Unquestionable Politics

The 6th District election is June 20, and just in case you were wondering, no, the AJT is not going to endorse either Democrat Jon Ossoff or Republican Karen Handel.

I don’t think anyone is waiting to hear what we have to say before casting a vote anyway. Some people want to see whether the AJT aligns with their politics or, thinking they already know the answer, await a chance to celebrate or get angry.

I’m happy to keep running letters and guest columns from readers who feel the need to make the case for or against either candidate, although I could do without the outrage over the AJT’s desire to be exactly what we’ve envisioned for 2½ years: a communal space for people to debate the issues of the day.

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But I’m not sure what the writers of those letters and columns are trying to accomplish at this point, other than firing up people who agree with them to motivate them to vote in the runoff. I’m not sure what fact or opinion could emerge at this point that would push significant numbers of the few undecided voters one way or the other.

That’s part of the reason we’re not endorsing anyone. What persuasive can we say?

What can any third party say that’s new? Just look at all the TV ads; you can’t miss them.

They draw ridiculous caricatures of both candidates. Ossoff isn’t a California liberal, a carpetbagger or a stooge. Handel isn’t a self-interested, big-spending hater of healthy women.

To his credit, Ossoff has a plan to cut waste from the federal budget, although it’s a pittance as a percentage of overall spending. To her credit, Handel issued a statement about the importance of the economic and security ties between the United States and Israel after President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East.

and to recognize that whoever wins will stick to the party line almost all the time in Washington. Maybe a debate or three will reveal more about them, particularly the depths to which they will or won’t sink to try to be elected.

But what can anyone else say that’s new? What more does anyone want to know?

A recent post on the AJT Facebook page asked people what they want to know from the candidates. No one posted a question. No one emailed me with questions or topics.

If you have a question you’d like the AJT to pose to the candidates, email it to me at mjacobs@atljewishtimes.com. Otherwise, we’ll just wait together for the results June 20.

Sandy Springs’ Heritage

Heritage Sandy Springs is planning a traveling exhibit on Jewish life and culture in Sandy Springs, opening this fall.

The heart of the exhibit will be displays of questions about the community and the answers from organizations and individuals, but the history organization also is looking for oral histories, photos, documents, mementos and other artifacts related to Jewish life in Sandy Springs, the home to half a dozen synagogues, almost as many day schools, a couple of mikvahs and two Jewish newspapers.

At the start of the project, Heritage Sandy Springs had more than 5,000 artifacts, and none of them represented the Jewish community.

Any photos or documents will be scanned and returned.

If you’re a longtime Sandy Springs resident or part of a Jewish organization in the city, contact Melissa Swindell, the director of Historic Resources at Heritage Sandy Springs, at mswindell@heritagesandysprings.org or 404-851-9111, ext. 2.