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4A
♦ TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2007
OPINION
Daniel F. Evans
President
Editor and Publisher
Julie B. Evans Foy S. Evans
Vice President Editor Emeritus
Group Marketing
Don Moncrief
Managing Editor
WRALL players
do us proud
There has been no shortage of pride
this past week - these past few weeks
actually - in regard to the Warner
Robins American League’s 11-12-year-old
Little Leaguers.
“I was hon-
ored to wear
the Warner
Robins jersey
years ago,”
said Gov.
Sonny Perdue
in an e-mailed
release this
past week,
“and these
boys have
made us proud
with the way
they have rep
resented their
community
and our state.”
There could be no doubt in regard to
Perdue’s “community” statement - more
proof of that coming Saturday when the
team returned home briefly before depart
ing Monday for Williamsport, Pa., and the
Little League World Series.
There can also be no doubt in regard to
Perdue’s statement about how well this
particular group represents the state of
Georgia.
At least a bit of proof in that regard comes
from Vince Fernandez, who is the President
of Elbert County Little League.
Fernandez writes that his 11-12-year-old
team and families stayed in the same hotel
with our kids during the state tournament.
He further writes that he and the organi
zation want to congratulate the local All-
Stars and, perhaps more importantly, this:
“We got to know many of the players and
families,” he said. “Your community should
be proud of this group both on and off the
field, they are good people.”
So, there you have it. They are not only
playing great baseball they are being won
derful ambassadors on our behalf.
Good luck WRALL! Here’s wishing you all
the best success!
Letter to the Editor
Parents, guardians have
place in schools
Is it just me, or is time getting to be in short supply
these days? School has officially begun and the media is
likely to keep the community adequately informed about
school issues. Although I did not hear the number of
highly qualified teachers the school district hired I am
confident that Houston County teachers will be teach
ing in the subject area(s) the state deemed them to be
qualified to teach. .. and speaking of highly qualified,
wouldn’t it be interesting to know the number of highly
qualified parents, step-parents, foster parents, grandpar
ents, extended kin, or guardians who have at least one
child in the Houston County School System? It seems
unlikely that such data would exist because trying to
identify Highly Qualified Parents/Guardians might get
a bit tricky, and besides, who amongst us would dare
to cast the first vote of inadequate involvement for any
parent or guardian? As tempting as pointing the finger
may be, I hesitate to do so because it seems that parents
and guardians of the 25,000+ children probably are
not aware of this year’s paradigm shift. The bold move
identifies how the Houston County BOE “adopted the
National Network of Partnership Schools’ framework to
improve parent and community involvement processes”
that include, but not limited to: signing a learning com
pact, joining the school’s PTO, PTA, being a proctor or
chaperone, sponsoring a club, becoming part of a booster
club, assisting in the media center, assisting teachers,
being a tutor or mentoring a child (Big Brothers Big
Sisters), writing grants, serving on advisory committees,
and/or taking an active role in their school’s newly for
matted School Council. The district’s mission statement
declares: “WE BELIEVE that volunteers are a valuable
asset to our school. They dedicate many hours of their
time to give teachers more time to teach and to provide
opportunities for students to learn and enjoy school.
Volunteers represent a great gift to the district and to the
children who attend its schools.” (Houston County BOE,
Parent and Community Involvement, 2007) Parents and
guardians need to know that they have a place in their
child’s education process, and their child’s school has a
place for them.
Kathy Brown, Warner Robins
There could be no
doubt in regard to
Perdue's "community"
statement - more proof
of that coming Saturday
when the team returned
home briefly before
departing Monday for
Williamsport, Pa., and
the little League World
Series.
Will draft talk gain an audience?
The subject of reviving the draft
has surfaced again. President
Bush’s war advisor - Lt. Gen.
Douglas Lute - has taken note of the
fact that the army is stretched out
almost to the breaking point. It is hav
ing difficulty reaching its quotas while
demands on active duty soldiers and
Marines are increasing.
The draft, which served this coun
try well during World War II and the
Korean War, was abolished during the
administration of President Richard
Nixon. Attempts to revive the draft or
even discuss it seriously have fallen on
deaf ears. Gen. Lute has been quoted
as saying the draft always has been on
the table but has faced congressional
opposition.
Will the result be different this
time?
In order to keep military strength up
the Army is upping the ante by offer
ing all sorts of monetary incentives.
Proponents of the draft contend that
the time will come when even big pay
outs of cash will not serve the country’s
needs, especially if the United States is
going to continue to expand its role as
policeman for the entire world.
I did not believe that doing away
with the draft was a good idea, in the
first place. The benefits of a couple of
years in the military would far exceed
the inconvenience of interrupting
lives temporarily. I served 48 months.
It interrupted what I thought was a
promising career, but I would not take
anything for the time I served and the
long time benefits I received from it.
There probably are millions of young
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In the past few weeks I’ve been in
communication with two names,
one known to most Americans, the
other probably only remembered by
media and political leaders. Both are
part of the 2008 presidential drama,
but it remains to be seen if they will
become full-fledged participants.
Let me start with the less frequently
discussed former Georgia U.S. Senator
Sam Nunn. Nunn was, in his heyday,
the Democratic Party’s most respected
expert on issues related to national
defense and foreign affairs. That repu
tation continues to follow him among
those most informed and active in the
defense and intelligence communities.
Several weeks ago I wrote a story
suggesting that Nunn might be con
sidering a run as an independent can
didate for president. The story, writ
ten for the Southern Political Report,
included a separate piece written by
Larry Walker, a former top Georgia
Democratic legislator and close friend
of Nunn’s, confirming the possibility.
While I thought the concept unlikely,
I knew that Walker as a source was
unimpeachable. What shocked me is
that Nunn, who was known for his
studious and quiet demeanor, subse
quently gave interviews to a televi
sion station and the Associated Press
confirming his interest in a possible
third-party candidacy, noting that the
only position he would be interested in
would likely be the presidency.
For political neophytes this may
sound like a meaningless story. But for
those who have been around a while, a
Nunn candidacy could shake the very
foundation of the political landscape in
a year in which Americans seem dis
satisfied with “all of the above.”
Could he raise the money? Probably
so. The former senator is highly
OPINION
men and women in desperate need of
the kind of discipline that military ser
vice would provide them.
It could turn gang members and
would-be gang members into useful
citizens. Even many young people com
ing from good families with good par
ents could stand structure and disci
pline in their lives. After all, haven’t
we been pampering our offspring too
much for too long? For the present,
Gen. Lute seems to believe that this is
something worth debating. The ques
tion is whether it will get traction at a
time the military needs more bodies.
■ ■■
More than 28 million Americans have
jobs but no bank account. A bridge in
Minnesota collapses. Crops are burn
ing up. A mine shaft in Utah collapses.
People are drowning in flash floods.
President George Bush sure has been
busy destroying our country.
■ ■■
The man who caught Barry Bonds’
home run which tied Hank Aaron’s
respected by some of the most influen
tial and wealthy people in America.
Could he have an impact on the out
come in November '08?
Absolutely. Most observers view
Nunn’s politics as slightly left of center,
but not to the degree of the Democratic
field in general. And Nunn’s experi
ence as the Democrat’s former lead
er on defense matters might tempt
moderate Republican voters who are
frustrated over their party’s unclear
approach to the war in Iraq and the
War on Terrorism.
That leads to the better-known
name, Newt Gingrich. Earlier this
week, I spent time at a small lunch
with Gingrich and a group of his long
time and closest friends.
Clearly the focus of Gingrich’s time
and effort is the American Solutions
movement he is spearheading. The
program is designed to create citizen
involvement in workshops devoted to
unique and advanced approaches to
the various issues the nation will con
front in coming years.
But in searching out and opining on
solutions, Gingrich only accelerates the
number of interviews and news stories
he generates. And by staying out of the
current presidential battle, he is able
to provide what the candidates cannot
- something for you to talk about.
Consider the upcoming Ames straw
Foy
Evans
Columnist
foyevansl9@cox.net
...HIGH SCHOOL
FOOTBALL’S BACK!
Tfl.
Matt
Towery
Columnist
Morris News Service
HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL
record was in for a big surprise. If he
keeps it he will be liable for as much
as $200,000 income tax, based on an
estimated value of the ball. He is wisely
auctioning the ball off. The fact that
he would have to pay income tax if he
keeps the ball is a reflection on our
repressive arid fouled up tax laws.
■ ■■
I have a friend who is vacationing in
Australia. We have exchanged e-mails
while he is there. I don’t
believe that any of us fully appreci
ates how miraculous this is.
■ ■■
How about the man who ordered
a hamburger and said, “Hold the
cheese”? A not untypical McDonald’s
employee didn’t hold the cheese. Now
the man is suing for $lO million. Too
bad he didn’t order coffee and sue
because it was hot. Some judge should
throw him out of court and make him
pay court costs. It would be nice if
judges all over the country cracked
down on people who file frivolous law
suits. The court system could stand
the relief and businesses would not be
bridled with astronomical legal fees
defending themselves.
■ ■■
Overheard: “I feel like a prisoner
in my own home. Every time I step
outside the heat hits me in the face so
hard I retreat back inside.”
poll in lowa. Many of the major cam
paigns have decided not to try to win
the poll. The event will be a hot and
generally boring affair. But wait: Newt
Gingrich will be there, conducting a
series of workshops on issues, and even
having several of the presidential can
didates conducting some of them!
The fact is that if the Fred Thompson
campaign doesn’t pick up life, and its
candidate start showing fire in his
belly when he speaks, it is more than
likely that Newt Gingrich will convene
his “kitchen cabinet” in October and
consider seriously the concept of enter
ing the race. It’s just that simple.
While Gingrich says both privately
and publicly that Hillary Clinton is
the likely Democratic nominee, and
by all normal political analysis the
likely winner in 08, he “will not let
Hillary go unopposed.” In other words,
if someone doesn’t get hot, Gingrich
could easily be in the race. And let me
assure you that a loss to Hillary would
not be in any of his analysis models.
Both Nunn and Gingrich are cur
rently sidebar conversations for a very
hot, boring and all too long political
season. But if either one decides to
jump into the water, what has been a
snooze of a political race will become
the greatest show on earth.
Matt Towery served as the chairman
of former Speaker Newt Gingrich’s
political organization from 1992 until
Gingrich left Congress. He is a former
Georgia state representative, the author
of several books and currently heads the
polling and political information firm
Insider Advantage. To find out more
about Matthew Towery and read fea
tures by other Creators Syndicate writ
ers and cartoonists, visit the Creators
Syndicate Web site at www.creators.
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