While counseling a young friend about a title loan, I was reminded of Ezekiel 18:13 "If he has exacted usury or taken increase - Shall he then live?" I think Ezekiel is still preached in Georgia.

I'm not sure, because the Governor's Office of Consumer Protection says that the combined maximum interest rate on a title pawn is 187.5 percent. Think about that for a moment. If I borrow $100 today, in addition to fees, expenses, etc., in one year I will owe $287.50.

If you fall behind, Lord forbid, because it gets even worse. Borrowing $600 last December and not missing a payment until two months ago, my friend now owes $900 with all the fees included. Does that sound like usury to you?

We don't need to fear non-Christians coming to the United States, Georgia or even Covington. They are already here. But they don't have to stay.

Cut out this column and give it to every high school student you know. Tell them to read it if they are ever tempted to get a title pawn.

Tell them to take it out and ask every candidate for public office how they stand on usury and title pawns. Take it out again when they are at the voting booth to elect public officials.

These usurers won't stay if there isn't any business for them. The sooner everyone in Covington learns to avoid their clutches, the sooner we will see the last of them. And good riddance.

Patrick Durusau is a Covington resident.