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4A WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2006 ptoustcm JBmljj . 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 name, address and telephone number. All letters printed in The Home Journal will appear with the writer’s name and hometown - we do not publish anonymous letters. The news paper reserves the right to edit or reject letters for reasons of grammar, punctuation, taste and brevity. Letter writers are asked to submit no more than one letter per person per week. We cannot guarantee that a letter will be printed on a specific date. The Home Journal prefers that letters be typed. Letters to the editor are published in the order they are received as space permits. A Journal employee will call to verify the author 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.