Newspaper Page Text
4A
WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2006
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. OPINION
Daniel F. Evans
Editor and Publisher
Julie B. Evans
Vice President
Don Moncrief
Managing Editor
Do your election homework
Television has made the world smaller. It
shows us the world. It is often the best
way to learn about important breaking
news and grasp the magnitude of disasters.
At the same time, through the advertising
side, it has “dumbed down” the whole political
process, by reducing serious issues to slogans,
and giving voters 30 seconds of charges and
counter-charges, images and overvoices, rather
than the substance needed to make a decision.
Thus, with an important primary right around
the corner, we have voters shrugging their
shoulders or expressing dismay over the “mud
slinging,” without having any firm notion of
what any of the candidates would do if elected.
One way to look at voting is to see it as “hir
ing. ” When you’re picking a person for a job you
need to know
that person’s
experiences,
strengths and
weaknesses,
and - of course
- values. If two
or more are
applying, you
need to weigh
one’s capabili
ties against the
other’s.
If you were
hiring, would
you try to fill an
important posi
tion by watch
ing television
commercials
prepared by the
candidates for
the job or lis
tening to their attacks on each other?
“But,” you say, “How can we make clear
headed decisions when all we see and hear is
mud-slinging?” .
Easy enough. Get serious and do your home
work. Ignore the commercials. It’s safe to bet
that none of the candidates are as perfect as
they’re presenting themselves, or as diabolical
as they’re being presented by their opponents.
However, candidates do have records of service
that are worth studying.
Watch the televised debates on public televi
sion to see the candidates themselves not their
glorified images on commercials. You’ll see
them facing serious questions, coming up with
answers, even arguing with their opponents.
Some debates have already been held, but
according to Georgia Public Broadcasting offi
cials, the entire debate series for all top state
offices will be available on their website, www.
gpb.org, on Monday.
The Atlanta Press Club debate between the
Democratic candidates for the nomination for
governor will be on Sunday at 8 p.m.
Read newspaper articles. Talk with your
elected representatives at the local level. Talk
with friends who are politically knowledgeable
and ask for real reasons.
With the positions at the top of the ballot,
check out the candidates’ Web sites, which
clearly have a promotional purpose, but still
provide more information than any commer
cial, and will give you names, contact numbers
and e-mail addressees if you want to check out
the candidate’s stand on a particular issue that
concerns you.
Here are some places to start:
If you’re planning to vote on the Republican
ballot:
www.relphreed.com
www. caseycagle .com
If you’re planning to vote on the Democratic
ballot:
www. marktay lor. com
www.cathycox.com
www.jimforgeorgia.com
www.greghecht.com
HOW TO SUBMIT LETTERS
\J\le encourage readers to submit letters to the editor. Letters
should not exceed 350 words and must include the writer’s
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We cannot guarantee that a letter will be printed on a specific
date.
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of each letter.
There are three ways to submit a letter to the editor: E-mail
it to hhj@evansnewspapers.com, mail it to The Houston Home
Journal at P.O. Box 1910, Perry, GA 31069, or drop it off at
1210 Washington St. in Perry - between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Monday through Friday.
Foy S. Evans
Editor Emeritus
One way to look at
voting is to see it as
"hiring." When you're
picking a person lor a
job you need to know
that person's experi
ences, strengths and
weaknesses, and - of
course - values, if two
or more are applying,
you need to weigh one's
capabilities against the
other's.
Missies behind the Elvis summit
The scene had a decid
edly surreal qual
ity: Before an amused
and startled crowd that
included President George
W. Bush, a rock star-struck
Japanese Prime Minister
Junichiro Koizumi crooned
in the Jungle Room of
Elvis Presley’s Graceland
Mansion.
Koizumi performed a
karaoke-influenced inter
pretation of Elvis’ “Love Me
Tender,” then, strumming
an air guitar, mimicked the
King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s ver
sion of “The Battle Hymn of
the Republic.”
Pop celebrities, an homage
to Elvis, an international
mocker gawking with affa
ble goofiness - the television
cameras couldn’t get enough
of the public kitsch.
The real story of this sum
mit is cement, however, not
kitsch - the cement of a
solid 21st century American-
Japanese alliance.
As the Cold War faded
in the early 19905, several
Japanese opinion leaders
questioned the U.S.-Japan
relationship. With Russia no
longer an immediate threat,
development of Siberia’s
natural resources enticed
Japan - and in that game,
America represented compe
tition. U.S. military bases on
Okinawa were a particular
thorn.
Many Americans carped
that wealthy Japan failed
to carry its fair share of
the defense burden - ironic,
given Japan’s constitutional
military limitations imposed
by the United States after
World War 11.
But times change, and so
do threats.
The six North Korean
missiles last Tuesday are
No, just a \
■• i i A; <m j>o • w \
f back-to-sehool j
sale sign! J
\ , 4 /J
Living through 'the violent syndrome'
I have a deep-rooted affec
tion for America and have
proved my stance by sup
port and loyalty a thousand
times over in past years. But
I can tell you that “all that
glitters is not gold.”
Those of us who are “fair
and balanced” have learned
to appreciate the virtu
ous moves, the progressive
minds, and the compassion
ate hearts toward constitu
tional and human rights.
At the same time, we
have raised a distinct voice
against complacency, indif
ference and relinquishment
of valid discipline.
On many occasions, and
especially in recent months,
our voices and actions have
been on a collision course
with liberal leadership as
a permissiveness at all lev
els dictates “new paths to a
crime scene.”
If Webster has one word
Austin Bay
Military Affairs
Creators Syndicate
big news, but they aren’t
the strategic shocker. The
shocker occurred in August
1998, when Pyongyang test
ed a long-range ballistic mis
sile. That launch revitalized
the United States-Japanese
alliance and blew away any
legitimate arguments that
the United States could wait
to develop and deploy ballis
tic missile defenses.
Pyongyang’s 1998 test shot
demonstrated that Japan
and the United States - and
for that matter, Europe - are
vulnerable to rogue missile
attack, and it’s utterly false
to argue otherwise. It meant
U.S. diplomacy and the world
economy are potential hos
tages to missile blackmail by
regional tinpots.
Japan got North Korea’s
message. The Japanese also
observed China’s steady
military modernization and
concluded the logical, most
impressive and most reliable
“strategic balance” to China
is the United States.
Japan and the United
States began discussing
a “joint ballistic missile
defense shield” that would
protect Japan, Alaska and
Hawaii. Of course, such a
system would also provide
South Korea with a degree
of protection, as well as the
continental United States.
Daniel Gatlyn
Columnist
that defines the diabolical
state of affairs throughout
the nation, it could easily be
that of: “Violent”
Most alert minds remem
ber that we are a nation
of more than 300 million,
but those same citizens are
cognizant of the rapid esca
lation in homicide, assault,
kidnapping, rape and other
violent confrontation.
The daily news from any
publication is more like a
On June 23 of this year,
the United States and Japan
signed an agreement to
jointly produce anti-missile
missiles. The agreement for
malized the existing (though
often behind-the-scenes)
cooperation on anti-ballistic
missile (ABM) technology.
U.S. and Japanese military
cooperation includes surveil
lance and tracking opera
tions. A new early warn
ing X-Band radar system is
located at a Japanese Air
Self-Defense Force base in
Tsugaru, Aomori Prefecture.
A U.S. spokesman said the
radar would gather critical
data on North Korean mis
sile launches.
The United States will
send several batteries of
Patriot PAC-3 (Patriot
Advanced Capability-3) anti
theater ballistic missiles to
protect Okinawa. The PAC
3, unlike the Patriot PAC
-2 of the 1991 Gulf War, is
a true anti-missile missile.
However, its range is limited
and it is ineffective against
long-range, high-speed
intercontinental ballistic
missiles. Still, the PAC-3
will add to a “layered” ABM
defense that includes inter
ceptor missiles on board U.S.
Aegis cruisers and the hand
ful of long-range ground-’
based interceptors located in
r v;
4|- _,l
crime sheet, with multiple
acts of mayhem in every
sector and city. Murder is
“centerfold” on almost every
major telecast, and it is not
confined to “faraway plac
es.”
It is disconcerting to cata
logue such despicable events,
but America needs to hear
the astronomical figures
that plague our country.
We are incensed that “war”
takes any of our forces. But
HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL
Alaska and California. If the
situation dictates, Okinawa
based Patriot batteries can
quickly move to Japan and
South Korea
In May, the Honolulu
Bulletin reported that the
Aegis cruiser USS Lake
Erie successfully intercept
ed a target missile using
an improved U.S. Navy
Standard-2 interceptor mis
sile. The Lake Erie also test
fired an advanced Standard
-3 anti-missile missile. Japan
has destroyers with the
Aegis radar system, which
can detect and track bal
listic missiles. The Japanese
destroyers would operate as
electronic eyes for a regional
ABM system.
The United States and
Japan are also explorinjg
ways to more effectively
integrate U.S. and Japanese
ground forces. The Japanese
military has participated
in overseas operations and
gained experience. For two
years, Japan deployed 5,500
troops in Iraq, and they
served quite effectively with
other coalition forces.
North Korea recently
threatened “annihilating
strikes and nuclear war” if
the United States launch
es a pre-emptive attack on
Pyongyang’s missile and
nuclear weapons facilities.
Bluster? Possibly - but
SCUDs splashing in the
Sea of Japan say otherwise.
If bluster turns to bombs,
Washington and Tokyo
intend to be ready.
To find out more about
Austin Bay, and read fea
tures by other Creators
Syndicate writers and car
toonists, visit the Creators
Syndicate Web page at www.
creators.com.
wait.
Those numbers are a drop
in the bucket compared to
what is happening in our
own “backyard.”
The vicious slaying of inno
cent parties claim almost a
hundred a day. Automobile
accidents, aggravated by
speed, road rage or careless
ness.
More than a hundred
suicides at the rate of 80 a
day, signals another medium
of senseless demise.
Rape, robbery, home
invasions, arson, car jack
ing ... and the list goes on.
Statistics are: “tempered.”
Police are out in numbers ...
and the average citizen feels
threatened daily! We are in
a dilemma, but it just makes
sense to lock doors, observe
all signs of illegal activity
and be prepared to defend
your family and your pos
sessions.