Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2010
THE JACKSON HERALD
PAGE 5A
Reforming politics in America
SO NATHAN Deal
is the Republican
nominee. I’m betting
a lot of Republicans
didn’t vote for him.
They didn’t vote
for Karen Handel,
either.
Who can blame
them? If Deal is as
bad as Handel made
him out to be, and
if Handel is as bad
as Deal made her out to be,
how could you vote for either
one?
Had I voted for either one,
I’d try to keep it a secret. I
wouldn’t want it known that
I had anything to do with put
ting such a bad person in the
highest office in Georgia.
Roy Barnes doesn’t have
to dig up any dirt on Deal.
Handel has done it for him. I
don’t believe Barnes can say
anything bad about Deal that
Handel hasn’t already said.
Republican leaders down
play the Deal-Handel brouha
ha. It’s just a family squabble.
Yeah, right!
I’m not saying either can
didate damned (condemned)
the other to hell. That would
be cursing.
Shirley said I shouldn’t use
“damn” in any shape, form or
fashion. “It’s a bad word.”
Not necessarily. It also
means “to condemn vigor
ously and often for some
real or fancied fault.” That’s
pretty much what Deal and
Handel did to each other
between the primary in July
and the runoff on August 10.
And more often than not,
the faults were more fancied
than real.
But hey, it’s politics! What
do you expect? And it’s a
condition not peculiar to
Republicans. Democrats are
also susceptible. Remember
how Barack Obama and
Hillary Clinton went after
each other during the 2008
debates? And what
did Obama do after
he won the presiden
cy? He turned right
around and named
Clinton Secretary of
State.
In a couple of
minutes I’m going
to suggest a revolu
tionary idea that will
reform American
politics forever.
Prior to the election, Deal
and Handel didn’t say any
thing good about the other.
Same goes for Obama and
Clinton. Then came the elec
tion and all was forgiven.
Before you voted, their oppo
nent was the scum of the
earth. But now, their opponent
is the Savior of the World. Go
figure.
Question: Why did they
spend all that time and money
(TV ads don’t come cheap)
tearing each other down, and
then spend all that time (free
time) building each other up?
The answer is simple. We’ll
do anything - change course,
reverse our position, flip flop,
lie, whatever it takes - to defeat
that evil party: Republican if
you are Democrat, Democrat
if you are Republican.
There’s a better way, but as
far as I know, nobody in the
234-year history of America
had the guts - or the wisdom
- to try it.
Look, if the winner has
these wonderful attributes
and impeccable character
traits after the election, he
or she must have had them
before the election. So why
don’t politicians “accentuate
the positive and eliminate the
negative,” like Bing Crosby
used to sing?
That’s the revolutionary
idea that will reform politics
in America forever.
They (who th’ heck are
they?) say negative campaign
ing works. Not with me, it
doesn’t. And I have yet to talk
to neighbor, friend or family
member who says it does with
them.
Will you take this pledge
with me? In the future I will
not vote for any candidate
who talks about what he per
ceives to be the real or fancied
faults of his opponent. I will
vote for the candidate who,
while extolling his virtues,
points out the virtues of his
opponent.
Don’t look for that to hap
pen in the near future. There
is too much aversion, parti
sanship, hate, bickering and
incivility to hope for sudden
change. We have gone too far
and been gone too long. But
we can dream.
Maybe if we distributed
copies of “Desiderata” to all
politicians, and required them
to read same, it would help.
“Desiderata” is Latin for
“desired things.” It was written
by Max Ehramann in 1927.
I didn’t know all that until
I called the expert, like con
testants do on that TV show
“Millionaire.” My expert is
Amy Carlan of the Jefferson
Public Library. Amy has
answered a zillion questions
that I’ve asked her over many
years. What a source of infor
mation!
And I wouldn’t be sharing
“Desiderata” if my old fishing
buddy and fellow member of
the Clark’s Hill Gang, Rick
McQuiston, hadn’t e-mailed
it to me. “I’ve had this hang
ing on my wall since I was a
snot-nosed college guy,” Rick
said. He added, “I look at it
more now.”
I take that as a good sign.
My old friend seems to be
mellowing.
Here are a few lines from
“Desiderata.” If you can stop
a politician from negative
campaigning long enough to
read them, it may change his
life - and reform politics in
America.
“Go placidly amid the noise
and haste, and remember
what peace there may be in
silence.
“As far as possible, without
surrender, be on good terms
with all persons.
“Speak your truth quietly
and clearly; and listen to oth
ers, even the dull and ignorant;
they too have their story.
“Avoid loud and aggressive
persons; they are vexations to
the spirit.
“If you compare yourself to
others, you may become vain
and bitter; for always there
will be greater and lesser per
sons than yourself.
“Exercise caution in your
business affairs, for the world
is full of trickery. But let this
not blind you to what virtue
there is; many persons strive
for high ideals, and every
where life is full of heroism.
“Be yourself. Especially, do
not feign affection. Neither be
cynical about love, for in the
face of all aridity and disen
chantment it is as perennial as
the grass.
“Do not distress yourself
with dark imaginings. Many
fears are bom of fatigue and
loneliness. Beyond a whole
some discipline, be gentle with
yourself.
“You are a child of the uni
verse, no less than the trees
and stars. You have a right to
be here. And whether or not
it is clear to you, no doubt
the universe is unfolding as it
should.
“Therefore be at peace with
God, whatever you conceive
Him to be, and whatever your
labors and aspirations, in the
noisy confusion of life keep
peace with your soul.”
Virgil Adams is a former
owner/editor of The Jackson
Herald.
Appreciates emergency
service workers
Dear Editor:
How blessed Jackson County is to have the service personnel
we have. Our EMTs, policemen and firemen are to be com
mended for the services they render to our community. While
they are not serving across the ocean in war time, they certainly
needed to be thanked for the time they put in to help keep us
safe at home.
My husband is retired from the Navy after serving for 20
years. Numerous times we have had to call 911 because of his
falling due to his illness. Each one that has come out to assist
him has shown such caring and understanding of his condition.
Words are not adequate to express our thanks to them.
Being elder citizens, it makes things so much easier knowing
we have such a high caliber of service personnel we can call on.
Jackson County is a great place to live and we are thankful we
were led here 10 years ago.
Sincerely,
Ruth Brown
Jefferson
Letters policy — Send signed letters to the editor to: The
Jackson Herald, P.O. Box 908, Jefferson, GA 30549; FAX: 706-367-
8056; or E-mail: editor@mainstreetnews.com.
SPLOST continued from 1A
of the $286,976 allocated for purchasing property to expand
parks, to pay existing debt for the purchase of property for
the Daisy Festival relocation project. This will amount to
approximately $140,000.
PENDERGRASS
Pendergrass would get a projected $371,890 in SPLOST
revenue and would use it as follows: $260,133 for construc
tion of a public library; $55,878 for parks and recreation;
and $55,878 for streets, roads and bridges.
City manager Rob Russell said the plans for the parks and
recreation funds include playground equipment, lighting in
the city parks and pavilions. He said the funds for streets,
roads and bridges would be used to restripe center lines,
replace culverts, storm water and drainage work and widen
ing streets.
TALMO
Talmo would get an estimated $377,400 in SPLOST
revenue and would use it as follows: $132,526 for admin
istrative space/library; $113,018 for parks and recreation;
$94,182 for roads, streets and bridges; and $37,672 for
public safety.
“Talmo is building a pavilion adjacent to our city park,”
city clerk Debra Fontaine said. “ It will be part of the city
park which was also built with SPLOST funds. The building
will be 20 X 20 and will be an addition to our picnic area.”
She said plans also call for adding new equipment to the
playground for younger children and adults.
Hoschton city planners propose to change law to allow tattoo studios
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
THE HOSCHTON Planning
Commission recommended on Monday
that tattoo studios be allowed in only a
particular commercial zoning district —
and not in the city’s historic downtown
area.
The move comes after a Flowery
Branch man asked for a business license
in May for a proposed tattoo, piercing
and art sales store at 4188 Ga. Hwy. 53.
In June, Hoschton’s attorney told
Shane Hartson that tattoo parlors are not
a permitted use in the city’s C-2 zoning
business, where the business was pro
posed. Hartson was advised to ask the
council for a zoning ordinance change
that would allow his tattoo business.
That process requires that the city’s
planning commission make a recom
mendation on the zoning change, before
the council takes a vote.
Benjamin Baker, an attorney repre
senting Hartson, submitted a request
that changes the zoning regulations in
Hoschton to allow tattoo parlors as a
conditional use in all commercial zoning
districts in the city.
But, the broad scope of the proposal
didn’t strike well with the five-member
planning commission.
“I don’t understand why we’re talking
about the entire city here,” said plan
ning commission member Paul Turman,
who’s also a former council member. “I
think it’s proper for you to provide the
address for your parlor, which happens
to be in a C-2 zoning classification. So
that way, if this is recommended that it
goes to the city council, we are looking
at your business at this address within
the C-2 classification — it slips right in
with all of the other permitted uses.”
Turman also said he believes the use
should be permitted by right, instead of
requiring a conditional use permit.
Guy Herring, planning director,
explained that other neighboring com
munities handle tattoo parlors differ
ently.
In Jackson and Barrow counties, their
unified development code allows tattoo
parlors by right — without the need of
asking the board of commissioners for a
conditional use permit — in some com
mercial zoning districts.
“It’s a use that they can come in and
ask a business license for, if the property
is zoned one of those commercial dis
tricts, “ Herring said.
Braselton, which recently adopted
an ordinance addressing tattoo parlors,
allows body art businesses by right in
non-residentially-zoned districts.
In Gwinnett County, tattoo parlors are
limited to the C-2 zoning district and
they must receive a conditional use per
mit from the board of commissioners.
The Hoschton Planning Commission
favored that last idea — and added that
tattoo parlors wouldn’t be allowed in the
downtown overlay district.
As proposed, tattoo parlors in
Hoschton would be limited to the C-2
zoning district — except the down
town overlay district — and they would
require a conditional use permit by the
city council.
In Hoschton, the C-2 zoning district
generally includes neighborhood con
venience stores, such as dry cleaners,
offices and restaurants.
In a previous meeting, the city council
said Jackson County doesn’t require that
tattoo parlors receive inspections from
the health department.
Herring said Georgia law says that
counties are required to provide the
health inspections and if they don’t, the
state will conduct the inspections of tat
too parlors.
The Hoschton City Council will dis
cuss the proposed ordinance change dur
ing its work session on Thursday, Sept.
9, at 7 p.m„ and is expected to take a
vote on Monday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m.
OTHER PROPOSALS
Also on Monday, the planning com
mission recommended that the council
approve changes to a zoning ordinance
that would allow firearms dealers in the
city. The proposal would further make
yoga, exercise and physical therapy stu
dios, and flower shops permitted uses.
The issue came to light several months
ago, when a business license was issued
to a gun store on Ga. Hwy. 53. At the
time, a council member decried how the
owners of the gun store were treated by
city officials during the process.
The council later said it didn’t have
a law allowing firearms dealers in
Hoschton and it would have to change
its zoning ordinance.
That ordinance change would allow
firearms dealers in all commercial zon
ing districts in Hoschton, along with the
industrial zoning district. Another gun
shop has been operating in an industrial
ly-zoned area for several years.
The proposal would also allow flower
shops in the C-l zoning district; and
exercise, yoga and physical therapy stu
dios in C-2. Those uses have also been
under way in Hoschton.
“Mostly, these items are not represent
ed anywhere in the zoning ordinance,”
said planning commission member Bob
McNaughton. “So, we’re trying to get
that cleaned up and get a list of these
items added to the ordinance...”
Planning commission Turman further
recommended that the city council adopt
a nationally-recognized code for clas
sifying uses of properties to simplify the
process for non-permitted business uses
in Hoschton. He also suggested that the
decision should lie with the city council.
The Hoschton Planning Commission
also recommended that bed and break
fast establishments be prohibited in the
R-l and R-2 zoning districts. The move,
however, still allows bed and breakfasts
in other areas of the city — such as prop
erties zoned O-R (office-residential).
The issue centers on a bed and break
fast that was proposed in a house on
Peachtree Road in the Deer Creek Farms
subdivision. Neighbors had opposed the
request.
The council approved the request in
July, but set a three-month moratorium
on any new bed and breakfast proposals
in residential areas until it amended its
zoning regulations.
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