Newspaper Page Text
November 16, 2016
PAGE 5A
Outside Looking In...
Give them a
one-way ticket
By DON DANIEL
tullaybear@bellsouth. net
ere’s an idea for President-elect Trump: Many
celebrities and so-called politicians have pub
licly stated if Donald Trump was elected they
would move out of the USA to some foreign
country, Canada being the favorite. According
to news reports, Canada’s immigration website crashed dur
ing the election last week when it became obvious Trump
was going to be the winner.
Well, President-elect Trump should
either offer his personal plane or Air
Force One to haul those "democracy
haters” to wherever they want to
escape. Instead of hauling them off,
let the Air Force provide them with a
parachute and just fly over the country
they prefer and push them out!
Included in the “move out” list are
some who they think they are
famous and celebrities including
Cher, Miley Cyrus, Jon Stewart, A1
Sharpton, Samuel Jackson, Raven
Symone, George Lopez, Bryan
Cranston, Lena Durham, Barbara
Streisand, Ne-Yo, Amy Schumer,
Chelsea Handler, Whoopi Goldberg, Keegan Michael Key
and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Just don’t understand how A1 Sharpton could leave this
country owing the IRS millions of dollars and living rather
wealthy on not paying his taxes. Maybe the IRS should
forgive his taxes if he gives up his passport and signs a docu
ment saying he will never return to the USA.
OOPS. Pollsters, some very famous, are scratching their
heads in wonderment as to how and why their polls were
so wrong by picking Hillary Clinton as the president-elect.
Even the television “news readers” and biased commenta
tors were aghast at how many of us "deplorables” showed
up to vote, which has resulted in their credibility being
sorely questioned as journalists.
OOPS again! Forsyth city councilman Dexter King did
attend the train festival but did not attend pre-festival party
on Friday night and did not RSVP. Forsyth City Manager
Janice Hall was “under the weather” and didn’t make either
event.
THE CORRECT answer to the question goes to Dena
Wheeler with the best estimate of 70 percent of the regis
tered turned out last Tuesday to help elect Donald Trump
as president-elect. Over 12,000 showed up at the polls in
Monroe County. She gets a certificate for a dozen Dunkin
Donuts, Jonah’s cookie, Main Street Forsyth t-shirt. Dairy
Queen Blizzard, Lucky Cafe (2) egg rolls and a Whistle Stop
fried green tomato appetizer.
Here’s the question for this week: Who is Mary Persons
playing this Friday night in another quest for a state title?
First correct answer after 12 noon on Thursday gets the
certificate.
THE CITY of Forsyth obviously has a problem with
wasps, purchasing $99.98 worth of wasp spray. Guess the
expenditure for laminated fans in the amount of $62.50
didn’t fan the wasps off.
The city’s Better Hometown fed some economic developers
with food from Jonah’s On Johnston—$174— and another
$214 food tab to Bluetick Mercantile for a ‘Meet, N’ Greet!’.
Guess those who were fed enjoyed greeting each other.
Here’s an expenditure "mystery”: Forsyth taxpayer expen
diture: $28,133.81 to the U.S. Department of Energy. Guess
they are purchasing energy from the U.S. government?
From the amount the city pays for health insurance,
$88,942.05, city employees including city council members
won’t qualify nor need to have to apply for Obama’s health
care.
As you are aware, the county has a whopping monthly
legal bill from their county attorney, silk stocking Atlanta
law firm (county line) and Forsyth had a legal/professional
bill in the amount of $6,684 for a taxpayer-paid bill.
THERE was a time when the badge, called a "shield” in
law enforcement lingo, was respected simply because those
who wore the badge were sworn to protect us and enforce
the laws written to protect us.
Now, our law enforcement officers have to wear a vest to
protect themselves and their badge from “elements” in our
society who have no respect for laws or individuals.
JUST in case you missed this, thanks to the ground work
of former Main Street Director Loraine Khoury, the Georgia
Council for the Arts has awarded Forsyth Main Street a
grant for the painting of a train mural on the side of a build
ing—to be determined—in downtown Forsyth.
Several Georgia communities have train murals on down
town buildings which promote the history and impact the
railroad has had on their communities. The history of the
railroad in Forsyth is no exception.
Of course, the Forsyth Convention and Visitors Bureau
played an integral part in securing the grant and is, accord
ing to Downtown Development Authority Chair Bonnie
Barker, "an excellent example of local agencies working
together”. FC-VB Chairman Ken Bowman echoed the DDA’s
chair’s comment.
The mural can be used as a great promotional tool by
Gilda Stanberry, executive director of the FCVB, to attract
tourists to downtown Forsyth.
This grant is a giant leap to establishing a base for rec
ognizing the history of the railroad impact on Forsyth and
Monroe County. Hopefully, the next step will be recogniz
ing the tourism impact a train museum would have on our
community. That step seems to be lagging, either based on
government bog down or not comprehending—maybe both-
- the impact a train museum would have on our local econ
omy. A train museum for Forsyth-Monroe County has been
proven by several state studies and analyses for Forsyth to
be a major tourist-attractor resulting in a positive economic
impact on our community. The potential is humongous.
I AM absolutely appalled at those demonstrating against
democracy, marching and voicing their ignorant opinions on
the presidential election results and our Democratic process.
Put them on an airplane with a one-way ticket! They have
forgotten the freedoms they and we have are because of the
sacrifices of many as personified by the Veteran’s Day cer
emonies held on the courthouse square this past Friday and
all over our country.. ..peaceful!
ANSWER The Question by contacting Don Daniel at tul-
laybear@bellsouth.net. Any other comments can be made by
emailing or calling, 478-994-1312. P.S. Don’t forget to listen
to The Reporter On The Radio on Sunday mornings at seven
or anytime by clicking on the radio tab at mymcr.net.
ifReporter
Carolyn’s Corner
What do you want in life?
BY CAROLYN MARTEL
ads@mymcr.net
here was a survey
taken a few years
ago and people were
asked: What do you
want out of
life? Three basic answers
surfaced. Allow me to
sum it up in the simplest
terms. It boiled down to
food, shelter and fun. I
don’t mean to be sarcas
tic, but that could
basically describe a
dog’s life couldn’t it?
My dog Jake wants
the same things!
DID YOU notice the response
to the survey reflected only mate
rialistic desires? I want food,
shelter and fun. But if we are
honest, we have to admit that
these things in and of themselves
do not bring lasting fulfillment.
The reason? There is a spiritual
dimension to man’s existence
that, cannot be ignored. The pic
ture is not complete when this
important puzzle piece is miss
ing. Without it, man will never
know true contentment.
THE MISSING puzzle
piece can be traced back to
the Garden of Eden when
man bought into the lie that,
you can be your own god.
Adam lived in a beautiful
paradise, and he experi
enced incredible com
munion with God. But
when Adam sinned, he
hid himself from God.
You might say it was the first
“hide and seek.” Man hides. God
seeks. God said,’’Where are you
Adam?” It wasn’t that, God was
suddenly senile and didn’t know
how to find Adam. The question
was asked for Adam’s own self
introspection.
GOD IS still asking the same
question today, “Where are you?”
We can try to mask the empti
ness in our souls with food, beau
tiful homes and endless hours of
entertainment, but these things
will never fill nor replace the
God-shaped void in our lives.
Like Adam we can run, but we
can’t hide. So what do you want
out of life? Whatever it is, you
will never know true content
ment until your relationship with
God is restored.
THE PEACE of God can be
ours in these troubling times
when we plug in the missing
puzzle peace of a personal rela
tionship with God. The Garden
of Eden is no longer on the earth,
but a garden can flourish in our
soul when we repent and seek
God with all of hearts.
Carolyn Martel is the advertis
ing manager and regular colum
nist for the Reporter. E-mail her
at ads@mymcr.net.
Unfair and Unbalanced
Now scared for the future
BY MARILYN LANGFORD
mdlangford@bellsouth.net
onald Trump was
elected President
because the majority
of the people wanted
change. Well, you’re
gonna get it!
I COULD put on a happy face
and tell you how everything is
going to be great and wonder
ful. I could say all the things you
want to hear to make you feel
better about this election. That
would be disingenuous. That’s
not who I am. The truth is, I do
not believe the change
you voted for will ulti
mately be the change you
sought.
I GET that, you didn’t
like President Obama,
but he is an honorable
man and has been
a role model for
our children. I
get that many of
you did not like
Michelle Obama, as well. She
wore a dress that bared her arms
and was castigated. The future
First Lady’s pictures are all over
the Internet posing nude, full
frontal. Melania Trump, by any
one’s old standards, would not be
considered an honorable woman.
She is now being compared to
Jackie Kennedy. That’s an insult
to Jackie O’s memory. We used to
be a moralistic country at heart.
Is this the change you wanted?
IN PAST elections, such
as when Republicans Ronald
Reagan and the two Bush’s were
elected, I awoke the next morn
ing at peace with the decision
America made. These were hon
orable men and the policies they
supported were not extreme and
did not threaten our democracy.
I awoke the morning after this
election with a knot in my stom
ach that will not go away.
TRUMP is not an honorable
man. Honorable men do not
disrespect and threaten entire
races of people and religions.
Honorable men do not brag about
sexually assaulting women.
Honorable men do not mock
handicapped people and belittle
Gold Star families. Honorable
men don’t have 55 lawsuits
pending when they are
elected. Thanks to Trump,
our country has a new
standard for hypocrisy and
pathological liars. By elect
ing Trump President, you
put your stamp of approval
on him and changed
the meaning of what it
means to be an honor
able man and conse
quently changed our
America. Is that the change you
voted for?
SPEAKER Paul Ryan, embold
ened by Trump’s election, said
today, “Medicare privatization
is happening!” He claims that
will be part of the replacement
of Obamacare. He falsely claims
that Medicare Trust Fund is
going broke. On the contrary, the
Trust Fund has been extended
an additional eleven years
because of Obamacare. Is this
the change you wanted when you
voted?
WHEN I look at Trump’s prob
able cabinet picks, my angina
kicks in. Do you consider Rudy
Giuliani a change? He’s a man
driven by hate and revenge and
made a living off being Mayor
during 9/11. Is Chris Christie the
change you wanted? What about
Newt Gingrich? He’s been there,
done that, and been rejected.
And Sarah Palin, she gives all
women a bad name. General
Michael Flynn running anything
in our Government? He works for
Russian television. He’s not even
qualified to pass the US’s stan
dards for a security clearance.
Admittedly, we do need a brain
surgeon on staff, i.e. Dr. Ben
Carson. I won’t even list the alt-
right, fringe flame-throwers in
line to shape our new, yes new,
country. But, is that the change
you wanted? All of these people
and many more are in the basket
of deplorables.
I KNOW most of you will shrug
me off as an ignorant lib-tard (or
worse) and claim I speak from
sour grapes. Call me what you
want, but call me “Scared.” In
fact, I’ve never known so much
fear in my life. I am not afraid
for myself but for my children,
grandchildren, and all the people
Trump has marginalized, includ
ing all women. These are my
emotions and I have the right to
have them. I will not “change”
because you voted for “change.”
We all have to suffer from the
consequences of Tuesday’s deci
sion and that puts us all in the
same boat, but not in the same
basket.
Marilyn Langford of High Falls
writes o. regular op-ed column in
the Reporter sharing the liberal
perspective on events.
Playoff
continued from front
Oglethorpe. After drop
ping their second game
of the season 40-34 at
Ringgold, the Generals
bounced back with four
straight wins, includ
ing region victories over
Gilmer and Southeast
Whitfield. After a mid-
season slump that includ
ed a 41-34 home loss to
Northwest Whitfield and
a 56-14 road defeat at
Ridgeland, Heritage has
rebounded to win three
straight games, includ
ing region wins over
LaFayette and Pickens
prior to the first-round
win over Stephens
County.
Heritage is coached by
E.K. Slaughter, who is in
his third year at the helm,
having compiled a 17-14
record. The Heritage pro
gram is in its ninth sea
son, having finished above
.500 just once previously
in program history when
the Generals finished 7-3
in 2011. The Heritage pro
gram has played virtually
all of its games against
programs in Northwest
Georgia, having never
before traveled south of
the metro-Atlanta area
for a game.
The 2016 edition of
the Generals has been
an offensive juggernaut
thanks to an explosive
passing attack. Heritage
has scored at least 31
points in every game
with the exception of an
Oct. 14 loss at Ridgeland.
According to the
Chattanooga Times Free
Press, Heritage quar
terback Corbee Wilson
entered the playoffs with
2,345 passing yards and
28 touchdowns, throw
ing primarily to receivers
Ryan Carter (864 yards
and 14 touchdowns) and
Luke Grant (691 yards
and 6 touchdowns).
Heritage’s defense has
been a little shakier, hav
ing yielded 30 or more
points five times includ
ing in four of its last five
games.
If MP beats Heritage,
it would face the win
ner of the second-round
contest between Carver
(Columbus), the No.
2 seed from Region
1-AAAA, and Blessed
Trinity, the No. 1 seed
from Region 7-AAAA. If
the opponent is Carver,
the game would be played
at MP. If the opponent is
Blessed Trinity, then a
coin toss will decide the
home team.
With MP’s 45-12 first-
round state playoff win
over North Clayton on
Friday, the Bulldogs
advanced to the second
round of the state playoffs
for the sixth consecu
tive year. MP has only
reached the third round
once since the program’s
most recent Final Four
appearance in 1998.
MP’s offense is led by its
powerful rushing attack,
most notably senior run
ning back Zach Harvey,
who has rushed for 1,151
yards and 19 touchdowns
in 2016. However, it was
sophomore Quen Wilson
who took a star turn in
MP’s first-round win,
rushing for a game-high
220 yards in the first half
alone. For the season
Wilson has rushed for 576
yards and three touch
downs while averaging
7.5 yards per carry.
On defense, MP will
need its outstanding
defensive line to provide a
fierce pass rush to prevent
Heritage quarterback
Wilson from having time
to throw. Senior defensive
linemen Malik Herring,
Tre Howard and Dan
O’Neal have combined for
16 sacks with sophomore
defensive tackle Jumon
Wilson adding four more.
Senior comerback Tyricus
Danielly will be one of a
handful of MP defensive
backs tasked with stop
ping Heritage’s outstand
ing receivers. Danielly
leads MP with four inter
ceptions on the season,
including three in the
past two games.