Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 12A — THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL, THURSDAY. JUNE 29. 2017
Opinions
My take on patriotism
I’m not a big flag waver
and don’t whoop and hol
ler at patriotic moments.
That’s partly personality
and partly the times in
which I grew up.
I’ve probably thought
more about patriotism in
the past six months than in
the past six years. It might
have something to do with
the political events of the
times.
Patriotism, as with
most things that are more
than skin deep, are better
expressed in quiet ways.
The exceptional part
of the U.S. history is the
ideals that link us togeth
er. We are unique in that
regard (not “very” unique,
just unique). Nowhere
else, that I’m aware of.
is there a country that
was created because of
an ideal.
The ideal, as expressed
by the Declaration of
Independence, is this:
“That all men are cre
ated equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator
with certain unalienable
Rights, that among these
are Life. Liberty and the
pursuit of Happiness.”
Before those words, it
says those “truths” are
“self-evident.” They just
are. No one grants them
to us - not a king, not
Congress, not the pres
ident. not any particu
lar god (it notes “their
Creator”).
I favor the first part
about “created equal.”
Many in the U.S. are more
concerned about the “lib
erty” concept.
We know that the white
men who wrote those
words didn’t really mean
them. They meant “white
men of property.” They
My view
ron@
mainstreet
news.com
By Ron Bridgeman
left out women, slaves and
destitute folks because
that was their society.
But the sentiment is
unique.
Not before or since has
a country been created
based on an ideal, and 241
years later we still cling to
that notion of “life, liberty
and the pursuit of happi
ness.” The definitions of
those words vary wildly
from person to person.
Our society is so dif
ferent from colonial days
that it wasn’t imaginable
then, just as those days are
not imaginable now.
I remember a “flag flap”
in 2008 when Barack
Obama first ran for pres
ident. Every person who
ran for federal office
seemed to be required to
wear a small American
flag, men on their coat
lapels, women as a broach,
necklace or pin.
Obama committed the
unpardonable sin of not
wearing a flag pin on
occasion. I hope he was
as bewildered as I at the
hullabaloo raised over it.
I still wonder at our thin
level of patriotism that the
wearing of the pin, or lack
thereof, became such a
big deal.
The ideals behind the
flag would seem way
more important to me.
My congressman then, a
young, energetic conser
vative from Chattanooga,
had had such a pin for a
while. I don’t know how
long. That’s how much
attention I paid.
He had a speech he made
to school kids about what
the ideals of the country
are and how they survived
more than 225 years. He
was a good speaker and,
more than once. I got off
in a corner to wipe my
eyes when he was talking.
My wife is a big fan
of fireworks. I’m not
so much. Too loud and
splashy for my taste.
I much prefer places
such as the top of Mt.
LeConte in the middle
of the night or coves on
Fontana Lake surround
ed by green mountains.
Those have been my “pur
suit of happiness” occa
sions.
Perhaps the largest man
ifestation of my beliefs is
the job I do. As I heard
on one of the cable shows
over the weekend, the
press is the only job that
is specifically protected in
the Constitution.
Most of what I do is rou
tine and “just” work, but
all of it contributes to what
we hope, and believe, is
an accurate reflection of
our communities.
The day-to-day routine
is not glamourous or flag
waving. It is showing up
and providing information
that is useful to those who
absorb it.
I hope that is patriotism.
I have believed it is for a
long time.
Ron Bridgeman is a
reporter for Mainstreet
Newspapers. Send him
email at ron@mainstreet-
news.com.
Vince Dooley’s passion for
history yields another book
Life’s exposures bring var
ied friends and personalities
into your sphere which brings
about conclusions. Some elic
it favorable approval, some
don’t. Not sure what the rest
of the world thinks, but it is
always refreshing to interact
with one accomplished in his
field but happens not to be one
dimensional.
That is why it has always
been difficult for athletes to
earn respect beyond their sig
nature abilities—throw a 95
mph fastball, hit homeruns in
bunches; fling a football with
alacrity and aplomb for a first
down under the greatest of
pressure or arch it deep for a
touchdown in the face of inten
sity which evokes the energetic
approval of critical aficionados.
Too often, when off-the-field,
these heroes reflect provincial
and plebian indifference to
intellectual pursuits. Witless
and Philistine, what do they do
when they lose their suppleness
and their motor skills are in
retreat?
With coaches, there is a sim
ilar circumstance. Some can
only coach. Some go to seed.
While he has an enduring affin
ity for gardening, Vince Dool
ey, the former Georgia coach,
is motivated by both outside
and inside avocations. He con
nects with the environment, he
enjoys getting his hands in the
dirt, but, perhaps, what he is
most compatible with is the
library.
This Mobile waterfront
alumnus, whose early life was
austere but blessed with a prox
imity to books and a unadul
terated Catholic education, has
enjoyed a more fulfilling after
life as a coach than most in that
his bent for history has always
set him apart. You start with
that natural curiosity and then
you take note of his merging
an enduring appetite for learn
ing with enterprise. While an
My
View
By Loran Smith
assistant coach at Auburn, he
earned a master’s degree in
history. Most coaches on most
campuses “don’t know where
the library is at."
Since he coached his last
game Jan. 1, 1989, Dooley
has become a Master Gardner,
a landscape disciple and has
authored or co-authored ten
books. While he is not a natu
ral writer (a man is not always
accomplished at everything),
he is a dogged and indefatiga
ble researcher which is how his
latest literary effort came about.
Dooley and Samuel N.
Thomas Jr. have teamed to
publish "The Legion’s Fighting
Bulldog,” which is a story of a
University of Georgia honor
graduate who was a hero of the
Civil War. The book includes
the war correspondence of Wil
liam Gaston Delony, who was
a Lieutenant Colonel of Cobb’s
Georgia Legion Calvary, and
his wife, Rosa Delony, 1853-
1863. Thomas sorted, orga
nized and edited the correspon
dence between the Delonys,
which is a treasured collection
at the UGA Research Library.
Ed Larson, historian and a
member of the Pepperdine fac
ulty says: “A Bulldog Con
federate officer’s story affec
tionately retold, capturing his
devotion of family, friends and
cause. By showing as much
why Delony fought as what
he did, Dooley and Thomas
enrich our understanding of the
Civil War and its lasting impact
on the South. A Dawg-gone
good read.”
It was only natural that Dool
ey and Thomas were attracted
to Delony’s Georgia heritage.
The touching letters between
husband and wife—who
understood the sacrifice being
made meant separation but
remained hopeful of reunion—
are very poignant and insight
ful.
Dooley admired the leader
ship skills of Delony, whose
name is still inscribed on a
pew at the First Presbyteri
an church on East Hancock
Street. He was fascinated by
the courage of a man who
set the finest example for his
troops by putting himself in
harm’s way before asking them
to follow his lead. Traveling to
all the battlefields where Del
ony earned universal respect,
Dooley allowed his mind’s eye
to recreate the scenes he and
Thomas wrote about. Dool
ey gloried in his research by
“locating” himself at those sites
where Delony distinguished
himself. He endeavored to
vicariously live Delony’s war
experience. He had to become
emotionally linked to the
“fighting Bulldog” of Cobb’s
Georgia Legion Calvary. He
and Thomas have allowed us
to emotionally connect with the
“best regiment of either army,
North or South” as the high
ly regarded Wade Hampton, a
member of the Robert E. Lee
brain trust, described them.
The Delony story is a remind
er of the one which came about
when a Union squad captured
a near impossible-to-subdue
Confederate at Kennesaw.
“You got any slaves?” the rebel
was asked. “Naw,” was the
reply. “Your family got any
slaves?” Again, “Naw.”
‘Then why are you fighting
so hard?”
“Cause,” came the pungent
response, “Y’all down here.”
Loran Smith is a columinst
for MainStreet Newspapers
Inc.
WE GIVE YOU MORE FOR YOUR TRADES!
2007 Chrysler
PT Cruiser
Stock#FC51623A
2011 Ford
Fusion
Stock #UC54933
2005 Chevrolet
Trail Blazer
Stock #UT70142A
2010GMC
Canyon
Stock #F1131OA
2012 Ford
Fusion
Stock #UC56897
Stock #UC69700
Priced to Sell!!
Priced to Sell!!
Only 71KU
Only 84 K!
2014 Ford
Taurus
Stock #UC33620A
2016 Hyundai
Accent
Stock #UC59409
2016 GMC
Sierra 1500
Stock #UT62437
2013 Honda
CRVEXL
Stock #UT47795
2013 Jeep
Grand Cherokee
Stock #FC89584A
Stock 4F70512A
Priced to Sell!!
Automatic, Only 15K!!
Priced to Sell!!
includes $750. Owner loyalty rebate. Dealer retains all Ford rebates ancHneentives. Prices and/or payments are PLUS TAV Tax and any applicable state fees and a $389.00 administration fee. Not all customers will qualify for all rebates used in our prices but some customers may qualify for additional
es not used. Some rebates may require FMC financing, proof of Famt Bureau Insurance and a Farm Bureau pin # or may require proof of ownership or trade of a specific vehicle. Different rebate bundles are offered by Ford Motor Company, please see one of our Sales Professionals to see which rebates!
r special APR’s arc advantageous to your particular situation. All advertised vehicles are subject to prior sale. Rebates, incentives and special APR's are subject to change at Ford's discretioa Artwork may vary.
Casey Jackson
Over 90 Brand New Vehicles!
We have the LARGEST
Selection of Vehicles EVER!
ALWAYS OVER 100 PREOWNED VEHICLES TO CHOOSE FROM!
WE ACCEPT ALL CREDIT APPLICATIONS & WE HAVE A CREDIT PROGRAM TO HELP ALMOST ANYONE
DRIVE A LITTLE
SAVE A LOTH!
CASEY
JACKSON
1435 East Main Street, Royston, GA
Guaranteed
www.caseyjacksonford.com
1998 Buick
Park Avenue
Stock #UC53517A
2007 Ford
Explorer
Stock #???
2007 Toyota }
Camry
Stock #EXP27344B
IJjy
Very Clean Only 71 KU
$ 4,950
SPORT TRACI!
$ 6,500
Solara Convertible!!
$ 8,750
2016
Mazda 3i
Stock #UC95548
2014 Nissan
Maxima
Stock #UC84007
2014 Mini
Cooper Sport
Stock #F21791B
HP
a
V
Auto i-sport, only 9K
16,500
Very Nice, Low Miles!!
S 18,500
. Only 17KH
(18,800
O
O