Newspaper Page Text
Page 4 — Wednesday, October 13, 2010, TheTrue Citizen
c
d inio ns
★ ★★ * ★ ★
The Pledge Of Allegiance
I pledge allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America
and to the Republic for which
jit stands, one Nation under
God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
★ -A'’*’*- Ir* ★ ★ ★ ★
Conservatives vote for
disaster with eyes wide open
By Jim Fitzgerald
When Georgia Republicans go to the polls during
this election season, they cannot complain that they
are holding their noses and voting. Holding ones
nose and voting is the standard line to suggest that
you are not happy with a candidate but are voting
for them anyway. In the case of Nathan Deal, a vote
reflects leaving ones principles, rhetoric, and be
liefs at the door. It is not just holding ones nose, it is
violating very basic, newly spawned, conservative
principles.
Nathan deal is a career politician who started feed
ing from the taxpayer trough about 30 years ago.
He represents the antithesis of everything the Tea
Party and fiscal conservatives say they believe must
change. They complain we need new blood to
straighten out the corrupt dealings in government.
But they are going to vote for Deal who was voted
one of 15 most corrupt members of Congress by a
nonpartisan group. They are going to vote for Deal
who resigned from Congress just before being sum
moned before the Ethics Committee for financial
irregularities. His early resignation to escape a Con
gressional probe costs his district over $200,000 for
a “special” election only months before the actual
primary.
Fiscal conservatives are saying they want fiscally
responsible people in government. That rhetoric will
not stop them from voting for Deal even though Deal
served during the Bush II administration and voted
a straight party ticket. In other words, he is as guilty
as Bush for the financial excesses that swept our
financial system and propelled us into a deep, dark
depression. Deal is every bit as responsible as Bush
for the massive increase in federal debt during the
last decade. Deal has been a very big “pork” dealer
during his time in office, bringing home tons of ba
con. But fiscal conservatives are going to “forgive”
this egregious violation of their principles, suggest
ing that their “principles” are little more than hol
low words meant to fire up the uninformed masses.
Either you believe what you say and act on it or you
mouth the words and pretend to turn a blind eye. In
this case, conservatives will vote for a man that rep
resents everything they say they vehemently oppose
- and will do so with their eyes wide open.
Their “forgiveness” will have to cut a broad swath
through their alleged political beliefs. Deal’s fi
nances are an absolute mess. And I mean an abso
lute mess. Would you co-sign away your entire fi
nancial worth for a son-in-law who had previously
bankrupted? Whatever happened to conservative
tough love? Does caring for your children mean that
you hock everything you have for them, especially
when they have a history of financial irresponsibil
ity? That really sounds more like codependency than
love. It sounds more like poor financial judgment
than love. I seriously doubt that most fiscal conser
vatives would have hocked their financial futures
on a risky business proposition just so their child
could make a living. I think most fiscal conserva
tives are smarter than that. However, they lose their
right to complain about government financial mis
management when they willingly vote for a candi
date who has aptly demonstrated his inability to
make sound financial decisions - both within and
outside government.
Finally, conservatives must ask themselves how a
career politician can be so challenged by financial
disclosure forms. How an alleged fiscal conserva
tive cannot figure out his net worth, especially after
three attempts. How a Deal supporter can refigure
Deal’s finances and finds millions of dollars of as
sets Deal was unaware of. Georgia’s finances are in
rotten shape right now. Maybe conservatives figure
Deal will hire that accountant and he can find bil
lions of assets the state is unaware of. In any case,
fiscal conservatives are voting with their eyes wide
open and their principles tucked into their back
pocket out of sight.
(Du' (True (Etftzm
P.O. Box 948 • 547 E. 6th Street
Waynesboro, Georgia 30830
Telephone: (706) 554-2111 • Fax: (706) 554-2437
Published every Wednesday by The True Citizen, Inc. Periodical Post
age Paid at Waynesboro, Georgia (USPS 642-300)
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The True Citizen, P.O.
Box 948, Waynesboro, GA 30830.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
$1 per single copy at locations all over Burke County. By mail: In Burke
County, 6 months, $17.90, 1 year, $28.10, 2 years, $48.20; In area
(contiguous counties), 6 months, $21.80, 1 year, $35; out of the area, 1
year, $44.30; outside of Georgia, 6 months, $30.00, 1 year, $55. Student
rate: 9 months in state: $25., outside of Georgia, $30; One-year online
subscription, $20. All prices include state and local tax.
, IT LOOKS LIKE
WHATsmT ASWWDRE.
DoWH TRERE? \
GEE,RE£Hc5rAFFWT0
STAtlC’ e&\lHDTRE NCVl WWvteWD
fbUTlCAL COMMENTS REt»1i\AT?
RE/WES! j
Looking Back
10 years ago: Oct. 11, 2000
The First Union Bank in Waynesboro was purchased by Capi
tal City Bank Group, Inc., based in Tallahassee. Florida.
The Medical College of Georgia announced plans to build a
new family health center in Keysville. On hand for the announce
ment at Come Home to Keysville Day were Lt. Governor Mark
Taylor and Commissioner of Labor Michael Thurmond.
Christopher Jenkins of Waynesboro won first place in Augusta’s
4.3 mile “River Run” for the 15-19 age group.
25 years ago: Oct. 10,1985
Frankie Parker was recognized for his service as the first Chief
Deputy of the Burke County Mounted Sheriff’s Posse.
A print of John Trumbull’s "Signing of the Declaration of
Independence,’’ was donated to the Burke County Museum by
the Edmund Burke Chapter of the Daughters of the American
Revolution.
The local Hardee’s restaurant introduced the chain’s new quar
ter-pound hamburger.
50 years ago: Oct. 13,1960
Don Lively
Edenfield Gas Company, owned by Wendell Edenfield, opened
for business at 624 Liberty Street.
New York businessman and owner of Di-Lane Plantation Henry
Berol was named president of the Georgia Field Trial Associa
tion.
He succeeded John W. Walker of Waynesboro.
An estimated 5,000 people attended the first Burke County
Rodeo, held at Windy Hill Ranch.
Parker Auto Sales announced the arrival of the new 1961 Ram
blers from American Motors. The deluxe 2-door sedan sold for
$1,845.
75 years ago: October 11,1935
Local officials declared a holiday to honor the visit to Georgia
by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Several local residents were
expected to be on hand for F.D.R.’s Atlanta speech.
State Senator John J. Jones blamed Governor Eugene Talmadge
for the General Assembly’s failure to pass an appropriation bill
in the last legislative session.
“The Gay Deception” starring Francis Lederer was playing at
the Grand Theatre.
THE HANG OUT
Apparently, football practice sessions are much different now
than they were during those long ago autumn days of my youth.
I learned recently that some of the area high
school teams practice in shorts and tees most
days and only dress out in full pads once a
week.
I’m not one of those turgid old codgers who
likes to compare my time against the modern
ways. In fact, if it’s true that full contact prac
tice only happens once a week, I’m retroac
tively envious.
Back then, our season started with a week
of camp where we practiced twice a day, two or three hours each
practice, most of it in full uniform. When camp broke and we
returned home the sessions were full-bore every day except Thurs
days before game nights.
Oklahoma drills. Grass drills. Dummy and sled work.
And, my personal favorite, the meat board.
I call it my favorite with extreme sarcasm cause the truth is, I
despised it and I suspect most of my teammates did too.
The meat board drill was done over a ten foot long 2x8
inch board. Meathead number one would be on one end, meathead
number two on the other. The object was to ran headlong and
full speed into the opposing player, keeping the board between
your feet, then dogfight until one was knocked off the board. If
either player stepped on the board during the struggle the drill
started over.
The meat board was a tradition that I’m sure nobody who ever
participated in feels any wistfulness for.
But it was just one part of the grueling exercises that were
typical of our afternoon routines.
Practice was so tough that we used the Friday night games to
rest up for the next Monday.
We also had a reward most game nights, win or lose.
The after the game dances.
Back then most small communities offered weekend activities
for the kids. The one in our little Southern city was called Teen
Town but it also had another nickname.
The Foxhole.
It was run by the DJ at our local radio station, Earl. He was a
really cool guy who related well to the teenagers. He organized
the gatherings and spun the records.
By our high school years most of us had gotten over our fear
of looking silly dancing with girls even though many of us were
still scared of the girls themselves. Or at least intimidated. But
we conquered the nerves long enough to cross the floor every
now and then to ask a girl on the other side to dance. Most of the
time they would say yes and even when they refused one of their
friends would take pity and accompany us onto the hardwood.
I always seemed to do better if I had a black eye or a split lip
from the game. The sympathy factor.
Other things happened at Teen Town beside dancing.
One night we had beaten a team from a nearby town and some
of their hoodlum element, non players, paid our dance a visit
and called out our star halfback. They sent a messenger to tell
him to meet them at the lake.
He responded with one of the best quotes of all time.
“They know where I am and there ain’t no fence around my
@#&.”
They left without a fight.
Another night somebody (I always suspected my friend
Wheatie) flushed a cherry bomb down the toilet in the boys room.
What a mess.
Another plumbing incident occurred a different night when I
knocked the sink off the wall in the same bathroom. The rumor
was that I ripped it down with my bare hands because I was upset
that we’d lost a close game, 48 to 6. I didn’t try to dispute the
gossip. I was digging the temporary bad boy image.
But, here’s what really happened.
I was combing my hair. The mirror was five feet up. I was
6’4” tall and big boned. I had to bend down and when I leaned
on the sink it fell off the wall.
That’s the truth.
Honest.
A lot of water has passed under many bridges since that time.
The Foxhole is a thing of the past.
I get nostalgic when I drive by the VFW hall where Earl staged
the parties.
But some things haven’t changed.
I still love high school football, still hate the meat board.
I still like to dance and still look silly when I do.
I still think it was Wheatie who blew the commode to king
dom come but it could have been Ray.
And I’m still scared of girls.
Or at least intimidated.
Don Lively is a retired police officer and freelance writer He
lives in Shell Bluff. Email Don at Livelvcolo @ aol.com
We welcome your letters
Letters to the editor of The True Citizen are welcomed and
encouraged. These are pages of opinion, yours and ours.
Letters to the editor voice the opinions of the newspaper’s read
ers. The True Citizen reserves the right to edit any and all por
tions of a letter.
Unsigned letters will not be published. Letters must include
the signature, address and phone number of the writer to allow
our staff to authenticate its origin. Letters should be limited to
400 words and should be typewritten and double-spaced or neatly
printed by hand. Deadline for letters to the editor is Tuesday at 9
a.m.
Email Letters to the Editor to: lisaj@thetraecitizen.com.