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6A ♦ THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2006 Shedding some light on Ga. voter ID law Dear Readers, Recently, Georgia’s new voter ID law has* been in the headlines. To give this legal battle some context, I thought it might be inter esting to explore a little bit about the history and basis of the right to vote. I will leave it to others to debate the wisdom of a voter ID law; I am more interested in the legalities. To refresh everyone’s understanding, there have been two legal challenges to the law. In the first, and more publicized lawsuit, it has been argued in Federal Court that this voter ID law violates certain federal con stitutional provisions, name ly that it amounts to a “poll” tax; the Federal lawsuit is in a weird sort of legal limbo, while U.S. District Court Judge Harold L. Murphy has twice temporarily halted enforcement of the new law, he has not made a final rul ing on whether or not it passed muster. More recently, on Sept. 19, Fulton County Superior Court Judge T. Jackson Bedford, Jr. struck down the ID law as violative of the Constitution of the State of Georgia. This ruling is on appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court, but the appeal will not be handled by the Justices until after this upcoming November election; the new voter ID law is effectively “dead” for this year. Some propo nents of the law complained that “activist” judges were What to look for during foot inspections Diabetes makes it hard for you to feel inju ries when the dis ease affects your nerves. Inspection of your feet should take place everyday around the same time by you or a family member. This will help in finding small skin irritations before they become serious prob lems. First, check the top of each foot. Due to consist rubbing from poor shoe fit ting the top of the toes, back of the heel, and outer edges become affected. Second, check the bottom of each foot. The bottom of the foot absorbs pounding pressure from the body’s weight that causes various other prob lems for the foot. Third, check the toes and nails of the foot. Toenail problems can be a sign of fungal infections that often occur between the toes and may also lead to breaks in the skin. Fourth, check your shoes. Look into your shoes before placing your feet in them. Use your hand to feel inside your shoes for pebbles, loose stitching, or rough areas that cab irritate Getting a flu shot key to being prepared Special to the Journal Emergency preparedness means more than develop ing a family disaster plan and stocking a disaster sup plies kit. As the flu season approaches, it also means preparing to stay healthy in the face of potentially severe seasonal respiratory illness es. “Preparedness covers a lot of ground, and staying healthy needs to be a part of the plan,” said Georgia Emergency Management Agency Director Charley English. “That means get ting a flu shot, especially if you are at risk.” Flu season can begin as early as October and con tinue as late as May. State health officials say that October or November is the best time to get vaccinated. “With all the concern about pandemic influenza, many people are overlooking the importance of obtaining regular seasonal flu shots,” said Dr. J. Patrick O’Neal, medical director for the Georgia Division of Public frustrating the will of the people. Is this condemnation accurate or mere political bluster? No sane person would dis pute the proposition that the right to vote is one of the most fundamental right of citizen. Yet, sadly, our coun try has a pitiful history in extending the right to vote to all citi zens. At the time that our original constitu tion was draft ed and adopted, Jim Rockefeller Columnist a “voter” or “elector” was generally defined as a male landowner. For instance, in the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, a qualified elector was defined as “free male inhab itants, of full age . . . [with] a freehold in fifty acres of land.” Yet, the actual qualifi cation of electors was a mat ter left to the states, except as Congress chose to act. This left control of the right to vote in the states. As we all know, the tragic compromise concerning slav ery led to civil strife and great bloodshed. In 1870, at the conclusion of the war, three civil rights laws were passed attacking this injustice head on. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery; the 14th Amendment guaranteed that “all persons born or naturalized in the United or injure your feet. What To Look For During Inspection When inspecting your feet you should pay attention to any changes in your feet. These changes may include changes in skin or toenail color, swelling, or areas that appear red, dry, or cracked. Also be aware of changes in sensa tion, such as burn ing, tin gling, or a feeling of “pins and needles.” Other foot problems include Dr. Jokhai Columnist The Foot Doctor hot/cold feelings or numb spots. Listed below are changes your feet may expe rience: ■ Hot Spots Look for red “hot spots” in areas that get a lot of rub bing such as the tops and bottoms toes, the outer edge of the foot, and the ball of the foot. Overt time these Health’s Office of Emergency Medical Services/Trauma/ Emergency Preparedness. “We need to remember that seasonal flu kills about 36,000 people every year in the United States.” O’Neal said regular flu shots are recommended for children ranging in age from 6 months to 5 years, and for adults age 50 and above. People between those ages who have certain chronic diseases or are pregnant also are candidates for flu shots. Not everyone should get a flu shot, however, and O’Neal said Georgians should check with their doctors or local Assessing Your t F. Dennis Hooper Leadership Development Coach Building leaders and organizations of excellence yKBp HI 988-0237 dhoo per2ffljuiio.com States” enjoyed the rights guaranteed of all other citi zens. And, finally, the 15th Amendment enshrined that the right “to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” Thus, in 1870, in theo ry, all men over the age of 21 had the right to vote, which still excluded just about half the population. This injustice was remedied with passage of women’s suffrage exactly 50 years later, in 1920, when women were given the right to vote with ratification of the 18th amendment. And, finally, just a little over another 50 years later, in 1971, the right to vote was lowered to age 18, with another war (the Vietnam war) as an impetus for this change. This, then, is the general context of the right to vote. Next week, we address how the “theory” of the right to vote became a mirage with the passage of state poll taxes. Warner Robins attorney Jim Rockefeller is the for mer Chief Assistant District Attorney for Houston County, and a former Assistant State Attorney in Miami. Owner of Rockefeller Law Center, Jim has been in private practice since 2000. E-mail your comments or confi dential legal questions to ajr@rockefellerlawcenter. com. spots will turn into blisters, corns, calluses, or sores. ■ Sores, Ulcers, and Wounds Look for sores in places like the bottom of the big toe or the ball of the foot. Sores can have white, yellow, or clear drainage. Seek atten tion immediately if you have a sore ■ Athlete’s Foot Look for redness, scal ing, or cracks around and between toes. This can be a sign of a fungal infection that causes itching and breaks in the skin. ■ Toenail Problems Look for toenails growing into the skin and causing redness or pain. Thick, yel low, or discolored nails can signal a fungal infection. ■ Color Changes Look for any color changes in the foot. Redness with streaks can signal a severe infection, which needs imme diate medical attention. ■ Cracks in the Skin Look for cracks on the heel and top and bottom of the foot. These are often caused by dry or irritated skin. health departments for guid ance. The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by a virus. A “flu shot” is an inactivated vaccine that con tains a dead virus that helps to build an immunity in the patient. Flu-related deaths can also be the result of a secondary bacterial infection, such as bacterial pneumonia, men ingitis or a blood infection. Aged Hand-cut Steaks am MAH jflMlm -78 «»H m * —7-atT7 3686 a LOCAL Building a relationship with your coach Are you considering engaging the ser vices of an executive coach? Many leaders seek the leveraged support of a certified coach to bolster their skills and decision making. Sessions are typically confidential, with the same kind of professional cour tesy one expects from a doctor or an attorney. The relationship is clearly col laborative, with both of you working to assess your circumstances, strengths, weaknesses, and opportu nities. You will co-create and monitor action plans to move you in the direction you desire. Working with a coach will likely increase your awareness of your surroundings, the effects of your behaviors on others, and your potential to con tribute. As you begin your coach ing relationship, define your desired outcomes of this coaching experience as specifically and clearly as you can. Your objectives may change as time and your skills progress, but your coach must under stand what you seek to achieve if he or she is to serve you well. Activity between coaching sessions. You and your coach will usually identify activities you are to accomplish between coach ing sessions. These can be stimulated by you or your coach and should move you closer to the objectives you have specified. Just before your next coaching session, organize your thoughts EVENTS From page iA Hill and Griff Clements - for their receptivity and approval of these worthy projects,” said a spokesman for the Perry High School alumni. “In documenting Perry High School’s storied past, future generations of students can learn about the role models who blazed the academic and athlet ic trails before them and can seek to emulate their achievements.” Recently, steps were taken to name the old Perry school building, which now houses the Houston County Board of Education, after Staples. In February, the building was named the Eric P Staples Memorial Building in a dedication ceremony. That same month, “Pride of the Panthers,” was published which chronicles arguably the greatest basketball dynasty in Georgia history and spotlights Staples, the “winningest” coach in the nation from 1933 to 1965. Staples’ teams won 83 percent of their games (924 victories and 198 loses) including eight state cham pionships and 25 region titles. . >; A SllDßYlOt’ | Ratesl 6-month CD 5.75 5 * Rales an subject to change without notice. Annual lAncntage Yield (APY) is accurate as of the date of this advertisement. Some nstriclions may apply. Minimum deposit amount SI,OOO. An early withdrawal penalty may be imposed. 1 For your convenience, our bank’s lobby is open from 9:00 a.m.- Noon each Saturday. for reporting progress on actions you have taken. Setting the agen da. Give some advanced thought to what you cur rently need and how the upcoming coaching session can help. Many individu als expect that the business coaching relationship is like their athletic coach in high school who dictated what drills would be worked on each day. That’s not how executive coaches work. Your coach will have ideas about what will move you Ilk / want to address in every coaching session. Your coach will appreciate your suggest ing what you would like to accomplish in this particu lar session, and even how you prefer the two of you address the issue. Be open to alternative suggestions offered by your coach, but recognize that you have a right to prescribe how progress toward your objective is accomplished. In the absence of you speci fying your preference for how your time is used in each session, your coach will likely assume control. That probably won’t serve your immediate needs as well as your raising ques- Continuing that tradition was Coach Paul Hartman whose Perry team won a ninth state championship in 1966, the year after Staples retired. Other notable alumni projects have been the painting of‘“Fessor’s Boys” by artist Pete Henderson which was commissioned by alumni, a $23,000 street clock donated by the class of 1955 - an effort spear headed by William Harrison - that sits in front of the memorial building and an oil painting of Staples by artist Deanna Griffin - donated by the class of 1956 - that hangs in the hallway outside the Sam Nunn Library, a project ini tiated by Marcilla Jacobs Heath. In March, the alumni, spearheaded by Thomas “Boot” Hunt, class of 1959, kicked off initiatives to put up a life-size bronze sculp ture of Staples to be placed in the lobby of the new Perry High School building and to name the football field after St. John. Oct. 20, prior to the Perry-Peach County foot ball game, a reception will be held for St. John in the high school cafeteria start ing at 5 p.m. The featured speaker will be Hall of THE BANK OF PERRY 1006 Main Street, Perry • 478-987-2554 www.bankofperry.com in the general direction of your overall objec tive, but you should co n - sciously consider what you Dennis Hooper Leaders Building Leaders HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL tions about your situation, generating options to con sider, and evaluating the possible outcomes of each action you might take. Assessing prog ress along the way. Assessment is critical at each stage of your prog ress. Together, the two of you should evaluate your awareness and competency at the outset and periodi cally along the way. You should request that your coach challenge you by stretching you beyond your comfort zone. You will not grow otherwise. However, both of you should be sensitive to the potential for overload. Generating too much stress will not result in optimum growth, either. Finally, your coach should be your stron gest supporter (exceeded only by your boss and your spouse!). For more information, I suggest you obtain a copy of “Using Your Executive Coach” by E. Wayne Hart and Karen Kirkland of the Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, NC. (Cost is $lO, available at www.ccl.org/publica tions. If you are considering a coach and have not yet found one, purchase a copy of “Choosing an Executive Coach” for $lO from the same source. Dennis Hooper is a Certified Leadership Development Coach, help ing leaders build future leaders and organizations of excellence. You may con tact him at dhooper2@juno. com. Fame football coach, Billy Henderson, a former team mate of St. John. St. John’s 1956 football team will be in attendance, observ ing its 50-year reunion. In pre-game ceremonies, Carpenter will officially name the football sta dium the “Herb St. John Stadium.” St. John started the foot ball program at Perry High School in 1954 and coached through the 1969 season. His overall record in 19 seasons, including five at Manchester, was 115 wins, 72 losses and seven ties. He was named coach of the year five times. A former All- Southeastern Conference (1944-1947) and All- American (1946) football player at the University of Georgia, St. John was inducted into the presti gious UGA Circle of Honors in 2004. 0ct.22, the sculpture of Staples will be dedicated in the Perry High School lobby, with the program starting at 2 p.m. Sculptors Don Haugen and Teena Stem have created the bronze statue, which will be accom panied by a plaque docu menting Staples’ achieve ments and a display case of his era memorabilia. t£> UMDC* Member FDK