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FRIDAY, JULY 21, 2006 4A sittwstet .©ailg OPINION Daniel F. Evans Editor and Publisher Julie B. Evans Vice President Don Moncrief Managing Editor Stem cell research vetoed Wednesday, President Bush made the first veto of his presidency when he turned down the bill removing restrictions on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. While this may have been a “no-brain er” to the common man/Bible-belters - one we can’t say we don’t fully agree with - it should have been a long, hard decision to reach. On one side, proponents argue the research has the potential to revolution ize medicine and save millions of lives. They say it could lead to cures for Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, spinal cord injuries and more. On the other hand, Oppo nents against the research argue their position is rooted in “respect for human life.” Their point of contention is that destroying the embryos during the process of extracting stem cells is in fact taking “life.” And, for Bush and the Republican party in particular, vetoing the bill was said to hold the risk of political fallout, as most Democrats championed the bill. In fact, Sen. Charles Schumer of New York is quoted by the Associated Press as saying: “Whether it’s this year, or with a new Senate and a new House and the next president, this will become the law of the United States.” Regardless of where you stand on the bill/veto, the fact remains: the issue - at least for now - has been laid to rest. In the meantime, our hope, our prayer, is that scientists/researchers will contin ue to butn the midnight oil and maybe - with a lot of skill, a little luck and by the grace of God - discover a cure for the aforementioned so that it doesn’t become an issue again. Taxes, alcohol on backburner Tuesday, the Centerville City Council decided to put the two issues they have been in the limelight/hot seat over during the past weeks - property tax exemptions and Sunday alcohol sales - on the backburner until 2007. While most people’s first reaction might be: “Why didn’t they do this ‘before’ suf fering the slings and arrows delivered via town meetings,” no doubt healthy debate provided all with plenty of information to mull over during the coming months. And, softietimes it’s best to step back from a situation to get a whole new per spective, Unyway. “It is not merely for today, but for all time to come that we should perpetuate for our children’s children this great and free government, which we have enjoyed all our lives. I beg you to remember this, not merely for my sake, but for yours. I happen to occupy temporarily this big White House. I am a living witness that any one of your children may look to come here as my father’s child has. It is in order that each one of you may have, through this free government which we have enjoyed, an open field and a fair chance for your industry, enterprise and intelligence: that you may all have equal privileges in the race of life, with all its desirable human aspirations. It is for this the struggle should be maintained, that we may not lose our birthright. The nation is worth fighting for, to secure such an inestimable jewel.” - Abraham Lincoln Send your Letters to the Editor to: The Houston Home Journal P.O. Box 1910 • Perry, Ga 31069 or Email: hhj@evansnewspapers.com Foy S. Evans Editor Emeritus Regardless of where you stand on the bill/ veto, the fact remains the issue - at least for now - has been laid to rest. We will miss David and Marlene Marlene Foreman Thomas was fiesty, funny and smart. Wife of John and sibling to Johnnie Foreman, Jr., and Faye Foreman Harper, Marlene got sick on July 4 at her home in Milledgeviile and died of a heart attack the next day. Her 1960 Perry High School classmates - including Janice and I - and her other friends, will miss Marlene. We will miss her very much. David Pierce epitomized a ‘southern gentleman’. I served on the Trustees’ Committee at the Perry United Methodist Church of which David was Chairman. David ran a good meeting - just like he did an outstand ing job as Chief Magistrate Court Judge for Houston County. David was sick for about two weeks before he died last week, leaving wife, Susan, and daughter, Meredith. David was 61 when he died. Marlene was 63. Two good people, gone too soon. Proves what you know when you get my age: life is short, really short. We should try to make every day count. Rev. Jenny Jackson-Adams said it best in her sermon, last Sunday: “even when it’s long, it’s short”. Amen. * * * Hopefully, by the time you read this, we will have got- OUC£ UPON ATIME. lUEKE Wte ONE- DAY A MUBRICANE CAME SOIUE DETERMINE? RiCB MAN A RICK MAN Who 601 IT A AN? TOOK V\l«> NOME AN AT' REBUILT W66UMMER WOME AT "Wt very next year . & ''w«Bewe%noui.o?oiu>ooß "oont 86 eracoLOuv end the HURRICANE PEETROYEP SUMMER HCWE SOMEWHERE RICH AS CON4RESS THE SUMMER HOME AGAIN.’ EIAE," SAID THE RICH MAN'S, CAM SET THAT GUT TO SUBSIPI ZB wife; oor rood insurance, we can = WL^ WHKe^Rw^ w^T! * ” ' MM.CK.TOfIBmWKME.WC. Why I passed up the Olympics for a picnic It was a typically hot, steamy summer day in Middle Georgia, and one I will never forget. The occasion was a parade and picnic for the citizen soldiers of Georgia’s 48th Brigade Combat Team and their families, courtesy of the good people of Dublin and Laurens County. It was America at its very best. I was asked to participate in the festivities. I consid ered it so much of an honor that I passed up the oppor tunity to be at the opening of the Olympic Museum at the Atlanta History Center. I gave four years of my life to the planning of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. I almost gave up my life in Iraq. That tends to put one’s priorities in order. It was the first time I had seen the troops of the 48th BCT since I was embedded with them last October in one of the most dangerous plots of real estate on earth the Triangle of Death, south of Baghdad. Not so very long ago, they were dealing with the perils of war. Today, they were at the Dublin Farmers Market munching on hot dogs, ham burgers and ice cream with family, friends and admirers. But their Iraqi experiences were clearly still on their minds. Sgt. James Smith of Dublin says that on his first day at Larry Walker Bh- 19 pB-... | Columnist lwalker@whgb-law.com ten some significant rain. It’s been awful, the drought and heat, hasn’t it? Reminds me of 1954. Do any of you remember ‘54? It went 11 weeks in Houston County without rain. When it finally rained, people in Perry went out of their businesses and stood in the rain. This made quite an impression on me - a 12 year old. 1953 and 1954 put lots of people out of farming. In a way, it was better, then. People had hopes that it would rain. Today, with sophisticated weather reporting, we know that no rain is in sight. No hope. In a more significant way, it was worse. No irrigation and no air conditioning in 1954. Can you imagine living in this heat without air condi tioning? Some of you can. When I hear ‘em say, “I don’t believe I have ever seen it this dry before,” my answer is always, “It was this dry in 1954”.. Like I Dick Yarlmmsk Camp Stryker, his unit was mortared by the enemy. The next morning, he awoke to find a scorpion in his bud dy’s cot. Sgt. Smith realized early on that this tour of duty wasn’t going to be a* fun experience. A physical therapist at Fairview Park Hospital in Dublin, Smith had just gotten married when called to active duty. His life was turned upside down. “Now,” he says, “I just want to get on with my life.” Specialist Latasha Simmons sat with her daughter, Yazman Floyd, in her lap. “My daughter was 18 months old iwhen I left and three when I returned,” she says. “That was hard on me.” Simmons is glad to be home, but admits she misses her comrades in Iraq. “We were like family to each other there.” Sgt. Gary Sellers of Macon sported a Combat Action Badge, as did many other said, ‘54 made a big impres sion on this 12 year old. * * * People, all along, want to know what I’m reading. I’m flattered that they care - if they really do. Well, I’ve reverted to form. Two old, out of print books, about Georgia politics. First, was Bert Lance’s book, “Truth of the Matter”. First time, I had ever read this book. Excellent. Made me realize what a good man Bert Lance is and how badly we need folks like him in politics, today. Then, on the recom mendation of my friend, Connell Stafford, I re-read Sam Caldwell’s book, “The Caldwell Conspiracy”. The book was probably written by Mr. Caldwell while he was in prison and is certainly written from his biased per spective. Still, his writings of Georgia politics from the soldiers at the picnic. I men tioned to Sgt. Sellers that I, too, was awarded a Combat Action Badge after being hit by a roadside bomb while out on patrol with the troops. “How many times were you hit?” I asked. Sellers said quietly, “I have no idea. If you can remember the num ber of times you were hit by an IED, you weren’t on the battlefield much.” Touche. Death was not far from the soldiers’ minds, even on this festive occasion. All of them lost good friends in Iraq. “That is something that will always be with us,” said Staff Sgt. Jeffery Ruff of Sparta. So will the stultify ing poverty they witnessed. They asked me to remind you how good you have it. Sgt. Steve Willis of Dublin says he still is getting used to being able to get in a car and drive anywhere he chooses. Remember that the next time you are sit ting in traffic. Sgt. Michael HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL Herman Talmadge, Garland Byrd, Mr. Jim Gillis days, to the Joe Frank Harris, Tom Perdue days is fasci nating. Especially is this so for someone who knew (knows) most of the folks about which he wrote and remembers Sam Caldwell when he was Georgia’s Labor Commissioner. Again, if you like Georgia politics, I high ly commend both books to you. You can probably ‘go on line’ and order both. Better yet, go down to Janie’s book store on Carroll Street in Perry and get her to get the book(s) for you. She’s good at this and can probably use the business. * * * I recently read in the “Houston Daily Journal” (when did it become ‘Daily’ rather than ‘Home’?) that Houston County has nine industrial prospects consid ering locating in the county. Really? Pretty amazing when you consider we haven’t had that many in the past nine years. Fact is, other than the Perdue Farms expansion, I can’t remember any major new plant developments for quite some time. I hope it’s true and pans out as announced (or alluded to). I’ll believe it when I see it. Kinda’ like the DOT fin ishing Houston Lake Road ‘sometime soon’! Washington, a Georgia Power employee from Burke County, said, “The experi ence in Iraq changed my life. Today, I see people blinded by what they want and not appreciative of what they have.” I wish every whiny, self indulgent American could have had the opportunity to sit down with the troops at the picnic as I was able to do. You would discover that there are still people around willing to “ask not what my country can do for me, but what I can do for my coun try.” My host, Dußose Porter, editor of the Dublin Courier- Herald and minority lead er in the Georgia House of Representatives, summed it up best: “These are ordinary Georgians who were called on to do some extraordinary things, and they did.” Amen to that. I hope my friend, Billy Payne, will understand why I skipped the Olympic fes tivities and opted instead to spend the day at a pic nic and parade in Dublin, Georgia, with a group of Great Americans. I suspect he would approve. You can reach Dick Yarbrough at yarb24oo@bellsouth.net PO. Box 725373, Atlanta, Georgia 31139, or Web site: www.dickyarbrough.com.