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Page 4 — Wednesday, August 19, 2009, The Millen News Opinions, yours and ours The Chatter Box By Deborah Bennett I received the following “Seeds from Sower’ from the Michael A. Guido ministry recently and thought you might enjoy it as much as I did. A politician said to a newspaper editor, “You’ve insulted me." “How’s that?” he asked? “I printed your article of resignation as Mayor just as you wrote it.” “Yes,” he said, “but look where you put it - under PUBLIC IM PROVEMENTS!” Everyone can do something to make the world better. You can improve yourself. And if you don’t become better, you 'll stop being good. Concerning our Lord, the Bible says, “Jesus grew in wis dom and stature and in favor with God and man.” Are you improving yourself daily by growing mentally, physi cally, socially and spiritually? If you ’re still breathing, you can improve. I thought this was very good. We sometimes tend to think that we have “arrived’’ at our best when the truth is that there is always room for improvement. Our poll question on the website last week was, "Is the president doing a good job?’’ Responses, as of Monday morning, were as follows: Yes - 20; No - 47: Undecided - 4. To participate in this week’s poll, go to http:// www.themillennews.com. Happy birthday this week to: Twalla Daniels, Winn Lee, Dawn Waters, Cody McTeer, Benny Mims, Jason Bennett, Rhonda Hendley, Brianna Carol, Grady Lane Jr., Stephenie Adams, Matt Brinson, Janie Waters, Michelle B. Richardson, Lois Parker and Blakey Brown. Celebrating wedding anniversaries are: Mr. and Mrs. Ivey McMillan and Mr. and Mrs. Howard Young. Military Active Duty List: PV2 Jeremy Johnson, U.S. Army, 59 th Quartermaster Company, Ft. Carson, Colorado; Ronnie Perryman, Charlie Troop, 108 th Calvary Division, 4 th Platoon, Afghanistan; Lance Cpl. Adam Lanier, U.S. Marines, 8 th & I Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C.; E-4 Sr. Airman Roy Davis, U.S. Air Force, RAF Molesworth, United Kingdom; Lance Cpl. Patrick Barnette, U.S. Marines, Baharia, Iraq; Sgt. Adam Demshar, 44th Signal Battalion, Baghdad, Iraq; Cpl. Lee Ogden, U.S. Marines, Camp Pendleton, CA; E5 Petty Officer 2 nd Class Eric B. Kelsey, U.S. Navy, NSA Naples, Italy; Senior Airman Charles F. Woods, Moody Air Force Base, Valdosta, GA; Stuart Burrus, U.S. Air Force, Barksdale AFB, Bossier, LA; SPC 4Travis D. Motes, 1st Calvary Division, T. Hood, Texas; Capt. Donald Slade Burke, 735th Air Mobility Squadron Detachment 1 Com mander, Richmond Royal Australian AFB, Richmond, Australia; Staff Sgt. Gilbert C. Sheppard III, 48th Brigade, 118th Field Artillery, Iraq; Petty Officer 3rd Class Jamie A. Yager, U.S. Navy, Marine Corps Base Hawaii; Petty Chief Officer Andy D. Crosby, U.S. Navy, Elroy Destroyer, Norfolk, Va.; Stephanie Crosby, R.N., U.S. Navy, Lafayette Destroyer; Jimmy Cooper, U.S. Army Na tional Guard, 878th Engineering Battalion-Augusta, Persian Gulf ; 1st Lt. J.R. Taylor, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Iraq; SPC. Daniel Stuart, 18th MEDCOM, 121 General Hospital, Seoul, Korea; Jeffrey Sweat, U.S. Navy, USS Kauffman, MM3 59/E-Division, A-Gang, Norfolk, Va.; Cpl. Larry Lamont Clark, U.S. Marine Corp, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Bagdad, Iraq; Khan Young, U.S. Navy, U.S.S. Kitty Hawk, Persian Gulf; Robert Milton Jr., E-3, U.S. Army, Ft. Stewart, Hinesville, Ga., Mission Kuwait; Arnold R. Mosley, 2nd Lt., U.S. Air Force, Randolph AFB, Texas; and Debra A. Mosley, Tech. Sgt., U.S. Air Force, Randolph AFB, Texas; and SPC Charles “C.J.” Amerson, U.S. Army, Camp Adder, Iraq. Letters policy Letters to the editor of The Millen News are welcomed and encouraged. These are pages of opinions, yours and ours. The unsigned editorials generally appearing on the left side of the editorial page represent the opinion of the newspaper and not that of any one person on our staff. Personal columns represent the opinions of the writers whose names appear on them and are not to be considered the opinion of this newspaper, its manage ment or owners. Letters to the editor voice the opinions of the newspaper’s readers. The Millen News reserves the right to edit any and all portions of a letter. Unsigned letters will not be published. Letters must include the signature, address and phone number of the writer to allow our staff to authenticate its origin. Letters should be lim ited to 400 words. The deadline for letters is Friday at noon. You can email letters to themillennews@yahoo.com. Chartered 1903 The Millen News is published weekly by Chalker Publishing Company, 601 E. 6th St., Waynesboro, Ga. The Millen News 856 East Cotton Ave. • Millen, Ga. 30442 Phone: (478) 982-5460 • FAX: (478) 982-1785 Periodical postage paid at Millen, Georgia. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Millen News P.O. Box 909 Millen, GA 30442 USPS No. 349-660 Walter Harrison Frank M. Edenfield Editor 1946-1985 Editor 1985-1998 Roy F. Chalker Jr Publisher Bonnie K. Taylor General Manager Deborah Bennett Editor Lavonna Drawdy Advertising Composition Subscription Rates (Includes tax): In Jenkins County $23.00 Elsewhere in Georgia $26.00 Outside of Georgia $29.50 Georgia Family Council By Randy Hicks Georgia Family Council Pres. Norman Rockwell, the iconic American artist, is known for his poignancy, detail, and accurate depiction of small-town life. One of his paintings that I ad mire is called "Freedom of Speech.” It depicts a blue-collar worker standing up in a town hall, possibly posing a question or giving his opinion. What strikes me about that painting is the others surrounding him. They are mostly business men, well dressed and probably well edu cated. But they are all sitting down, glancing up at him and respecting the man’s right to be heard. To me, the painting depicts pride and responsibility. In case you hadn’t noticed, this Norman Rockwell-type scene isn’t exactly what we’ve been seeing in many of the town hall events being held by lawmakers lately. One of the great rights guar anteed by the Bill of Rights is freedom of speech. It was a revo lutionary idea at the time - citi zens could speak up without fear of reprisal from a king or any other coercive arm of govern ment. It is a concept that count less men and women have died for since the War for Indepen dence, and one that Americans hold most sacred. Freedom of speech has played an invaluable role in generating significant and important change in our country. Without it, there would have been no abolitionists fighting slavery, no Civil Rights Movement or anti-war protests. What has become obvious in recent days about freedom of speech is that it can be done well and it can be done poorly, it can be constructive and it can be de structive. We may agree or we may disagree. In short, it can be messy. Freedom is like that at times. In town halls around the coun try, the right to free speech has been on display as Americans of all stripes have come out in force to express concern about many controversial issues, healthcare reform being the hottest of the hot. And while it has been messy at times, it’s the latest manifesta tion of one of America’s great tra ditions. Still, the behavior on display by some elected officials and some attendees is a little trou bling. Some public officials’ re sponses in recent town hall meet ings have been snarky and ill ad vised. In an op-ed in USA Today, Speaker of the House Nancy TOWN HALL TURBULENCE Pelosi wrote, "These disruptions are occurring because opponents are afraid not just of differing views - but of the facts them selves. Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American.” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called town hall protestors "evil-mongers.” Other members of Congress have criticized people at these events based on their appearance and race, while assigning sinis ter motives to their behavior. Ridiculing people who arc ex pressing their convictions and viewpoints is risky business for politicians. While citizens should not fear reprisal for their legiti mate public expression, public officials should always be a bit concerned about ballot-box re prisals driven by citizens exercis ing another right - the right to vote. And even if reelection is not a concern for them, it is unseemly for members of Congress to dis parage their fellow citizens. It’s fine to disagree, but not to insult. All that being said, I think more could be accomplished at these events if not only public officials, but ordinary citizens, focused on raising the level of the public discourse. It’s not hard to see why so many of us are outraged by a free-spending Congress that is expanding its reach into so many areas of our lives - including healthcare. Lawmakers are rush ing through major legislation that they (by their own admission) have not read and raising deficit spending to record levels. Voters feel like they are being ignored and taken advantage of, and they are ready to vent. While these emotions are easy to understand, it doesn’t change the fact that little is accomplished by disruptive outbursts, shouting down the speaker and hurling insults. If the goal is to try and change people’s minds while be ing heard and understood, doesn’t it make more sense to take an approach that actually guarantees you’ll be heard? Just as public officials ought to respect the average citizen, the citizen should respect the public official - even while expressing deep disagreements. Many public officials, through their policy positions and public statements, arc giving citizens all the reason they need to show up at a town hall and register their disagreement. There is certainly a heavier burden on elected offi cials to be civil, and when they demean outspoken citizens they invite more of the same. But we don’t need to make it personal either. Personal insults do not ad vance the debate. They only make it hairier to be heard. It’s something that is far too common on both sides of the political spec trum. As we challenge government leaders, it’s best to focus on ideas. After all, one reason to speak at a town hall meeting is to change people’s minds. To do so, we have to understand the issues, in cluding the opposing viewpoint. It’s easy to be critical, but it’s helpful to have our own ideas about what should be done (if anything), and why. Good ideas can withstand scrutiny and criti cism. Public debate is healthy and essential to our system of gov ernment. It is a hallmark of our republic. What we’ve seen in the past few weeks is public debate at its best and its worst. Town hall meetings may not always look like a Norman Rockwell painting, but the free dom we all enjoy to speak our mind comes with a responsibil ity to do so in a way that we can be heard and understood. Georgia Family Council is a non-profit research and educa tion organization committed to fostering conditions in which in dividuals, families and commu nities thrive. For more informa tion, go to www.georgiafamily.org, (770) 2 4 2 - 0 0 0 1, stephen.daniels@georgiafamily.otg. METAL ROOFING TAX CREDIT Direct from Manufacturer! www.guHcoastsupply.com Take the H&R Block Income Tax Course and earn extra income preparing taxes* Whether or not you go on to become a tax professional, you'll be able to complete your own return and help others with theirs. Bilingual students encouraged to enroll! For class times and locations, visit hrblock.com/class or call 1-800-HRBLOCK. Enroll now! 203 East 6th Street Waynesboro, GA 30830 706-554-5036 478-737-9676 *Enrollment restrictions apply. Enrollment in, or completion of, the H&R Block Income Tax Course ^^Teither^r^fferjioi^^juarante^o^m|3lo^ment^200^IR^^)^rou£^nc^^^^^^^^D12^ JENKINS COUNTY AUG. 24-28 Monday - Fish Filet on Bun or P/B Jelly Sandwich, Baked Beans, Corn on Cob, Sherbet, Graham Crackers or Salad Bar: Lettuce, Tomato, Celery Sticks, Boiled Egg, Cheese, P/B Jelly Sandwich, Grapes. Tuesday - Ham & Cheese Sub or P/B Jelly Sandwich, French Fries, Lettuce/Tomato, Dill Pickle Spears, Pineapple Cup or Salad Bar: Lettuce, Tomato, Celery Sticks, Boiled Egg, Pimento Cheese, Grapes, Graham Crackers, Saltines. Wednesday - Corn Dog Nuggets or P/B Jelly Sandwich, French Fries, Carrots & Dip, Applesauce, Graham Crackers or Salad Bar: Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle Spears, Boiled Egg, Cheese, Cold Cut Sandwich, Grapes. Thursday - Lasagna or P/B Jelly Sandwich, Corn, Mandarin Oranges, Garlic Bread Sticks or Salad Bar: Lettuce, Tomato, Celery Sticks, Cheese, Tuna or Chicken Salad, Grapes, Graham Crackers, Saltines. Friday - Cheeseburger or P/B Jelly Sandwich, French Fries, Lettuce & Tomatoes, Pickle Slices, Fruit Cup or Salad Bar: Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle Spears, Boiled Egg, Cheese, Turkey/Cheese Sub, Grapes. # School Menu#