Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2008
THE JACKSON HERALD
PAGE 5A
United we stand, divided we fall
“I WITNESSED a murder on Nov.
4, 2008. The victim was ‘Miss’ Liberty;
the murderer is the electorate of Hussein
Obama. The weapons were ballots and
blind loyalty to an avowed socialist.”
- Charles Fletcher, letter to the editor,
Nov. 12.
“Democracy was spoken. The United
States of America has chosen a new
President. United means, as a nation,
we will unite together for the betterment
of our country. While the candidate that
will take office in January may not have
been your choice, but as an American, it
is our patriot duty to try to encourage him, pray for
him and do what we can to improve our nation.” -
Ruth N. Brown, letter to the editor, Nov. 12.
“The death of ‘Miss’ Liberty was very painful to
any true lover of this country and the freedoms that
entails.” - Charles Fletcher, letter to the editor, Nov.
12.
“Our ancestors went through years having to
accept and deal with presidents that were not their
choice, feeling like there would be days that they felt
the world would end, but they made it through with
the ‘Grace of God.’ Now we have been blessed with
our first black president....” - Laveda Daniel, letter to
the editor, Nov. 12.
And so it goes. United we stand, divided we fall.
Lest I be accused of bias and prejudice - which,
by the way, all of us are guilty of - let me turn that
around. Divided we fall, united we stand.
❖ ❖ ❖
I told you weeks ago, way back during the prima
ries, that a lot of old veterans would vote for John
McCain for one simple reason. He survived five
years in a Vietnam prison camp, stood by his men,
was loyal to America, kept his sanity, and came
home to continue serving his country.
I am an old veteran. So now you know. I lost. I lost
my vote. That’s all.
But being a compassionate moderate (yes, there
are a few of us left). I feel sorry for the millions of
Americans - a majority, I believe - who voted for
Barack Obama.
It is not my nature to get involved in a political
dogfight. I’m a moderate, remember? However, I
believe supporters of Obama are getting slammed
with insulting, nasty, ugly, vitriolic rhetoric they do
not deserve.
The popularity and influence of the Republican
Party and extreme conservatives are at low ebb right
now. If they want to regain the favor and power they
once enjoyed, they need to learn to win with humil
ity, lose with grace, calm down, and be nice. And
they need to fire Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and
Ann Coulter as their spokespersons.
I bet I get some mail now. My youngest son told
me that the reason I never get any is because I am
always right. Yeah, right!
Why do Obama supporters have my heartfelt
sympathy? Although they won the election,
they lost everything. They are doomed, and
because of them, all of us who voted for
McCain are doomed, too. (I don’t believe
that, and neither should you.)
I’m sitting here thinking about Patrick
Henry. He lived from 1736 to 1799, and
was a statesman and orator at the time of the
Revolutionary War n America. His words
ring true today. “Give me Liberty or give
me death.”
Alas, Liberty is dead. Murdered. What
a heavy burden to bear for Obama voters:
accused, indicted, tried, guilty. (I’m revers
ing that verdict.)
If that injustice were true, it would be sad indeed.
But of course it is not true. Just because you voted
for Obama doesn’t make you a murderer. And just
because I voted for McCain doesn’t mean I love this
country more than you do.
Neither do I believe you can identify or distin
guish a true American by the way he or she votes.
If McCain voters are true Americans and Obama
voters are fake Americans - or vice versa - we really
are in deep trouble.
If everybody who voted for McCain flies their flag
at half mast during Obama’s presidency, what does it
say about American civility and flag etiquette?
I don’t believe you were foolish when you voted
for Obama, and just because you disagree with me
does not make you a fool. I may deserve the title
more than you.
Please, don’t worry about retaking our country. As
far as I know, nobody has swiped it and it hasn’t gone
anywhere. Presidential politics is a battle all right, but
the war is in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“My friends,” as John McCain likes to say, it really
is our White House. It belongs to all Americans:
Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Independents,
conservatives, liberals, moderates, rich, poor, white,
black and brown. Is this a great country, or what!
McCain and Obama fought hard for the privilege
of taking up residency there on Jan. 20,2009. Obama
won. It doesn’t help America or anything or anybody
to call him “the biggest enemy to occupy our White
House” and encourage “true Americans” to “show
how much contempt we have for him.”
McCain lost the election. I lost my vote. The sky
hasn’t fallen. And there was this headline in The
Atlanta Journal-Constitution onNov. 15: “OBAMA,
McCAIN: WE’LL COOPERATE.”
United we stand.
“Let every person be subject to the governing
authorities. For there is no authority except from
God, and those that exist have been instituted by
God. Therefore he who resists the authorities resists
what God has appointed, and those who resist will
incur judgment.” - Paul, letter to the Romans, about
A.D. 57."
Virgil Adams is a former owner/editor of The
Jackson Herald.
Messy adult fans send undesirable message
Dear Editor:
I am the current chairman
of the Keep Jackson County
Beautiful Board of Directors.
I also walk for heart health on
Monday, Wednesday and Friday
mornings at the stadium on
Memorial Drive. Today, as it
has been every Monday morn
ing since football season started,
the stands, track and surround
ings were badly littered with
styrofoam cups, plastic bottles,
paper plates, and other snack
coverings everywhere.
It sends an undesirable mes
sage to the high-schoolers when
the adult fans leave such a mess.
I suggest that if they really take
pride in the football team, then
they should also have enough
pride to leave the stadium clean.
There are a number of large
green trash containers strategi
cally placed below and above
the stadium, but there is trash
within a few feet of several of
them.
Jefferson and Jackson County
have much natural beauty, but
litter is a major detraction. Please
have the courtesy to clean up
after yourself, wherever you are
in the city and county!
Sincerely,
William Ives
Jefferson
Comments on Presidential election
Dear Editor:
Many recent letter writers to
The Jackson Herald have bandied
back and forth over the value of
the recent Presidential election.
Many see this as victory after
years of oppression; others see it
as a severe blow to what it means
to be an American. Conservatives
understand why non-conserva
tives are happy with the outcome.
Those who lean left obviously do
not understand why I and others
consider this a potential blow to
liberty.
Every American has placed
before them the opportunity to
succeed as far as their desires
and abilities will take them. This
opportunity, when fulfilled, is
what creates success. The field
which you choose to pursue, the
dollar amount that you end up
with, are not what is important.
What is important is that each
American has this opportunity.
Remember when you were
very young and your parents
told you that when you grew
up you could be anything that
you wanted to be? They were
basically right. You can be or do
anything that a combination of
your desires and your ability will
allow for. Your parents did not he
to you. People who told you that
you could not succeed because
of ethnicity, economic status or
any other made up excuse did
he to you.
It truly doesn’t matter who you
are, what you look like, what your
religion is or even where your
parents were bom. The United
States of America is the one
place on Earth where anyone can
work hard and succeed. Anyone.
Again — anyone. (Because of
the anyone part of the success
potential, diversity is created -
just a side note.) Despite years
of the left telling us how horrible
we are as a nation and that most
other countries don’t like us, this
opportunity is what accounts for
the droves of immigrants still
coming to our shores. Welcome;
work hard, succeed, and please
help others do the same.
This opportunity is what is
so valued by people who truly
love this country. This is where
we part ways in the realm of
ideas with some of our fellow
citizens. This Presidential elec
tion featured a candidate who
stated repeatedly that he wants
to impose higher taxes (which
would be punitive) on higher
achievers. He didn’t just want to
use the money, but wants a higher
tax out of a sense of fairness.
So you work hard, do well, and
have much of your life’s work
taken away to achieve fairness.
The excuse that “you can afford
it” doesn’t make it right and you
on the left know that. Way down
deep, you know it.
The now famous fine about
spreading the wealth around
was not just a throwaway line.
This is where we see someone
that doesn’t care how much a
person has worked to achieve
their own American Dream. This
President-elect has already stated
that he wants to remove a portion
of that American Dream by limit
ing what you can achieve.
This will be refuted by small-
minded people who will state that
no one is saying what anyone can
or can’t do. They fail to under
stand that the American Dream
is to be able to accomplish what
ever you set out to do; if that
accomplishment is limited by the
government, your opportunity is
being limited.
This President-elect has set out
to basically even the economic
playing fields. This would require
guaranteeing results of a person’s
efforts. In real life, you can either
guarantee opportunity, or you can
guarantee outcomes. Not both.
For those who don’t understand,
it works like this. In order for me
to guarantee what the outcome
of your work will be, I would
have to place restrictions on what
your employer can and cannot
do. This removes his or her guar
antee of opportunity. You cannot
have both.
America was founded on a
principle of personal opportunity.
If you don’t like that, and pre
fer the guaranteed outcome, you
are unlike most all Americans
who have come before you. If
you prefer that a portion of a
person’s life be taken from them
and given to you, you are unlike
most Americans who have gone
before you. You supported a per
son who places a higher value
on outcomes than opportunity. I
will guarantee that your parents
did not tell you that you that you
could be anything that the gov
ernment would help you to be.
When people vote, they typi
cally vote for a candidate whose
stated philosophy most nearly
matches their own. Just over
half of all voting Americans just
stated that their philosophy is
to limit opportunity and provide
outcomes. This country cannot
be expected to sustain that phi
losophy in action for very long. If
even of a portion of the proposed
new social programs are enacted,
the cost will be staggering. Where
will the money to pay for them
come from? Will we continue to
take larger and larger portions of
people’s fives to pay for it all?
Someone is going to respond
to this and say that I only care
about the money. No, I care about
the portion of a person’s fife that
it takes to earn that money. Those
of you on the left who say that
people have the right to speak
out as long as they don’t disagree
with you are about to get your
ideals fulfilled. I would remind
you that when you rob Peter to
give to Paul, Peter will eventu
ally get tired of that and go away.
What will you do then, with no
one to rob?
This is the reason that we see
freedoms slipping away, liberty
becoming something we pre
tend to value. We know what has
happened to every other country
that has followed the course we
have begun, and it never turns
out well. Never. You see, people
who seek to have their American
Dream provided by others could
be called Paul. The rest of us are
Peter.
Sincerely,
Michael A. Carroll,
Hoschton
Wants plaque for taxpayers
Dear Editor:
My first vision of the plaque on the outside
wall of the Jackson County Courthouse is impres
sive. But I thought a plaque is to commemorate
a great event and the names on the plaque are
representative of that event.
The voters and taxpayers of Jackson County
were duped by BOC members who spent in
excess of $24 million to provide the structure. The
names of taxpayers of Jackson County should
have their names embolden on that plaque!
I know it’s old business, however, I am paying
for a public building, (increased taxes) today that
was “pushed” on us.
Sincerely,
George J. Frey
of Commerce
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City of Arcade
PUBLIC NOTICE
Arcade Municipal Court is conducting an
amnesty period for unpaid failure to appear
warrants. This amnesty period will run from
December 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008.
During this period the warrant/contempt fee
will be waived for each outstanding warrant
paid. Please contact City Hall at 706-367-
5500 for payment information. Please take
advantage of this program to avoid possible
arrest and/or addition fees and fines.
Including:
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PARTICIPANTS NEEDED
FOR FOCUS GROUP
Residents or Jackson County are needed to
participate in a Focus Group session. You will
hear the facts in a court case and he asked to
give your opinion.
If selected, you will earn SJ50 for approximately
E hours of your time and he provided a catered
meal. The session will tie heed in Jackson County
on Saturday, December IS, from 5 a.rn, to 3 p.m.
If interested in participating, please call VSl at
1-B66-543-1G06 and provide your name and
contact information,
Wishing You A
Happy
Thanksgiving
We will be closed on Thanksgiving Day so our
employees can spend time with their families.
We hope & pray you can do the same.
McDonald Ace Hardware
Your Hometown-Owned and Operated Hardware Store. Serving our area since 1954.
VSI
Verdict Services lac.
135 Central Avenue
Commerce, GA
(706) 335-551 (L
Hours: M-F 7:30-5:00
Sal. 8:00-12:00
Closed Sundays
Email: hghinc@windstream.net