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vTHE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL, SATURDAY, JULY 18, 1992
Perry viewpoint
, - r
The Houston Home Journal
OFFICIAL ORGAN, CITY OF PERRY AND HOUSTON
COUNTY, GEORGIA, SINCE 1870
PUBLISHED EACH WEDNESDAY AND SATUROAY MORNING
807 CARROLL ST„ P.O, DRAWER M, PERRY, GA. 31069
TELEPHONE: (912) 987-1823
The Houston Home Journal (USPS 252-780) is published semi weekly for
$lB per year by the Houston Home Journal, Inc., 807 Carroll St., Perry, Ga.
31069. Second Class Postage paid at Perry, Ga. POSTMASTER: Send
address change to The Houston Home Journal, P.O. Drawer M, Perry, Ga.
31069.
ROY H. PARK, President & Chairman of the Board, Park Newspapers
JAMES B. KERCE
Editor & General Manager
BRIGETTE HAMILTON TERESA HAWK
Managing Editor Advertising Manager
J
Clinton and Gore
The choice of Senator Albert Gore of Tennessee as his
running mate was Bill Clinton’s boldest political gamble
in his presidential campaign.
Just two decades ago political experts couldn’t even
faintly imagine the Democratic Party having a ticket with
two southerners on it. For over a hundred years, to bal
ance the ticket, a southerner was considered for the second
spot only. In 1976, when Democrats utilized Jimmy Carter
to carry the South against Gerald Ford (carrying the south
won the election) that was the first time a southerner had
headed a major party ticket in 150 years!
Now two southerners on the ticket-a watershed in U.S.
political history!
It's a bold gamble by Clinton to win back the South,
long a Democratic Party bastion-until the last 30 years.
But at what cost? There’s still prejudice against more
conservative southern Democrats in the northeast and
Midwest. The critical strategy question is whether Clin
ton’s choice will win more electoral votes in the South than
it loses with an unbalanced ticket in the rest of the country.
Senator Gore, even many Republicans, concede, is an
attractive choice, from a prominent public servant family.
His wife is an asset, unlike Hillary Clinton. He’s a Viet
nam veteran. He’s strong on environmental issues. His is
capable of taking over the White House in an emergency
some believe better qualified to be president than Clinton.
Certainly his wife would be a more desirable first lady.
Thus the ticket is strong. The question is whether sec
tional prejudice, an unbalanced ticket geographically, is a
handicap.
Two Georgia Republicans are
pro-life
Dear Editor:
With primary elections coming up, citizens are beginning
to think about the people they want to represent and serve
them at various levels of government.
We tend to cast primary votes in the party we have tradi
tionally supported. Often we cast votes for the people we
know best, or who present the best image. All too rarely do
we simply let the issues dictate who should get out support.
South Georgians hear all the same arguments about bud
get deficits, crime, education and so on, that everyone else
hears. These are important subjects, but, in all honesty, we
generally only get variations on the same themes. Every
body wants less crime, better education and balanced bud
gets.
There is one issue, however, that presents a clear choice,
and it involves a lot more than dollars and cents. It is an is
sue of life and death. Should our society allow the arbitrary
termination of developing babies, or should it not?
Although some politicians try to shade this issue in tones of
gray, it eventually must be decided on the side of pro-life or
pro-death.
There are only two candidates who want to represent this
part of Georgia at the national level who are pro-life. It is
their conviction that abortion-on-demand is wrong, and that
pre-bom babies deserve equal protection under the law.
Neither candidate is "anti-women", and both strongly sup
port equal rights for all citizens. But they are the only ones,
in either party, who have taken a moral position in favor of
life for the pre-bom.
John Knox, a candidate for the U.S. Senate, and Bob
Cunningham, candidate for Georgia's Bth Congressional
District seat, are these men. They are both Republicans
running in contested races. They are both men of high
moral consciences and Christian family values. They also
hold sound positions on the other important issues that face
our society.
It will go against tradition for many voters to ask for a
Republican ballot at the polls. There may be local races that
would normally attract voters to the Democratic ticket. But
there are no pro-life Democrats running for national office
from our area. If voters agree that this issue is of overriding
importance, I urge them to vote in their Republican pri-
Please see LETTERS, page 9A
Perry Scrapbook
On July 15,1976 the Perry County Club completed its six month tournament. Winner of the Low
Net Bracelet Tournament was Jackie Beeland, second from right. Runner-up was Mary Bailey,
second from left. Jackie and Mary tied at the end of the six month period and had a playoff July
11. Winning the ringer tournament for most improved score was Millie Smith, left. Pansy Gordon,
right, had the most improved scores.
STREET TALK Why do you feel it is important to vote?
Jeannie Dupree
“Yes, I think it’s important.
We have to have
someone to run
government offices and
keep it going."
* X
Charles Lamb
“I think it’s our deed and
obligation to support what
we believe."
‘Common sense’ legislation is a hope
"We arc a nation greatly blessed
by Almighty God. No foreign ag
gressor has advanced on our borders
in two centuries. We have enjoyed
an abundance of material posses
sions never experienced in human
history, and we have been the bene
ficiaries of freedoms hardly dreamed
of by other people of the world.
America has truly been a modern
example of the Psalmist's pro
nouncement, 'Blessed is the nation
whose God is the Lord.'
However, the trend in our nation
in recent years has given us cause
for concern that we are moving
rapidly away from the Biblical pre
cepts of financial and moral respon
sibility that brought such favor to
our land.
Our federal government is out of
control, as witnessed by events in
Robert W. Harrison
“It’s important. If you want
your viewpoint to be
expressed through a
candidate, that’s the only
way that would be
possible.”
wy- ; '-:-. XN .-■ w?: ?<■■ :: '
David Mathis
“I think it’s very important.
It’s up to us what happens
to us. If we don’t vote, it’s
a sign we don’t care.”
our nations' capitol, from the
House Post Office scandal to our
current S4OO billion deficit.
After 25 years of Great Society
welfare programs costing in the tril
lions, we have more drug abuse,
family abandonment and destructive
behavior than in all history.
We must change welfare to
workfare now, and encourage an
entire class of our society to be
come productive citizens and leave
the welfare rolls.
Willie Mae Green
“It’s important. I vote
because it’s important for
everybody to vote so their
opinions can qualify.”
WgaW:'
Gretta Long
“I think it’s real important,
Each of us has a duty as
good citizens. It’s a
shame that so many
neglect this duty.”
The Federal government's entan
glement in our Health Care System
has frustrated even further the prob
lems of cost and services. We must
begin now to move health care back
to the private sector which has his
torically provided us with the best
care at the lowest cost.
1 am a strong advocate of
'Common Sense' legislation regard
ing government involvement in the
affairs of the American people. I
will work for less government and
encourage individual and commu
nity responsibility.
All federal legislation should be
evaluated and voted on using the
following criteria:
* Is it Constitutional?
* Is it Necessary?
* Can we Afford it?
Please see SHIPLEY, page 9A
■ The Houston Home ■
Journal
Exercise your
right to vote!
With the presidential elections
coming up as well as several local
elections underway, now more than
ever we need to stress the impor
tance of individual rights we hold as
Americans. Among our rights is
one that is most often overlookcd
the right to vote.
It seems that people have not
exactly given up the right to ex
press their political views, almost
anyone will engage in a political
discussion, but talking seems to be
more important than acting.
Ethnic, minority and women’s
groups complain and rally every day
about the injustices in our society,
and most blame politicians. Still,
several women and members of mi
nority groups are not registered to
vote, or either don’t take the time
to vote.
Instead of complaining, we
should all go out and take steps to
change the things we don’t like.
There is no better way to work for
change within the system than vot
ing.
So, after so many years of vot
ing being a privilege for a select
few, and the struggles of minorities
to right this injustice, why then
don’t more people take the time to
exercise their right to vote.
Well, from my perspective, that
is a fairly easy answer. Who can
you vole for?
It is a common conception that
politicians are dishonest. Therefore,
if you listen to what they say they
will do if elected, it kind of goes in
one car and out the other. The
whole time one’s subconscious is
saying “Yeah, right, I’ll believe it
when I sec it.”
Yes, politicians have turned the
American public against the politi
cal process by originating a lack of
belief in the political process,
which has caused a wave of apathy
that blankets the masses.
Why should a homeless person
register to vote? He’ll probably still
be homeless tomorrow.
Why should a female business
executive register to vote? She’ll
probably still be paid a lower salary
than her male counterpart tomor
row.
Why should the members of a
middle class family register to vote?
Their incomes will still be
butchered by the government to
morrow.
These are just a few examples of
things wrong with society that
politicians promise to change, but
never seem to do.
But, what this homeless person,
female executive and these middle
class family members must realize
is they have contributed to the de
cay of America’s political process
just as much as the politicians. Not
voting is the only way things will
stay the same.
Yes, it is difficult to get past the
pomp and circumstance that has
turned campaigning away from dis
cussing hard issues. But if there is a
candidate who will not tell you spe
cific ideas he/she has, chances are it
is not in your best interest to vote
lor that person. Saying the home
less problem is definitely a problem
is not enough.
And even though I would not
encourage anyone to do this, an
other alternative is to vote against
someone you know you don’t want
to hold a certain political office.
Unfortunately that is the decision 1
have made concerning our presiden
tial election.
Just remember there are people
dying every day in other countries
lor the right we more often than not
ignore.
•On another political note, Ross
Perot is out. The man who took the
political world by surprise just a
lew months ago is now bowing out
of the presidential race.
I don’t know what happened to
ol’ Ross, none of us will probably
ever know the specifics. Could it
have been the politically incorrect
statement made to a NAACP
group? Possibly, but after the sup
port he has received I find it hard to
believe that is the only reason for
this sudden announcement. One
sure sign of his decline came
Wednesday when the rats began
abandoning the ship.
One thing is for sure, Perot cer
tainly shook up our political pro
cess. I think our politicians needed
a wake-up call (some cold water or
Please see HAMILTON, page^rt