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4A ♦ FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2006 Houston flatly .IJounutl OPINION Daniel F. Evans Editor and Publisher Julie B. Evans Vice President Don Moncrief Managing Editor Thank you, volunteers About this time each year, some people are complaining that Christmas has become too commercial. Granted, there’s a whole lot of shopping going on, but there’s a lot of true Christmas spirit in the air as well. This weekend, Houston Countians can enjoy a pancake breakfast, two parades, a Jingle Bell jog, a live music festival, a “Nutcracker” ballet and a community candlelight service and several visits from Santa, who will be all over the county - from Warner Robins down to Henderson. It’s the Christmas spirit, but it’s also a sign of good community spirit, because almost all of the big events are organized and carried out by willing volunteers, active church members and people will ing to give their time to good causes, like ringing the bell of the Salvation Army. The Warner Robins parade, to take one example, will be the largest ever, featuring over 70 floats and 56 march- ing units. The Perry Christmas parade, though smaller, will pull in many church, school and civic groups, and Downtown Perry is having an all-out celebration for two weekends with its Christmas at the Crossroads events. We are blessed to live in a community with so many tireless volunteers and boosters, and to have a long tradition of all-out cel ebration of the Christmas season. So don’t spend the whole weekend shop ping. Make sure you see a parade, hear some music or take an excited child to see Santa Claus. A lot of people have worked hard to make the season merry, and that , will continue straight through the season. Peace on Earth Peace on earth does seem a bit beyond our reach at this point, but we can all make a contribution at this juncture by praying for the safety of our troops and the success of the fledgling Iraqi govern ment in the face of so much sectarian vio lence. This is no time for partisan bickering, because we’re all in this together and his tory is unfolding in ways we can’t entirely predict or control. It’s time to tone down the rhetoric, even in our own discussions, and adopt a watch ful and hopeful attitude, letting our best and brightest leaders sort out the problems we face and get us on the right course. Letter to the epttor A tribute to Hutcherson It was a sad day when I learned of Mr. Hutcherson’s death. He was a giant among men. His greatness in the field of education in Houston County can never be praised enough to even begin to do justice to his life. He came to Perry High School in the late 60s when we were faced with an extremely difficult transition with the integration of Houston County Schools. I really do not know of any other administrator who could have led the school in this .time of uncertainty with the same degree of excellence. As a teacher at Perry High School, I have the utmost respect for the man and his legacy. He treated all students and faculty members with respect and dignity. He played no favorites. The newest teacher and the veter an ones were all treated the same. He was the same with students. I am certain that anyone who had the pleasure of working with him at any level will remember that if a person could read, there was never any doubt of See LETTER, page 6A Foy S. Evans Editor Emeritus The Warner Robins parade, to take one example, will be the largest ever, featuring over 70 floats and 56 marching units. The Perry Christmas parade, though smaller, will pull in many church, school and civic groups, and Downtown Perry is having an all-out celebration for two weekends with its Christmas at the Crossroads events. What the readers are reading In writing this weekly column, one thing I have discovered is many people’s keen interest in what you are reading and their willingness to share with you their current read, something about it, or their favorite book(s), and why. With this in mind, I invited readers to tell me about their favorite book(s) with comments. This is part of what I got. Joan Herndon started reading Wilbur Smith’s books in 1980 and in particular recommends Flight of the Falcon. According to Joan, she has 28 of his books and has read “all at least twice and some more than that’. Joan, that’s remarkable! This is very interesting. Three read ers - of this column and books - men tioned Run With The Horseman by Ferroll Sams. Dan Callahan, a medi cal doctor, likes Sams, who is also a physician. Wendell Whipple and Sandra Hunt also liked this book. I did, too, when I read it. Wendell said it “reminds me of the same era growing up in a small town plus Macon college life,” and Dr. Dan commented that the book was about “a very brassy boy growing up on a farm - actually it is mostly an autobiography by Dr. Sams”. Dan also recommends The War Journal of Major Damon ‘Rocky’ Gause with foreward by Stephen E. Ambrose and two other books by Sams. Whipple also chooses Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird as did Jeanne Bledsoe. Jeanne liked Lee’s book because it was set in “a small, rural southern town in the early 1900’s, and its characters are authentic and believ able .. . the main character, Atticus Finch, is an admirable main of honor and courage . . .” Yes, Jeanne! I would have included this book on my lists of all time favorites, but I can’t remem ber whether I actually read the book or just saw the movie (several times). Vociferous reader, Marti Bloodworth, likes The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini saying about the ** g QfiZE.'TTB •CQt+~' v?oo6 creators syndicate, inc The rumor mongering media You will not read one of the most significant stories of the week out of Iraq on the front page of The New York Times. CNN will not make it headline news. The Associated Press has yet to touch it. That’s because the story exposes the media’s own widespread malfeasance in reporting on the war on terror - and its refusal to be held accountable when challenged by “amateur” blog gers investigating fishy sources and claims recycled recklessly by “profes sional” journalists. One of the most sensational news items over the Thanksgiving holiday came from the Associated Press, which reported on six Sunni civilians burned alive as they left Friday mosque ser vices. The shocking dispatch received global coverage. The front cover of the Philadelphia Daily News blast ed: “WORSHIPPERS BURNED ALIVE: Capping deadliest week of war, 6 Sunnis doused with kerosene, set afire as Iraqi soldiers reportedly stand idle.” The Chicago Sun-Times blared: “Sunnis burned alive in revenge.” The Sydney Morning Herald in Australia headlined: “Shi’ite militia burn Sunnis alive in revenge attacks.” The Calcutta Telegraph in India echoed: “Shias burn Sunnis alive.” The Washington Post announced: “New savage twist to violence in Baghdad.” The lead paragraph report ed: “Revenge-seeking Shiite militia- OPINION book: “It examines a different culture, but also the consequences of human failure common to us all”. Other Marti selections are: The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver; My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult; The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy (I liked this, too); and, The Silver Chalice by Thomas B. Costain. I told you she was a reader of books! One of my people favorites, Alice Gilbert, picked one of all of our book favorites, Gone With The Wind, by Margaret Mitchell. This is the second most sold book in the world, only sur passed by The Bible. Alice also men tioned Lamb In The Bosom by Caroline Miller and Cold Sassy Tree by Oliver Anne Burns. Alice likes “Georgia authors and novels with historical Georgia background”. Alice, I do, also. Janet Nunn selected Vienna Prelude by Bodie Thoene. I did not know of this book, but Janet’s description of the book as “it depicts the horror of the Nazi regime during Hitler’s inva sion of Europe as he . . . had taken over Germany and has his sights on Austria” certainly piqued my interest. Ann Gregory chose The Difference Makers by John C. Maxwell, calling it “small book with a big message” and saying “it has reminded me to give my attention to today, live in the moment and enjoy each day with a new attitude ... I may not be able to change things, but I can change my response by my attitude”. Thanks, Ann. See what even a “small book” might be able to do for you! P e f»gy Jerles listed Alaska by SEARING UP FOR BUSINESS men seized six Sunnis as they left Friday prayers, drenched them with kerosene and burned them alive, and Iraqi soldiers did nothing to stop the attack, police and witnesses said.” The story continued: “Police Capt. Jamil Hussein said Iraqi soldiers at a nearby army post failed to intervene in the burnings of Sunnis carried out by suspected members of the Shiite Mahdi Army militia, or in subsequent attacks that torched four Sunni mosques and killed at least 19 other Sunnis, includ ing women and children, in the same northwest Baghdad area.” Just a few small problems with the massively publicized story: 1. “Police Capt. Jamil Hussein” is an unreliable, unauthorized spokesperson whom the military has warned the Associated Press about before. 2. The incident cannot be verified. Newspaper readers around the world who carried the story have not been informed of any of this by the Associated Press or any other main- Tm Larry Walker Columnist lwalker@whgb law com nmn Michelle Malkin Columnist malkin@comcast.net HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL James Michener and Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt. Peggy says she has read Alaska three times. That’s no small undertaking! Peggy was also deeply affected by Alice Walker’s, The Color Purple. Peggy also stated that The Bible was number one, as did Warner Robins’ City Councilman, Terry Horton What Terry had to say is good, so I want to use it in full: “Most days, I go to The Bible for motivation and inspi ration. It has also been the basis for my life principles. I read other books, but The Bible is the one I need to read often to help keep me on the right course. God’s word is truly ‘a lamp unto my feet’. Amen, Terry. My friend, Jim Mehserle, and I share ‘book tips’ and seem to enjoy many of the same books. Jim chose Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin and Founding Brothers by Joseph J. Ellis. Great choices, but I agree with Jim when he called these books “current favorites” and said, “I am sure I haven’t found my favorite book, yet”! Incidentally, my current favorite, which I just finished reading, is a book recommended to me by Ella Ann Beckham. The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson. Read it. You will enjoy it. Book author and columnist, Billy Powell, selected The Works of C. S. Lewis,calling C. S. Lewis “an intellec tual giant of the 20th Century and the most influential Christian writer of his day”. Billy, my mother will like your choice. I do, too. And so it goes. So many great books. So many talented authors. So many favorite suggestions! So little space. I must close, and I do so by quoting Marti Bloodworth: “Larry, you kncrw this is too hard for me (selecting a favorite book and author). I saw a shirt that said ‘So Many Books, So Little Time’ - that was made for me’”! Get two of the shirts, Marti, and I will pay you back. A large for me. stream media outlet. But those who follow the blogo sphere have been unraveling the story over the past week at lightning pace. Curt at the Flopping Aces blog has led the way, first raising questions on Saturday morning about “police Capt. Jamil Hussein’s” account. He noted an official Multi-National Corps- Iraq (MNC-I) statement in response to the AP report that “neither we nor Baghdad Police had any reports of such an incident after investigating it and could find no one to corroborate the story.” Next, he published a bombshell e-mail from U.S. Central Command in Iraq (which CENTCOM also confirmed to me). Since September, Multi-National Forces in Iraq have worked with a group of retired police officers there to verify the legitimacy and employ ment of Iraqi Police and Ministry of Interior “spokesmen” quoted in the media. According to the military, the Associated Press has been warned pre viously about these unreliable sources who have not been established as bona fide employees - but “they have pretty much ignored us.” The list includes the following sourc es, many of whom have appeared in countless AP stories: police Lt. Ali Abbas; police Capt. Mohammed Abdel- Ghani; police Brigadier Sarhat Abdul- Qadir; Mosul police Director Gen. See MALKIN, page 6A