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♦ THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2006 4A 3&msitm Hailg djmmtal OPINION Daniel F. Evans Editor and Publisher Julie B. Evans Vice President Don Moncrief Foy S. Evans Managing Editor Editor Emeritus Plenty of time to decide Residents of Centerville will have plenty of time to decide what they want to do about two issues recent ly brought up by Mayor Harold (Bubba) Edwards. The mayor expressed the opinion that the property tax exemption given to resi dents 70 years and older is something the city should not continue. He says the city needs taxes from these residents if the city is to prosper. Large groups of citizens appeared at every public hearing on the tax exemp tion to protest any change. Whether liquor by the drink should be made legal in Centerville has been a topic of discussion for years. Certainly, Centerville is at a dis advantage when trying to attract upscale res taurants. Warner Robins, which does a pretty good job of sur rounding Centerville, allows the sale of alco- holic beverages on Sunday. Opponents showed up in force to pro test. After listening to constituents on these two important issues Centerville city officials are going to put it before voters in a referendum in November of next year when city elections are held. The officials say this will save money that would have to be spent to hold a special election this year. So Centerville residents will have plen ty of time to talk to their neighbors and discuss the issues of giving a free ride to residents 70 years and older and whether it will hurt the community by allowing the sale of alcohol by the drink on Sundays. Centerville has had an influx of seniors in recent years, most of them in expen sive homes. These are the residents that Edwards believes are getting a free ride that is not justified. As far as the tax exemption is con cerned there will be three choices when it comes before voters. The choices will be between (1) total elimination of the property tax exemption, (2) allow a tax exemption on the first $25,000 (or some figure that may be agreed on later) of a home’s value or (3) leave the exemption as it is. Logical arguments can be made on both sides of the liquor issue. Does the city need the money bad enough to, in the eyes of some citizens, corrupt its residents? It will be up to voters to decide. As for the property tax exemption for seniors over 70, arguments can be made for and against each of the three choices. It will be up to city officials to go before the people and sell them on the plan they believe would be in the best interests of their constituents. WORTH REPEATING “Freedom is the recognition that no single person, no single authority or government has a monopoly on truth, but that every individual life is infinitely precious, that every one of us put on this world has been put there for a reason and has something to offer.” Ronald Reagan, 1911-2004 40th President of the United States Whether liquor hy the drink should be made legal in Centerville has been a topic of discussion for years. Certainly, Centerville is at a disadvantage when trying to attract upscale restaurants. Warner Robins, which does a pretty good job of surrounding Centerville, aHows the sale of alcoholic beverages on Sunday. We need our generals If the Air Force goes through with a proposal to eliminate the two-star general position at Robins AFB, along with about 250 military and civil ian positions that go with him, there’s no doubt there will be economic impact on the community. How often have we applauded the addition of the same number of jobs at the huge installation? The loss of the jobs, while not crippling by any means, will take a significant bite out of the annual payroll. Loss of the jobs and payroll would not be as significant as the reduction of the base to the level of being a sub sidiary of ALC Headquarters, where colonels in charge of four independent wings would report to a three-star gen eral in Ohio. There’s something significant about having a general - two-star or not - in charge of an installation. It signifies a certain importance of the installation, in the overall scheme of things. I’ m a mere civilian. I know about chain of command in civilian corpora tions. I know that department heads, left alone with no one on site to deal with conflicts and disagreements, are less effective than those with someone on site at the top to keep them aware that they are part of an organization, not independent entities. It seems that the presence of a gen eral at Robins AFB would serve many good purposes. The Air Force, in its efforts to save money, might want to limit the size of a general’s staff signifi cantly, but keeping one on site makes sense to this outsider. "When there's trouble in the Middle East, half-way around the world just doesn't seem all that far!" IM Hal A* WpPaiv jz/Zjy m\m Hunger strike is a poor mode of protest I can understand the sign-toting picket. I can understand a march to demonstrate a point of view. I even understand the reasoning behind chaining yourself to a building or a tree to stop its destruction. These are ways that folks draw atten tion to their cause, to air their griev ances publicly. Being able to peacefully speak our minds is one of the greatest freedoms we enjoy in our democratic society. Apparently, such democracy is finally taking root in Iraq - by none other than their deposed dictator, Saddam Hussein. But, as a newcomer to such dizzying freedoms, Hussein doesn’t fully grasp the concept behind American-style civil resistance. Hussein is nearing the end of his chaotic trial, which could end with a verdict of death by hanging. If you’ve kept up with the trial at all, you realize it’s been a circus. Hussein, looking a lot like a bearded Walter Matthau, has been combative and defiant, along with his co-defendants, who don’t look anything like Walter Matthau. As part of his defiance, Hussein has been refusing food for over two weeks in protest of the murders of three of his defense attorneys. He is demand ing better security for the rest of his defense team (and he seems to have a OPINION Foy Evans Columnist foyevansl9@cox.net It is interesting to note that two for mer ALC commanders - Maj. Gen. Rick Goddard and Maj. Gen. Ron Smith - see the proposed removal of a two star general from the helm at the base as a major mistake. There is reason for all of us to be concerned if the base is reduced to four wings without someone on site as a cat alyst to hold the organization together. What should we expect next? ■ ■■ The Perry Exchange Club recently honored Sydney Odom with its human itarian award. I can’t think of anyone more deserving. I have known him since he preached his first sermon at Warner Robins’ Central Baptist Church in 1958. His influence on thousands of people in our county in the interven ing years has changed many lives. He continues his good work today. ■ ■■ If Peach County builds a new hospi tal less than six miles from Houston County Hospital in Warner Robins, will the result be good or bad? It is up to state officials whether Peach valid point). But a hunger strike? Why a hunger strike? The hunger strike is the absolute worst way to lodge a protest. Listen, I’ll admit it. I’ve never been hungry. When I say “I’m hungry,” it simply means that I’m not full. But in the two or three times in my life where I haven’t been full, it wasn’t a pleasant experience. And if you’re an evil dictator accused of killing thou sands of people, nobody is going to care if you’re starving. Nobody is going to rally outside the courthouse with “Feed Saddam” plac ards. A hunger strike is a personal protest - it only draws attention to your cause if people know about it. There are thousands of hunger strikes that go on each year - mostly by models - that nobody knows about. A hunger strike simply doesn’t make good television, and, thus, isn’t as effective in stirring the masses. ■»s§ ■ jEmmm Len Robbins Columnist airpub@planttel.net County will be permitted to proceed with plans. It does seem mighty close, but it could result in more people looking to this area for medical care, instead of going to Macon. The Georgia Hospital Association seems to believe that Houston Healthcare is one of the best, and expansion will make it possible to add doctors with more specialties who will perform more demanding procedures. The outlook for Houston Healthcare, even if Peach County builds a hospital so close, is bright. ■ ■■ Headlines the day after the recent primary elections predicted that the contest between Gov. Sonny Perdue and Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor “will get dirty.” Ask about anyone you know their opinion of “dirty” campaigns and they will say they are “disgusted by it.” However, astute politicians would not spend millions of dollars on attack advertising if it was not effective. Both Perdue and Taylor are experi enced, astute politicians. They know that attack advertising is necessary to win an election and the candidate scoring the most effective punches wins. People pretend they are interested in candidates’ positions on “the issues”, but most voters don’t know anything about the issues and do not care. They vote their emotions, based on what they are told. The only reason anyone knew about Hussein’s hunger strike is because he had to be hospitalized, and now they are feeding him through a tube. According to White House spokesman Tony Snow, Hussein is “voluntarily” receiving food through a tube. If he’s volunteering to receive food, why not just eat it with his mouth? That seems to be the easier, more pop ular method. If you’re receiving food, then you’re probably not hungry, which means you aren’t on a hunger strike. You’re on a “cooperation strike,” which has far less panache. Here’s the other thing that both ers me about Hussein’s hunger strike: If there’s a real possibility of being hanged to death, why starve yourself? If I knew my time here was scarce, or it was Tuesday, I’d be bathing in calories, eating every Dorito, double cheeseburger, and gallon of chocolate delight I could get my pudp, sticky hands on. I certainly wouldn’t be diet ing. Listen, if you want to lodge a protest, air a grievance, yell your head off - fine. Grab a stick with a sign and start marching (which, in Saddam’s case, may be difficult from prison). But don’t go on a hunger strike. That’s not the American way. And, in addition, it just makes the rest of us look fatter, which I don’t appreciate. HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL