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-TWF HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL. SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 26, 1994 4A Perry viewpoint The Houston Home Journal OFFICIAL ORGAN, CITY OF PERRY AND HOUSTON COUNTY, GEORGIA SNCE 1870 PUBLISHED EACH WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY MORNING 807 CARROLL ST., P.O. DRAWER M. PERRY. GA. 31069 TELEPHONE: (912) 987-1823, 987-5203 FAX: (912)988-1181 Th* Houston Horn* Journal (USPS 252-780) is pubfetwd sami weekly for $lB per year by Houston Publications. Inc., 807 Carrol 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. BRK3ETTE LOUDERMILK Managing Editor News stall: Brenda Thompson, Veto Roley. Sports: Bil Overton. Advertßingfcomposing: Mark Samuels, Teresa M. Gaviian, Teresa Shurley. Classified: Melanie Bullington. Bookkeeping: Judy Hubert. Circulation: Donnie Forehand, Denise Russ. Our view Clinton should curb excess profiteering by drug makers The Clinton Administration is right in its effort to curb excess profiteering by many (not all) drug manufacturers. The latest revelation is a report showing many drug companies increased profits in 1993 fifteen times faster than the rate of inflation. (Obviously, they were grabbing as much profit as possible before price action by Congress.) The concern is that many of the drugs, such as Tagamet, the price of which jumped 71 percent in 1993, are often life saving drugs. Because of a law allowing companies which develop a drug to enjoy a monopoly for years, manufacturers put any price they wish on products— unavailable elsewhere. It's too much to expect them to be more concerned about the health of buyers than profits. The manufacturers have mounted a multi-million dollar public relations campaign to persuade Americans controls on prices (or price caps) are undersirable. In a free economy, of course, they're not the first choice. But in some circumstances they can be the lesser of two evils. The drug manufacturers have themselves created such a circumstance. Confress is morally obligated to make possible life saving drugs (cheap in other nations) to critically-ill Americans. That can be done by ending the monopoly on drugs for the manufacturer who develops them (or limiting the monopoly to a year), or by controlling or lowering prices. Americans shouldn’t be forced to pay far more for life saving drugs than Canadians or Mexicans-which is now the case. One can take with many grains of salt the favorite industry claim that they wouldn't develop new drugs if they didn't get monopolies for their sale. There's federal research money available and new drugs are developed in other countries where there's no resulting monopoly. The real battle in Congress today is one between wealthy drug manufacturers and the public interest, supposedly represented by memoers of Congress. Lessons we have learned from the Olympics this year Many of us have been fascinated with the events at Lillehammer this past week and have learned some lessons from the 1994 Winter Olympics. We have been reminded that ex cellence counts. Most of the ath letes have spent years in intensive training. Our Lord encourages us to do whatever we do as unto Him and therefore with all of our skill. We have seen that a worthy goal spurs us on when we grow weary and resentful of the pain. The champions have said "no" to many of the fun things that are a normal part of their friends' lives to con centrate on becoming the best at their sport, die best in the world. What is your goal? Is it big enough? How about working for the glory of God and the good of His creation? We have agonized with those who have lost almost as victims, with off-the-wall things happening to them. Who can forget the down hill racer who stepped out of his ski just out of the gate and banged the snow with his ski poles in total frustration? It reminds us of how little we are in control of our lives. As we approach life rehearsed, prepared, practiced and protected, we are still vulnerable to some fluke that can knock us out of the race. How im portant it is to commit our way to the Lord and know that He is di recting our paths. Jim Shipley J*resbyterian Church pastor We have been warned that vic tory at any price is not real victory, that there are rules and character that elevate a contest from the animal world to the level of humanity. Paul reminds Timothy that, "If anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules” (2 Timothy 2:5). We have thrilled to those stories of hard work and sacrifice in spite of impossible odds to get to the Olympics. It has impressed us again with the fact that anyone from anywhere who harnesses his God-given talent can have a chance. The Bible says, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes should not perish, but have everlasting life* (John 3:16). Everyone can be an Olympic champion in the contest of life with the right goals, the right character, disciplined, hard work and faith in the God Who promises, ’He Who began a good work in you will per fect it until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6). mm i W " fw w 2 *** * 1 J V -4a _ J| * ™K^!v. ’ Per/y Scrapbook Hert> Shrlner, television star and nightclub performer, was a guest in Perry Tuesday night, Feb. 10, 1970. He is shown here eating a stack of pancakes at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church at their annual pancake supper. Holding another big stack of pancakes Is Mrs. Ruth Purser of church. Shrlner starred on the long running and popular TV show Two for the Money". He and his wife were travelling through Perry on their way home In Fort Lauderdale when their camper-home developed trouble. They left the camper at National Motor Coach Cos. here and National's president Ralph Purser invited the Shriners to the church to eat. STREET TALK: Programs to get guns of the street and out of the hands of our nation's youth have been in the spotlight of late. In your opinion, what do you think might be done locally to help curb the possession and use of guns by Perry youth? * Phil Smith “I don't really have an an swer to getting the guns off the street. What I see is that this is a societal problem. In my way of thinking, until we change the young people’s think ing that a gun is the an swer to all our problems, then we will continue to have a problem.” *f * I tl f Capp Gidney "They need to install metal detectors. They need to leave them in the stores. They should make it a law where they can search any teenager on the spot." ****■ ■• fjjff v JM. Jeff McCormick "I think it has to start with education in the schools and home. Kids today don’t really understand what violence is, because on television they see a guy shot down and get back up after a television show. Kids today need to know that guns can kill. They need to be educated on what violence is." Am r* - \■* - / 1 ifvf ... WmZ&iS* A ■ AUk Jjk Mike Gray "1 also think they should ban them all. The only thing they really need them for is police and protection.” * 1 VL 1 ffllSi f J Robert Morris "One thing that needs to be done is more checks on the background of people trying to purchase handguns. Along that line, a good waiting period before you get a gun to give them (sellers) plenty of time to check. Of course, one of the prob lems is if you or I wanted a Saturday night special, we could go get one from a street dealer. But, I think that (the waiting period) would be a start." p Bobby Prather "They should ban them all." M The Houston Home f Journal si .§K M Perry should be 'up in arms' over gun issue October 30,1993: Two teenagers. One gun. One dead. February 10,1994: One adult. One teenager. One gun. One dead. Tell me there isn’t a problem with youth and guns in the peaceful little town of Perry, Georgia? I don’t think you can. With two people killed by teenagers wielding weapons in a four month period, I don’t think anyone can. I, for one, am seeing the warning lights flash ing fast and furious! Let’s just take a moment to re view these two headline makers: •On October 30, 1993, two teenagers—one age 15 and one age 17--were standing out on a balcony in Smith Heights Apartments. Unofficial reports indicated that the two had been arguing, the argument ending when the younger of the two fired one shot from a .38-caliber semi-automatic pistol. The bullet claimed the 17-year-old’s life. •On February 10, a 17-year-old local male was charged with murder just four minutes after he shot and killed a 42-year-old Perry man. Re ports indicated that the two woe ar guing over a jacket when the teen took out a .38 caliber pistol and fired one shot, striking the older gentleman in the left side, just be low the armpit. The gun that was used is being checked with the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearm Bureau to determine if it was used in either of two other shootings that have occurred in Perry in recent days-one reportedly being a drive by shooting at the comer of Courtney Hodges Boule vard and W.F. Ragin Drive which resulted in injury to a 28-year-old local man. And, what about the local teenager who was arrested on Jan uary 14 and charged with carrying a deadly weapon at a public gathering and obstruction of an officer after a disturbance broke out inside the Perry McDonald’s Restaurant. If police had not been called promptly by employees, who’s to say what would have happened. Yes, folks, there is a problem in Perry. And, I personally, would like to see something done about it Now, let me pause for a moment to applaud our local and area law enforcement for efforts they are making. We have been told more than once that they have always been quick to respond to reports and we know that they are now getting anew educational program on violence and guns off the ground. The program will be aimed at reaching school students. For that, they deserve some ma jor kudos. But, what scares me most is those incidents that perhaps they never hear about. I know few people that can fix a problem they know nothing about. At this point, let me preface my following comments by saying that none of this is “official”-”official" simply meaning that it is not a matter of record. But having heard it from some very reputable sources who are in places that should know, I can’t help but wonder. What I’ve heard is that perhaps there are a number of students, par ticularly in the local high schools, that are armed when they walk through the doors of the schools. In fact, some students have been heard on repeated occasions to remark that, at any one time, such as dur ing a hall change, a random check would reveal several students with handguns in their possession. My question is why isn’t some one checking? As far as I’m concerned, this should be a legal issue. Until you get tough with those who are carry ing the weapons around, it’s not going to get better. And. It is only a matter of time before something tragic happens that will have the whole community, pardon the pun, “up in arms.” What’s it going to take? More teenagers? More guns? More dead? I hope not. Brenda Thompson Staff writer