Newspaper Page Text
January 21, 2009
On the outside looking in
Is Obama my
president or
the president?
W hen John Fitzgerald Kennedy
was sworn in as the 35th presi
dent, the headlines and televi
sion lead stories were “First
Catholic President Sworn In.”
Well, the headlines and television lead stories
have made us all aware that history has been
made again with the swearing in of Barack
Hussein Obama as the first African-American
the 43rd president.
There was a lot of trepidation about
President Kennedy being a Catholic. The con
cern was he was going to
make Catholicism the
national religion and we
were all going to be
required to attend Mass
and say a bunch of Hail
Marys. President Kennedy
was referred to without
much respect as “The
President”
Kennedy had to prove
himself and he did it
with rejuvenation that
made us all proud
enough to honor him
with that endearing
phrase “My President.” We became proud.
Now, it is time for us to be proud again and
refer to Barack Obama as “My President”. We
have come a long way since Kennedy’s time
with several former presidents just being
called “The President”. The title was not neces
sarily used out of respect.
What brought this up was a conversation I
had with a very dear friend who is an African-
American. We have previously discussed poli
tics and I have respected his view as he has
respected mine without being opinionated. “You
know,” he commented, “there is a pride I have
now that we have an African/American presi
dent. Obama would not have been elected sole
ly on the African/American vote and it showed
a non-racist attitude on behalf of the whites
who felt it was time. Actually, race had nothing
to do with it. Obama was the most qualified
and a majority of voters agreed.”
I asked my friend this question: Do you think
white Americans voted for Obama as an apolo
gy for past anti-black/African/American injus
tices of their forefathers. My friend’s reply was
an adamant “Obama was the most qualified to
lead us through the financial boondoggle we
are in. We all have put a lot of faith in him”
If we are going to get out the financial mess
that has been wrought upon us we have to
have trust, faith and involvement in our gov
ernment and we have to have a “My President”
at least for the time being. We can refer to him
as The President if he fails.
YES, the inauguration was a celebration with
the pageantry that was equal to if not above
the celebration and pageantry associated with
coronations and royalty of England and other
European countries.
Just maybe we needed the royalty and
pageantry of the inauguration to take our
minds off the financial crisis we are facing and
in. Maybe it was a good escape mechanism to
sit in front of the television or even travel up to
Washington to participate to get us out from
under the dark cloud, the doldrums and blahs.
Even one day without news of lay-offs, bank
ruptcies, foreclosures, job losses, plant closings,
unemployment rising, bank failures and other
gloomy news was a relief. But, today is another
day. Let’s relish what just happened.
I HONESTLY don’t remember the year
Georgia Power announced they were going to
build a power generating plant here in Monroe
County. The rumors were fast and furious at
the time that it was going to be a nuclear
plant.
You know, I wish it had been a nuclear plant.
If so, we wouldn’t be worrying about ash ponds
and the plant being one of the worst air pol
luters in the country. The power giant has
assured us the ash pond is more than safe and
they are working to do something about the
pollution.
JUST IN CASE you are not aware, the
Georgia General Assembly is in session for the
next 40-days minus the couple of days they
“worked” last week. The news coming out from
under the Gold Dome is not pretty. Our
Governor, Senators and Representatives are
facing what a lot of us are facing: ain’t got no
money to spend on frivolous projects much less
on projects that have to be done and are going
to have to be really scaled back.
Some good news about the state budget is
that Department of Corrections facility on the
Tift Campus—at this point—seems safe from
the scalpel.
WOW, how times change: the first couple to
be shown in bed together on prime time televi
sion was Fred and Wilma Flintstone.
Donald Jackson Daniel is the founder and for
mer publisher of The Reporter. He can be con
tacted at tullaybear@bellsouth.net.
^Reporter
PAGE 5A
Around the Bend
Less ’necks and more singing
A'
re you ready? There are only a
few more weeks until the digital
age kicks in and the old rabbit
ear TV antenna will be obsolete.
On Feb. 17, by government
rule, television shows will
have to be broadcast via dig
ital signal. I guess that
means that the formerly reli
able coat hanger won't work
either. That's OK, I haven't
had to resort to that tactic
since 1989 when we
finally got cable.
DirecTV assures me
I have nothing to
worry about with the new transition to
digital. They have been running ads for
over a year saying they are already on
the cutting edge and have been trans
mitting in digital for quite some time.
That's good. One less thing to worry
about, I suppose.
But, what I am wondering is when
are they going to do something to
improve the content of all these digital
ly enhanced television shows? Ever
since cable began expanding, offering
special channels devoted to everything
from great recipes to how to catch a
catfish with your bare hands to the
best place to stay in Zimbabwe to shop
ping for jewelry at 5 a.m., the pool of
good television shows has been
running dry. I guess with so
many channels to fill, anyone
and everyone can do a TV show
now.
Back when we had to bend the
coat hanger a certain way to
pick up the Carol Burnett Show
on Saturday nights, there were
only three channels. Yet, I
was always watching TV
fj as a child. There was
always something good on,
as I remember. But, now. . . there are
exactly 297 channels on my satellite
system. I have been sick and have
spent a lot of time in front of the set
lately. I actually counted them in a fit
of boredom Friday. Yet I still find
myself scanning the guide incessantly
for something good to watch.
OK, I admit, my standards are low. I
am a TV junkie and I will watch even
the most sub-standard reality shows
given the opportunity. But, over the
last few weeks of sickness, I have
learned one thing for sure . . . there
ain't nothing worth a hoot on TV any
more. I actually resorted to watching
“Redneck Weddings” Saturday night. If
you haven’t seen it. . . don’t even ask.
That is the worst show ever. No wonder
people from other parts of the country
think we’re all a bunch of idiots here in
the south.
There was one bright moment in tele
vision last week. American Idol's new
season premiered. I hate the audition
part, with each potential contestant
trying to out-weird the other ones. Not
to mention the “bikini girl.” But, I still
love “American Idol.”
It may have been the cold medicine,
but I was actually moved to tears twice
during Wednesday night’s show. I found
myself rooting for the guy whose wife
died four weeks prior. He kinda looks
like Robert Downey Jr. and he can sing
pretty well. I hope he does well.
Unfortunately, “American Idol” only
comes on twice a week. . . unlike the
redneck wedding show. . . which is on
at least 47 times a day. Yeehaw!
Email Gina at news@mymcr.net.
Guest Column
Let state fund trauma centers
I was a surgeon in
Macon for several
years. It was my privi
lege to have been one
of the original mem
bers of the trauma service
when the Medical Center
first established it in the
early 90’s. Over the
years I saw and
cared for many
injured people from
babies to grandpar
ents. There are a
few trauma victims
that I will never for
get. I remember:
• the 3 small boys
whose throats were
slashed by their
father because he
was mad at their
mother;
• the young woman
beaten with a crow
bar and then run over
by her jealous boyfriend, she
broke both arms both thighs
and her pelvis;
• the 16 year old girl who
was in a bad car wreck and
came in on two ambulances
- she was in one and her leg
from the mid thigh down
was in the other;
• the young mother who
was shot 9 times by her hus
band in front of their small
children;
• the man who tried to cut
his own head off with a
chain saw;
• the 7 year old girl who
was shot while trick or
treating and blew apart the
blood vessels leading to her
liver;
• the twins who were shot
in the head by a jealous hus
band of one of them
• the man who opened a
package bomb at Christmas
and blew his hands off;
• the electrical worker who
severely burned both arms
to the point they were both
amputated above the elbow;
• the baby burned badly
when his mother stuck him
in a tub of hot water to
teach him a
lesson;
• and I
remember all of
the heartbreak
ing talks with
families which
became too
common and
increasingly
difficult for me
to do.
What I
learned was
that life can
end or change dra
matically in a
matter of minutes
and we should not
take anything for granted.
Sometimes we forget how
lucky we are. I also learned
that good trauma care was
the only chance most of
these people had to survive
or to limit the disabilities
they will suffer. Part of the
success is getting those
badly injured to an appro
priate facility as soon as
possible.
Sometimes it is not possi
ble or safe to transport them
directly to a trauma center
as they are too badly injured
and need to be stabilized
first at the nearest hospital.
Thus small hospitals are an
important part of the system
as are the large trauma cen
ters.
But, Georgia has no organ
ized trauma system. People
are transported haphazardly
without much rhyme or rea
son. There is no system,
there is no organization and
some people are taken to
inappropriate places and
others are brought to the
trauma center when it was
not necessary.
The Institute of Medicine
has recommended the estab
lishment of coordinated
regionalized emergency sys
tem. When hospitals and
EMS services fully integrate
their communications and
activities patient services
can be delivered seamlessly.
It can reduce the time from
injury to arrival at the most
appropriate center. Further,
coordination in the form of
an inclusive trauma system
in which almost all acute
care hospitals participate to
the extent their resources
allow, results in a better
chance of survival for those
injured. Regionalization
allows early responders to
identify the provider best
suited to meet the needs of a
particular patient and direct
them to that care.
The move to establish a
statewide trauma system in
Georgia began 30 years ago.
In 2006 the State
Legislature began a study of
the infrastructure and fund
ing mechanisms needed.
The keys are establishing an
integrated trauma infra
structure throughout the
state and easing the finan
cial burden on the hospitals,
physicians, and EMS
providers who deliver an
estimated $250 million of
trauma care a year but are
not paid for their services.
Those losses discourage hos
pitals from adding trauma
centers and pressures par
ticipating hospitals to close
their trauma centers.
Now it’s about time to save
lives. It’s about time that
Georgia had a statewide
trauma system. It’s about
time for action that will
ensure that trauma care will
be available for our families
our neighbors and us. It’s
about time you got involved.
Go to
www. Georgialts AboutTime. c
om to learn more, sign the
e-petition, join the coalition,
find a trauma leader in your
area and find volunteer
opportunities.
I call upon the Monroe
County commissioners, the
Forsyth city council and the
Monroe County Hospital
Authority to send a joint
resolution to the State
Capitol asking the
Legislature to allocate and
provide funding to protect
the citizens of Monroe
County and all of Georgia.
By the way, of the patients
I told you about at the
beginning of this article, all
of them survived but one,
the 7 year old trick or
treater. She died on the
operating table, still with
part of her costume on and
despite the efforts of every
one in the operating room
that night. I will not forget
the weeping from the OR
nurses. Nor will I forget the
absolute look of devastation
on her mother’s face when I
had the task of telling her
that her little girl had died.
It is the duty of the most
senior surgeon to have these
conversations and it is a
duty I do not miss.
Dr. John Rogers is the
emergency room director for
Monroe County Hospital.
By Dr. John
Rogers
New
continued from page 2A
and be an asset to the
Chamber Team.”
Manus-Pennings lives in
Macon with her husband,
Kevin, who works for the
Mercer University Press. A
native of Texas, she received
her undergraduate degree
from Howard Payne
University and a master’s
degree from Baylor. After
graduating, she moved to
Georgia in 2001 and eventu
ally landed a job as a
temp/consultant at the
chamber of commerce. “I
helped with the Hometown
Holiday Parade and fell in
love with the town,” Manus-
Pennings said. When
Andrews learned that
Walter was leaving, she
asked Manus-Pennings if
she would like to be the
tourism and public relations
director. Manus-Pennings
said she jumped at the
opportunity and has been
enjoying her new role at the
chamber. “The goal of public
relations is to make whoever
you’re working for look
great,” she said. “I don’t
want any credit. I want
them to get the credit and
glory. My responsibility is to
make that happen.”
Manus-Pennings said she
has been busy planning for
the Forsythia Festival and
leafing through vendor
applications. Of course, as
tourism and public relations
director, much of her time at
the chamber involves meet
ing with people and telling
them about Monroe County.
When she’s not working at
the chamber, Manus-
Pennings said she loves to
watch movies and be cre
ative. She and her husband
both have publishing back
grounds and she is a chil
dren’s author. Manus-
Pennings has also had her
work published in maga
zines and enjoys making
homemade cards. Aside from
writing, she said she enjoys
singing and playing the
flute.
Manus-Pennings is still
settling into her role as
tourism and public relations
director, but said she looks
forward to working with
Forsyth residents and help
ing the community grow. “I
want to help Forsyth become
a place where people are
excited to come and hope
that it thrives as a commu
nity. I want people to know
its history,” Manus-Pennings
said. “I want to see it primed
for becoming a great place
for people to feel like they’re
at home. I look forward to
getting to meet people and
help them make their busi
ness something the commu
nity knows.”
Andrews said Walter did a
great job and she hopes she
will return in the future.
“The staff and board were
saddened by Beverly’s
departure, but are excited
for her as she enters a new
season of life as an expect
ing mother,” Andrews said.
“Beverly took the Tourism
Department to a new level.
She was responsible for get
ting the 2008 Hometown
Holiday Parade and the
2009 Forsythia Festival des
ignated as Top 20 Events by
the Southeast Tourism
Society. Additionally, she
was instrumental in seeing
that the new Welcome
Center received the 2008
Governor’s Award for
Product Development. These
are just a few of her accom
plishments and we hope an
opportunity will arise in the
future where we will be able
to work together again.”