Newspaper Page Text
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♦ WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2006
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OPINION
♦
Daniel F. Evans
Editor and Publisher
s
Julie B. Evans
Vice President
Don Moncrief Foy S. Evans
Managing Editor Editor Emeritus
Veterans Day a cut above
If you saw/read Tuesday’s front page, you
know we are currently attempting to do
something special for veterans leading
up to their special day Saturday.
This for us - and hopefully you’ll get plenty
out of it, too - has been a tremendous eye
opening/rewarding personal experience.
Oh sure with Robins Air Force Base in
our own backyard we knew there were a lot
of veterans. Thousands have come through
their gates. Thousands have settled here
when their tenure was done. We are so
thankful they have.
But the thing that has turned out to be
the most pleasant of all surprises dur
ing this exer
picp woro tno
vets that have ThlS IS a part Of OUP
surfaced horn hlStOPy W 6 dOll't Often
such as p wm see «• about
the Korean - obviously not enough
War,Vietnam _ ant J jf S a part Of OUP
of our “ h? s - history that really,
tory we don’t really needs to be
often see or preserved.
hear about -
obviously not
enough - and it’s a part of our history that
really, really needs to be preserved.
These gentlemen - and ladies - have phe
nomenal stories. They have, as we all know,
gone places few would venture to tread.
They have seen things unfathomable. Like
those serving in hot zones around the world,
they know the price of freedom all too well.
And, here’s something almost just as
amazing about these veterans.
Would you believe that each and every
one, without exception, has been humbled
by the opportunity to be in the newspaper?
How to best explain this: We work in the
newspaper business. It’s the nature of the
beast that very rarely does anyone say:
“thank you.” That’s just the way it is. It’s
just like any other business in the world.
People figure they’re paying for your ser
vices - and they are - so saying thank you
is considered part of the cost.
But these veterans ... It’s been amazing to
see, to hear, as each one has said: “Thank
you for what you’re doing,” in almost exact
ly the same way - word for word.
It’s downright gut-wrenching that “they”
would thank “us.” It makes us ashamed
because it’s “us” who should be thanking
them (and we did).
Compared to what they’ve sacrificed, giv
ing them a few words on a page is nothing.
Saturday is Veterans Day. To that end,
we are going to put as many vets’ stories
on these pages as we can between now and
then.
Even then, we’ll miss so many. Our chal
lenge to you dear reader is to seek out a vet
eran. It might be your neighbor. It might be
the person who sits next to you in church.
Get them to tell you their story.
We have so many superficial holidays, but
if you’ll get them to do this, you’ll realize in
quick fashion that this may just be the most
special observance of all.
Letter to the Editor
Showcasing practitioners
The role of the nurse practitioner will be showcased
now through Saturday as NPs across the country cel
ebrate more than four decades of practice and research
during National NP Week. Nationally, this distinguished
group of healthcare professionals number 115,000 strong
with an additional 5,000-6,000 NP students graduating
each year. In Georgia, there are more than 4,000 nurse
practitioners providing high-quality, cost-effective health
care to diverse populations in rural and urban settings.
NP practice offers a unique combination of nursing
and healthcare services to patients in a care and cure
atmosphere. Focusing not only on diagnosing and man
aging acute and chronic illnesses, NPs integrate health
promotion, disease prevention, counseling, and patient
education to help patients understand their complete
health picture.
In a population that is aging, with baby boomers
becoming seniors in growing numbers over the next ten
years, having choices about healthcare providers will
become even more important. National NP Week brings
visibility to the role of the NP helping consumers make
wise choices when selecting their healthcare provider.
Debra Fingles, Warner Robins
What children think about marriage
Children are impressionable.
From the moment they develop
cognitive abilities they are taking
in the world around them and drawing
conclusions about what they’re seeing
and experiencing. Naturally, one of the
first things they observe and develop
opinions about is the most important
relationship in their home - their par
ents’ marriage.
A few months ago someone sent me
a list of answers that children gave to
questions that had been posed to them
about marriage. Perhaps you’ve seen
some or all of these humorous answers,
but I think you’ll recognize the impres
sionableness I’m talking about.
Question: How do you decide who to
marry?
Answer: You got to find somebody who
likes the same stuff. Like, if you like
sports, she should like it that you
like sports, and she should keep the
chips and dip coming. (Alan, age 10)
Q: What is the right age to marry?
A: No age is good to get married at.
You got to be a fool to get married.
(Freddy, age 6)
Q: How carl a stranger tell if two
people are married?
A: You might have to guess, based on
whether they seem to be yelling at the
same kids. (Derrick, age 8)
Q: What do you think your mom and
dad have in common?
A: Both don’t want any more kids.
(Lori, age 8)
Q: When is it okay to kiss s6meone?
A: When they’re rich. (Pam, age 7)
Q: Is it better to be single or mar
ried?
A: It’s better for girls to be single
but not for boys. Boys need someone
to clean up after them. (Anita, age 9)
Q: How would you make a marriage
work?
A: Tell your wife she looks pretty,
even if she looks like a trupk. (Ricky,
age 10)
The point is that kids start reaching
conclusions about relationships and
marriage by watching their parents.
So we need to ask ourselves a question:
If our child was to draw a picture of
marriage based on what he saw of ours,
what would it look like?
In many ways, when you clearly
understand the marriage you want to
model for your children you also more
clearly understand what your marriage
ought to be. This shouldn’t surprise
anyone. We often make positive chang
es in our lives because of what we want
our kids to see.
"Sometimes voting for a politician is like eating cucumbers
you just hope you don't come to regret the decision!"
Congress control not the issue - political culture
You forget a phone number or a
dental appointment.
You misplace your keys. You go
blank on a name.
Sometimes you can’t remember your
anniversary.
But a conversation about a team
member being somewhere between a
sleazeball and a pedophile?
I’m not buying it.
Amnesia is House Speaker Dennis
Hastert’s defense of his version of the
events surrounding the latest bad act
ing in Washington. Florida Rep. Mark
Foley resigned in disgrace after his
slimy and wholly inappropriate text
messages to House pages became pub
lic, blowing Foley’s cover and exposing
the supporting role other congressmen
and staff played.
Foley has found temporary refuge in
alcohol rehab and assorted childhood
traumas, none of which we assume
will deflect further problems. The
guy should have a chance to turn his
life around, but part of any 180 may
include taking responsibility for his
actions.
Speaking of taking responsibility, the
investigation of who knew what when
and why didn’t they act on it contin
ues.
If Hastert truly did forget - we all
have blank spots - I wonder about his
skills and judgment as speaker. These
conversations were supposedly about
what could be criminal activity in
Congress involving minors. Might want
to make a note on the Blackberry.
If the two men (one a congressman
and one a senior staff member) who
claimed to have had serious, pointed
discussions with Hastert about Foley’s
OPINION
Randy
Hicks
Columnist
Georgia Family Council
I have a good friend who had been
smoking for most of his adult life.
When his children arrived he kept
smoking even though he wanted to
quit. He finally was successful in quit
ting when his oldest was about 8 years
old. Why? One day his son turned to
him and said, “I can’t wait until I’m
older like you...because then I’ll be
able to smoke.”
My friend quit that day, cold turkey.
He was able to overcome his addictive
behavior because he desired something
better for his son. His desire to be a
good role model helped him change his
own behavior and, at the same time,
influence the behavior of his son later
in life. Kind of a two-for-one deal.
That’s what thinking about provid
ing a positive marriage-model for your
child can do for you. And it will benefit
both your child and your marriage.
Please notice that I did not say mod
eling a perfect marriage. A perfect mar
riage does not exist. In fact, a healthy
marriage begins with the acknowledge
ment that our marriages cannot be
perfect and we must, therefore, develop
the habits and virtues that allow us to
overcome the inherent imperfections
that come with being married.
Understand that “modeling a healthy
marriage” could be the subject of a dic
tionary-sized book, so I want to draw
from some reading I’ve done and expe
riences I’ve had to offer what I con
sider to be four important ingredients
in modeling a healthy marriage.
Communicate.
Your kids need to see you and your
spouse talking with each other about
matters both great and small. While
they don’t need, to hear you talking
about everything - there’s an age
appropriateness factor that needs to be
considered - they do need to observe
you planning, compromising, thanking,
apologizing and joking. They need to
see you discussing both trivial matters
(like what to watch on T.V or where to
eat) and very important matters (like
job opportunities and saving for col
lege.) Naturally, there are many things
George
Ayoub
Columnist
Morris News Service
behavior are lying, that’s a whole other
worm can.
Either way, GOP voters, worried that
the party will lose control of Congress
in November, should relax. They lost
control of it months ago.
Yes, I know all the political red her
rings, Gerry Stubbs, Gary Hart and
Bill Clinton chief among them. But
they are irrelevant when Foley/Hastert
is considered in a broader context ...
like what the heck is going on in the
most powerful building in the nation?
One answer is next to nothing.
Commentator Lou Dobbs writes that
the 109th Congress rolled its sleeves
up fewer than 80 days this session.
That’s good work if you can get it.
Eighty is just about the right num
ber considering your primary function
as a sitting member of Congress often
seems to be getting re-elected, which
means raising money ... a lot of money
... all of the time.
So who has time to debate laws, dis
cuss policy, steer the ship of state or
keep the republic from fraying at the
edges when it costs a fortune to belong
to the club? •
For most members help is never far
away, however.
According to a Bloomberg analysis
of federal election records, PACs are
that should be discussed behind closed
doors when the kids aren’t present.
Resolve conflict.
Your kids don’t need to hear you
working through major disagreements
or hurts in their presenco. But there
are many times when our children
observe a parental disagreement but
not the negotiation, compromise and,
when necessary, apology that come
with resolving disagreements and
keeping a relationship healthy. Just
witnessing one parent say “I’m sorry”
to another - followed by “I forgive you”
- creates a meaningful impression on a
child because it allows them to see that
people can disagree and still love each
other. Conflict resolution is a huge
marital issue and, when not learned,
is often the very thing that upends a
marriage.
Show affection.
It’s okay to express affection to your
spouse with your kids present, obvious
ly, within reason. A hug, a kiss, hold
ing hands...all of these things commu
nicate closeness and a bond that kids
will want to emulate. Moreover, in
spite of their cries of “gross!” I believe
kids derive a sense of security from
seeing their parents embrace and say,
“I love you.”
Set aside time for one another.
Gregory Keer, a syndicated colum
nist who writes on family issues, says,
“Children need to know that mom
and dad have a relationship with one
another, not just with them. They
should see that it’s OK for parents to
be apart from the kids on a consistent
basis so they know for themselves that,
at the center of successful families is a
successful partnership.” Seeing you
make your marriage a priority will help
your children understand what mar
riage will require of them someday.
You will notice that each of these will
benefit your children as they grow and
think about what marriage might be
for them. But they will also serve to
remind you and your spouse of what
it takes to have the marriage you long
for - a marriage that’s characterized
by authentic communication, affection
and security.
Georgia Family Council is a non-prof
it organization that works to strength
en and defend the family in Georgia
by impacting communities, shaping
laws and influencing culture. For more
information , go to www.georgiafamily.
org, (770) 242-0001 or greggiwfam.org.
HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL
going to spend - for the first time ever
- more than $1 billion on next month’s
mid-term elections.
That’s the other answer. Those PACs
or anybody else with a big bank account
take their fees out in trade. If it was a
rock “n” roll lyric, it would be “Money
for nothing, access ain’t free."
It’s also why millions of Americans
feel as though Congress belongs first
to big spenders.
There’s a couple ways to look at
this: The simple solution comes from
the “throw the bums out” brigade, a
timeless tirade against what is. Indeed,
Democratic candidates across the coun
try are tainting GOP incumbency with
the stain of an unsuccessful status quo.
“You had your chance,” they intone.
All of which is fine, but it matters
little who has a numerical advantage
if the entire culture of national poli
tics runs counter to what we insist we
value: honesty, intelligence, compas
sion, economy, forthrightness, courage,
responsibility, independence and hard
work.
This will be my 17th federal elec
tion since I could vote, my 23rd since
I started paying attention, after pres
idential candidate John F. Kennedy
drove past my house on 10th Street in
a dark sedan and waved.
Never do I remember this many
people annoyed, frustrated and dis
couraged with the process - the nega
tivity, the enormous cost, the lack of
substance.
Now I’m wondering if it’s not only
the selection process, but the inevita
bility of the result, too.
George Ayoub is senior writer at The
Grand Island (Neb.) Independent.