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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
Regardng voting - we have te ensure an ACORN doesn't become an oak
Dear Readers, Lately,
there has been
some discussion
about ACORN’s (a non
prqfit grassroots community
organizing group) efforts to
register voters. As the elec
tion approaches, I thought it
would be useful to put this
debate in context.
We have a “representative”
form of government that has
become increasingly more
democratic, since the coun
try’s inception. Originally,
the states decided who
qualified as an “elector” and
could vote for members of
the House jof Representatives
(senators were not directly
elected until 1913) and elec
tors to the Electoral College
(remember, we do not direct
ly elect our president).
Early on, this meant only
white males who owned
MONCRIEF
From page 4A
imagine the trauma the first
time he scoots up in his little
walker and sees ‘grandma’
frying chicken?”
“I won’t be frying chicken, ”
she said coldly. “Scrambling
eggs.”
Zikes! I guess it’s a good
thing he’s hard-boiled.
ES. To Z: Z. I kid you
but the truth is I am proud
of what you and the rest
of your class and any other
class in Houston County is
doing in this regard. I can’t
think of many things more
admirable than learning to
be a father - a parent. You
are learning the massive
responsibility it entails. You
are laying (no pun intended)
a solid foundation for the
future. You keep up the good
work.
You and the rest are sim
ply Grade A in my book.
• ••
It begins with a typical
family. There are two stub
born, rebellious teenage
daughters, a mom strug
gling to find something to
make for dinner - as well
as to get the two daughters
to help out - and a father
who appeals: “Let’s just
put all these troubles aside
for awhile and have a Bible
study.”
The wife, the daughters,
none concur with his plea.
Suddenly the lights go out
- literally - and a trumpet
sounds.
The lights come back on.
The father is gone. The wife
and daughters have been left
behind. Welcome to the rap
ture.
Welcome to Tribulation
Trail.
Tribulation Trail is the
real product - a ministry
- of Mount Vernon Baptist
Church in Stockbridge.
It’s about a mile-long trek
through the woods at dark,
along a trail lit only by can
dles (“eerie” in other words,
but that’s part of the effect).
About 300 actors, according
to its website make up the
cast. My wife, daughter and
I went as part of a Northside
Baptist Church youth trip
last weekend.
The trail is made up of
a handful of stops - scenes
- is based on the book of
dollai(D store
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Sponsored by the Epilepsy Association ol Georgia.
The'Law'Man
Jim
Rockeftlltr
Attorney,
Rockefeller
Law Center
property, often of a minimum
amount, and/or paid taxes,
could vote.
Over time, barriers to
the right to vote fell away.
Even so, only in the past
40 years has the right to
vote been effectively granted
to all Americans. The pas
sage of the Civil Rights Acts
of 1871, in theory, granted
the right to vote to African-
Americans (and other exclud
ed minorities, such as Asian-
Revelation in the Bible and
provides a glimpse into what
life will be like for those left
behind when Jesus comes
back and claims His own.
In the case of Tribulation
Trail, once that trumpet
sounds and those lights
come back on, you are no
longer just a visitor on a
casual stroll for entertain
ment, you are thrust into,
literally become part of the
story.
You are shuffled along to
the next scene where two
gigantic screens show you
news clips. Faces flash across
the screen with the report
being: “Thousands have just
disappeared inexplicably as
if into thin air.” There are
scenes of violence, war (not
unlike what we see on the
TV today).
Next you’re moved along
to a schoolyard. The scene
starts out harmless enough
but quickly turns to chaos
- one student, then joined by
others, gun down all of the
kids in the class, along with
a pleading, begging school
teacher. She implores for
reason but finds none.
Now you find yourself
herded into a camp, accom
panied by a group of men
with guns. Law and order
are gone. “Move along,”
you’re ordered. “Faster.”
“Don’t slow down,” one
barks, a warning aimed at
“you” specifically. You arrive
to find a general - perhaps
self-proclaimed and killing
his way to the top - who tells
you your only hope lies in
Nicoli, “our savior,” (the Anti
Christ, I think) he says. A
young girl yells out: “You’re
lying.” She is ushered up to
the top of the platform where
he is standing. Her body
is shielded from view by a
sheet of plywood but you see
the machete come down and
you hear the “whack” as it
meets its mark. You have no
trouble envisioning her head
coming off.
Next you are shown
the four horsemen of the
Apocalypse (Revelation 6).
One, riding the white horse,
is given the power to “con
quer”. The one on the red
horse the power to “take
peace from the earth, and
that they should kill one
another: and there was given
unto him a great sword.”
The third, on a black horse,
Americans).
Women won the right to
vote in 1920; yes, women
have not had the right to
vote for even 100 years!
So where does voter fraud
fit into this? As the right
to vote has expanded, the
opportunity to commit fraud
has expanded with it. Jim
Crow laws (like poll taxes
and literacy tests) meant
tfiat in many states, the right
to vote was a mirage. It was
not until the Voting Rights
Act of 1964 was passed that
this type of voter suppression
was lessened.
Even today, the denial of
access to the polls is pros
ecuted under this landmark
law for voter fairness.
On the other end of vote
fraud are illegal ballots. I was
born in Chicago and, even
in my lifetime, it is an infa
was given a pair of balances
in his hand (famine I believe
was among his charges).
And finally you watch as the
fourth horseman gallops into
the light, steam coming from
the horse’s nostrils from
the chill of this particular
Georgia night.
He is on a pale horse and
“his name that sat on him
was Death, and Hell followed
him. And power was given
unto them over the fourth
part of the earth, to kill with
the sword, and with hunger,
and with death, and with the
beasts of the earth.”
Next it’s on to another
camp and perhaps one of
those beasts of the earth,
another general (but if you
read Chapter 8 and 9, you’ll
find it gets phenomenally
worse than mere mortals.
And I think I recall reading
the length of time this goes
on is 1,000 years.).
“I know your fears,” he
says, and then adds he’ll
prove it. He shows you a
woman strapped down with
explosives. “She can be
free,” he says. “All she has to
do is accept the mark of the
beast (Satan).” He throws a
young boy screaming into a
coffin then nails on the lid.
“He’s scared of the dark,”
the general says. “I aim to
NOTICE OF PROPERTY TAX INCREASE
The City of Centerville has tentatively adopted a millage rate which will require an
increase in property taxes by 27.06 percent.
All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearings on this tax increase to be
held in Council Chambers at City Hall, 300 E Church Street, Centen/ille Georgia.
The City of Centerville has decided to hold (2) of the (3) public hearings on the
same day.
The hearings are scheduled as follows: Ist hearing November 3, 2008 at 10:00am,
2nd hearing November 3, 2008 at 4:oopm and the 3rd hearing and proposed adop
tion is scheduled for November 10, 2008 at 6:oopm.
Pursuant to the requirements of O.C.G.A 48-5-32, Centerville does hereby publish
the following presentation of the current year's tax digest and levy along with the
history of the tax digest and levy for the past five years.
CURRENT 2008 TAX DIGEST AND 5-YEAR HISTORY OF LEVY
CITY 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Real & Person 96,522,729 108,710,498 134,373,532 159,094,387 173,589,271 188,506,229
Motor Vehicle 10,529,130 10,978,040 10,837,810 11,159,330 13,046,360 14,472,390
Mobile Home 1,569,502 1,542,386 1,556,780 1,802,651. 1,813,972 1,754,983
Timber -100% 7 / 506 0
Heavy Duty Equipment 30,120 51,947 101,297 301,210 208,196
Gross Digest 108,621,361 ' 121,261,044 146,820,069 172,165,171 188,750,813 204,941,798
Less MBiO Exemption 5,664,160 8,149,898 11,357,754 13,992,934 12,315,383 14,203,317
Net M&O Digests 102,957,201 113,111,146 135,462,315 158,172,237 176,435,430 190,738,481
Gross M&O Millage 10.2 10.7 10.700 10.700 10.700 13.698
Less Rollbacks -0.014 0 0 -.002 0
Net M&O Millage 10.2 10.7 10.700 10.700 10.698 10.781
Net Taxes Levied 1,050,163 1,210,289 1,449,447 1,692,443 1,887,506 2,612,735
Net Taxes $ Increase 215,977 160,126 239,158 242,996 195,063 725,229
Net Taxes % Increase 25.89 15.25 19.76 16.76 11.53 38.42
AS CERTIFIED BY TAX ASSESSORS TOTAL NET ASSESSED VALUE ADDED BY REASSESSMENT 720
mous joke (fact?) of the Daley
Machine that an election was
never over until the “grave
yard vote” was counted.
Indeed, John F. Kennedy
might never 1 have been presi
dent, except for Daley’s deliv
ery of questionable Chicago
votes in 1960.
More recently, we saw a
country politically paralyzed
in 2000 - by the mess in
Florida. In 2004, the Ohio
vote was tainted by polls clos
ing early and voter intimida
tion. In Florida, voters were
improvidently purged from
the rolls and denied the right
to vote.
Both of these elections
could have turned out differ
ently but for a tainted vot
ing process. Since 2004, we
have heard of U.S. Attorneys
being fired for not pursuing
questionable vote fraud cases
cure him.” Another teenage
boy is secured in a shallow
pit. “He’s afraid of snakes. I
aim to cure him too.” Then
he motions for another man
to throw a bucket of snakes
in with him. More screams.
More come from another
man who is being tortured
with electricity. The gener
al motions to have a father
pulled out of a piecemeal
jail. “Your daughter will not
accept the mark of the beast, ”
he says, a gun is placed in
the father’s hand. “Either
convince her or shoot her.”
He is unable.
“Do it now,” he’s warned.
“Do it!” He does.
You’re driven onward,
separated momentarily (for
more effect), “Women to the
left. Men to the right.” You
wander into a small town.
People in bags, beaten,
bruised and bloodied begin to
beg of you: “Please give me
some food. I haven’t eaten in
days.” “Please, do you have
any water.”
“My baby. Please give me
food for my baby (a new
born),” another cries. Men
with guns hear her. They
grab the baby. They kill it.
You move on.
* The scerte unfolds to a car
wreck. Three girls sneak out
of the bushes and begin grab
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2008
. . . one of which involved
ACORN.
Which brings us to 2008.
ACORN has been accused of
submitting fraudulent regis
tration forms. Can this lead
to illegal votes? Sure, but reg
istration forms are checked
by local election boards and,
presumably, fraudulent ones
will be tossed.
Moreover, many states
require that ALL registra
tions be submitted to an
elections board; this blanket
rule prohibits someone from
either misleading a voter or
selectively trying to influence
who has the right to vote.
Thus, this is probably just
“much ado about nothing.”
Of greater concern should
be attempts, such as in
Ohio, to have qualified vot
ers barred from voting by
causing their registrations to
bing food out of the trunk.
It’s a setup. They’re execut
ed by machinegun fire. Or
at least it’s thought they’re
all executed. One, it turns
out, is alive. She is then shot.
And so is the man who has
it pinned on him that he
missed her to start with.
Nicoli steps out.
He praises the men for a
job well done.
Suddenly the trumpet
sounds again. Jesus appears
in the air.
“Enough,” he sayg. “Your
reign is over.”
Next comes - you are wit
ness - to a battle between
Jesus and the devil. God, of
course, wins but it’s still hot
over for you. You come to a
stage setting with God on his
throne. A young man goes up
to Him. He says, “God I’ve
gone to church my whole life.
I know you.”
God says: “You knew of
Me here.” God points at
His mind. “You never knew
Me here.” He points at His
heart.
“Your name is not written
in the Book of Life.” The
young boy is cast into the pit
of Hell.
And so goes Tribulation
Trail.
You finish with two more
stops, one hearing words of
be delayed and overly scruti
nized. Thankfully, the United
States Supreme Court has
stopped this lurid effort.
We have come a long way
from when only the few and
privileged could vote. Yet,
attempts are still made to
limit the pool of voters by
manipulating the law and
public perception.
Hopefully, the outcome this
year will be clearer than the
last two elections.
Local attorney Jim
Rockefeller owns the
Rockefeller Law Center and
is a former Houston County
Chief Assistant District
Attorney, and a former Miami
Prosecutor. Visit www.rocke
fellerlawcenter.com to submit
confidential legal questions,
and to review former arti
cles and Frequently Asked
Questions.
comfort from the writer of
Revelation itself (as inspired
by God), John, (an actor of
course) and finally words
from a member of the church
(as himself... i.e. pastor, dea
con, etc).
Depending on where you
stand on the subject, your
whole experience should
range from relief (that you
don’t have to go through it
... see: “The father is gone.”)
to dread (that you might). Or
it’s entirely possible you’ll
just brush it all off as “scare
tactics”.
Go to Tribulation Trail. I
dare you. It lasts until Nov. 1
so presumably they still have
tickets (through Tickmaster.
com). See, heaj for yourself.
Walk the path.
Plot your course for the
future from there: The high
road or the low road.
j | * I r° j o
5A