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PACE 4A THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2008 Editor: Angela Gary Phone: 706-367-2490 E-mail: AngieEditor@aol.com Website: www.banksnewsTODAY.com Opinions “Where the press is free and every tnan able to read, all is safe.” — Thomas Jefferson Women get the vote I received an e-mail on Monday with details of how women were treated during the suffrage days. Some were imprisoned. Some were beaten. Some were treated as if they were insane and attempts were made to institutionalize them, simply because they sought the right to vote. Of course, there was nothing “simple” about it. The vote would change everything, giving women power in more areas than just the polls. It would mean a shift ing of the bedrock - in the home, in education, in the work world. The point of the email was that women should take advantage of their right to vote, for it was hard- won. The primary has come and gone. November will be here soon enough, and it seems that female voters are particularly in demand this year, as Obama and McCain seek to pick up Clinton's female supporters. Back when we were working on the book “Our Time and Place: A History of Jackson County,” I did some searching through old copies of The Jackson Herald to learn about the earlier role of women in politics. Not surprisingly, the response to women seeking the vote was not overwhelmingly positive. In July 1913, The Herald reprinted an article from The Augusta Chronicle commenting on the right to vote for women in Illinois. This article told of a woman who went out to the polls, while her husband stayed home with the children. Imagine! Men weren’t allowed to “throw up their jobs every time election day comes around, so women shouldn't expect to, either,” the article said. Yet, by March 1914, a “Suffragette Convention” was planned at Martin Institute in Jefferson. By 1920, some 40 years after the Women’s Suffrage Movement began, women were given the right to vote. The editor at The Jackson Herald expressed misgiv ings. “We have never favored woman suffrage. Not because woman (sic) is not qualified for this respon sibility, but because we did not believe it good for woman to get mixed up in politics.” Because voter registration was required six months prior to an election, women did not vote on state or national issues that year. However, they could vote on city matters. Miss Lurline Collier was the first woman to qualify to vote in Jackson County - she had also been another “first,” having been named a deputy sheriff years ear lier when her father was sheriff. Miss Collier noted that there was not a “mad rush” of women preparing to vote. By 1924, 135 women had registered to vote in the county. Commerce women voted for the first time in November 1921, with 44 of the total 271 voters reported as female. Once women gained the right to vote, they also gained the right to hold office and sit on a jury, but it took a while. In 1955, Dorothy Bullard, Center, was the first woman to serve on a Jackson County jury. She was foreman. It’s been a slow march, from the 1880s and the beginning of the suffrage struggle, to the 2008 cam paign, where a woman was seeking to become presi dent. So, she wasn't the one, but I really wouldn't say it had that much to do with her gender. What woman is out there now who will eventually be that “first?” Jana Adams Mitcham is features editor of The Jackson Herald, a sister publication of The Banks County News. E-mail comments about this column to jana@mainstreetnews.com. The Banks County News Founded 1968 The official legal organ of Banks County, Ga. Mike Buffington Co-Publisher Scott Buffington . Co-Publisher Angela Gary Editor Chris Bridges Sports Editor Sharon Hogan .... Reporter Anelia Chambers . Receptionist Suzanne Reed Church News Phones (all 706 area code): Angela Gary Phone ....367-2490 Angela Gary Fax ....367-9355 Homer Office Phone ....677-3491 Homer Office Fax ....677-3263 (SCED 547160) Published weekly by MainStreet Newspapers, Inc., P.O. Box908, Jefferson, Ga. 30549 Subscription in county $19.75 Subscription in state $38.85 Subscription out of state $44.20 Military with APO address $42.20 Senior citizens get a $2 discount Periodicals postage paid at Homer, Ga. 30547 Let's hope the winners don't turn out to be losers! comments from www.BanksNewsTODAY.com On story “Attorney says test results clear assistant principal:” "When is this witch hunt going to end?!! Lori Rylee has been a fine educator for years and is being thrown under the bus by this school board. Kids have imaginations and this is obviously a situation that has been born of that. What I would like to know is what education degrees our respec tive school board members hold? Do we realize that they hold power over educators that have masters, special ists and sometimes doctorate degrees? Remember that on election day!” On Chris Bridges column: “Presidential election proving to be puzzling:” "Libertarians are nothing more than Republicans that lose their morals. Disappointed in Dear Editor: We were disappointed to read a gov ernment notice in the July 9 paper that informed Banks Countians of a public hearing at the next BOC meeting on July 22. The hearing is intended to brief citizens on the proposed update to the county’s comprehensive plan and to “provide for public input.” We have participated in several pre vious meetings at which the BOC sought public input, and it is discour aging that the commissioners decided to schedule this very important final The Banks County News has estab lished a policy on printing Letters to the Editor. We must have an original copy of all letters that are submitted to us for publication. Members of our staff will not type out or hand-write letters for people who stop by the office and ask them to do so. Anyone with general story ideas, complaints or comments about the news department is asked to call edi tor Angela Gary at 706-367-2490. She can also be reached by e-mail at AngieEditor@aol.com. Anyone with comments, questions or suggestions relating to the coun ty board of commissioners, county government, county board of educa tion and crime and courts is asked to contact staff reporter Chris Bridges They have Republican views towards the business and free enterprise, but hold the deplorable liberal views toward abortion, homosexual marriage, etc. Bob Barr is better than Obama, but I can’t vote for him. What’s wrong with Sean Hannity by the way?” On story “Assistant principal case could be nearing end:” “Lori Rylee is being thrown under the PC bus. Our school board quakes in their boots when the noisy minority of parents rattles their sabres. Read the report — no pee pee in the water. Couple this with CHILDREN HAVE UNBRIDLED IMAGINATIONS! We can’t do this because somewhere down the line we raised a generation of parents who haven’t grown up them selves. It’s time to send the message public hearing at 3:30 in the afternoon on a work day. If the intent is to hear from as many citizens as possible, then this timing is extremely puzzling. Most Banks Countians have to work for a living, and coming to a mid-aftemoon meet ing is virtually impossible. We won der why this was done. The comprehensive plan is one of the most important matters that county government produces to guide the future growth and development of Banks County, and it seems like the commission should go out of its way Letters to the Editor must also be signed with the address and phone number of the person who wrote them. The address and phone number will be for our verification purposes only and will not be printed unless the writer requests it. Mail to, The Banks County News, P.O. Box 920, Homer, Ga. 30547. at 706-367-2745 or by e-mail at chris@mainstreetnews.com. Bridges also is sports edi tor of the paper and covers local high school, middle school and recreation sports. Anyone with comments, ques tions or suggestions relating to Alto, Lula, Baldwin and Gillsville, should contact Sharon Hogan at 706-367-5233 or by e-mail at sharon @ mainstreetnews. com. to the school board to stop bowing their knees to the PC crowd. Vote on July 15th - three of them are up for re-election!” On Maysville fire story: “Why is it no one remembers house bill 489...using Maysville Fire as first due is duplication of service and ille gal by state law. Maysville Fire has lost their share of houses in the last few years...any one remember the two fires on Deer Run where both of them burned to the ground ? How about some positive stories instead of trying to brew more controversy?” On Loyd Echols death: “My prayers and heart goes out to the Echols family and even more so for Ms. Echols. to hold public hearings during night meetings, or at least in the very late afternoon. Almost every BOC meeting is held at night. We had hoped our local gov ernment would want to be as open to its constituents as possible. We were apparently wrong. We hope someone will be able to attend and have a voice about a plan which is going to be in place for the next 10 years! Sincerely, Cliff Jolliff and Elaine Gerke Maysville given E-mailed letters will be accepted, but we must have a contact phone number and address. Letters that are libelous will not be printed. Letters may also be edited to meet space requirements. Anyone with questions on the policy is asked to contact editor Angela Gary at AngieEditor@aol.com or by calling 706-367-2490. Calls concerning the City of Maysville should go to staff report er Justin Poole at 706-367-2348. Calls for information about the church page should go to Suzanne Reed at 706-677-3491. Church news may also be e-mailed to churchnews@mainstreetnews.com. The Banks County News website is updated throughout the week and can be accessed on the Internet at www.banksnewsTODAY.com. FISA bill an assault on civil liberties Tuesday’s summer primary election is now over. With that in mind, a few thoughts about November’s vote which is now. believe it or not. less than four- months away: For those of you who have been asleep at the wheel in recent days, President Bush got his wish with the repassing of the FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) Bill. Despite the objections of those who value civil liberties and certain historical American docu ments such as the Bill of Rights, the President contin ues to contend this unconstitutional bill is necessary for the so-called “war on terror.” Thumbs up to those lawmak ers who fought this bill such as Russ Feingold of Wisconsin. Thumbs down to those such as Orin Hatch of Utah who gave the president a rubber stamp of approval on this issue which poured more acid on Americans right to privacy and civil liberties. • •• Former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, always a lightning rod for controversy, is now a presiden tial candidate. McKinney easily won the Green Party nomination last week and joins several third-party candidates with higher-than- usual name recognition this year. (Bob Barr is the Libertarian Party nominee and Ralph Nadar is once again running for president as an independent.) Now a resident of California, McKinney will be on the ballot in approximately 36 states although Georgia will not be one of them. State Green Party officials attempted to obtain the number of necessary signatures to place their presidential candidate on the November ballot but fell way short. Georgia has one of the most strict bal lot access laws in the country thanks to the Republicans and Democrats who work together on this issue to keep vot ers from having much of a choice. (Barr will be on the ballot by the way.) McKinney's vice-presidential running mate is Rosa Clementa of New York. ••• At a recent campaign event in Denver, John McCain was holding one of his “Straight Talk” rallies. That apparently didn’t hold for one former newspaper reporter and current part-time librarian outside the event who was actually tick eted after holding a simple sign which read “McCain = Bush.” It seems Secret Service agents told local police to tell the woman holding the sign to leave the area even though she was standing on public property. When she asked why, she was told she was trespassing. Even after she left, with four police officers as an escort, she was ticketed and given a court date. She was told if she returned she would be arrested. The footage of the incident is all over the Internet. In no way was the woman threatening the police officers or any one for that matter. She was not even attempting to enter the building. Simply, she was holding a sign that McCain rep resentatives apparently didn't like. The best question she asked however, was, “Why do the McCain people find this sign offensive? Are they ashamed of George Bush?” When all was said and done, I don't guess the event was really about “Straight Talk” afterall. ••• With more talk than usual this presi dential election of third-party candidates do you know who was the last person outside of the two major parties to actu ally carry a state? Ross Perot? John Anderson? Ralph Nadar? No. Try for mer Alabama Governor George Wallace who in 1968 won five Southern states, including Georgia, in the presidential election. Chris Bridges is a reporter for The Banks County News. Contact him at 706-367-2745 or e-mail comments to chris@mainstreetnews.com. Letter to the Editor BOC meeting planned during day Letters to the editor policy News department contact numbers chris bridges