Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 6A
BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2016
Robert Khayat
OXFORD, Miss. - Today, the Univer
sity of Mississippi, affectionately known
throughout the ages as Ole Miss, is a
changed institution from its turbulent
days in the sixties and seventies, its
revival owing principally to the self
less and impactful leadership of
one man — Robert Khayat. the
progressive and dogged former
chancellor.
Khayat was a consequential
administrator, a selfless leader
who gave of himself to his alma
mater, with an appreciation for
history. He cogently recog
nized that for the betterment of
the institution and its survival,
hard core changes had to come
about.
Institutions throughout the
Deep South had to wrestle with
integration issues after the 1954 Supreme
Court ruling that segregation was illegal.
It would take time as diehards yielded
grudgingly, many succumbing to ugly
and violent restraint. Georgia, fortunate
ly, managed better than most of its sister
states because of progressive leadership.
Governor Ernest Vandiver, who cam
paigned on a segregation platform, none
theless, refused to close the schools when
the courts decreed that the University of
Georgia admit black students.
The UGA band stopped playing Dixie
long before other football playing insti
tutions in the Southeastern Conference
called for a halt. Ole Miss was the last,
and it happened on Robert Khayat’s
watch. The waving of the Confederate
flag died on his watch. Colonel Reb.
the mascot with the planter’s hat and
cane — looking very much like he might
own a large plantation with cotton fields
populated by black have-nots, went away
during Khayat’s time as chancellor.
If you are interested in a treatise on the
value of courageous leadership during
challenging times, you will do well to
read Robert Khayat’s “The Education of
a Lifetime.”
Khayat’s career in education is singular
in that he matriculated at Ole Miss via a
football scholarship.
He was a lineman and a placekicker
in the Johnny Vaught era when Ole Miss
was winning big but haunted by Billy
Cannon’s 89-yard punt return Oct. 31.
1959 in Baton Rouge, which led to a 7-3
defeat of Ole Miss which had national
championship aspirations.
Khayat knows what it was like to win
big games, but also knows of the lessons
learned from defeat when Billy Cannon
had a miraculous run or when a failed
place-kick made him the focal point
of a big game loss, becoming a pariah
over a football game. All of that became
valuable seasoning for a man who would
someday run a major university.
Khayat became chancellor of Ole Miss
on July 1, 1995. He was embarking on
the institution’s greatest era of achieve
ment. His task was formidable and over
whelming. The best students in the state
were leaving for degrees outside Missis
sippi’s borders. Attracting distinguished
faculty was a challenge, the Ole Miss
endowment was embarrassingly
small by comparison, library vol
umes were woefully inadequate
and the campus needed a facelift
— among other things.
With the ambition to make
Ole Miss a nationally regarded
institution, Khayat made out a
list of priorities and set forth,
undaunted, to achieve his objec
tives. The mission was about his
alma mater, not about himself.
By putting the institution first
and providing competent lead
ership and underscoring team
building, he and his staff transformed
Ole Miss into a respected and venerated
institution.
He wanted Ole Miss to be more than
the Grove, that ten acres of a tailgating
haven on Gameday, which gets rave
reviews nationally. He wanted more
than a showcase social atmosphere where
pretty women cavort in high heels, men
often wear coat and ties, with chandeliers
hanging over salivating tailgate spreads
as an old home week environment is
enhanced by a “Hotty Toddy.”
Ole Miss has never taken a back seat
when it comes to tradition, tailgating and
old style collegiate socializing. Khayat
was compatible with the social scene,
but he wanted his alma mater to get the
elephant off campus — the tragic race
relations history.
He was encouraged by his sister,
Kathy, who lost two husbands to pre
mature death, but who had “....an innate
understanding that we are measured not
by our victories and losses but how we
react to both.”
That motivated him to persevere and
take the slings and arrows that came from
those in violent opposition to his taking
on controversial decisions (he even got
death threats). However, he knew what
had to take place for Ole Miss to rise
above its entrenched negative image. He
was perfect for the job.
I have always been charmed by Robert
Khayat’s story. Owing to a friendship
with his brother, Eddie, who became the
head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.
I got to know the Chancellor. It was
intriguing that a former football player
would rise to such a level of hierarchy.
Reading Khayat’s book yields confirma
tion that enlightened, selfless leadership
can work wonders for an institution of
higher learning.
Loran Smith is a columnist for the
Barrow News-Journal. He is host of the
University of Georgia football radio pre
game show.
loran
smith
Random Rants in Rhyme
Did Jesus preach a negative gospel?
Some Christians I know seem to live their lives in despair.
They appear to have lost the joy of salvation somewhere.
They measure their lives by “things I do not do”
and, therefore, are not so attractive to me and you.
The words of Jesus Christ were rarely negative
as He dealt with people and showed them how to live.
On reading all of His recorded words,
only two times is the phrase “do not” heard -
except when He was speaking of worry or fear,
and He often spoke the words “do not” here.
The woman caught in adultery was greatly afraid
but, when the rocks of her accusers had been laid
securely on the ground, Jesus looked and said,
“Where are your accusers?” The woman pled,
“Sir, they are gone.” Jesus said (though He knew the score)
“Nor do I condemn you. Go. and do not sin anymore.”
Jesus healed a man who was crippled at the pool of Bethsaida
then issued a clear warning when he spoke to him later:
“Do not sin anymore lest a thing that is greater
come on you” were the words that Jesus said,
to the man the Jews accossted for carrying his bed
on the Sabbath day. When the man reported to the Jews
that Jesus had healed him and told him to carry his bed,
from that moment on, the Jews wanted Jesus dead.
Jesus did not come to earth to judge us -
His only reason for coming was to save us.
He did not come to earth to be our example -
yet, by His life, He gave us a perfect sample
of how each one should live the life he is given
to bear fruit on this earth and prepare for Heaven.
If the first named fruits of the Spirit are love, joy and peace,
why should a Spirit-filled Christian have to cease
from showing evidence of the abundant joy
that comes from serving Christ, and be forced to annoy
the people around them by a lifestyle that is negative,
when Jesus showed us a lifestyle that is so positive?
© 2016, cbs
Dr. C.B. Skelton is a retired physician and author of several books. You can contact
him at doc2skelton@gmail.com.
skelton
Can we stop with the
hypocrisy already?
Over the weekend I saw a video of a
woman who is apparently trying to reach
some sort of social media celebri
ty status. Tara Dublin, now going
by “TDubz Tara” on her Face-
book, spoke in her video about a
house that she passes every day
on her way to pick up her son
from school.
This particular house has appar
ently “triggered” her, however, as
it has two signs that she appar
ently cannot tolerate during this
election year. One of these signs
is a Trump/Pence political sign,
and the other says “Hillary for
Prison.”
When she was explaining the back
ground story, she alluded to an earlier
post she had made about these yard
signs where she had apparently stopped
to take pictures of them and post a bunch
of racial slurs about the owner. This time
she passed the house, she actually saw
the owner standing out in the front yard,
and then took it upon herself to express
her distaste for his political views by
shooting her middle finger in the air at
him and calling him a “[insert profanity
here] racist!”
The man then hops in his car and
begins to follow the woman and take
pictures of her license plate in order to
document the incident. Apparently the
woman did not like this and then felt
“threatened” and “feared for her life.”
She sees a police officer and flags him
down for assistane.
After the initial contact with the offi
cer, “TDubz” began “vlogging” (which
is making a video expressing her opin
ions about things — in this case, politi
cal ranting about how Trump supporters
are racist xenophobes who deserve to
be disrespected) about the incident and
then is outraged that she has to wait a
few minutes while the officer speaks
with her “harasser.”
The officer finally makes his way
back over to “TDubz’s” vehicle where
he explains that by her initiating contact
with vulgar language and suggestions,
and then she begins to yell at the officer
without letting him complete one sen
tence without an interjection.
Apparently “TDubz” thinks
it’s her first amendment right
to give a man the finger and
yell out obscenities to him and
these are forms of a “silent pro
test,” and while she has a right
to take pictures of his signs
and post them on social media
without his permission, he
apparently does not — accord
ing to her — have the right to
follow her to get a tag number
and take a picture of it in order
to document what happened.
“TDubz” then yells out how this is a
man’s world and how men will always
rule society until Hillary Clinton is
President, yet just before then she griped
about the “patriarchy” she was belittling
the man whom she harassed saying “I’m
just a 5ft. 100 lb. woman! What is he so
afraid of?”
Well, TDubz, are you just a tiny, weak
woman not to be afraid of, or a strong
woman who can pick a fight and handle
herself? You cannot have it both ways.
I feel so bad that this poor officer had
to take time out of his day to deal with
this woman and play mediator because
she could not stop acting like a two
year-old.
Do you know what the actual defi
nition of “bigot” is? According to the
Oxford dictionary, it is “intolerance
toward those who hold different opin
ions than oneself.”
So “TDubz,” are you actually the bigot
here? I have seen zero Trump supporters
acting with intolerance, even during
political discussions with differing opin
ions, and yet the uneducated Hillary
supporters continue to speak to those
who do not vote for her with such vile
disrespect, and I’m just sick of it. Have
a little bit of class about yourself.
Jessica Swords is a local columnist.
She can be reached at jlswordsl998@
aol.com.
jessica
swords
Statham Library hosts upcoming events
The upcoming Statham Library events
include:
•Tuesday, Oct. 4, at 11 a.m. - Georgia
Power’s Powertown Electricity Program
coming for the homeschooled kids.
•Saturday, Oct. 15, at 10 a.m. - The
Home Depot Kid’s Workshop coming
to the library to build with the children.
•Tuesday, Oct. 18, at 11 a.m. - Home-
school Halloween/Fall story time and
craft. Come enjoy the interactive story
time and craft just for the homeschooled
kids, featuring Miss Kelli.
•Thursday, Oct. 20, at 5:30 p.m. -
Adult Beginning Technology Class.
Reservations required, please call 770-
725-4785.
•Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m.-
1 p.m. - LEGO Extravaganza in the
Community Center with Joe Costello
of Winder-Barrow High School and his
huge collection of Legos.
•Thursday, Oct. 27, at 6 p.m. - Statham
Spooktacular. Join us for not-so-spooky
stories around the campfire with Miss
Kelli. Wear your costumes and join us
for stories, crafts, and candy!
•The Statham Library is raffling off
two tickets to Dollywood. Raffle tickets
are only $1 and can be purchased at the
library. The drawing for the tickets will
be held the night of Oct. 27, during the
Spooktacular and the tickets must be
used by Jan. 1, 2017.
Winder Public Library to host events
The Winder Public Library has the fol
lowing programs and events planned for
the upcoming month.
•September is National Library Card
Sign Up Month
•Jug Tavern Quilters Quilt Show on dis
play entire month of September
•Ready to Read Pre-K Storytime every
Thursday at 10:30 a.m.
•LapSit Storytime (infant to 2-years-
old) every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.
•Reading Therapy Dog last Monday of
every month
•Creative Arts Studio (artists, painters,
knitters, writers) every Friday 10 a.m.-4
p.m.
•Lego Club last Saturday of every
month at 1 p.m.
•Tween & Teen Hangout third Tuesday
of each month at 3:30 p.m.
•Adult Mystery Book Club third Mon
day of each month at 7 p.m.
•Literary Potluck Book Club first Mon
day of each month at 6 p.m.
•Thursday, Sept. 29, at 6 p.m. Georgia
Libraries for Accessible Statewide Ser
vices (GLASS) Demonstration
•Banned Book Week Sept. 25 - Oct. 1
•Friends of Winder Public Library Book
Sale continues throuygh Monday, Oct. 3.
Funds raised support the library’s Sum
mer Reading Program.
“The Friends of the Winder Public
Library need you,” said Julia Simp
son, Winder Library manager. “Join the
Friends and show your support for your
library.”
Contact the library at 770-867-2762 for
more information.”
The Winder Public Library is located at
189 Bellview Street.
For event calendar go to winder.prlib.
org.
Library cards and all events are free.
Ride for Children’s Home set Saturday
The first Ride for the Children’s Home, sponsored by Auburn Lodge #230 F.&.A.M
will be Saturday, Oct. 1, with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m.
The ride will begin at 10 a.m. from the Auburn Lodge. Cost is $25 per rider and $5 per
passenger. Following the ride, there will be a hot dog and hamburger lunch with chances
to win door prizes. Live music will also be featured during lunch.
Forum continued from 1A
All other local-level seats on the ballot are uncontested.
The Barrow County Board of Elections and Registration began mailing absentee
ballots Sept. 20. and any registered voter may request an absentee ballot for any reason
by going to barrowga.org/elections registration or by contacting the board office at 770-
307-3110.
Advance voting will begin Oct. 17 and run through Nov. 4, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday
through Friday at the elections and registration office, Saturday voting will be 9 a.m. to
4 p.m. Oct. 29.
Voters have until Oct. 11 to register. Those not registered can do so at the office or
online at mvp.sos.ga.gov. or in person at the office.