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Viewpoints Our Opinions Seif discipline and self control are disappearing The high principles represented in the U.S. Constitution, wmcn made this nation a beacon of light to the world, were the result of self-discipline and moral integrity. What disturbs historians and social science experts today is that self discipline and self-control are fast disappearing among Americans, and as the ideal of generations. Television has taught viewers different values, primarily self indulgence, rather than self control. In the process, moral standards prevailing a generation ago, which when violated produced from communities words like shame, disgrace, sin, dishonor, are no longer the norm. We are brainwashed that everything and everybody and any behavior is equal or accepted. Nothing is odd, abnormal, unnatural or immoral. Great diversity in our society hasn't been divisive in the past because there were moral standards accepted by all. Today, as Arthur Schlesinger has written, the nation is dividing along ethnic and racial lines-with no common goal, agitation for no common language, and a trend among millions to blame their ills, failures or station in life on‘the government, or the majority. Instead of emulating what one sees on commercial TV (violence, sadism, crime, degeneracy and self-indulgence) Americans should remember the principles our Constitution represents, self control and self discipline. As the influence of our churches continues to decline, individual responsibility is the hope for the future. Clinton scandals shed light on one-party rule Scandals involving Bill and Hillary Clinton are casting a new and different light on one-party control of the U.S. Government It was said regularly during Reagan and Bush presidencies that Democrats' control of Congress and Republican control of the executive branch produced stalemate. To a degree, that was correct. Some of the stalemate was politically inspired, however, and not inevitable. It was said when one party had control of the executive and legislative branches of government, legislative progress would follow. For a time, when the Clinton economic program was passed last year, for example, that argument had apparent confirmation. But the scandals enveloping the Clintons and White House and executive department appointees, have given rise to the realization that one-party rule, as practiced in Arkansas and transferred to Washington, is not always a positive. In this case it has led to stonewalling by the Democrat majority in Congress in opposition to investigate hearings. When Republicans were in the White House there were hearings aplenty, and all the facts came out, if not all the indicated punishment. Now that process is threatened—by executive and congressional cooperation in stonewalling. Democrats in the majority would never impeach a Democrat. They have delayed indicting an obviously guilty congressman (Dan Rostenkowski) because he’s more liberal than his would-be replacement, Sam Gibbons, a Florida moderate. *7tie 'ftyouafon Hcttiee-f}<yun*uil ‘ZOelcottteA, ‘tyootn better *7 tie Sdtf&t. 'Pteode /tdcCreAe *7tew: Editor Houston Times-Journal P.O. Drawer M Perry, GA, 31069 Houston Times-Joumal P.O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll Street • Perry, Ga. 31069 Phone: (912) 987-1823 Member Georgia Press Association-National Newspaper Association Hoff nidfv no- f(iW- nil' *<st<if> «0«» O'l' ifLl UKj tfl«'|a««' *et«A<***' oa- tftc j'ivc<k)4M ,'pcvofi, on 4tC. oa- o^/1 f\«- p«opf«' tyCij to- «r, otwl- to- petition- tfi« V3oVe'iti«n«iit<ju<t- (i-nc(ln<»' oj- juvVoiimo* Your fight to read this newspaper is protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, Our Goal The Houston Times-Journal is published proudly for the citizens of Houston and adjoining counties by Houston Publications Inc., Perry Ga. Our goal is to produce quality, profitable, community-oriented newspapers that you, our readers, are proud of. We will reach that goal through hard work, teamwork, loyalty, and a strong dedication towards printing the truth. Bob Tribble Daniel F. Evans Julie B. Evans Mitch Tribble President Vice-President Treasurer Secretary Our Staff Brigette Loudermilk Editor and General Manager Eddie Byrd Advertising Director News: Brenda Thompson, Pauline Lewis Sports: Veto Roley Advertising. Teresa M. Gavilan Composition: Stacey Shy Classified Advertising: Melanie Bullington Bookkeeping: Judy Hubert Circulation: Donnie Forehand Our Policies •Signed Letters to the editor welcomed. Please limit to 300 words and include address and phone number. •Liability for an error will not exceed the cost of space occupied by the error. •We cannot be responsible for return of pictures or material unless stamped return addressed envelope is included. The Houston Times-Journal (USPS 000471) is published semi-weekly for SIB.OO per year by Houston Publications, Inc., 807 Carroll Street, Perry, Ga. 31069. Second Class Postage paid at Perry, Ga.,POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Houston Times-Journal, P.O. Drawer M.PerryGa. 31069. ISSN: 1076-1874 Views on Singapore, the Olympics and more Recently in Singapore an American young man plead guilty to 72 counts of wanton vandalism and part of his sentence will be six lashes with a moistened rattan cane. Members of the United States congress and the president have stuck their noses into the case and are trying to get Singapore authorities to call the caning off. The punishment is severe. Everyone admits it. The incident has resulted in thousands of letters to Singapore officials from Americans, with the overwhelming majority in favor of the punishment People seem to be fed up with our permissive society. The significant thing about this is the sharp contrast between justice and punishment in Singapore and the United States. Severe crimes in this country warrant a slap on the wrist, because real punishment might warp the bulprit's personality. In Singapore and some other places around the globe punishment is severe...and crime is low. Singapore has about the same population as New York. Its crime rate is about the same as Macon! Caning is applied to the bare buttocks. Each lash splits the skin. It is very painful. The broken skin will leave scars. But very few who have received this punishment ever commits a crime punishable by 7 m PEANUT KALeEft-'r'—— / LOOK fJATO(KAL^\ ( P°T Your* HAA/d in \ /vO My eyes are opening to a new way of thinking It's finally happened, I'm getting old. Maybe it's not that I'm getting old actually (I'll turn 26 this sum mer and a college psychology class instructed me that middle age doesn't even start until 40), but maybe it's just that I'm becoming domesticated-the career/family life is changing my attitudes. I first noticed it this week when I hear John Knox speak at Rotary and thought to myself "Good grief! I'm a Republican!" Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Republicans, sev eral of my family members are pro Your Opinion Thanks to Hospice volunteers Dear Editor: April 17-23,1994 is National Volunteer Week, and I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank the people I believe are the most dedicated volunteers in our community, the volunteers of Hospice of Houston County. Most people know that hospice provides a very special kind of care for terminally ill persons and their families, but it's less known that if it were not for volunteers, our hospice could not function. Even the federal government recognizes the importance of volunteers in the delivery of hospice care by requiring that Medicare-approved hospices utilize volunteers from their community. Hospice care is provided through an interdisciplinary, medically directed team. This team approach to care for dying persons typically includes a physician, a nurse, a counselor, a member of the clergy, and a home health aide. While Hospice of Houston County employs paid professionals, we lashing again. Contrast this with our country where criminals are coddled and prisons are like revolving doors. You can bet the young man who will receive the six lashes with a cane in Singapore never, ever will go out and commit vandalism in Singapore again... Severe punishment will prevent future criminal acts there. Some people are good because they know it is right...most because they fear punishment for doing wrong. Take, for example, driving an automobile. Almost everyone speeds when no law enforcement officer is around. But, fearing punishment in the form of a ticket, almost no one will speed when they know they are being observed by a law enforcement officer. The young man may come back to the United States and destroy other peoples' property because he knows there would be no punishment at all for his deeds...but never in Singapore. There has to be a lesson here. There is. Real punishment for crimes will prevent further crimes. Comparison of statistics in Singapore and the United States bear that out We can feel for the pain the young man will suffer. But, like a good parent who tells a child that punishment hurts him more than claimed Republicans. It's just that they're all older than me (and I never really liked the attitudes of the younger ones I’ve met either). Still, when Knox, who's seeking the Republican candidacy for the 1995 governor’s race, spoke about being tougher on criminals and giv ing the control of schools back to the communities I totally agreed with what he was saying. Actually, I discussed these same issues with a friend of mine just this weekend. I guess I'm not the zealous lib eral many people claim I am after all. Houston rimes-Jounwl Page 4A -Wednesday, April 13,1994 "Houston Times-Journal the child, we know that from now on he will be a better person because of the six lashes he will receive. * * * Latest information on the cost of attending an Atlanta Braves baseball game is sll2 for a family of four. That doesn't include the cost of transportation, parking, etc. How long, you must wonder, will people continue to fill up the Atlanta Stadium at that cost? Or, better yet, where do so many people get that kind of money to spend so many times during a summer? * * * Isn't it possible that the International Olympic Committee has wondered many times during the past two years why they selected Atlanta as site of the 1996 Olympic games? Never in the history of the Olympics has there been so much bickering, so many demands by greedy special interest groups and minorities to be paid off so they won’t "interfere" when the games are held. Black people want their neighborhoods rebuilt and already are receiving large sums of cash as a payoff. Homosexuals are having their say. And the homeless are standing in the way of building a park. Minorities are demanding a big piece of the construction pie, regardless of what might be low bids. And on it goes. Sickening, I guess my idealistic nature and optimism have been squashed by the rat race and motherhood. All I know is that things can't get much worse and we definitely need a change. A Republican has never been elected governor in this state and look where we are-educa tionally at the bottom, economi cally scraping the bottom and crime-wise at the top. Doesn't sound too impressive for the Democrats, does it? * * * Thinking back now, I can trace my "evolution" of political affilia tion to the last presidential election. also strongly rely on volunteers to provide assistance at all levels of skill. Nationally, almost 100,000 people serve as hospice volunteers, and last year, they give well over 5 million hours of their precious time to serve terminally ill patients and their families. Locally over 130 persons donated their service to our community hospice at a savings of over $25,000. In a number of ways, volunteering for hospice differs from other community work. For one thing, patient-care volunteers are required to undergo at least 32 hours of standardized training before being allowed to work directly with a patient or family, and continuing education hours are required to maintain this certification. No task is too big or too small for our volunteers, but often the most important thing they can do is just "be there" for patients—to reassure them that they are not alone, to hold a hand, to offer a smile, or to just listen. It is not easy work, but the personal rewards are enormous! The strength and courage of patients provide a constant source of inspiration, and volunteers usually feel they gain more than they have been able to give. Hospice of Houston County is growing as more and more persons seek Please see LETTER, page 10A to say the least. Considering all the demands for a "piece of the pie" it may be a miracle if the games come off at all. It certainly gives foreigners a terrible (though accurate) impression of Atlanta. * * * A new state law is requiring that certain pets be spayed before being given to owners by animal shelters to hold down the animal population. Does this give you any ideas? * * * It was first reported in Time Magazine. So-called "melanin scholars" now tell us that blacks, who have more of the dark skin pigment melanin than other races probably are superior and have even supernatural traits. Time says that many educators, black and white, are accepting the views that the more melanin (the pigment that colors the skin) a person has in his skin the more intelligent and superior he is. This valuable information is being reported as a public service without comment. SJ Brigette L P flLoudermilkl P || Editor i There was no way I was going to put up with "four more years" of Reagan-Bush. They'd never done a thing for me so I gambled with Clinton, and still feel I made the right decision. Please see LOUDERMLK, page 10A