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"How can we be sure this is a real discovery,
and not just another sneaky change in the state curriculum?"
‘Call of the ball’ should be fun
We have entered another
ball season. First we kick it,
then we bounce it, then we hit
it with a stick. Then we begin
again by kicking, bouncing it
on our heads, and hitting it
with a stick.
As 1 drove by the soccer
field at Cumming Elementary
School this week 1 again mar
veled at the number of chil
dren involved in the sports
programs of our community.
The multicolored uniforms
glistened in the fading sun
shine, but the sprints and
excitement of the energetic
players did not fade quickly
from my mind.
Faithful members of
choirs, clubs and civic organi
zation members with perfect
attendance will again reply: “1
can’t be there, 1 have a ball
game!" Men and women will
put the other details of living
to the side as they coach,
umpire, play or sit on the side
lines of ballgames. Their lives
will suddenly change from
couch potatoes of the winter
months to the baked potatoes
of Saturday afternoon ball
games.
I wonder how many par-
Ethics & Religion
Supreme Court considers
the Pledge of Allegiance
"God save the United States
and this honorable court."
With that prayer opening the
U.S. Supreme Court, the jus
tices gathered to hear Dr.
Michael Newdow. a physician
and a lawyer, argue that his
daughter ought not be subjected
to beginning her school day by
reciting the Pledge of
Allegiance with the phrase,
“one nation under God."
He argued that the phrase
"under God" which schools ask
children to repeat, promotes a
religious belief that God exists
and that ours is a nation “under"
him which, as an atheist, he
profoundly disagrees with.
Newdow, who took the
unusual step of defending his
own case before the Court,
argued. "I am an atheist. I don't
believe in God. And every
school morning my child is
asked to stand up. face that flag,
put her hand over her heart, and
say her father is wrong."
Justice Sandra Day
O’Connor interrupted, "Well,
she does have a right not to par
ticipate."
Newdow cited a case in
which the Court declared prayer
in school as unconstitutional,
saying, "under Lee v. Weisman
she’s clearly coerced to partici
pate.”
O’Connor interjected, "That
was a prayer."
Newdow: “Well, I’m not
sure this isn’t a prayer." He
noted that President Bush said
that in asking citizens to pledge
allegiance to “one nation under
God,” they are participating “in
an important American tradition
of humbly seeking the wisdom
and blessing... ”
However, Solicitor General
Theodore Olson argued that the
phrase is simply "an acknowl
edgment of the religious basis
of the framers of the
Constitution, who believed not
only that the right to revolt, but
that the right to vest power in
the people to create government
V* J ulianne
, Boling
4 I
ents and coaches will be too
vocal about a referee's call or
a player's mistake? 1 wonder
how many youngsters will
hang their head in shame
because they "failed" their
teammates by striking out? I
wonder how many coaches,
players and parents will dis
courage youngsters instead of
seeking ways to encourage?
Penelope Leach wrote in
the New York Times: “The
most important thing one can
give a child is genuinely
unconditional love. That is
what self-esteem and self-con
fidence are founded on. When
you push a child to do things
early or to be the best at gym
nastics or dancing class, you
imply: ’1 love you more when
you win.' That is very damag
ing."
Coaches are worthy of
praise who realize progress is
made when Johnny strikes out
Mike
came as a result of religious
principles."
As the Declaration of
Independence says, "All men
are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable rights."
George Washington wrote to his
Continental Army, The fate of
unborn millions will now
depend, under God. on the
courage and conduct of this
army."
Abraham Lincoln, in his
Gettysburg Address, declared
“that this Nation, under God,
shall have a new birth of free
dom.” Our national motto,
minted on coins for a century is
“in God we trust."
America has always per
ceived itself as being “under
God." It is a simple statement of
historical fact.
O’Connor asked Newdow,
“Do you have a problem with
Tn God we trust,' on coins?"
“Only if my daughter is
forced to say, Tn God We
Trust,’" the father replied game
ly-
Seven of the eight justices
appeared skeptical. Justice Ruth
Bader Ginsburg, a liberal, com
mented: “It’s two words sand
wiched in the middle of some
thing, and the child doesn't
have to say those words."
Justice David Souter argued
that “As a religious affirmation,
it is so tepid, so diluted so far
from a compulsory prayer that
in fact it should be, in effect,
beneath the constitutional
radar.”
Newdow disagreed: “For the
government to come in and say,
’We’ve decided for you this is
inconsequential or unimportant
is an arrogant pretension."
only once today when he usu
ally strikes out every time at
bat. Teachers who appreciate
and compliment efforts as well
as accomplishments are valu
able assets to children and to
education. Parents who know
that love as well as discipline
are important to rearing chil
dren to be self-sufficient
adults, will be pleased with
their results.
As the season changes to
the intensity of ball games
there should be a renewed
effort to be the best coach, the
most supportive fan, and the
most cooperative parents chil
dren can observe this year.
The mature actions of
adults are more valuable to
good sportsmanship than any
other participation for chil
dren. Those adults who act
like children by pitching tem
per tantrums need to stay at
home.
And as should be anticipat
ed we must be patient with the
leave of absence of those oth
erwise faithful members who
hear the "call of the ball”.
Cumming resident Julianne
Boling writes a weekly col
umn
Souter replied that the gov
ernment is not “defining this as
inconsequential for you."
Rather in our secular socie
ty, “whatever is distinctively
religious as an affirmation is
simply lost."
Newdow protested. "That is
a view that you may choose to
take and the majority of
Americans may choose to take.
But when I see the flag and I
think of pledging allegiance, it’s
like I’m getting slapped in the
face."
Justice Stephen Breyer
argued that the Pledge “serves a
purpose of unification at the
price of offending a small num
ber of people like you."
Chief Justice William
Rehnquist asked Newdow what
the vote was of Congress to
adopt the “under God" phrase.
“It was apparently unani
mous." the doctor replied.
“Well, that doesn't sound
divisive," proclaimed the Chief
Justice.
“That's only because no
atheist can get elected to public
office!" he fired back, sparking
laughter and a rare burst of
applause, infuriating Rehnquist.
As adept as Newdow was on
his feet, he’s personally inept.
He never did marry his daugh
ter’s mother. Sandra Banning.
California courts have given
her. not him, the right to make
decisions about her upbringing.
Neither Ms. Banning nor her
daughter object to saying the
Pledge.
And, as her brief in the case
put it, “Mr. Newdow is not able
to co-parent as evidenced by his
decision to involve the child in a
lawsuit without Ms. Banning's
consent.”
An AP poll found nine of 10
Americans favor retaining the
“under God" phrase.
I predict the Supreme Court
will agree.
Michael McManus is a
nationally syndicated colum
nist.
Pine Ranch boys ride memory lane
There was once a place
where a band of brothers gath
ered. It was an oasis for late
night cheeseburgers and fries,
for talk and music.
The recent passing of one of
these brothers reminded me of a
simple clapboard sided building.
Pine trees lined the front
entrance, their roots exposed by
constant footsteps. Cars were
parked facing the building,
almost in homage to a place that
we were sure was the center of
the world.
Each Friday and Saturday
night we met there. If you came
before 10, you either did not
have a date or nothing was
going on in town. It was neces
sary on weekends to first go to
town. In town, we cruised
between the Dairy Queen and
the Tastee Freeze. Sometimes
we would just sit at the Robo
Car Wash or hang out at
Barnett’s Supermarket.
Occasionally the police
would join us to talk too, but
most of the time they would
gently urge us to move on. The
police station was a little block
building on the courthouse
square. Inside was the one fire
engine servicing the entire coun
ty and a white World War II sur
plus amphibious vehicle. It was
always a curiosity.
It is still a curiosity why we
wanted to sit and talk so much.
There was a tradition of older
men hanging around the com
munity stores, playing checkers
or talking weather and politics. 1
heard a story of several old men
observing a tornado while sit
ting on the porch of Doc
Holcomb's store. One of them
calmly commented, "Yonder
comes a cyclone.” as they went
back to talking or playing
checkers.
Hanging around town had an
element of “cool” to it. You were
there if something interesting
happened. Something interest
ing might happen every decade
or so, but you might miss it if
you were not there. Somebody
might lay circles in front of the
police station or shoot firecrack
ers over buildings with sling
shots or have a new car that
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Phlll '*** ’
Bettis fe
would cause our jaws to drop.
I guess the real reason to
drive around town was to see if
there were any girls doing the
same. If you were really lucky,
you might talk to a whole car
load of girls. Most of the time
they would drive their parent’s
four door Buicks or
Oldsmobiles. You could easily
tell which cars were girl laden.
Any boy relegated to the family
hauler would likely stay home.
Boys had to have racing
stripes or glass-pack mufflers or
a hixxl scoop. If you were really
serious, you had traction bars
and headers that once “dropped”
would wake up the entire com
munity. Mustangs, Camaros and
SS Chevelles were the steeds of
choice and most would bring 10
times now what they cost back
then. Many would measure what
kind of car they had by trying to
pass at Saw Mill Field, a short
stretch of curves just south of
town. Only the brave and those
with the hottest cars would try
such a feat.
As the action in town waned,
we would convene at the Pine
Ranch Case in Ducktown.
Greeting us there were the own
ers, Billy and Bonnie, who
seemingly adopted all of us as
their own. They added a pinball
machine, which we played
while our cheeseburgers were
cooking. 1 wish 1 could still eat a
burger at 10:30 at night without
gaining a pound or two. Many
adults would come in for a late
night snack and talk to us. The
community was small enough
that most would join for church
the next day. After dining we
would meet on the front steps of
the grocery store next door to
recount what had gone on in
town, which was mostly noth
ing. There were some with long
hair and some with crew cuts.
Some liked country music, some
hard rock.
We were a microcosm of the
county and our times, diverse
but at the same time sharing a
heritage and a concern for each
other. Some would spend their
last hours at the Pine Ranch
before leaving for college or for
military service. I saw hand
shakes, plenty of encouragement
and, of course, some mischief.
Mild by today’s standards, a
dusting of snow meant a little
“clowning” with our cars. Some
nights we could hear the State
Patrol cruisers moaning through
the night as they gave chase to
someone or rushed to an acci
dent.
Mostly we talked though.
Nothing too deep, just stories
and tales that passed time and
brought us together in a time
when not much was sacred and
not many knew what to expect
in the future. Nixon was in the
White House, we were at war,
terrorism was a new word and
the music was as classic as the
cars.
My son occasionally hangs
out at the parking lot at Wal-
Mart. He and his friends talk
about cars, girls and politics.
They listen to music and soon
they will depart for college and
careers. I do not fully under
stand our desire to share time
with each other when we are
young, but it is a compelling
instinct. Seemingly it confirms
that we all have something in
common, that we are not bad
people and that we all have
dreams.
The remainder of those guys
at the Pine Ranch are still my
friends and are in my heart after
all these years. There will never
be another time like that in my
life. The Pine Ranch was tom
down for a convenience store.
The pine trees are no longer
there and there is not a cheese
burger served late at night for
miles. Sometimes, late at night
when I pass by that convenience
store. I can almost see an old
Camaro in the darkness. But it is
not there. It is at the Wal-Mart
parking lot.
Forsyth County native Phill
Bettis is an occassional colum
nist.
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