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jenkinscountytimes.com
The Jenkins County Times
Wednesday, October 18, 2023 - Page 5
NO OBITUARIES REPORTED THIS WEEK
uou con use, or not
Texas Republicans fighting over association
with white supremacists
By Tesnim Zekeria, Rebecca Crosby, and
Judd Legum
Special Contributors for
The Times
Last week, Jonathan Stickland
— president of the far-right Defend
Texas Liberty PAC and a former state
representative — met with notorious
white supremacist Nick Fuentes and
other right-wing extremists. The
meeting, first reported by the Texas
Tribune, lasted “for several hours”
at the headquarters of Pale Horse
Strategies, a political consulting
group owned by Stickland.
Fuentes’ views have
been long documented. The
f ivocateur describes himself as “just
e Hitler.” An outspoken holocaust
denier, Fuentes has claimed that the
number of Jewish victims killed
by Nazi Germany “doesn’t add
up” and compared the killings to
baking cookies. He has also called
for “the military to be sent into Black
neighborhoods,” defended Jim Crow
segregation, and said that he’s seeking
a “total Aryan victory.” He believes
women shouldn’t be allowed to vote,
and regularly espouses anti-LGBTQ
and sexist views.
But in the aftermath of the
meeting, “extraordinary criticism
and infighting” has erupted among
the Texas GOP over the meeting with
Fuentes. The turmoil was triggered
after Republican House Speaker Dade
Phelan criticized Stickland for hosting
a “Hitler Apologist” while Israel is at
war.
“This [is] not just a casual misstep,”
Phelan said in a statement on October
9. “It’s indicative of the moral,
political rot that has been festering
in a certain segment of our party for
far too long. Anti-Semitism, bigotry
and Hitler apologists should find no
sanctuary in the Republican Party.
Period. We cannot - and must not -
tolerate the tacit endorsement of such
vile ideologies.”
Phelan also called on elected
officials who received money
from Defend Texas Liberty “to
immediately redirect every single
cent of those contributions to a
charitable organization” and “to state
unequivocally that they will not accept
further contributions” from the PAC.
In his statement, the House Speaker
specifically highlighted Republican
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick
who has received $3 million from
Defend Texas Liberty. “I expect him
to lead the way in redirecting these
funds,” Phelan wrote. Sixty members
of the House Republican Caucus -
roughly two-thirds of the chamber -
also published a letter criticizing the
meeting as “profoundly disturbing”
and “echo[ing] Speaker Phelan’s call”
to redirect funds.
Patrick, in response, issued
a statement condemning Fuentes
and “his antisemitic rhetoric.” But, in
the same statement, he also accuses
Phelan of invoking the situation in
Israel for his “own political purposes.”
“For anyone to try to use these
invectives for their own political
gain is below contempt,” Patrick
said. “I am calling on Dade Phelan
to resign his position before the
House gavels in this afternoon.”
Other hard-right Republicans have
since called for Phelan’s resignation,
including Attorney General Ken
Paxton. Phelan recently pushed the
Texas House to impeach Paxton for
corruption.
Notably, Patrick does not mention
Defend Texas Liberty in his statement.
Created in 2020, Defend Texas Liberty
is primarily funded by conservative
Texas billionaires, brothers Dan and
Farris Wilks, and Tim Dunn. The
PAC is part of a robust network
of conservative organizations that
have received “nearly $100 million”
from Dunn and the Wilks brothers
over the last two decades. The Wilks
brothers, for example, are among the
biggest benefactors of PragerU and
provided the initial funding for The
Daily Wire.
The PAC, which is mn by
Stickland, says that it stands “with
grassroots conservatives.” For the
2022 election cycle. Defend Texas
Liberty spent $5.2 million
on far-right candidates to unseat
incumbent Republican House
members and Texas Governor
Greg Abbott because they were
“insufficiently conservative.” These
See TEXAS page 8
Social Security Benefits to Increase
by 3.2% in 2024
By Joe Brady, Editor jf t/j , ^
I n a follow up to
a breaking story we
brought you last Thursday,
the Social Security
Administration revealed
that benefits will increase
by 3.2% in 2024 for
retirees. This substantial
boost, often referred to
as the Cost-of-Living
Adjustment (COLA), is
expected to alleviate
financial pressures for
millions of beneficiaries.
Beginning in January
2024, the average
retirement benefit for
Social Security consumers
will see a monthly increase
of approximately $50. The
agency has confirmed
that recipients will start
receiving the augmented
payments on December
29, providing some much-
needed relief as they
grapple with the rising
costs of living.
Acting Commissioner
of Social Security, Kilolo
Kijakazi, expressed
the significance of this
development: "Social
Security and SSI benefits
will increase in 2024, and
this will help millions
of people keep up with
expenses."
The calculation of this
increase is based on the
average inflation rates
recorded during the
months of July, August,
and September. More
specifically, it hinges on
the Consumer Price Index
for Urban Wage Earners
and Clerical Workers
(CPI-W) as reported by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The latest inflation
data from the Bureau of
Labor Statistics reveals
that the CPI-W registered
a 2.6% increase in July,
followed by a 3.4% jump
in August and a 3.6%
rise in September. These
figures directly contributed
to the determination of
the 3.2% COLA for 2024,
which seeks to address
the growing financial
challenges faced by
retirees.
Jo Ann Jenkins, CEO of
the American Association
of Retired Persons (AARP),
shared her thoughts on
this development, saying,
'Retirees can rest a little
easier at night knowing
they will soon receive an
increase in their Social
Security checks to help
them keep up with rising
prices. We know older
Americans are still feeling
the sting when they buy
groceries and gas, making
every dollar important."
The increase in Social
Security benefits is a
welcome relief for retirees
and beneficiaries who have
experienced the burden of
escalating living expenses.
As the COLA takes effect
in 2024, it is expected
to play a crucial role in
maintaining the financial
stability and well-being of
those who rely on Social
Security as a vital part of
their retirement income.
Sanders Monument Company
Producers of high quality monuments and markers
1484 Halcyondale Road
Sylvania, GA 30467 Kenneth & Stacy Sanders
Owner/Operators
(912] 425-7870 sandersmonumentco@gmail.com
(912) 451-6382 sandersmonument.com
Find us on:
facebook.
Planters EMC
Drive-Thru Annual Meet ig
Thursday, October 19,2023
Meeting Registration
4:30 p.m. untiL7:30 p.m.
Location:
Jenkins County Middle-1 iigh School.
Forking Lot
438 Barney Avenue
Milkn, Georgia
tlyrcns That
Touch th£ fteart
Hymn of Heaven
After both of my parents died, I began wondering more
about heaven and what it will really be like. As a Christian, I
have faith in what scripture tells me, however, we all wonder
what heaven will look like and who we will see, and etc.
If you have not seen the movie, "Heaven is for Real", I
encourage you to watch it. It is one of those movies that gets to
your soul and at the same time, helps you realize what heaven
will actually be like. I do believe that heaven will be similar to
earth, but more beautiful. Everything will be perfect, we will
have no worries, no bills, no fighting or war, it will be peace
like we have never experienced before. And, I do believe we
will see our loved ones again.
There are a tremdous amount of songs about heaven that
have been composed. However, I have a newer song about
heaven, that touches me every time I hear it sung.
It is called, "Hymn of Heaven".
"Hymn of Heaven" was written by Contemporary Christ
artist, Phil Wickham in 2021 at the age of 37. He started his
contemporary Christian singing career in 2002 when he was
only 18.
This beautiful hymn is about believers looking forward to
eternal life with God post-death. Death will be abolished.
Tears will be wiped away. Pain will cease to exist. We will
stand face to face with our Maker, joining the saints and angels
in prostration. We will worship Him and sing about how great
God is, including Christ’s
loving sacrifice that made
forgiveness of sins possible.
Wickham makes it clear
he looks forward to an
eternal life with Christ,
where there is no more pain
or suffering. In the chorus,
he proclaims that in the
future, all humanity will
bend their knee to Jesus.
"Hymn of
Heaven"glorifies God, that
we remember and celebrate
His sacrifice, bowing down
and praising Him alongside
our brethren and our family.
Please sing along if you know the Hymn and if you do not,
read along.
How I long
To breathe the air of Heaven
Where pain is gone
And mercy fills the streets
To look upon
The One who bled to save me
And walk with Him
For all eternity
[Chorus]
There will be a day
When all will bow before Him
There will be a day
When death will be no more
Standing face to face
With He who died and rose again
Holy, Holy is the Lord
[Verse 2]
And every prayer
We prayed in desperation
The songs of faith
We sang through doubt and fear
In the end, we'll see that it was worth it
When He returns to wipe away our tears, oh
[Bridge]
And on that day, we join the resurrection
And stand beside the heroes of the faith
With one voice, a thousand generations
Sing, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain"
Ana on that day, we join the resurrection
And stand beside the heroes of the faith
With one voice, a thousand generations
Sing, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain" (Oh-oh, oh-oh)
"Forever He shall reign"
[Chorus]
And so let it be today (Oh)
We shout the hymn of Heaven
With angels ana the saints (Oh)
We raise a mighty roar
Glory to our God (Oh)
Who gave us life beyond the grave
Holy, Holy is the Lord
So let it be today (Oh)
We shout the hymn of Heaven
With angels and the saints
We raise a mighty roar (Oh)
Glory to our God (Oh)
Who gave us life beyond the grave
Holy, Holy is the Lord
Holy, Holy is the Lord
Holy, Holy is the Lord
Phil Wickham
THE
COTTON GIN
" Millen's Florisf'
Since 1987
478.982.2153
717 Cotton Ave.
Millen, GA
