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Send a letter to the editor to PO, Box 210 Cumming, GA 30028; fax it to (770) 889-6017; or e-madl it 10 editor@forsythnews.com.
ForsythOpinior:
YOUR ELECTED
OFFICIALS
CITY COUNCIL
Mayor H. Ford Gravitt, PO. Box
3177, Cumming, GA 30028; (770)
887-4342
Ralph Perry, 1420 Pilgrim Road,
Cumming, GA 30040; (770) 887-
7474
Rupert Sexton, 211 Hickory Oak
Hollow, Cumming, GA 30040;
(770) 844-7929
Mayor Pro-Tem Quincy Holton,
103 Hickory Ridge Drive,
Cumming, GA 30040; (770) 887-
5279
Lewis Ledbetter, 205 Mountain
Brook Drive, Cumming, GA
30040; (770) 887-3019
John Pugh, 108 13th St.,
Cumming, GA 30040; (770) 887-
3342
COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS
Chairman R.J. (Pete) Amos,
Post 1, 110 E. Main St., Cumming,
GA 30040; (678) 513-5881; rja
mos @forsythco.com
Secretary Brian Tam, Post 2,
4410 Dorset Lane, Suwanee, GA
30024; (404) 392-6983; office,
(678) 513-5882; brtam @forsyth
co.com
Todd Levent, Post 3,
110 E. Main St., Cumming, GA
30040; (678) 513-5883; tlev
ent@forsythco.com
Cindy Mills, Post 4, 110 E.
Main St., Cumming, GA 30040;
(678) 513-5884; cjmills @forsyth
co.com
Vice Chairman Jim Boss, Post
5, 110 E. Main St., Cumming,
GA 30040; (678) 513-5885;
jiboff@forsythco.com
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Ann Crow, District 1, 320
Dahlonega St., Cumming, GA
30040; (770) 490-6316; acrow@
forsyth.-kl2.ga.us
Kristin Morrissey, District 2,
3310 Cany Creek Lane,
Cumming, GA 30041; (404)
550-3083; kmorrissey @-for
syth.kl2.ga.us
Chairman Tom Cleveland,
District 3, 5225 Millsford Court,
Cumming, GA 30040; (770)
844-9901; tcleveland @forsyth.-
kl2.ga.us
Vice Chairwoman Darla
Sexton Light, District 4, 50080
Hopewell Road, Cumming, GA
30028; (770) 887-0678; dlight@
forsyth.-kl2.ga.us
Nancy Roche, District 5, 7840
Chestnut Hill Road, Cumming,
GA 30041; (770) 889-0229;
nroche @forsyth.kl2.ga.us
NATIONAL LEGISLATORS
U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson,
120 Russell Senate Office :
Building, Washington, D.C.
20510; (202) 224-3643 or (770)
661-0999
U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss,
416 Russell Senate Office
Building, Washington, D.C.
20510; (202) 224-3521 or (770)
763-9090 ;
U.S. Rep. Doug Collins, Sth
District; 513 Cannon House
Office Building, Washington,
D.C., 20515; (202) 225-9893;
fax, (770) 297-3390
U.S. Rep. RobWoodall, 7th
District; 1725 Longworth House
Office Building, Washington,
D.C., 20515; (770) 232-3005;
(202) 225-4272; fax, (202) 225-
4696
STATE LEGISLATORS
Sen. Steve Gooch, 51st
District, Coverdell Legislative
Office Building, Room 321-B, 18
Capitol Square, Atlanta, GA
30334; (404) 656-9221
Sen. Jack Murphy, 27th
District, Coverdell Legislative
Office Building, Room 325-A, 18
Capitol Square, Atlanta, GA
30334; (404) 656-7127
Rep. Mike Dudgeon, 24th
District; Coverdell Legislative
Office Building, Room 608-C, 18
Capitol Square, Atlanta, GA
30334; (404) 656-0298
Rep. Kevin Tanner, 9th District,
(678) 776-5059
Rep. Mark Hamiiton, 23rd :
District, Suite 218, State Capitol,
Atlanta, GA 30334; (404) 656-
5132; local, (770) 844-6768
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“It's a shame (cough) medical science can't figure out
(cough) how to stop the spread of this flu." s
Jim Powell for the Forsyth County News '
Personal sacrifice key to success
By Rep. Geoff Duncan
For the Forsyth County News
We, the people of Georgia,
must play a more active role
in government.
I based my campaign for
the Georgia House of
Representatives on fiscal
responsibility and conserva
tive public policy. Yet, in
light of this new journey |
am about to take, I find
myself humbled at only hav
ing one vote.
Because of my deep sense
of responsibility to deliver a
better America to my three
children, | realize that I must
take to the newspaper, to my
church, to my neighbors and
to my own family to spread
this message: We at the
Georgia General Assembly
cannot fix the problems we
face alone. We need all
Georgians.
My fear is that an entire
generation has misinterpret
ed the American Dream for
fame, fortune and power.
This interpretation is not
only wrong, it’s dangerous. It
cultivates a culture that only
worries about self and not
country.
America is the haven in
which we can go to work and
return home safely, where we
can provide for our own fam
ilies, save for our own
futures and when fitting
indulge in our own desires.
-
Duncan
when we fall short, it affords
us the opportunity to work
even harder, without fail.
The change begins within
our daily habits, our homes,
our schools and our commu
nities. These are small daily
differences that give us a
sense of agcomplishment
every night that we are
undoubtedly leaving a better
state and a better country. for
our kids to prosper in.
Many are already doing
your part and I applaud you
for your efforts. Go further.
If you currently contribute
to your church or charity,
donate more. If you volun
teer at your child’s school,
encourage your spouse or
your neighbors to volunteer
as well. Be an even better
example at your work, at
your kid’s schools, at your
church and in your commu
nity.
There is no bill or law that
can legislate what we do bet
ter in our hearts and homes.
If we are going to move as
a country, then our state and
our counties must lead by
Law-abiding gun owners not the problem
By Lane Filler
Newsday
If you want to understand
the disconnect between pro
gun and anti-gun forces in
the United States, look no
further than the controversy
over publishing the names
and addresses of New
Yorkers with permits to own
guns.
Last month, The Journal
News published the names
and addresses of 44,000 per
mitted gun owners in two
Hudson Valley counties.
This week, Gawker.com put
up the names of gun permit
holders in the five boroughs.
The result has been a rag
ing controversy over wheth
er publicizing such informa
tion is appropriate or wise.
Journalists have been threat
ened and had their own per
sonal information posted
online.
But lost in the debate is a
large truth: These exposi
tions of information, intend
ed to provide lists and maps
of the guns and owners who
might endanger us, did the
opposite. They pinpoint the
guns and people that mostly
aren’t going to be involved
example.
Education is an important
issue to every Georgian.
While not a complete solu
tion, our first step will cost
the taxpayers nothing.
Parents and grandparents
need to meet their kids at the
kitchen table every night and
review their kid’s homework
and answer any questions
they may have on their
assignments. Parents and
grandparents need to volun
teer at their kid’s schools on
a regular basis and read to
the class, grade papers or
chaperone on a field trip.
Not because it’s easy 10
clear time on your busy
schedule, but because it
shows first hand to your
child how important their
education is to you and how
important it should be to
them. A child’s education is
not just about the diploma,
it’s about the journey getting
there.
We are in dire financial
straights as a nation. Yet we
will never elect fiscally
responsible leaders in this
country until we become fis
cally responsible in our per
sonal lives. If we habitually
spend money that we don’t
have and live beyond our
means, we will never have
the willpower to hold our
leaders responsible for
spending money that we
don’t have.
While this
does not
guarantee
success, it
guarantees
the opportu
nity to
achieve our
version of
success. And
it’s also inarguably true.
The people we need to be
worried about mostly don’t
sweat gun laws. They buy
their weapons on the street
and from corrupt and crimi
nal dealers. They steal guns,
or purchase them from those
who did. They do not regis
ter their weapons or submit
to background checks or pay
attention to legal limits on
clip size.
The 4 million National
Rifle Association members
who hunt and target shoot
and sit in their breakfast
nooks writing out their
annual checks for dues,
mostly aren’t criminals, and
they know their pals aren’t
either. These are the people
who actually take classes on
gun safety, who invest the
time to make sure their kids
know how to handle weap
ons properly, who take the
dangers of guns seriously.
And they’re mystified as to
why you’d want to limit their
right to own guns. They
know it won’t cut down on
crime and can’t imagine why
you think it would. And they
know that any new laws that
limit their right to bear arms
won’t make the criminals
In crimes.
Experts say that in New
York, as many as 80 percent
of guns used in crimes are
illegal weapons, often pur
chased out of state and cer
tainly never registered.
It’s not possible to provide
readers with information on
the weapons and weapon
owners they really need to
look out for, because those
owners don’t follow the law
and apply for permits for
their weapons.
The thug and gun that are
going to terrorize you in
your home? The Magnum
.357 and monster that are
going to catch your child in
the crossfire of a drug dis
pute? Not on the lists. And
if the cretin planning to rain
down terror in a crowded,
public place and his assault
weapon are on the lists,
what of it? Will that tell you
which theater or shopping
mall to avoid, what day to
keep your kid out of school?
No. It won’t.
Again and again, gun
advocates point out that
when we outlaw guns, only
outlaws will have them.
Sure, it sounds like a tired
and simplistic slogan, but
This is a page of opinion — ours, yours and g
others. Signed columns and cartoons are the &,
opinions of the writers and artists, and they
may not reflect our views. =
Out-of-control personal '~
credit-card debt is virtually -
the same thing as out of con- |
trol national debt, just on a
different scale. e
Many economists are fear- - *
ful of what the effects would . :
be on our economy if people -+
stopped spending money "
they don’t have and stopped '-*
maxing out their credit cards.
My child’s generation is 2
worth that risk and sacrifice "
of living within my means "¢
now. o
Personal responsibility is " -*
every citizen’s duty. ‘~
Just imagine how dramatic '’
the changes would be if an
overwhelming majority of
Georgians woke up tomor- -
row and lived responsibly.
What if they spent time with .-
their kids doing homework, ',
didn’t spend money they Y
didn’t have, accurately paid
their taxes and ethically exe- ~
cuted their job description? '
The effects on our state oy
would be staggering. -
This culture of personal ~ +,
responsibility must start one ~
person at a time, one family -~
at a time, one street at a time, '
one county at a time, one -}
state at a time, until every .
American enjoys the liberty
that personal sacrifice brings. .
State Rep. Geoff Duncan repre- -
sents District 26, which covers -~
the eastern half of Forsyth
County. 43
they fear lay down arms. ;
Limiting the right of law- |
abiding people to own guns
is like prohibiting alcohol -
because some people drive
drunk. The law-abiding citi- -~
zens who never drove drunk . «
have to swear off spirits, -,
while the criminals keep on' -
truckin’, cocktails in hand.
There are steps we must !
take to reduce gun violence.
We need federal laws requir
ing devilishly strict back- '
ground checks for every gun
purchase. State laws don’t |
really work, as guns are just |
purchased in the lax states '
and migrate to the strict !
ones, like New York. We - !
need crushing penalties for |
illegal gun possession and 1
any crime involving a gun. .- \
In the end, if you want to .
stop gun crime, you're going= ,
to have to stop criminals who. |
use guns. Hassling law-abid- }
ing folks won’t help. &
. }
Lane Filler is a member of the 2
Newsday editorial board. His |
e-mail address is lane filler@ |
newsday.com. }