Newspaper Page Text
July 13, 2022
Page 5A
JUST THE WAY IT IS by Sloan Oliver
On American soil,
transgenders & oil
D uring my 30+ years of Army service, I was de
ployed to a number of contingency operations
and war zones. Most of those locations were to,
as President Trump called
them, “sh--hole countries.” After being
away from home and seeing, witness
ing, and experiencing what others
DON’T HAVE and comparing it to
what Americans DO HAVE, I re
member the sheer joy of landing back
in the United States. Each time,
upon touchdown; the entire plane - rr\ A
erupted with cheers, clapping, and AiwhV Ci tu+VU
applause. Unless you’ve been there,
done that, been shot at, lost brothers-in-arms, shed some
tears, and safely returned to American soil; you have no clue
about the emotional bonds that one develops for this nation,
warts and all. It’s difficult to adequately put those feelings
into words.
KARMA HAS a way of slapping us and teaching us lessons.
Brittney Griner, WNBA star player, is receiving her karma
lesson in a Russian prison, charged with drug possession. As a
famous athlete, she didn’t want the National Anthem played at
basketball games, refused to come out of the locker room until
after the anthem, and called President Trump a racist (project
ing her feelings onto others). Griner’s words and actions prove
she hates America. Funny how one’s view of the United States
suddenly changes under adverse conditions; especially among
our privileged elites who continually denigrate this country and
take their freedoms for granted. Right now, Griner is feeling
the loneliness of NOT being protected by the flag she scorned.
However, she’s an American citizen and free to express her
self, even if it’s to bash the nation. I’m willing to bet, when she
returns, upon touchdown to American soil, she whoops and
hollers, and gets down on her hands and knees and kisses the
ground under her feet.
I’VE SAID it before; I cannot imagine how mentally disturb
ing it must be for those who are confused about their birth
gender. (Note: there are only two genders - male and female.)
But the thought that someone can simply identify as whatever
gender they desire, and society must instantly accept and play
along, no questions allowed, is utter nonsense.
SOME SANITY is returning to women’s sports. FINA, the
world governing body for swimming, has effectively banned
transgender women (males who claim to be female) from
competing in swim competitions. The new pokey is - if a trans
woman experienced any male puberty, they’re inekgible to
compete in the women’s category. Hopefully, ak sports govern
ing authorities, at ak levels, will follow.
HOWEVER, THERE’S a much larger problem with the
entire transgender issue. I’k use the analogy of alcohol and il
legal drugs. If a seven, ten or 12-year old suddenly identified as
a drug user (say cocaine or marijuana), or started identifying as
an alcohol drinker; should society (parents, teachers, doctors,
coaches, etc.) go along and give that 10-year old a cocaine snort
or a shot of whiskey? Why not, after ak, they’re identifying as
an adult drinker? That makes them an adult, correct? There’re
several obvious responses - first, identifying as something
doesn’t make you that. Second, it’s ikegal to give underage
children ikegal drugs or alcohol. Why? Because their brains are
still developing. Scientists know (as do parents) that the human
brain isn’t fuky developed until the mid-20’s. That’s why teenag
ers often make snap irrational decisions - their brains are still
developing.
SO, IF no responsible adult would give mind-altering drugs
or alcohol to a child/young teenager, why in the world would
society akow even stronger drugs (that suppress hormones)
to be given to a 10-year old who suddenly claims that he’s a
she? Even worse - to do body-altering surgery (cut off breasts
or penis), under the lie of caking it “gender affirming” surgery,
is absolutely criminal. Transgenderism is being forced onto
chkdren in some schools as normal, and were told we must
affirm the 10-year old’s fantasy. Then, when parents organized
and tried fighting back against such lunacy, Joe Biderfs Depart
ment of Justice labelled them domestic terrorists and surveiked
them. True.
HISTORY LESSON for the under 50; in the 1970’s, the
United States was dependent on foreign ok, mostly from the
Middle East. During the Yom Kippur War (1973), the U.S.
backed Israel over Egypt and Syria. In retaliation, OPEC halted
worldwide ok exports. Immediately, there were fuel shortages;
gas prices doubled. One of our responses was to create the
Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). The SPR provides for up
to 715 mikion barrels of ok, to be stored in huge underground
salt domes, which could be tapped during energy emergencies
- such as that experienced in 1973-74. Several times over the
decades, a president has authorized temporary withdrawals to
stabikze energy markets due to geo-poktical events - such as
the 1991 Gulf War (17 mklion barrels withdrawn) that tempo-
rarky disrupted mid-east ok and 2005 when Hurricane Katrina
(11 mikion barrels) shut down gulf ok production.
IN 2020, President Trump directed the Department of
Energy to fkl the SPR to max capacity. However, Democrats
controked Congress and refused, caking him a racist (of
course). Now, with gas at record prices due to Biden’s actions,
our Bidenis seking 1-mikionbarrels/dayfor 6-months (180
mklion barrels total) hoping to reduce gas prices, and further
hoping were too stupid to realize it’s Biden causing those
exorbitant prices. OK, tapping the SPR for poktical purposes is
bad enough; but last week we discovered that mikions of those
barrels are being sold overseas - to Europe and China. Oh, and
the Chinese company buying OUR ok, has business dealing
with Hunter Biden. But who’s reaky surprised that “China” Joe,
who’s beholden to China through Hunter Biden’s business con
nections, would punk America in favor of China? Meanwhke,
Biden begged Saudi Arabia to pump more ok. Hey Joe, Trump
left America energy independent. This entire energy fiasco is
100% on Biden and on every Democrat because they’ve done
nothing to halt him.
Final Thought: The SPR is being used for poktical purposes.
Mkkons of barrels are being sold to China but our Georgia
senators Warnock and Ossoff don’t care. They support Biden,
100%. The Democrat position is “If you don’t like high gas
prices, tough; go buy a $60,000 electric vehicle.”
+Reporter
EDITOR’S KID by Park Davis
Some places seem to be cursed
I don’t believe in luck, so I’m just
going to say that I am quite
unfortunate so far when near
Athens Academy, a private
school on Macon Highway near
downtown Athens.
In May, our FPD
boys soccer team trav
eled to Athens to play
Athens Academy in the
Elite Eight of the state
playoffs. As usual, we
messed around in Ath
ens beforehand, getting
kicked out of a mall
and eating food
we shouldn’t have
before a game.
We then get to
Athens Academy, hyped as ever to
be in the Ekte Eight, only for that
hype to leave very quickly. Ath
ens scored 3 goals in the first 10
minutes. They ended up beating us
8-1, and we scored our only goal
at the very end of a game. I passed
to fekow Monroe Countian Gun
ner Heath, and he scored. Even the
other team’s fans were cheering
for us out of pity.
Fast forward from that embar
rassment to this past Sunday,
where I was driving home from
Athens after attending a frater
nity event the night before. I’m
about to pass Athens Academy,
and my truck begins to
stutter and shake. It breaks
down. Right. Next. To Ath
ens Academy.
After a long struggling
time of trying to get roadside
pickup from insurance, the deputy
moving traffic to the right two lanes
(my truck was in the left turn lane)
had to call the tow truck on-call for
the Sheriffs Department.
My insurance company took too
long, so I had to pay $150 in cash. I
paid this only to later find out that
he took the truck to the wrong Five
Star Tire right down the road. How
ever, I kept a positive attitude with
the outcome of both events because
I know there are far worse things
that could’ve happened than a soc
cer loss and a break down.
I may just try an alternate route
when I drive to Athens now. Pass
ing that school is a trap.
A graduate of FPD heading to the
University of Georgia in August, Park
Davis of Forsyth is the summer intern
for the Reporter.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Write a note to support our troops
To the Editor:
W hen my five uncles
were in the armed
services, the cousins
ak became penpals.
Uncle George always remembered
this gesture. Today, my young
cousins, church friends and I write
troops from Georgia that are in Po
land and newly at Parris Island, SC.
Please consider this kindness.
These are our young adults now
far from home. They are trying to
be tough, mighty and brave. They
defend our way of kfe and liberty.
Try it! Someone you know is in
harm’s way today.
Marie Wiseman
Monroe County
GUEST COLUMN by Rev. Benny Tate
U.S. renewal comes through the church
By Rev. Benny Tate
Rock Springs Church
V ^ onald Reagan
J once said, “We’re
|\ blessed with the
^opportunity to
stand for something - for
kberty and freedom and
fairness. And
these things are
worth fighting
for, worth devot
ing our kves to.”
I couldn’t agree
more that it is a
great privkege to
stand for kberty,
freedom, and
fairness!
I am proud
to say that I am
a flag-waving, Na
tional Anthem singing,
red-blooded, lover of
America! While I deeply
love America, I must be
honest that I have great
concerns about our
country. It seems as if
trouble is coming in every
direction from the top
down: news outlets, social
media, individual states,
communities, and right
down to the home.
We kve in a country
where marriage, for a
variety of reasons, is no
longer sacred, and hatred
is rampant over the topics
of abortion and sexuality.
We kve in a country suf
fering from widespread
racism while dealing with
pokticians on both sides
that have created division
and rim up an enormous
national debt for our chil
dren and grandchildren.
Mkkons of people across
the country struggle to
provide for their famikes
and go to bed
hungry every
night. Indeed,
trouble can be
found in ak
directions.
I love America,
but America
is in desperate
need of revival.
In 2 Chronicles
7, Israel suffered
many troubles
with drought, destroyed
crops, and diseases
plaguing the nation. It
was a very serious time,
but God’s answer to their
problems- and ours - is
found in 2 Chronicles
7:14, “If my people who
are caked by my name
humble themselves,
and pray and seek my
face and turn from their
wicked ways, then I wkl
hear from heaven and
wkl forgive their sin and
heal their land.”
People say we need to
persuade God to send
revival, but we can’t
persuade God to send
revival untk we permit
God to send revival. The
scripture is very clear
that the problem kes not
with God but with His
people. Notice that the
verse says “If my people”,
not if Hollywood celebri
ties, if the democrats, if
the republicans, if the
wealthy... it simply says
“If MY people” meaning
the church.
You maybe thinking,
“What’s wrong with the
church that keeps God
from sending revival?”
Well, the scripture is
very clear about two
problems. If the church
- God’s people - wkl
“humble themselves.”
The first problem is the
pride many Christians
have that God so hates.
Many people become so
comfortable living the life
they think they deserve
and neglect to acknowl
edge that everything good
in kfe comes from God
alone. When wik God
bless America? When His
people acknowledge that
the clothes we wear, the
food we eat, the houses
we kve in, and the jobs we
have ak come from God.
The second problem
that keeps God from
sending revival is the
issue of prayer. Instead of
faking to their knees in
prayer, many Christians
lift their phones to com
plain, gossip, accuse, and
share judgmental opin
ions. We often talk about
our problems to everyone
but God. Not seeking
God’s wisdom and guid
ance through prayer and
Bible study keeps God
from moving in a mighty
way to bring healing to
this country.
God’s promise is clear:
“I wik hear from heaven
and wik forgive their sin
and heal their land.” He
wkl honor that promise,
but we must permit Him
to do so by positioning
ourselves in humkity and
prayer. We must seek
Him above ak else and
rely on His wisdom above
our own. We must know
Jesus as Savior because
being patriotic, serving in
the military, or having a
godly grandmother won’t
get anyone to Heaven. We
ak must know Jesus per-
sonaky. Only when Chris
tians position themselves
with God above ak else
wkl revival come in this
country like never before.
This July, let’s commit our
kves to Christ and make
sure that our patriotic
celebration doesn’t come
before our celebration of
eternal freedom found
only in Jesus Christ!
The Rev. Benny Tate is
the pastor at Rocksprings
Church in Milner.
TATE
Health Dept, lobby
to be dedicated Wed.
There will be a
ribbon cutting
at the renovated
Monroe County
Health Depart
ment, 106 Martin
Luther King Jr.
Drive, Forsyth on
Thursday, July
14 at 6 p.m. A
plaque honor
ing Dr. J. Ray
Grant Jr. will be
unveiled and the
new lobby of the
Health Depart
ment will be
dedicated to Dr.
Grant, who served for many years as member and chair
of Monroe County s Board of Health. The community is
invited and refreshments will be served.
FATALITY
Continued from Front
on Facebook on Tuesday: “It
is with great sadness that we
inform you of the passing
of our friend and colleague
Brandon Kyle Cox. Bran
don ... had been a valued
member of our team since
March 2021. He wkl be
greatly missed. Please keep
Brandon’s family in your
prayers as they go through
this difficult time.”
A post indicated that Cox,
a graduate of FPD, was
considering following his fa
ther’s footsteps and becom
ing a firefighter.
The fatality is still under
investigation.
ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
by Don Daniel
Don Daniel is taking the
week off to work on his tan
and write some poetry. His
column is expected to return
to this page next week.