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The True Citizen, Wednesday, July 14, 2021 — Page 5
Michael N. Searles
STOP THE STEAL
The phrase “Stop the Steal”
has gained a goodly amount
of attention in the last few
months. It has been the rally
ing cry for those who believe
that former President Trump
had the election stolen from
him and he is the rightful Presi
dent. This position has been
adjudicated from the lowest
to the highest court in the land
all with the same results: The
election was not stolen and
Joe Biden is the duly elected
President of the United States.
While the presidency has
not been stolen, there is a theft
afoot. In the state of Georgia,
the people’s right to fair and
free elections has been stolen.
In an election that has been
reviewed and recounted sev
eral times, Secretary of State
Brad Raffensperger found
that the 2020 election was
conducted fairly and free of
fraud. Raffensperger initially
requested Trump to “quell the
violent rhetoric being born
out of his continued claims of
winning the states where he
obviously lost. This is exactly
the kind of language that is the
base of a growing threat envi
ronment for election workers
who are doing their jobs.” The
Republican Secretary of State
was not rewarded for his thor
ough examination of the elec
tion and forthright declaration
of the fairness, but separated
from his election duties.
In Georgia’s “Election In
tegrity Act of 2021” (formerly
SB202) gave more election
authority to the Republican
controlled state legislature.
Under the Election Integrity
Act, the General Assembly
will select the chair of the state
election board rather than it
being chaired by Secretary of
State Raffensperger. In other
words, the General Assembly
has stolen the duties of the Sec
retary of State and handed them
over to a compliant appointee
to make sure the elections go
the right way. The presump
tion is if the next election is
a close one the state election
board can put its thumb on the
scale and change the results.
Could there be another reason
for removing Secretary of State
Raffensperger, duly elected by
the citizens of Georgia, as head
of the board?
In addition, the state election
board can investigate county
election boards and has the
power to suspend county elec
tion superintendents. This
action has prompted county
election officials to resign or
retire from office. In some
cases, these officials have
served in their capacity, with
out complaint, for twenty years
or more. Our counties are
losing a body of knowledge
and knowhow that cannot be
easily replaced. Finding new
people, some with little or no
experience, to run an election
is a recipe for disaster. This
single act can wreak havoc on
the efficient administration of
the election process.
Skeptical observers might
suggest dismantling county
election boards could invite
problems that prompt the state
election board to intervene.
There is a certain irony that
the law has been labeled the
Election “Integrity” Act. There
seems to be little integrity in
the act or in those who drafted
and voted it into law. There
are many other provisions of
the law that have drawn the
ire of voting rights groups, but
the undermining of an election
stands as the more objection
able feature of the legislation.
The fact that Republican
leaders would engage in this
kind of malfeasance might not
surprise political observers.
What is somewhat surprising
is the lack of outcry on the part
of ordinary Republicans. Some
people in their day-to-day life
spend little time reading or
viewing what the state legisla
ture is doing. Others may feel
that it is just politics and every
party does it. A third group
may agree with the Georgia
lawmakers that winning is ev
erything and nothing else mat
ters. We live in a country that
promotes itself as a democracy
ruled by and with the consent
of the governed. Those who
do not speak up, contact their
legislators, and make public
their disapproval of a given ac
tion give their consent through
silence. By definition, if one
does not object to or stand up
against something that one
does not like or agree with,
then one is complicit in permit
ting it to happen. Let’s stand
up for justice and what is right.
Pamela Poole-Lively Machino
LOCAL GENEALOGY, FAMILIES AND HISTORY
The history of a southern
family, the Livelys.
I have 47 Lively cousins and
we all have land in Shell Bluff,
Georgia.
What happened in history to
create so many Livelys in this
little rural area on Hwy 23?
King George of England,
who loved Georgia because it
was named after him, was frus
trated that few British people
wanted to live in this area.
They would get off the boat in
Savannah or Augusta and stay
close to the safe river towns.
Most of the rural areas of Geor
gia were still undeveloped. The
King was also concerned that
the Spanish, who had taken
over Florida, were building
their military strength in order
to take over Georgia.
So King George and General
Oglethorpe decided they could
kill two birds with one stone if
they recruited Scottish High
landers to come to America to
fight off the Spanish.
He promised them land if
they were successful. He knew
they were brave, strong fighters
and could hold off the natives,
cut down trees, build homes
and live off the land. They
were eager to come to Ameri
ca, wanting religious freedom,
land and a place to hold on to
their traditions.
The 32 Highlanders came to
the St Simons Island area and
took part in the battles of Jen
kins' Ear and Bloody Marsh.
The Scottish, wearing their
kilts, hid in a marshy area and
outfought the Spanish.
Fighting in heavy military
uniforms and helmets, the
Spaniards were no match for
the limber, muscular, young
Scottish warriors.
It was easy for them to hide
in the swamp, jump out and
slit the throats of the Spanish
through the only opening on
their metal garments. Thus
the name “Battle of Bloody
Marsh.”
Now, if you have ever been
to one of our Lively family
gatherings, you have probably
heard my adorable southern
“red-headed, red-neck boy
cousins singing loud, holding
their “red cups”, occasionally
letting out a loud whooping
yell.
Yes sir-ree, it’s ‘dem Scottish
genes cornin’ out!
Okay, back to history. So
someone ran back to the Span
ish headquarters and reported,
“there are thousands of them
and they killed them all!”
Mind you, there were only 32
Highlanders and hundreds of
Spaniards, who soon retreated
back to Spain.
My Great Grandfather (x4)
Abram Lively, who they called
“Abel”, was listed as a ranger
in this battle and we have the
pension records for his in
volvement.
The Highlanders were all
awarded the land that they so
desperately longed for. This is
how the Livelys ended up in
Burke County.
It’s a rule, passed down in
our family, you are never al
lowed to sell any Lively land.
If you must sell, you sell to
another Lively or you will have
to face the scorn of all.
This rule has been tested
and has survived. I know, be
cause my Lively mother called
my Poole father, an “in-law”
because when they were first
married he talked her into sell
ing some of her precious land.
She has never let him live it
down, even after 66 years of
marriage to be continued
next week.
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