Newspaper Page Text
Letters To The Editor
Toles Wrong About Indian Lore
Dear Editor:
conz :12:1 :vr_'ltllng tin regliard to Mr, Toles' editorial
In last week's paper concerning the
fact that Indian Lore di(f ngt cover the regcent
student walkout. Mr, Toles seems to think it
was irresponsible of me not to allow m
students to cover this regretable event, whic“;
to him is doubtless a highlight of the school
year and something he wants us all to
remember for some time to come.
I'll admit, Mr. Toles, that I not only refus
ed to allow my students to report the walkout
in Indian Lore, I also forbade any of them to
participate in it, on pains of being not allowed
to attend the upcoming GSPA convention and
not being allowed back on staff next year. You
see, I take great pride in the fact that my staff
is made up of some of the very best students
in the school, and I didn't intend for them to
besmirch the name of the Student Publications
staff by beinia part of a loud, reckless, ir
responsible rabble of misguided students who
were clearly in defiance of school rules. Your
own colleague, Rich Jefferson, clearly express
ed his disgust with the mob as several ofpthem
shouted profanities and one of them attempted
to kick in the door of the superintendent’s of
fice. No, Mr. Toles, I'm proud to say that none
of my students were there that day, par
ticipating in or recording for posterity this
glorious example of freedom of speech.
My reasons for not covering the story were
three. First, had my students been there, in
nocently on the sidelines photographing or in
terviewing students, they would have been con
sidered guilty by association. People from the
community would have seen them there and
would have assumed that they, all of them in
fluential student body leaders, were a part of
the protest. Second, tKose students who would
have covered the story would have, no doubt,
been walking along with the marchers. One of
the reasons why this action was so irresponsi
ble was the potential for someone to be hurt.
We do try to take care of our students and kee
them out of harm's way, and when 128
students, some angry, some just out for the
trip, and some more interested in missing a
class or two than in the issue at hand, there is
a potential for someone having an accident. I
consider my action to be that of a careful,
resggnsible teacher.
y third reason for not allowing Indian
Lore to cover the walkout is that it was clearly
an action violating the rules of our school. We
knew about the walkout at least a week before
it happened. Many of us teachers had talked to
our students about it and suggested that they
might want to find another way of showing
their concern in this matter. We told them that,
according to the student handbook, they would
undoubtedly be punished for such action. Mr.
Catrett himself sent a note around to the
homerooms, asking students not to be a part
of this walkout. Mr. Toles, am I supposed to
start reporting to your readers all the violations
of student ficy. Do you want me to take pic
tures of figfi(t)s in the hall or of students caught
smoking in the restroom?
If the truth be known, a majority of the
No Right To Exploit School
Dear Editor:
I read with sadness and anger your editorial
comment about the CHS “Ind?an }ll,ore" and its
lack of coverage of the walk-out at the high
school last week. I particularly disliked your in
ferences about Alan Perry, the advisor of the
journalism staff. Alan is a very professional and
conscientious teacher and a very capable ad
visor for the ‘‘lndian Lore” which has won
numerous honors in state competitions. Last
year it was named the best higll)\ school paper
in the state published in a weekly town paper.
The walk-out was unnecessary and was a
violation of school rules about leaving the cam
us. Such violation re?uired disciplinary action
?or the students involved. It could have been
stopped and other more constructive ways for
students to express their feelings could have
been found. Neither ‘‘The Summerville News"
nor the “Indian Lore’ reports (with pictures
and names) fights, or stuSents disciplined for
drinking, possessing drugs, using drugs, or
smoking cigarettes. All of the above are school
rule vio%atxons and should be treated equally.
(Granted, a walk-out is more sensational and
sells more newspapers).
As I see it, a free press does not mean the
Most Students Stayed At CHS
Dear Editor:
I read your editorial in the March 30 issue
in which you criticized students on the “Indian
Lore"’ staff for not covering the walk-out of
some students to the county school superinten
dent’s office. The school’s job is to educate
students. During the time that approximately
16 percent of the students left their classes, 84
percent of our students were in classes study
ing and learning. Our *lndian Lore™ staff is a
group of above average students eager to learn.
Report In More Refined Manner
Dear Editor:
1 am writing in response to what I consider
Mr. Toles’ unljust attack on Mr. Alan Perry,
Student Publications advisor at Chattooga
High School. It has been my privilege to know
Mr. PerrK for several years. I have known him
as a teacher/advisor to my two children; I have
known him as a fellow-worker; and I have
known him as a friend. Alan is well-respected
by faculty and students at CHS. He ?eels a
responsibility and a dedication to his position
an(r to his students which prompts him to
spend countless unsalaried hours at the school
and at his home working with the yearbook,
newspaper and broadcast journalism staffs. In
addition to this, he spends a week duringthe
summer and several other days each year ac
companying students to workshops and
seminars to improve their journalistic skills.
Under Alan’s able leadershiF and guidance
the Student Publications Staff have brought
numerous honors to Chattooga High School.
With his help, the staff has organized the only
student operated week}y radio and television
program in the State. In his 3ulet, unassum
ing way, Alan Perry has helped to bring much
positive recognition to Chattooga High School.
lam thankful for Alan Perry an teachers
students who walked out probably weren't real-
Ig all that concerned with the issue of Mr.
atrett's not being our princi{)al. Many of them
were leaving only to escape two or more class
periods. As you reported in The News, several
students walked out, crossed the street and
were not seen again. I consider class attendance
to be of utmost importance, had these students
wished to protest in this manner, they could
have done it after school and made their point
just as well. Those few who really, honestly
were concerned with the issue at fiand chose
this method because they knew it would attract
attention and Eublicity - publicitfi that I had
no intention whatsoever of giving them. I knew
that you would take care of that, Mr. Toles,
even better than I could.
You stated that this ‘“‘would have been a
perfect opportunity for the class to cover some
‘hard news' and to learn how to keep their opi
nions — for or against the walkout — out of tfle
news columns.”” Well, Mr. Toles, you'll be hap
py to learn that I did take the opportunity to
use the walkout as a learning situation. I taught
my students that sometimes the responsfi)le
journalist finds that the right thing to do is to
not write something. I have also taught them
to attempt to avoid sensationalism in all forms,
just as I have attempted to teach them to re
main objective in all situations. I regret to say
that I have aiso had occasion to use The Sum
merville News in class as a teaching tool, just
so that my students would know exactly what
I meant by sensationalism.
I don’t mean to brag, Mr. Toles, but I have
been fairly pleased with the journalism program
I have put together at Chattooga High School.
We do not on%y a weekly newspaper and an an
nual, but a weekly radio and tefiavxsion program
(the only one of its kind in the state). We've
managed to earn several awards over the past
few years and to, in some small way, bring g‘iory
to our school. I intend to keep on d‘;)ing my best
to contribute to the positive image of Chat
tooga High School and not to place emphasis
on the negative points of view. You do that
quite adequately, Mr. Toles. My way of think
ing is that, as long as I'm in charge of Indian
Lore and it is uglished in The Summerville
News, and as E)ng as you are editor of The
News, then the coverage of Chattooga High
School, both good and bad, will pretty much
equal out. :
If I have, in your opinion, failed in my duties
and responsibif;ties as a journalism teacher,
then I am sorry, Mr. Toles. I am es(;)emally
sorry for those five or six former students of
mine who went on to work in the field of jour
nalism (one of whom has an office next to
yours), because of the bad influence I must have
been to them. If, at some point during their
careers they are faced with a moral dilema con
cerning the impact of something they may or
may not write, and they stop to consider what
Mr. Perry would have done in a situation like
this, then I've been successful in my endeavors.
Only time will tell.
Sincerely,
Alan Perry, Advisor
CHS Student Publications
right to exploit a school, a decision, a person
or persons. It does not give you the right to say
that another person (group) is wrong for not
reporting something or to infer that an advisor
is communistic (Shades of Moscow!) because he
chooses to exercise dignity and respect for the
rules, personnel and students of the institution
he serves. If you feel that you have a right as
an editor to express your opinion, then you
should respect someone else’s right not to ex
press an opinion.
When will you cease fighting the battle of
consolidation of the Menlo, Lyerly, and Sum
merville High Schools into ghattooga High
School? That happened many years ago. You
have no cause to continue to hold a grudge
against Chattooga High School because of the
consolidation ang to use every opportunity you
can find to show CHS in a derogatory fight.
Bury the past. Lift up the future. Your com
ments about both the consolidation and the
walk-out in the same editorial were most
interesting.
Sincerely,
Gwen Colwell
Chattooga High School
As an adult you can make a decision to
break rules to get a story. However, it is the
school’s responsibility to teach children that
rules and laws are made to be kept, not broken.
By state law parents or legal guardians are the
only peot)le who have the authority to allow a
student to leave campus during school hours.
Sincerely,
Judy Hair, English Department Chair
person
Chattooga High School
like him who try to exert a positive influence
on students. I am sure his concern for the
reputation and safety of the students on his
staff prompted Mr. Perry to prohibit his
students from participating in the walkout. A
mob scene is never a very pleasant or safe sight
to see and is certainly not one I would want my
children to be involved in. If there was wide
sgread concern among the student body about
the situation involved, a demonstration could
have been staged after school hours and carried
out in a more orderly manner.
I know sensationalism sells papers — good
news does not. It is your choice to report the
news in your way. Pf(,ease do not attack those
who choose to report it in a more dignified and
refined manner.
Shirley Pledger
Chattooga High School
GOOD ADVICE
It's fine to believe in yourself, but don’t
be too easily convinced. — Patuxent River
(Md.) Tester
Column Slanted
Dear Editor:
Last week the ‘“‘lndian Lore'’ was compared to Moscow
because it gave no attention to what amounted to a violation of
school rules. How frustrating to see the school newspaper criticiz
ed simply for exercising responsibility! As a devote(nean of the
Framers of the Constitution, I treasure deeply our personal liber
ties enshrined in the Bill of Rights, and | am convinced that a
free press is vital to the survival of a democracy. Thus, I am ex
asperated every time I see the First Amendment mocked b
slanted journalism. The freedom and the power of the press boti;
carry a profound responsibility to give the public an accurate
picture of what is happenini.
What happened on March 20 at CHS? Eighty-four percent
of the student body was in class that day. Sixteen percent were
absent for various reasons including illness and related problems,
as well as the walk-out. Was such an event really newsworthy?
As for the few students who cut class that day, their ‘‘movement”
lost whatever credibility it might have had when most of them
laughed and giggled their way out the door. Some just skipped
school for the rest of the day while others walked through fiefds,
parking lots, and streets, and then attempted to vandalize public
property.
In a democratic society, there may at times be situations
which call for civil disobedience. However, this is a serious con
cept, and should never be considered without much thought and
soul-searching. Moreover, students underage should at fizast be
able to define civil disobedience, explain its origin, and discuss
its true meaning and the consequences involved. Otherwise, they
have no real un§erstanding of their actions. *Shades of Moscow?"
Oh no, Mr. Toles. What you observed was responsible journalism
and conscientious teaching.
Sincerely,
Ann Evett
English Dept., CHS
Students Were Joking
Dear Editor:
In regard to your article of March 30 concerning the four
students that Mr. Mike Miller will be carrying to RVI Camp; it
should be noted that the students, including our son, Richard
Sumner, has great respect for Mr. Miller. I would also like to em
phasize that although the students joke with him, he is still wor
thy of great respect, from both parents and students.
The students at Chattooga High School are fortunate indeed
to have a teacher of Mr. Mi%ler’s quality and temperament. He
is one of the most highly praised instructors at CHS.
Please note that Mr. Miller is giving up his vacation to take
the four students to the RVI Camp. To my way of thinking, his
willingness to give up his vacation for these students, proves his
dedication angl loyafiy to these students.
We, the parents of Richard Sumner, would like to make it clear
that we have the utmost confidence in Mr. Miller and his driv
ing ability.
Thank you,
Charles and Peggy Sumner
Route 3, Box 391
Summerville, Georgia 30747
(Editor’s Note: We agree. The joking by Mr. Miller’s students
was intended to show how close they are to him. None was serious
in comments about his driving abilities).
To Teen-age Speeders
Dear Editor: ‘
There is an article from the Chattanooga News-Free Press.
I truly hope fi)u are able to publish this in The Summerville
News, either this week or next week. I would like for every parent
in Chattooga County to have a copy of this and each teen-ager,
both boys and girls, to read this.
Most people seem to think that only teen boys drive fast, but
this isn't the case, we have lots of teen girls that drive fast too.
Thank you,
Joann Fletcher
* * *
Dear Abby:
Message to teen-age drivers from the parents of a deceased
teen-age driver.
* * *
You have a power that no one else on Earth possesses. Your
teachers, the police, the governor, the president — none of them
have this power; only you have it. This ““power" is the power not
to kill yourself while behind the wheel of an automo%ile. This
“power"’ is the power not to kill others with the car you're driv
ing. This “‘power " is the power not to be a victim of the slaughter
of teen-age drivers on our roadways.
You've all seen the stories in the newspaper. Many of you were
friends of the teen-agers killed. Maybe they were speeding, or
passed illegally, or ignored a stop sign, or tried to beat a red light.
You cried for them, went to their funerals, participatetf at
memorial services held for them at school. And then got into vour
car and did the same thing because it could never happen to you!
We want to tell you a%)out another group that xfoesn't have
your ‘“‘power,” and that's your parents. When you leave this
Earth, your parents remain [‘;ehind. They are left behind to grieve
over your premature death. They are also left behind to grieve
for the future that you'll never experience for yourself — your
high school graduation, your wedding, your first child. There will
never be another vacation where the ‘“whole” family goes on a
trip. On Christmas, your prents will decorate a little tree to put
next to your cemetery marker. The smiles around the Thanksgiv
ing table will never ge as wide. Mother's Day — Father’s Day
— your birthday —the first warm day of spring — will always
cause your parents to think of what might have been.
One year ago today, we buried our teen-age son, Jack. J ack
was killed in an automobile accident. The accident was a direct
result of ignoring the posted speed limit. Jack was a great kid,
and we could not have asked E‘)r a better son. However, a few
seconds of bad judgment, whether caused by inexperience or a
sense of “‘teen-age immortality,” or both, cost Jack }E:is life. There
is no pain on this Earth that's worse than losing a child. This
tragedy will haunt us for the rest of our lives. And every week
more parents must face the dreaded realization that they will
never see their child again on this Earth — never to kiss them,
never to laugh with them, never to hold them close. Never again.
Last month, three local teen-agers were killed in an acci§ent;
the two brothers are buried next to Jack. When we saw these
three kids lying side by side in the cemetery on Valentine's Day,
we knew we had to try to do something to stop this carnage.
How successful we are will depend on you: that means each
of you exercising your unique ‘l‘]iower” — and using J)eer pressure
to convince your friends to do likewise. If we succeed, it will mean
that all these teen-agers, and our son Jack, haven't died in vain.
— Barbara and J ac%( Ratz Sr., Raleigh.
DEAR BARBARA AND JACK: My heart goes out to you
in your sorrow. The piece you wrote is indeed powerful — and
a fitting memorial to your son, Jack Jr.
I hope editors of high school (and college) papers will feel it's
worthy of printing. If so, consider this ‘“‘permission.”
I know this piece will be clipped and save by many. And God
willing, some lives will be saved.
Potpourri -
“Asked again where the fog horns are, the superinten
dent said he had no comment. ‘lf we can't find them they
can't use them,’ he told me later. The principal said that
it was not, fair that the superintendent wouldn't tell where
the fog horns are.
“The head of the high schogl's vo-tech department did
stop in briefly at the meeting to tell the board that a state
grant for fog horns is available. This is Tally-Lou Fryer,
reporting from Summerville.” .
When the report is finished, Tally turns to her
cameraman: *“This is a great story. I wonder why The Sum
merville News doesn't cover this?”
Hospital Thanks Crawford
Dear Editor:
Chattooga Countg' Hospital and Oak View
Nursing Home fared very well in the recent
Georgia General Assembly, and I would like to
publicly express our thanks to Rep. John
Crawford for his assistance during the session.
John contacted me several times prior to
and during the legislative session to seek my
opinion about the potential im?act of propos
ed legislation on the Hospital and Nursing
Home, and his voting record clearly
demonstrated his support %or our hospital and
nursing home.
Legislation which passed this year will:
* Provide higher K'ledicaid payments to
hosgitals and nursing homes in Georgia.
Give non-administrative staff in the Nur
sing Home a one-time pay increase (effective
Oct. 1, 1989).
* Provide Medicaid funding for ‘‘swing
No Excuse For Pornography
Dear Editor:
In replying to Mr. Phillip Bruce's letter of
March 30, it has been necessary to choose bet
ween an item-by-item discussion of points that
he raised, or leap to his final paragraphs where
he delivered the ACLU-approveg.r message of
defense for pornography. Let's have a look at
that subject.
There is no logical excuse for the existence
of porno%raphy. It is nauseatingly offensive,
manifestly obscene, addictive and mind
destroying. The porno shows are nothing less
than training films for rape. They exploit and
degrade women and are credited, by authorities,
with being the root cause of the enormous in
crease in crimes against females. I recently read
that those crimes are increasing by one million
per year. Now, in Massachusetts, another "“Ted
Bundy” operating — women's bodies being
found beside highways and in fields; raped,
brutalized and murdered. That's the bottom
line, Mr. Bruce.
The producers of pornography feel that they
have strong support in the First Amendment.
Their pals in the legal systems have stretched
that Amendment to its point of elasticity in
providing an umbrella for their sleazy business.
The First Amendment has been adoped as
the regulation side arm of the liberal med}.i,a. the
ACLU, the smut merchants, and our hopeless
ly degenerate, “‘entertainment’ industry. They
keep it closely holstered until someone
chaHenges their activity, then they brandish it
and shout, halt!
Now, here in the land of the spree and the
home of the depraved, we are seeing some in-
Prisoner Seeks Help
Dear Editor:
I am a concerned inmate about one of the
other prisoners here at Floyd County Correc
tional Institution.
There is an inmate, David Owens, at Floyd
County Correctional Institute that was told
February, 'B9 that he had cancer of the vocal
cords and right ear. According to Dr. Toby
Morgan, Mr. Owens, has three to four months
to live. With the 90 days he has, he would get
out in March, 1989. The warden has talked to
Mr. Wayne Snow Jr. at the Parole Board. But
there has been no response yet. Mr. Owens said
he would have an operation once he is out!
Mr. Owens does not trust doctors at
Augusta and will not sign papers for an opera
tion. He would not get out until doctors said
he was well enough to go. That could end up
to be a year or more. To let him lie in Rome and
die would be murder. Almost one month has
passed and Dr. Morgan said it would spread
fast. The cancer on his vocal cords could get big
enough to cut his wind off. I feel the public
Prison No Navy Ship
Dear Editor:
This missive is in reply to the March 23 let
ter to your paper, which you printed. This let
ter was from a Mr. Tom Greeson of LaFayette
— in response to Phillip Bruce writing. Mr.
Greeson presented and opposing view point —
entitled, “Jail Griping Tired Reading."”
Prisoner speaks out: I'm not certain (if)
those of us that are incarcerated; and, therefore
more familiar with the prison experience than
civilians and/or people in the military. As such,
I would like to present a third party viewpoint
addressing botfi Mr. Calloway's as well as Mr.
Greeson's postulations.
Incarceration is more than being forcibly
removed from society and being placed in a
structured, confined environment. It is more
than being denied the right to pursue life, liber
ty and happiness. Certainly, it is much, much
more than Eeing housed in overcrowded, close
uarters often unsanitary cubicles amon%st
3iverse peoples ranging from Psychopathic
Murderers, child-rapists, thieves and
predacious natured people. Yes, the food is
terrible, but it keeps one alive. The conditions
(physical) are overgearing but one can survive.
This is punishment deemed as just and ap
propriate by a modern society. Most of us, with
the exception of a few, acknowledge that we are
here based on actions that we took. Mistakes
or just our own natural *‘criminal’’ inclinations.
The people elect the politicians and the
politicians enact laws in tfie name of the peo
ple (society). Incarceration is one of these laws.
Criminologists, penologists and psychologists
design a system in which and by which the of
fender is supposedly punished, corrected,
rehabilitated, or as in most cases simply
“rehabilitated” by the warehouse syndrome.
It is this, that makes being incarcerated a
daily living hell. One that is underestimated,
overlooked and upheld by a society that hasn't
experienced the manifested laws that they
represented by way of their lawmakers.
A Navy Destroyer, though physically the
conditions may be similar or worse than those
of one incarcerated — That is as far as it goes.
The systematic dehumanization of which a
prisoner is subjected to every day for weeks,
months, years and in many cases decades, can
not possibly be comgared to a stint on a Navy
Destroyer which is basically: 1. Voluntary. 2.
Wages are earned. 3. Skills are learned, and of
course there are shore leaves, furloughs, etc.
In prison, it is involuntary incarceration and
servitude as sanctioned by the 13th Amend
ment to the U. S. Constitution. There aren't any
beds" in small rural hospitals.
* Create a blue ribbon study commission to
develop a solution to the problem of the cost
of indigent care in Georgia.
* Create a study commission to help resolve
the shortage of health care professionals in the
state, ‘
* Establish an educational loan program to
encourage new physicians to locate in rural
areas. .
This legislation will help Chattooqa Coun
ty Hos itzfi regain our financial viability, and
enable Sak View Nursing Home to continue to
;I{rovide high quality care to its residents.
hanks for your help, John.
Sincerely,
Dan Sweitzer, Executive Director
Chattooga County Hospital and Oak View
Nursing Home
novative operators at work. The left-leaning
media, the ACLU and the porn lobby are mov
ing on to something sweeter. Their current pro
ject involves replacing ‘‘freedom of speech”
with “‘freedom of expression.” You see it pop
ping up everywhere. Why bother with a time
consuming constitutional amendment? Just
repeat it often enough and it will become law.
Remember “civil disobedience” and ‘‘past in
justices?"’ Freedom of expression is needed to
protect those who procfixce such things as
obscene T-shirts, scatalogical bumper stickers
and Hollywood scripts.
Granted, speech is a form of expression, but
it is an isolated, defined one. It isn't an all
encompassing one. If “*freedom of expression”
shouldp ever come under constitutional protec
tion, we would be headed for anarchy. Freedom
of speech allows you to tell me to keep my do,
off your lawn. Freedom of expression woulg
allow you to shoot the dog. -
The creators of the First Amendment never,
for a moment, envisioned the intrusion into
American society of an element as disgusting
ly vile as is pornography. They woulf\slpin in
their graves if they could see what our courts
have done to the Constitution. Had any “‘ac
tivist” judge in 18th-century Philadelphia or
Massachusetts attempted to distort and ex
})and the intent of the First Amendment in the
ashion of that free-wheeling, porno judge in
lowa, he would have been immediately im
peached, and quite possibly flogged within an
inch of his life.
Tom Greeson
should know what is kept quiet in the prison
“*system.” I hope someone can help him gefore
it is too late. To think that he only has a few
days. If someone can do something, please step
forward!
Mr. Owens just does what he is told to do
and doesn't fuss about it here in prison! A man
that I'm sure he loves his wife and family. He
may never have the chance to show them his
love and how much he truly cares for them.
It's really sad! So if anybody can help, it
would really be highly appreciated.
Thanks for your time and concern!
Sincerely,
Charles R. Miller
Co. 76 — D 4
Floyd County Corectional Institute
329 Black Bluff Rd. S. W.
Rome, Ga. 30161 4
* *
(Editor’s Note: This letter was dated Feb.
16 but wasn't received by The News until April
3. It was postmarked April 1).
wages for labor and the prison system is a
mu%ti-billion dollar industry — Providing an
economic boost to rural counties, states and
ultimately the nation’'s economy.
Serving in the Navy being comparable to
serving time in prison is ludicrous and absurd!
The question is not whether “justice” is being
served. But, does the practice of removing por
tions (years) of a person's life contribute to the
betterment of that individual and society. I do
believe that the staggering rate of recidivism
clearly answers that question.
* Incarceration for the most part is a state of
being alive, yet dead. Mentafiy demoralized,
dehum‘an'izeg and emotionally hardened by
societies rejection, systematic regimentation in
short, most felony and capital o&nders began
as truent, delinquent juveniles and progressive
ly became worse. I can’t help but wonder were
these kids born criminally inclined? If not, then
what did the system contribute to their criminal
careers? :
Finally, when one is discharged from the
Navy, one has a bright future ahead of him. In
sharp contrast to one bein%l discharged from
prison where in most cases he is severely han
dicapped by 1. Lack of funds. 2. Lack of employ
ment and skills. 3. He must somehow bridge the
wide chasm of society’s progress while he was
incarcerated and time st;oogr still. Thus, he is
alienated as well as ostracized from society even
while he is in society.
In summation: Mr. Greeson is correct in the
comé)arable similarities between prison housing
conditions and that of a Navy Destroyer.
However, a Navy Destroyer is designed and in
tended to do as its name imé)lies: Destroy-other
forces. Prison is designed and intended to
destroy the criminal element in man by gradual
ly and systematically destroying the inner-man.
A process which continues long after he is
released from prison.
Society: Please acknowledge that Justice is
not revenge and the laws writtgn in the books
take off and have a life of their own, a very real
life affecting real people. Question: Would you
grefer prison to a Navy Destroyer? Speaking
or myself — I'd %adly serve five years on a
destroyer rather than one day in prison!
Thank you Mr. Editor! If it's possible,
would you print this? Condense, etc., if and
when necessary!
Sincerely, : ;
Eddie Buttram, EL 142235
G-S-P Star Rt.
Reidsville, Ga. 30499 :