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May 23, 2018
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UNFAIR AND UNBALANCED by Marilyn Langford
The whole world has lost its mind'
I just discovered a song by one of my
all-time favorite singers—Willie
Nelson. It’s called “Me and You”.
While it is said Willie was lament
ing where he was in his life, I heard it
as a political message just to me. If you
listen to it with that in mind, you will
chuckle throughout. Here’s the refrain.
“The world has gone out of its mind,
except for me and you.” My sentiments
exactly!
MORETHAN any other time in my
memory, I need a reason to chuckle. I
find nothing about the Trump adminis
tration funny. I find it laughable, but not
funny. I used to let my day be guided
by the inspirational “thought for the
day’’ Now my thoughts are controlled
by Trump’s infuriating Tweets. To
make matters worse, we have now been
double-teamed by Trump and Giuliani.
Trump tweets what we’re to concentrate
on for that day, followed by Giuliani
telling us. It’s orchestrated, and it’s called
“Perception Management.” We used
to call it “propaganda,” but perception
management is propaganda on steroids.
Were constantly a target through what
we read, what we hear, what we watch,
and social media. Although Trump is a
master of perception management, he
didn’t create it. The Russians did!
IN 2003, the Russian Federation of
Armed Forces (RFAF) changed their
military policy to include the cyber do
main. Seeing their success, in 2014, the
Chief of General Staff of the RAFF de
scribed a new form of warfare, reflexive
control (perceptive management.) This
process would target enemy leadership
and alter their orientation in such a
way that they make decisions favorable
to Russia and take actions that lead to
a sense of despair with their leaders
and establish a base for negotiation on
Russian terms. Further, it was explained
that reflexive control considers psy
chological characteristics of humans
and involves intentional influence on
their models of decision making. This
warfare is conducted by
proxy forces consisting
of media institutions and
companies and overseen
by the RFAF. Hmmmm.
Make no mistake about it,
we are the enemy, and the
Russians had an easy tar
get when Trump walked
down that escalator.
ME AND YOU, and all
the people of our country
are victims of perception
management warfare on
two fronts. First the Rus
sians, through their cyber
hacking to affect our elections, through
their state-run trolling farms to affect
our ability to differentiate between
truth and fiction, and successful control
techniques of Trump’s weak mind. The
second front is the perception manage
ment Trump inflicts upon us every day.
PERCEPTION management has
nothing to do with the truth and in
Trump’s case, his guilt or innocence.
Perception management is whatever
Trump wants us to believe. Coming
from a man who has been fact-checked
and shown to have lied 3,000 times in
466 days, I find everything he says sus
pect. Just because he says “no collusion,”
and “witch hunt” every time he opens
his mouth, does not make me more
prone to believe him. Neither does his
use of all caps and exclamation marks.
I want proof because his word is not
his bond. It didn’t work with me when
Nixon said, “I am not a crook,” and it
won’t work with me now. I will believe
Robert Mueller and it seems that’s what
Trump is afraid of. That’s
why he and Giuliani are
working overtime trying
to discredit Mueller, the
FBI, the Justice Depart
ment, the media, and
anybody else that dares to
speak truth to power. My
daddy always said, “A hit
dog hollers.” As that ole
Jaws shark gets closer, the
louder Trump hollers. I
have always used that as a
measure of the truth.
SOME PEOPLE can
be put in a hypnotic state,
others can’t. Some people can be fooled
by perception management, some can’t.
I will never surrender to this type of
warfare. You shouldn’t either. Our na
tion depends on me and you.
SING IT WILLIE! “I used to have a
friend I’d talk to. We used to sit on the
fence. Anymore I can’t relate to him,
cause he ain’t got a lick of sense. So, I’m
asking you this question, I’m just talk
ing to you, the whole world has gone
out of its mind, except for me and you.”
Marilyn Langford of High Falls writes
about current events from the liberal
perspective. Email her at marilynlang-
ford85@gmail.com.
POLICY
Continued from Front
recent MCSO retiree Ronnie
“Jocko” Evans have an
nounced campaigns to replace
John Cary Bittick, who is
taking the job of U.S. marshal
in Macon. The election is
expected to be held Nov. 6.
MCSO policy states “in
keeping with county person
nel policy concerning po
litical activities, any employee
choosing to become a can
didate for any elective office
will be ineligible for continued
employment with the Monroe
County government.”
Evans is already using
banked hours to retire early,
and Freeman said he can do
the same. He said he’s 53 and
has more than two years of
banked leave to get him to
the retirement age of 55. But
human resources officer Janet
Abbott has reportedly said
that those in early retirement
are still considered county
employees, and therefore
would be ineligible to run. If
that ruling stands, Freeman,
Bittick and Evans would have
to resign to run for sheriff and
would therefore lose all their
banked hours.
For Freeman it would be a
significant loss: He has 4,912
banked hours, more than two
years of leave time which at
his current pay of about $34
per hour would be valued at
more than $167,008. Evans
has 1,516 banked hours left
in his early retirement, with at
his pay of about $26 per hour
the total value is $39,416. Law-
son Bittick, meanwhile, has
just 207 banked hours, which
at his current pay of about $28
per hour would be valued at
$5,796.
Freeman, however, said he
thinks he can take early retire
ment and not be considered
an employee, allowing him to
run for sheriff.
“They take your car, your
weapon and you no longer
accumulate hours,” said Free
man. “It’s pretty black and
white you are no longer an
employee.”
The county policy on early
retirement says: “For members
of the Employee’s Retirement
System, forfeited leave can be
used to extend your years of
service so that you can retire
earlier. A combination of
accrued sick and annual leave
can be combined with the
forfeited sick and annual leave
for this benefit. The County
will continue to provide health
insurance benefits during
the period that the employee
is using forfeited leave as
disability insurance or retire
ment credit. Paychecks will
continue during the approved
time. Employee will be eligible
for cost of living raises. An
employee who has worked at
least 1,250 hours during the
prior twelve (12) months will
be eligible for merit evalua
tion at his/her merit review
date. Benefit accruals such as
vacation, sick leave, or holiday
benefits, will be suspended
during the approved time.”
Even though he thinks the
current policy allows him to
retire early and run for office
without being considered an
employee, Freeman said he’d
still like to see it changed so
younger opponents like Law-
son Bittick, who can’t retire,
don’t lose their banked hours.
Sheriff Bittick, the father
of Lawson Bittick, said he
too would like to change the
policy so that employees can
take unpaid leave to run for
political office, and therefore
none of them would lose that
banked leave time. Sheriff
Bittick said he’s talking to Bibb
County sheriff David Davis
about its policy which he may
adopt for the MCSO as well.
It would also give uniformity
to the race, since Bibb County
deputy Michael Bittick is also
running for Monroe County
sheriff.
Sheriff Bittick said the
current policy is a good one
because deputies would not be
focused on their jobs if they
were running for office. And
if they ran for public office,
that could present a conflict.
But Bittick, who’s been sheriff
for 35 years, noted that with
the first open race for sheriff
in decades, more MCSO em
ployees are running for sheriff
than ever before.
Bittick said whatever he
does, he wants to make sure
it’s fair to all. He noted that
regardless of his intent, some
will accuse him of trying to
help his son Lawson, but said
that’s not what he’s trying to
do.
BITTICK
Continued from Front
County sheriff.
Michael Bittick, 42, will be compet
ing against his cousin Lawson Bittick
and at least four others to replace
longtime sheriff John Cary Bittick.
Michael Bittick, who lives in Smarr,
has extensive law enforcement experi
ence having worked with the Macon
Police Department and now the
Macon-Bibb County Sheriff’s Office
for more than two decades.
Among Bittick’s qualifications are
his Associate’s degree in Homeland
Security from Georgia Military Col
lege and a Bachelor’s degree in Public
Service from Middle Georgia State
University. He was also a member
of the U.S. Army National Guard
for seven years, enlisting at 17 years
old. Bittick began his law enforce
ment career as a dispatcher with the
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office at
age 20 before working his way up
through the ranks of the Macon
Police Department. His tenure with
Macon PD included 15 years on the
SWAT team and a stint as a Field
Training Officer among other duties.
Now with the consolidated Macon -
Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, Bittick
is currently a Captain in the Criminal
Investigations Unit, overseeing the
jurisdiction’s crime lab. He said he has
15 employees under his watch and
he maintains a budget in excess of $1
million.
Bittick said he’s also proud of his
service as Senior Vice President of
the Police Benevolent Association,
noting that the organization not only
defends deputies but also seeks to
eliminate deputies who are not doing
their jobs ethically. He noted that six
Bibb County deputies were arrested
for crimes during the first year of
consolidation.
Bittick, who said he doesn’t want
people to feel like it’s just another
Bittick running for office, said his
stint at a much larger department in
Macon-Bibb has prepared him for
the opportunity to serve as Monroe
County sheriff.
“It’s my time to lead the agency’
he said. “I feel I can bring a fresh
perspective.”
Bittick said contrary to rumors he’s
heard, he won’t come in and fire or
demote employees who already work
at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Of
fice. Instead, he said he will evaluate
what is working well and make pro
motions from within the department.
Bittick said having served in so many
different capacities within the Macon
Police Department, he’s knowledge
able about all divisions of the sheriff’s
office.
Bittick said, “There’s nothing Mon
roe County can throw my way that I
haven’t seen threefold.”
Bittick, a 2016 graduate of Leader
ship Monroe, is married to wife Mar
gie. They have two step-sons, Tyler
Rodgers, a Monroe County sheriff’s
deputy, and Jake Colvin.
Call your local Monroe County representative
Scott Harrell
478-256-3586
or toll free: 800-551-1102
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LOVING
Kenneth Dean Sumner Sr.
February 22, 1950 - May 18, 2018
Mr. Kenneth Dean “Ken” Sumner, Sr., 68, of Jackson
passed away on Friday, May 18,2018 at Emory Mid
town. He was born on Wednesday, Feb. 22,1950 in
Adel to the late Eddie Franklin Sumner and the late
Idell Pickles Sumner. Ken was of Christian faith. He
was a proud member of the United States Army and
served in the Vietnam War.
Ken is survived by his sons, Ken Sumner Jr. (and his
wife Tracy), Shenan Sumner, Justin Cheyane Sumner;
brother and sister-in-law, Avery Franklin Sumner and
Joy; several nieces and nephews.
No formal services for Mr. Ken Sumner Sr. have been
planned at this time.
Those who wish may sign the online guest registry
at www.sherrell-westburyfuneralhome.com Sherrell-
Westbury Funeral Home, 212 East College Street,
Jackson, is serving the Sumner family.
Katherine S. Wright
December 31,1948 - May 14, 2018
Katherine S. Wright, 69, passed
away at home peacefully after a
long battle with cancer on Monday,
May 14,2018. Katherine was born
on Dec. 31,1948 in Canton, the
daughter of the late John William
Swancey and Laura Glass Freeman.
Katherine was a loving wife, mother,
grandmother and sister. Her family
was her world and she loved to cook
for them and spend quality time
with them.
Katherine is preceded in death by Dave J. Wright;
brothers, Jimmy and James William Swancey; step
father, Gordon L. Freeman; step-son, “Little” Dave
Wright. She leaves her loving memories to be cherished
by her daughter, Laura A. Cagle; step-children, Ricky
Wright, Cathy L. Sheppard; eight grandchildren; nu
merous great-grandchildren; sisters, Judy (Paul) Wulf
of Ringold, Lois (Chris) Headlee, Clara (Tom) DuFano,
Cindy (Rob) Vickers, all of Cartersville; brothers, Lloyd
(Mary) Swancey of Aragon, Ga., Johnny (Sandra)
Swancey and Michael Freeman, all of Cartersville,
Howard (Tabitha) Freeman of Austell; a number of
nieces, nephews and cousins still survive.
A Celebration of Life Service was held Friday, May
18th of May, 2018 in the chapel of Owen Funeral
Home with Rev. Bobby Gayton officiating. Interment
will immediately follow in Oak Hill Cemetery, Rydal,
Ga. Serving as pallbearers are Lloyd and Johnny Sw
ancey, Mike and Howard Freeman, Alan Shelnutt and
Lonnie “Pee Wee” Phillips. Flowers are accepted or you
may send memorial donations to the American Cancer
Society. Please visit www.owenfunerals.com to post
tributes and sign the on-line register.
Owen Funeral Home, 12 Collins Dr., Cartersville, GA
30120 had charge of the arrangements.
Tfumti y&w
from the family of Rhonda
Myrick & the Andrews family
For your generous acts of kindness, prayers, cards,
hugs and donations during our time of bereavement
of Minnie M. Andrews Smith.
In Loving Memory:
Jonathan Edward Charles Jones
May 22,1972 - July 4, 2012
For someone who meant so much and loved by all he knew
Who left behind a trail of tears and precious memories too
I loved the sunshine in his smile and the kindness in his heart
But heaven saw that he was tired which meant we had to part
And now that it's your special day, dear angles hear my prayer
Please guard him with your gentle wings and tend him with
great care
For he is someone wonderful and words just can't convey
Flow much I wish that he was here once more with us today
Happy Birthday Son.
I love and Miss you with all my heart,
Love Mama