Newspaper Page Text
•THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2006
4A
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OPINION
Daniel F. Evans
Editor and Publisher
Julie B. Evans
Vice President
Don Moncrief Foy S. Evans
Managing Editor Editor Emeritus
Voters head to the polls
uninformed
Georgians will go to the polls next
Tuesday fully “uninformed.”
We mean that. They will have very
little information on the qualifications of
candidates and even less information on
what they will do if elected.
This is an unfortunate side effect of the
kind of campaigning, which has come to
dominate political races from the state level
to the White House.
Georgians, including us here in Houston
County, have been bombarded with millions
of dollars worth of television advertising
designed to
destroy can
didates’ oppo
nents while
telling us very
little about
themselves.
Disgusted
voters are
expressing
their feelings
and many are
saying that
they will stay
home. They say that what we need is posi
tive advertising from the candidates.
Pollsters call the shots in political cam
paigns and they know that selling candi
dates with positive advertising can be a
losing proposition.
The very people who say that they are
turned off by the negative advertising are
the same people who go to the polls and
respond to the advertising.
Pollsters, who call the shots in most cam
paigns, have proof that negative, often false
advertising gets results and this is the way
tfo win elections.
It is a reflection on all of us that we can be
manipulated this way.
Wouldn’t it be refreshing for all politi
cal campaigns to stick to honest, positive
advertising? We would actually know some
thing about the candidates and their goals
if elected.
It won’t happen, unfortunately.
Each election cycle brings more deplorable
attack advertising. As long as this kind of
advertising pays off we can expect more of
it.
Truth in advertising is commendable. We
have government agencies that work to
make sure that advertising by businesses
adhere to the truth as much as possible.
Unfortunately, there is no one monitoring
political advertising and protecting voters.
A few voters will go to the trouble of learn
ing more about the candidates. They will
reject advertising that is patently false. But
they are a minority. Most of the voters who
go to the polls next Tuesday will vote based
on misinformation, or no information, and
there is nothing we can do about it.
Letter to the Emtor
How do we protect our
neighborhoods l
As the seasons begin to change,
leaves begin to fall, change is in the air.
In Houston County, the campaign for county commis
sioner post 2 is about vital issues that will determine
whether we shall continue to tax all citizens to ensure the
fattening of developers’ bankrolls.
It is about whether we will continue to permit spot
zoning and the hodge-podge annexations by our cit
ies that permit commercial enterprises and high
density sub-divisions to encroach upon quiet, secure
neighborhoods. Our families need community parks
to provide recreational facilities for themselves.
Maurice Braswell understands these challenges.
We must decide whether we will continue to allow devel
opment of our unique and vital natural environment. One
example is the proposed destruction of some 24,000 acres of
Oaky Woods that is home to plants not found elsewhere and
is a home to middle Georgia s black bear. The probability
is that the wetlands there will be silted over as is the case
in much of Houston County as development runs amok.
Braswell will help to implement a property tax freeze in
See LETTER, page *4
Disgusted voters
are expressing their
feelings and many are
saying that they will
stay home. They say
that what we need is
positive advertising
from the candidates.
Seeing the President is a rare treat
Seeing a sitting President of the
United States in person is some
thing special, and thousands anx
ious to take this opportunity showed
up in Perry Tuesday. It could be the
only opportunity some of them would
ever have and they came from all
over Middle Georgia to hear President
Bush.
There is a certain aura about the
presidency, even in times like these
when many Americans are not giving
this position the respect it deserves.
Hatred for George Bush has made the
presidency a target for slander and dis
respect that would have been unheard
of a generation ago.
When I was growing up everyone
looked up to the President. Not every
one voted for him, but the office was
given respect and admiration.
Almost every boy wanted to grow
up to be President. I remember my
father telling me that it was pos
sible for me or any of my friends
to grow up to be President someday.
I didn’t.
But a few miles away from my home
there was a young boy growing up on
a farm who someday would become
President. He was Jimmy Carter from
Plains. I didn’t know him. He was five
years younger than me. My baby sister
went to school with him. His cousin
Don was one of my best friends and
was one of two people who inspired me
"Golly, I didn't know there was going to be a test!"
At least it wasn't a 'Bangkok Wedgie’
Amid all the political headlines of
late, I found delightful refuge in
the following offering: “Principal
Suspended For Giving Kid A Wedgie.”
I was not disappointed.
According to the Associated Press
story, Park High School (Livingston,
Montana) principal Eric Messerli was
suspended for two days without pay
and four days with pay for “grabbing
a Park High senior’s soccer jersey and
pulling it over his head and giving the
student a ‘wedgie’ by pulling up on the
waist band of his underwear.”
Witnesses of the wedgie say Messerli’s
actions were done in an effort to “joke
around” with the student.
The incident apparently caused quite
a stir in the community, as Messerli
cried as he read a statement to the
board and public.
“I’ve made mistakes in my life, but
none have had the impact that this one
has had,” he is quoted as saying.
Must not be much trouble to be had
up in Montana.
I consider myself something of an
expert on wedgies, having been on the
receiving end of literally thousands
while growing up as the shortest, skin
niest, most smart-alecky kid in my
class, school, neighborhood, county,
and state, for roughly a decade (ages
4-14). That said, I think these folks are
r,’ * * i
Foy
Evans
Columnist
foyevansl9@cox net
to enter the newspaper business.
I have had an opportunity to see three
previous Presidents. Lyndon Johnson
landed at Robins AFB and rode in an
open convertible up Highway 247 to
Macon. I was among the hundreds who
lined the highway to see him.
Thirty-four years ago this month
I had the rare opportunity to attend
a reception at the White House with
several other small town newspaper
editors. Richard Nixon was President.
When I was introduced to President
Nixon he recognized the name “Warner
Robins.” At the time there were rumors
that the base here would be closed or
cut back substantially.
President Nixon mentioned this to
me and said, “You can go back to
Warner Robins and write in your news
paper that your base is safe and it will
not be closed.” I flew home that night
and wrote a column for The Daily Sun
the next day delivering that message.
He gave each of us a set of cufflinks
with the seal of the President of the
United States on them. I have passed
overdoing it a bit.
Yeah, I know he was the principal,
but all he gave the kid was a simple
“Blind Wedgie.” It’s relatively harm
less in the world of wedgies. I mean,
he could have given the kid a hundred
different types of wedgies that would
have made the victim cry, not the per
petrator.
For instance, there’s the “Jock Lock
Wedgie.” With the “Jock Lock Wedgie,”
a regular wedgie is given, then the legs
of the victim are pulled back to touch
their buttocks (Helpful hint: This is
best performed if the victim is lying
down). The perpetrator then wraps the
underwear around the ankles, creating
a constant wedgie.
Or there’s the “Egg Wedgie.” First,
place an egg in the underwear. Then
the victim is wedgied until the egg is
cracked (Note: It may take a while).
Then, there’s the hideously simple
'' v - w
/lv -< Jr
MJ ... _
Len
Robbins
Columnist
airpub@planttel.net
HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL
them along to my son and I hope he
will pass them on to his.
That evening we stood on
Pennsylvania Avenue trying to wave
down a cab to get to the airport. We
never gave a thought to it being unsafe.
Today a white man and woman stand
ing there late at night alone should
fear for their lives. I have been there
since then and know how dangerous
that area is.
I have had many opportunities to
talk with former President Jimmy
Carter. He was featured speaker at
the Georgia Press Association annual
convention when I was president of the
organization.
During his presidency he came to
Warner Robins for a speech. I was
mayor at the time. I remember the
Secret Service swooping down on our
city hall and commandeering it, treat
ing all of us as if each of us was a
threat to the President’s life. All of us
at city hall were glad to see them leave
and made a wish that they would not
return.
Our country has had only 43 presi
dents. That is an elite club. Seeing one
of them in person is a special treat.
Having an opportunity to talk with one
is icing on the cake.
I’m sure that the thousands who
waited for hours and endured consider
able inconvenience Tuesday will agree
that it was worth the effort.
“Bangkok Wedgie,” which is accom
plished by performing a regular wed
gie, then kicking the victim in the
groin. Ouch.
I was once the victim of a “Hanging
Wedgie,” where I was wedgied and
my underwear hung on a utility pole
spike, leaving my puny body dangling
in agony.
It took two kids to deliver the
“Hanging Wedgie.” For some reason,
they were miffed after I urinated on
them as they climbed up the ladder to
a tree house.
While the wedgie as punishment did
work in that case (I haven’t urinated
on anyone, other than myself, since),
I have not found it to be an effective
disciplinary tool with my children.
I tried it with my daughter once,
to punish her for some minor indis
cretion. She seemed unfazed. Twenty
minutes later, she was pulling on my
sleeve, “Daddy, can you give me a wed
gie again? That was fun.”
She kept pestering me until I gave
her a “Melvin,” which is a wedgie from
the front.
I have since switched to “Indian
Burns” and “Noogies” to punish my
children. I would suggest the same for
parents, and principals, everywhere. I
have found them highly effective.