Thanks for the freedom

War loves to seek its victims in the young, and it’s Monday Mail.

July 4

This Independence Day we begin with a quote from Sophocles, and a couple of reader reactions to a Memorial Day column on being mindful of whose lives we wager when we rush to war. Here’s an email:

Hey Tim,

Hope you are having a good week!

Just got around to reading Monday’s paper last night. Great story you did on remembering the soldiers. Just wanted to let you know….

Take care,

Robert.

Dear Robert:

Thanks. That four-day workweek was pretty good, actually. I look forward to having another.

Off the phone

Here’s a voicemail:

Tim,

Sonny Middlebrooks here. It’s Monday, May the 30^th, Memorial Day. I just want to tell you I love all your work, and today’s was just as fine as any of your other pieces, and I just want to tell you how much I appreciate your contributions, ongoing, and especially today’s. This comes from an old ’Nam veteran. Appreciate it. Take care of yourself.

Dear Mr. Middlebrooks:

Thank you for calling, and for serving.

Politics

Moving on to other matters, a few readers reacting to the news that attorney Mike Garner intended to run as an Independent for Muscogee County Superior Court clerk asked how they could sign the petition on which he needed 5,226 names to make the November ballot.

“Where can I sign up to help Mike Garner get on the ballot?” one wrote.

“Need to know WHERE to sign up,” read another email with the subject line “Mike Garner ballot.”

Well, after filing a challenge to the law requiring signatures equal to 5 percent of those registered in the last general election, Garner gave up and instead decided to run as a write-in, which should be an interesting test of the touch-screen voting machines.

Of course, a lot of voters have been testing the write-in tab already, as each election records votes for Disney characters, movie stars, Jesus and “anyone else.” They just don’t count.

But if you’ve never tried that, here’s how it works: Each race on the ballot ends with an icon that says “WRITE IN,” and if you tap that, a keyboard comes up, and you type in a name. Or a message. Perhaps a text (OMG SMH).

If Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton remain the two major party candidates come November, “anyone else” probably will get a lot of write-in votes for president, too.

Rest room

Here’s an email regarding some recent gender-restroom issues:

Tim,

I think I’m done listening to everyone huffing and puffing about where a person goes to the bathroom. When I was in Paris, I had the experience of using a number of public as well as restaurant/cafe restrooms. This was several years back, but they had already solved the issue before it became one. Their restrooms were unisex. The stalls each had a full door (like one at home) and were labeled either male or female. But since there was a lock inside and only room for one person, it really didn’t matter which one you went into. On the other hand, the urinals were all placed in the common area next to the sinks. No one seemed to mind; there was no protesting and picketing; just do your business and leave. Also, on more than one occasion (in a major convention hall), they had a lady cleaning the urinals while the others were being used. They got over it, why can’t we?

Your fellow traveler through life

David.

Dear David:

Well, you know how Americans are — if we didn’t have something to freak out about every day, we’d freak out.

This story was originally published July 3, 2016 at 11:19 AM with the headline "Thanks for the freedom."