I was stationed here in Beaufort in 1974 while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. Originally from South Florida, it took me 52 years but I finally made it back to visit the Marine Corps Air Station and the city of Beaufort.
In 1974, the country was focused on Nixon’s impeachment. With all of the political distractions today, it’s a wonder we can focus on anything at all.
I picked up a copy of The Island News this morning (Sept. 17-23issue) and was pleasantly surprised when I read the political opinions of your columnists Brack, Lucas, and Wood. All three writers focused on the incompetence, the arrogance, and recklessness inherent in this current administration. Each writer offered a concise warning to their readers about how this foolishness is shaping our country today and will do so in the future. I hope that there heartfelt concerns and opinionated efforts find fruition among the younger generations here in Beaufort.
Americans impeached one president that couldn’t live up to the oath and values he swore to protect over 50 years ago. Without a doubt, we deserve better than the one we have today.
— David Garcia, U.S. Marine Corps, 1971-75; U.S. Peace Corps, 1986-88
Failure to vote is not a protest
As a species, we humans don’t have a very good resumé. We have become the dominant species on our planet, yet we seem intent on sowing the seeds of our own destruction. We continue to pollute our water, air, and soil to the point where our planet may soon become uninhabitable. We allow most of our wealth to be concentrated in the hands of a tiny few, while most of our fellow humans live in dire poverty. We spend vast amounts of our treasure developing bigger and better ways to kill each other.
And now, we are racing at breakneck speed to develop a new technology, AI, that has the potential to exterminate us. Don’t take my word for it. In recent weeks researchers from top AI companies like Anthropic, Open AI, and Meta have all sounded the warning that AI could quickly become an existential threat to humanity.
I always think back to the scene in the movie, “Jurassic Park” when the raptors discovered that the electric fence was no longer electrified. AI has already demonstrated that it can escape human controls. As it becomes “smarter” it may quickly go completely beyond our control.
Meanwhile, the President dismisses all of the industry warnings as a hoax, “Don’t kill the golden goose.” He is focused on the significant wealth that AI could generate for a few individuals and he disregards any threats the technology might pose to the rest of us. Why would you possibly trust this man?
Starting on October 19, we will have an opportunity to make our voices heard on this and other vital issues (inflation, the price of gas, our floundering economy, corruption by the President and his cronies, etc.). Please vote! To quote Keith Ellison, “Not voting is not a protest. It is a surrender.”
— Peter Birschbach, Port Royal