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The True Citizen, Wednesday, April 20, 2022 — Page 5
Michael N. Searles
THE ABANDONMENT OF REASON
Reason is the capacity of
consciously applying logic by
drawing conclusions from new
or existing information, with
the aim of seeking the truth.
For many folks the phrase
“common sense” speaks plainly
as sound and prudent judgment
based on a simple perception of
the situation or facts.
We live our lives for the
most part as reasonable think
ing creatures doing what satis
fies us and society. Flowever,
it seems to take only a little
encouragement to fall off the
wagon down a deep rabbit hole.
In a 50 state survey con
ducted by the Washington-
based Public Religion Research
Institute (PRRI), it was found
that 15% or roughly 31 mil
lion Americans believe that
the government, media, and
financial worlds in the U.S. are
controlled by a group of Satan-
worshipping pedophiles who
run a global child sex traffick
ing operation. Another 5% or
11 million people believe that a
storm is coming soon that will
sweep way the elites in power
and restore the rightful leaders.
This is the world we inhabit
with a significant number of
Americans. Voltaire, a French
Enlightenment writer, histo
rian, and philosopher known
for his advocacy of freedom
of speech, freedom of religion,
and separation of church and
state once said, “If we believe
absurdities, we shall commit
atrocities.” Believing the un
believable can lead us to dark
places. We do not need to be
conspiracy advocates to hold
beliefs that lead us to have a
dysfunctional government.
In Georgia in an average
year, 1,543 people die by guns
with a rate of 14.8 deaths per
100,000 people. Georgia has
the 17th highest rate of gun
deaths in the United States
with 57 % of those deaths being
suicides and 40% homicides.
A Georgia citizen 21 years of
age (or 18 if a member of the
military) who legally wishes to
carry a concealed gun now will
be able to do so without any
requirements. The recently
passed Constitutional Carry
bill by the Georgia legislature
and signed by Governor Kemp
has become the law in Georgia.
Some believe a fully armed
citizenry will make us a saf
er society; however, most
law enforcement associations
strongly disagree. If that were
the case, police officers who
are armed rarely would be shot
and killed in the line of duty. A
person armed with a weapon
creates fear on the part of other
citizens and potentially en
dangers himself. How is a law
enforcement officer to know if
the person with a weapon is a
friend or foe?
There are instances where
shoppers have left a store when
an average citizen was ob
served wearing a weapon. We
all know individuals whose
temperament, mental condi
tion, and tendencies towards
violence make them poor can
didates for owning or carrying
a gun. There are reasons that
laws requiring licenses to carry
a gun were enacted in the first
place. A personally armed
society will only lead to more
senseless deaths.
Recently, six people were
killed and 12 wounded as
multiple shooters opened fire
in downtown Sacramento,
California. Police Chief Kath
erine Lester was shocked and
heartbroken by the tragedy but
promised to secure justice for
the victims and their families.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom
said, "What we do know at
this point is that another mass
casualty shooting has occurred,
leaving families with lost loved
ones, multiple individuals in
jured and a community in
grief.” Last year, Savannah’s
Police Chief Roy Minter ex
pressed a similar
message when
eight people in ocHm-co,
his city were shot 8
Ronda Rich
WHY DON'T KIDS RIDE THE SCHOOL BUS ANYMORE?
In a town of 7,500,1 found
myself in a long line of traf
fic that would not budge. In
either lane.Finally, I eased
into the old Tastee Freeze lot,
pulled my sewing machine
from the back seat, and walked
it across the road to The Com
mon Thread where I was drop
ping it for repair.
“What’s going on??” I ex
claimed.
“School pick-up line.”
I stared at the jam of a hun
dred or more cars. “Doesn’t
anyone ride the school bus
anymore?”
Riding the school bus for
10 years was one of the most
meaningful experiences of my
life. On the first day of first
grade, I begged Mama to let me
take the bus instead of riding
with her when she went to reg
ister me. Daily, since a toddler,
I sat on the front steps to watch
it pass our house and dreamed
of those big doors swooshing
open for me.
Oh, the lessons I learned
from that gentle yellow bus —
such as the discipline of being
ready and on time. The school
bus waited for no one. There
was no cajoling, threatening,
or begging by Mama. I knew
to be ready and waiting when
it turned off the highway and
headed down our road.
Only once in 10 years did I
miss the bus. It was a minute
early, I was a minute late. My
hand was on the front door
knob when I heard it slow as
the driver glanced around for
reliable me. My heart fell as
I watched its tail lights head
over the bridge. I had missed
the bus.
Literally and figuratively, I
would never do that again.
A friendship from those
school bus days instilled con
fidence. Vicki, two years older
and one of the most popular
girls in the entire school, saved
me a seat beside her every
morning and afternoon. Some
times she wore her cheerlead
ing suit and that made me feel
even more special.
The school bus introduced
me to the seasons that come
and go. In the gentle Spring,
birds serenaded me as I waited
at the mailbox while the Au
tumn brought a colorful array
of oranges, yellows and reds
to entertain me. It became
my favorite season and those
became the colors I wear and
with which I decorate.
The bitter cold Appalachian
mornings left me shivering
miserably while the rain storms
forced me to shelter under the
front porch, then run, books
clutched tightly in my arms,
as hard as I could when I saw
the headlights turn the corner.
Later, I realized that it was
a metaphor for life: storms
would rage occasionally, birds
would rejoice at times, and
there were be days of sheer
beauty.
My brother-in-law, Rodney,
drove a school bus. Every af
ternoon, his small son waited
excitedly in front of the house
for Rodney to return from his
route. Rodney would stop,
open the doors and welcome
his most cherished passenger
to ride the 20 yards to the bus’s
parking place. What a memory.
One of Rodney’s colleagues
had a nine-year-old passen
ger who was typical boyish
trouble. The first child on in
the morning, the last off in the
afternoon, Jimmy spent every
ride in a haze of flying fists and
bloody noses. No amount of
disciplining or trips to the prin
cipal’s office could deter him.
In the midst of one fierce
back-of-the bus battles, the
driver pulled over to the side
of the road.
“Jimmy, come
here!” he bellowed.
The little boy, head
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