Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2008
BARROW JOURNAL
PAGE 5A
guest columns
AHS students cool to mariachi band idea Looking for better economic times ahead
WE HAVE all seen Mexican musicians playing
in mariachi groups on Nacho Libre and other
familiar films, but what would such a band look
like at Apalachee High
School?
it has been proposed
to the Barrow County
Board of Education that a
course titled, “Beginning
Mariachi Ensemble”
should be offered as an
elective at Apalachee
High School. The course
would not only teach stu
dents to play instrumental
Mexican tunes, but would
also teach them about
the history and culture of
Mexico.
“That sounds like fun, sounds like a good
idea,” said marching band member Ben Harbin.
“It’s something different, something out of the
norm.”
Of 10 band students interviewed, however, Ben
was the only one to feel so positively about the
proposed class. The other nine band students
believed that a mariachi ensemble would be a
waste of class time and should be offered as an
extracurricular activity instead.
“I think the music would be a lot of fun to play,
but we already have about three band classes
here,” said Taylor Kimbrough, a junior and
baritone player at Apalachee. “Unless the school
eliminates one of the others, another one seems
unnecessary.”
Other students questioned the school’s failure
to offer a course on Bible study when a poll for
the school newspaper showed that a majority
would be interested in taking it.
“I am sure that most of the people interviewed
would not want to be in a mariachi band or even
know what it is, but the school has a Christian
majority and we couldn’t even get a Bible class,”
said Josh Solis, a 12th grade trumpet player.
School board member Lynn Stevens also feels
passionately that starting a mariachi ensemble
in Barrow County is a bad idea. She argues that
starting a Hispanic-based course will be incen
tive for illegal immigrants to flock to the high
school.
But some students didn’t see it that way.
“That is completely ridiculous,” said Solis.
“There are much better reasons to come over
here than wanting to be in a mariachi band.
People won’t leave their homes to take one
music class. If they’re coming, they were coming
anyway.”
Still, one student agreed it might be an attrac
tion for illegal immigrant students after hearing
Stevens’ comments.
“If that is true, we definitely cannot have a
mariachi band,” said Cheryl Gaughn, an 11th
grade trumpet player.
If school board members have ruffled feathers
about the idea and a majority of Apalachee’s
students do not care to be involved in a mariachi
ensemble, arguing in favor of the proposal seems
pointless.
The time and money needed to launch and
maintain the class would be better spent on
something worthwhile, not a course some stu
dents would equate with underwater basket
weaving.
Gina Borg is a senior at Apalachee High
School. She plans to major in journalism.
SO, ANYTHING happening lately with the
economy to talk about?
Of course, it’s a facetious question that may
not seem humorous to some in this day and time
of economic distress that
currently grips the nation.
And while many times
what happens in New
York doesn’t drift down
to Barrow County, in this
case, just the reverse has
occurred.
The housing cri
sis began, not on Wall
Street, but on Main Street.
Overbuilt subdivisions,
too much land available
with not enough buyers
and variable-rate and bal
loon mortgages coming-due created a housing
“bubble.”
Here in Barrow County, our developers and
builders began feeling the pinch. Soon, fore
closures started to become an issue, not only
with homeowners, but also with bankers. And
with more and more housing inventory unsold,
prices started their decline, creating a snowball
effect on more and more banks. Banks and
insurance companies were left with little to loan
and little to cover insured loans.
Liquidity became an issue and big banks
became embroiled in a liquidity crisis ultimately
causing the White House to react in ways never
seen before. With the financial meltdown, com
panies nationwide started reevaluating their
business plans, budgets, hiring, and expendi
tures. And with many business actions coming
to a halt, for fear of rapidly shrinking consumer
expenditures, suddenly the recession was here.
Barrow County has not been immune. The
recent announcement of the Hagemeyer facility
closure in March 2009 was a huge wake-up call
that no community is immune to this bear of a
market.
Local bankers have been reeling for the past
year from non-productive loans of usually reli
able customers. And we have had a number of
businesses in the building industry to either file
for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, or just call it quits and
shut down.
Those days when some complained about
“too much building going on,” now yearn for
even half the activity as before. Now, ancil
lary businesses are starting to feel the pinch.
Retailers are reducing inventory wherever possi
ble, controlling their expenses more and more,
and watching their receivables closely.
We’ve lost some good companies in Barrow
County. Yet despite the economy, new companies
are moving in or opening up. A new company,
Stephens Pipe, bought A & M Fence Company
in Statham, purchased the old Stringfellow
Lumber Co. building, and has renovated it and
is in Barrow County doing business.
In addition, vice President Linda Moore of the
Chamber’s Economic Development Council is
currently working on a number of projects for
Barrow County. She is finishing up working with
expansions for Olympic Steel and the relocation
for Schutz Corp., a German company moving
to Carl. Between those two new companies,
plus several others that she has been involved
with, Barrow County continues to be attractive
to business.
Local realtors in the commercial and indus
trial market also continue to bring in business
on a smaller, but no less important, scale.
Companies moving from Gwinnett County to
Barrow County might be looking to downsize
in the face of this economy and finding reason
able leases for reasonable size buildings are an
attraction. And with the opening of the power
retail center on Hwy. 316 towards the end of the
first quarter of 2009, retail opportunities promise
to expand both the tax base and wage levels for
Barrow County.
Barrow County continues to be a prime loca
tion for business, both for those looking to
expand, and those looking to start. The inflow of
new residents will continue to draw companies
that look for growth. Calls are coming to the
Chamber and to our Economic Development
arm daily. Yet the reality of recession doesn’t
fool anyone.
We expect 2009 to be a trying year locally. We
depended on the building industry for many
years and until it starts to get its collective feet
underneath, times will be tough. Of course, in
our favor is the low inventory of unsold homes
in Barrow County. When that end of the market
shakes out, then constmction will start anew.
Putting people back to work will then be the
name of the game for 2009.
The Chamber, too, is budgeting for a slower
revenue year as our customers/members pull in
their horns and take a conservative outlook.
With a cloudy crystal ball (and these days,
whose’s isn’t), 2009 gives us an uncertain future.
The first half of the year will undoubtedly be a
trying time as business continues its shakeout.
We will take six months, then hope for better
times ahead.
Tommy Jennings is president of the Barrow
County Chamber of Commerce.
BARROW JOURNAL LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICIES
The Barrow Journal will accept letters to the editor
where readers wish to discuss current local, state or
national events. The deadline for letters to the editor is 3
p.m. Monday for that week’s publication.
• Letters should be addressed to the editor and not to
third parties.
• Letters should be brief, less than 500 words.
• All letters must have the name of the person writing it,
their address and contact information, such as a phone
number and email address. That information will not be
published.
• Letters to thank a long list of businesses or people who
donate to a cause will not be published. General letters
thanking people for support of a cause are fine, but listing
individual donors cannot be accommodated.
• Crude or vulgar language should not be used in a let
ter to the editor. Writers should also refrain from making
criminal accusations against anyone unless that person
has been charged with a crime in the courts.
• Letters that simply cut and paste email content, or
content from websites, will be rejected. Letters should
express the thoughts of the writer, not of someone else.
• Letters should not employ quotations from religious
texts to sermonize.
• During election seasons, letters endorsing or criticiz
ing individual candidates will not be published. Those
wishing to engage in political advertising for or against a
candidate may purchase space for such content. Writers
are free to discuss or debate issues.
• All letters are subject to editing for length and clarity.
• When typing letters, please do not use all caps or multi
ple exclamation marks. Please do punctuate sentences.
• Letters may be submitted via mail or in person at
77 East May Street, Winder, via fax at 678.425.1435, or
via email at news@barrowjournal.com
letters to the editor
God is against
ghost hunting
Dear Editor:
I read in the Barrow Journal the
story of a business that was in the area
on ghostbusters. I remember that God
was brought up in that story.
Recently, our sermon at church was
making sure we correct the children
of God and not neglect them. I always
pray before I read the paper and ask
God to use it in our household for his
purpose. In my quiet times with God,
I have recently been led to scripture
about mediums and have felt God gen
tly talking to me about this.
So here I am. The story mentioned
about mediums being brought in on a
house in one of our neighboring cities
and the scripture God led me to was
Leviticus 20:6-8 and Isaiah 8:19 which
clearly led me to believe God is against
this.
I know God knows our heart and
this seems to be intended well, but
He wants us to learn and grow and to
handle scripture correctly.
I am not judging the things in this
article because if we do not know this
scripture to begin with, we have done
nothing wrong. I am just sharing and
correcting the word to help build oth
ers up gently.
Sincerely,
Trudy Bramer
Bethlehem
Thanks for time
at Peace Place
Dear Editor:
As you know, Peace Place is the
shelter and programs that serves the
domestic violence victims of Barrow,
Jackson, and Banks Counties.
The board of directors recently
expressed concern over the troubled
economy and decided to eliminate
my CFO position which was created
last year in a staff restructuring. I no
longer work with Peace Place and my
duties have been absorbed by execu
tive director, Charlene Garrett, who
has faithfully worked for Peace Place
for seven years in several roles.
I am pleased to leave the agency in
good, sound financial condition, and
as a solid institution. Charlene and
Peace Place need your continued sup
port (as do all non-profits), especially
in this poor economy.
More than 1,400 women and chil
dren have been sheltered at Peace
Place since its inception, plus many
more helped through our other pro
grams and services. Indeed, still more
domestic violence victims will be
assisted in the future.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my ser
vice to Peace Place, beginning eleven
years ago and am deeply grateful for
all the wonderful support given to
Peace Place and to me during that
time.
Thanks ever so much!
Sincerely,
Pat Peterson
Winder
Now find
message of hope
Dear Editor:
Thank you first of all for an opportu
nity to have a chance to address the
folks of Barrow County. Thank you
also for a balanced view of our coun
ty. Being an Independent Democrat
in Barrow seems to be a lonely way
to live.
Being a married 40+ year old male
that has grown up in the South, I can
fully testify that much of the reason
whites in the south didn’t vote for
Obama was simply because of his
skin color. I lost count over the past
year or so on how many whites told
me that they would not vote for him
because he is black.
For those people I ask them, aren’t
you tired of being screwed over by
rich, old, white guys? For those who
wouldn’t vote for him because he
was labeled as a “liberal,” I ask them,
wasn’t it liberals that declared our
independence from England? Wasn’t
it liberals that ended the horrors of
slavery and the injustice of segrega
tion? And wasn’t it liberals that brought
about women’s equality?
The Republicans claim they lost in
many of the political races because
they didn’t have the right message.
I disagree, they did have the right
message, but it was a way too far
right. Being socially liberal but fiscally
conservative, they have part of the
message I need to hear.
I don’t agree with all of the
Democratic Party’s messages either.
When they side with Big Pharma
against controlling the high cost of
drugs for the sick and side with envi
ronmentalists that want to save every
tree and animal, they lose my confi
dence also.
But when the Republican message
is lost in the sea of hate, distrust and
fear, then it will be rejected by me and
most moderates who may be leaning
to their side of many issues. It is time
for the Republicans to stop trying to
simply say we should fear the other
ideas and points of view. They should
start with a message of working to
find common sense solutions for our
many problems. A message of hope
that is not simply based on theology,
but one that is based on the facts, not
fear. A message that is based on a
truly better future for all, not just the
wealthy.
Our nation and our children deserve
such a message. If they want me to
vote for them in the future, then that
is the message that I must hear. Until
I hear that message, then I guess I will
stay a blue voter in a red state.
Sincerely,
E. Chessher
Bethlehem
Revive Christian
principles
Dear Editor:
The election is over and, regard
less of your political leaning, we all
should accept Barak Obama as our
next President and pray that God
would keep His hedge of protection
around him. With that said, also con
sider the obvious that our country is
headed in the wrong direction from
a moral perspective. My premise is
that the United States was founded
on Christian principles and was a pre
dominately Christian nation for around
the first 150 years of its existence after
the Declaration of Independence was
signed, before it started its slide away
from these founding principles.
This is not an emotional, zealot,
right-wing leaning position. It’s a fact.
For Christians and those non-Chris
tians who can honestly, even if reluc
tantly for some, agree with the above
premise after thoughtful review, con
sider where our nation has come the
past 60 or so years. Epidemics of teen
pregnancy, sexually transmitted dis
eases, children born out of wedlock,
escalating drug use and crime, pov
erty, materialism and covetousness
gone amuck creating unmanageable
individual debt and record bankrupt
cies and foreclosures, broad accep
tance of abortion, same-sex marriage,
and the homosexual lifestyle, and a
media and arts industry that infests
our culture with the most brazen,
obscene and morally bankrupt mov
ies, TV shows and music imaginable.
While the Ozzie and Harriet and
Cosby family lifestyles may be seen as
out of date for many who don’t adhere
to Christian values, one wonders how
many in the millions of inner-city and
other single-parent and other homes
destroyed by those things silently pray
for just that loving, secure, spiritual,
family structure.
Sincerely,
Stuart Mosher
Auburn
Was writer
being ‘obtuse?’
Dear Editor:
I will make every effort to honor edi
torial guidelines in responding to my
detractor. I am glad he/she possesses
a dictionary. Many other definitions
for “objective” are available. “Without
bias” isn’t the only (in many cases, not
the first) lexical entry for “objective.”
The adjective was supplied — I must
assume it was meant to be read as a
substantive to leverage a reprimand.
To the charge of being biased, I plead
guilty. Show me a person who is unbi
ased, and I will show you a person who
holds no beliefs of any kind! Of course
the first step in science is to identify
the problem; however, in the process,
it may be determined that there isn’t a
problem at all. The process itself will
qualify the initial inquiry. My original
point was that the BCPS is investigating
under the assumption that there really
is a problem to study “scientifically,” by
their admission.
As to my existence, some evidence
(my letter) has been accepted by the
editors, and my personal contact infor
mation was required for the submis
sion. Tme, someone else may have
written under my name, supplied my
address, made a phone call to the
Journal, and engaged in email contact
with the editor as I did, but I digress.
An “objective” third party, to whom I
offered some proofs, confirmed my
existence prior to publishing the letter.
I never said my concern was “grave”
(an inauspicious pun); neither did I
suggest that “investigations of paranor
mal claims will degenerate into necro
mancy, black magic, [or] preference
for... horror schlock.” If I erred here,
it was possibly in generalizing these
subjects. In no way was I demonstrat
ing how one leads to another, although
I could present a cogent argument for
that if necessary.
While subtle distinctions may exist
(perhaps without any net difference)
between horror as a genre of entertain
ment, and practicing black magic, psy
chic readings, etc., my point was this:
the very nature of such interests may
serve to skew (read “bias”) any pur
ported findings of the BCPS. I would
throw down the gauntlet there, and
present to them the same challenge so
wryly put to me: Be “objective!”
I could understand how using the
Bible to “scientifically” disprove para
normal occurrences would “escape
[his/her] logic,” if I had attempted
that. If anything, the biblical passages
I cited serve to support some notion
of “paranormal” activity, but in a differ
ent, specified context. Besides, there
are no “findings” to disprove; at least,
not any that can be contextualized for
research.
Lastly, the Bible is neither validat
ed nor invalidated by faith; rather,
faith is validated or invalidated by it.
Approaching the Bible first with faith
would not be “objective.” I hope my
detractor gives more careful consid
eration to his/her epistemology. We
agree on one point; to wit, the vis
ible isn’t all that may be known. So,
was he/she being “objective,” or just
“objectionable?” Or, maybe another
“o” word, “obtuse?”
Sincerely,
Chris Poole
Winder