanity. Now, more than ever, we need to be looking out for each other.
For charities, this year has been particularly difficult. Fundraising activities that allow them to provide services to their communities have been canceled. At a time when more and more people need help, charitable organizations have fewer donations and less opportunities to raise funds.
According to the Association of Fundraising Professionals, more than half of the charitable organizations responding said they expected to receive fewer donations in 2020 than they did in 2019, and they expect that to continue into 2021.
Locally, several organizations canceled fundraisers or moved to online events, which typically don’t raise as much as in person events.
There are still ways to support them, however.
Cullman Caring for Kids will happily accept monetary donations or canned or dry goods. They will even take canned food beyond the expiration date as long as the cans have not been damaged.
Likewise, there are many food pantries around the county that could benefit from donations.
United Way of Cullman County is hosting the annual Day of Caring on Sept. 15. Small groups can donate time and skills on projects to help the community or lend their hands to helping raise money for local charities.
Another organization to consider is the Cullman Regional Medical Center Foundation. What better way to show appreciation for those on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic than to make a donation in honor of a caregiver? You could also donate in memory or honor of an individual or ear-mark the donation to a specific fund.
Even if you don’t have the ability to provide monetary donations, there are other ways of giving. Consider giving blood at the next blood drive. Many organizations also rely on volunteers to deliver services; find one that fits your interest and donate your time.
The benefit is not just to these organizations or our community. Giving to others also benefits the giver. Studies show doing acts of charity increases our sense of well-being, decreases depression, lowers stress levels and leads to longer lives.
Giving of our time, money and efforts connects us as neighbors and as a community. With all happening in our world now, we need that connection more than ever.
Online: https://www.cullmantimes.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.