Newspaper Page Text
4A
MARCH 14, 2002
What’s in a nickname?
ugusta seems to be
A the talk of the press
because of the
quaint attempt by mayor
Bob Young to bring about
a new slogan to replace the
age old “Garden City”
motto.
It seems that readers of
the Atlanta Journal-Consti
tution and web surfers find
this little attempt humor
ous. A poll taken on
AJC.com Tuesday, March
12, revealed that the new
nickname for Augusta
should be “Augusta:
Georgia’s City of Rich Golf
Enthusiasts.” What a bold
but true observation.
Other names such as
“This Ain’t Atlanta” and
“James Brown Town” were
included in the poll choices.
Now, (many proud Au
gustans may not want to
admit this but ...) everybody
knows that Augusta has
been trying desperately for
years to catch up to the city
of Atlanta and the powerful
standard it has set for it
self. Atlanta hosted the
Olympics and is home to
legendary night spots. And
who can forget the numer
ous colleges and universi
ties?
Politicians brag like sec
ond graders with a new
lunch pail: “Augusta is the
second-largest city in the
_stateof Georgia.” Sowhat!?!
Where’s the proof? And be
sides, who cares? Like the
hip hop rapper Nelly says,
“Two isn’t -a winner and
three nobody remembers.”
Augusta isn’t a winning
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AUGUSTA FOCUS
city. There are many rea
sons that can be listed to
support this fact but that
would take up too much
space. Let’s just name a
few for the record. This
town, yes town, is well
known for its government
inconsistencies. And who
could forget the “racial
divide?” Is there really
racial divide or do people
just concentrate on that
issue to have something
to talk about?
Theonline pollisaprime
example of how outsiders
look at this city. Is this
how Augusta wants to be
remembered? As trying to
imitate Atlanta? Or bet
ter yet, as egotistical golf
fans?!?
Mayor Young could be
commended for attempt
ing to bring about change
to Augusta. Keyword:
could. But aren’t there
more important issues to
worry about besides a slo
gan for a city whose repu
tation is in the pits? Such
as, let’s say, economic de
velopment or even that
tiny little word that gets
tiptoed around: race.
Maybe the mayor could
get more drug rehabilita
tion centers built for those
who want to get well but
can’t. Here’s a good one: a
city where the entire com
'mission actually agrees
on major issues. The pos
sibilities are endless.
C’mon mayor Young,
“City of Medicine?” Yeah,
right.
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YL CAGLE LATE oy
WITNESS FOR JUSTICE By Bernice Powell Jackson
Profile in courage: Barbara Lee
s February melts into
March, we go from
Black History Month
to Women’s History
Month and the perfect inter
section of the two is found in
an African-American woman
who made history last fall as
the sole voice of restraint on
the floor of Congress in a na
tion numb with griefand filled
with revenge. She is Con
gresswoman Barbara Lee (D-
Calif.) And she is a profile in
courage.
Asthelonevotein Congress
against a resolution giving
President George W. Bush
authorization to use military
force against anyone associ
ated with the September 11
terrorist attacks, Congress
woman Lee said, “It was a
blank check to the president
to attack anyone in the Sep
tember 11 events—anywhere,
in any country, without re
gard toour nation’s Jong-term
GUEST COMMENTARY By Edward Maner
Earvin Johnson is true magic!
Earvin “Magic” Johnson is
an American drama that con
tinues to unfold as of this writ
ing.lnl99l when heannounced
to the world that he was (HIV)
positive, it was apparent to me
that the earth became motion
less for the duration of his hor
rifyingannouncement. It wasa
sad day for him, but it was a
devastating day for humanity
foreign policy, economic and
national securityinterests, and
without time limit.” In addi
tion, shebelieves that the Con
stitution gives only the Con
gress theright todeclare war,
aresponsibility she takes seri
ously.
Inastatement released after
her vote, Ms. Lee further ex
plained that she was not con
vinced that voting for thereso
lution preserves and protects
U.S. interests. She said, “We
have a chance to demonstrate
totheworld that great powers
canchoosetofightonthefronts
of their choosing ... We must
respond, but the character of
that response will determine
for us and for our children the
world that they will inherit.”
Moreover, Congresswoman
Lee pointed out that there are
many ways in hich we must
get at the root of terrorism,
including diplomatic, eco
nomic, legal and political. With
onearth [considering] what Mr.
Johnson had contributed tothe
world game of basketball. I con
sider him to be an American
treasure. There’s no question
inmy mind that Mr. Johnson is
a “magical” human being.
I'm happy to acknowledge
that in this year 2002, Mr.
Johnson is by no means a “
Dead Man Walking.” He’struly
that in mind, she did vote to
condemn the attacks and to
allocate S4O billion to fight
terrorism.
While there may have been
others in the Senate and U.S.
House who were in sympathy
with Ms. Lee’s position, no
one else had the courage to
stand against the winds of war.
Said one of her colleagues,
“Several other members
wanted to be there also ... but
they didn’t want to be seen as
soft on terrorism.” Said Ms.
Lee, “I struggled and agonized
over how I could make a state
ment on behalf of those who
areafraidright now, whodon’t
know if this is going to spiral
out of control,” adding, “Ulti
mately, I had to search myself
and my God for direction.”
This wasn’t the first time
that Ms. Lee stood alone in
Congressagainst war. In 1999,
she also voted against the bill
authorizing President Clinton
alive performing his “magical”
tricks, not on the basketball
court, but in American corpo
rate boardrooms. For a former
black superstar athlete tohave
cross over appeal, and bein the
mix with fortune 500 corpora
tions is a blessing from God.
It’s a fact that Mr. Johnson is
one of God’s miracles.
It’simpressivetomethat Mr.
to bomb Serbia, pointing out
there were other options then
as well.
In theaftermath of her vote,
some called her a traitor. Af
terreceivingdeath threats, she
was put under protection by
the Capitol police. Her tele
phone and computers were so
besieged with callsand e-mails
that they shut down, but her
staff says that the majority of
the 20,000 calls and letters
applauded her act of con
science.
Barbara Lee’s vote is like
that of Jeannette Rankin of
Montana, the first woman ever
elected to Congress, who voted
against our entry into both
World Wars. No matter
whether you agree with her
position or not, you have to
respect this courageous
woman. An African-American
woman who understands that
the hest way to celebrate his
tory is by making it.
Johnson has continued to be
successfulinlifeagainstall odds.
He has reached a mega mile
stone of business success that
has eluded the majority of black
superstar athletes in America.
Of course, no one should be
mad or angry with him because
he has thus far eluded a death
See MAGIC, page 5A
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