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Viewpoints Our Opinions President’s honesty at recent conference wins forgiveness Polls confirm the view of those who felt President Clinton helped considerably with his recent evening press conference. He was most effective because he appeared open and sincere, and admitted mistakes The American people are forgiving. What the voter wants is not a saint bat one who can get things done. If Clinton succeeds in passing his legislative program, which seems likely. Whitewater will very likely be a minor issue by 1996. Congressman William Natcher epitomized best of democracy Of the 535 members of Congress elected by the fifty states, a very few represent what's best in a democracy. One of the few was William Natcher of Kentucky's 2nd District, dead at 84. Natcher accepted no contributions, lobbyists didn't influence him. He didn't miss a House vote for forty years. He refused to hire all the staff congressmen had money to hire-knowing he could operate effectively without so many. He saved the government that money, to set the right example. That was his often stated goal in Congress-he wanted people to remember him as one who did the job right. Lack of personal responsibility to blame for degenerate world Thomas Sowell, black columnist, is one of a minority of American commentators today stressing personal responsibility-as the key to reducing crime, illegitimacy and poverty. Sowell blames the present welfare system for trapping many in dependency. He notes that Washington, D.C. has the highest rate of infant mortality in the nation. Predominantly black, citizens there are not as poor as many white and black communities elsewhere. Sowell notes that Hispancis receive less parental care than blacks, yet have lower infant mortality rates. This indicates those claiming more government care and welfare programs are the answer to today’s social and moral problems miss the major point The main reason for today's degenerate U.S. society-crime, illegitimacy, drugs, poverty—is that too many Americans today lack personal responsibility, too many depend on the government Deadlines For Submitting New Articles and Photographs 5 pm Monday for Wednesday Edition 5 pm Thursday For Saturday Edition *76e 'Zftoc&toM, Ti/elcotuej tyuin tde&en *7o- £dit(vi. ‘Ptccuc rfdcOiew, *7&ent: Editor Houston Times-Journal P.O. Drawer M Perry, GA, 31069 Houston Times-Journal P.O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll Street • Perry, Ga. 31069 Phone: (912) 987-1823 Member Georgia Press Association-National Newspaper Association molt no f/i«i (UI 04 tiv« •UACtM tik«A4o|' OA. t f\* |<l«#d*Kn o| OA t/l«- OA ti\«- ptO^A P«xu4al/<| tatiMfnilfii! on<i p«(iKoit ti!< vo** a|- JW4V«M»C4*< Youf right to re*d this f'ewspaper is protected Py the Firs* AroenOTieot of th« United States Constitution. Our Goal The Houston Times-Journal is published proudly for the citizens of Houston and adjoining counties by Houston Publications lnc.,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:IC7S-1874 What does Sen. Sam really know about UFOs? I KNOW that Sen. Sam Nunn is one of the busiest people in the world. Since he is our country's foremost authority on national defense, many people-including the president—wish to share his wisdom. But I’ve just got to have some of his time. No doubt about it Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs). A group that spends considerable time gathering evidence that there have been sightings of UFOs in this country for years picketed Sen. Nunn's office recently because they are convinced he is covering up information on the subject Learning that Sam has an inside track on UFOs and may even have had conversations with people from outer space got my attention. You see, since I was a boy I have had the notion that there are people out H ThitrtoT} <s Rooney missed mark on a young man’s suicide I like to watch 60 Minutes on Sunday evenings. I don't always agree with the slants on some of their stories, but at least they are all interesting. Still, last Sunday Andy Rooney really irked me. He basically put down a young rock star who com mitted suicide recently. His point was that he'd never heard of this guy until stories about him spread across the front pages of newspa pers around the country. The guy was obviously getting paid a lot to perform songs of "some new kind" of rock music and, therefore, had probably never worked hard a day in Your Opinion Student enjoyed D.A.R.E. Dear Editor: Hi. My name is Megan Eckhardt. I go to Tucker Elementary School in Perry, Ga. I am in the fifth grade. My teacher is Mrs. Brewton. I think the D.AJI.E. program is a great idea. I think D.A.R.E. is a great idea because we get to have parties and a graduation, but that isn't the reason we are having D.A.R.E. We have D.AR.E. because it teaches us to say no to drugs. Drugs won't help you with your problems, they just mess up your life. So if anyone ever offers you drugs, "Just say no!" We learned what drugs you should and shouldn't take. We also learned that peer pressure is pressure that your friends put on you. We learned that if you take an overdose of any pill you might die. Sincerely, Megan Eckhardt Whitten questions BOE Dear Editor: After attending the April 12<h meeting of the Houston County Board of Education, I have spent the past several days re-examining the information and events surrounding the Board's decision to build two new middle schools on sites located north of State Route 96. I sincerely want to believe that the Board was focused on the best interest of the students of Houston County in making their decision but I continue to have great difficulty arriving at that conclusion. Originally, the Houston County BOE stated a policy that new schools would only be built in populated areas. During a meeting between Board and the Concerned Citizens of Houston County on March 24th, Houston Times-Journal there somewhere and it has been my ambition to see and talk with them before I die. When I was a boy movie theaters used to show 13-week serials on Saturdays to keep us coming back. At the end of each episode, exept the last one, the hero was in a predicament that he almost surely could not get out of. So we had to come back next Saturday to see if be did survive. Oddly enough, he always found a way to avoid being killed. • * • One of the heroes of the time was Buck Rogers. Another was Flash Gordon. They had a space ship and flew all over the universe and beyond. They came in contact with people from other planets and galaxies. Some of them were good. Most of them woe real villains that Buck and Flash had to overcome to his life. For someone who had never heard of this young man, Rooney certainly thought he knew an awful lot about him. What's more, he treated death in a sarcastic and rude manner. He belittled every person who has been in such despair that they have resorted to suicide. Suicide is something each of us has had contact with-whether it be through a spouse, child, relative, co-worker or friend who has ended their existence on this earth out of desperation and lack of hope. I generally think Andy Rooney is a funny guy, but this time 1 think - Wednesday, April 20,1994 "H0u5t0n Timos-Journal Page 4A survive. Having learned from these Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon serials that there are people out there I began my lifelong wait to meet one of them. When I grew up I realized that the Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon serials were fabricated and that if there is intelligent life in outer space the people may not look anything like us. Why would I believe there is life out there? My reasoning is simple: God created our earth and the people who populate iL Considering how we have turned out he must be disappointed. So wouldn't he try again perhaps again and again...for better results? Following this line of reasoning I am convinced that out there in the billions of miles of outer space there probably are many forms of civilization...and perhaps they have he missed the mark. * * * One thing Rooney mentioned is that he doesn't feel sorry for young Kurt Cobain because he would gladly trade places with a young person just to be young again. Big words coming from a man of Rooney's accomplishments over the years. Rooney talked about the Depression, the Vietnam War and a few other manmade disasters, implying that this young man had nothing to feel hopeless or desper ate about But, that is not the truth. The when the evidence clearly did not support this statement, the stated policy suddenly changed to include building schools in areas demonstrating rapid growth. However, once again the evidence did not support this statement. The stated policy was then changed again to reflect that schools are built in areas that the Board projects rapid growth. The Board then proudly pointed to the area surrounding Houston County High School as an example of their expertise in making these projections. It does not take a genius to see the actual cause and effect relationship in this case. The vast majority of the growth in that area took place after Houston County High, along with the sewers, utilities and other infrrastructure required to support it, was completed. Had that school been built in another location, most if not all of the new developments in that area would still be pine trees and soybean fields. The Board has made a verbal commitment to build a wing onto Perry Middle School to alleviate overcrowding at that facility. This wing was initially to contain seven classrooms. This was later changed to fourteen classrooms, restrooms, administrative offices and a teacher's lounge. During the BOE meeting on April 12th, an expansion to the cafeteria and kitchen facilities was also added. While this - mds very positive, on March 24th, the Concerned Citizens Group was told by the BOE that there were no drawings, specifications or statements of work developed for the new wing (NO DESIGN). They could not provide a date for release of the bid package, groundbreaking or any other major construction milestones (NO SCHEDULE). Further, the source of funds and or financing to pay for the construction had not been determined (NO MONEY). In addition, the tentative target for occupancy changed from the Fall of “95 to the Fall of ■%. Now, according to Mr. Blackmon, the target occupancy date has been revised back to the Fall of *95. Again, I want to believe them. But, given the misinformation and double-talk emanating from the Houston County Board of Education, given the convenient timing of the creation of the Houston County School Please see L*tt9ra, page 10A found a way to get to earth and look us over. * * * That's why I want to talk to Sam Nunn. Perhaps those people know something. Perhaps he has information about UFOs and the people who travel in them. I would like to see a UFO. I I would like to meet the people who travel in them. I would like to take a ride in one of their spaceships. Now if the information they say Sam is withholding is of serious Please see Evans, pagelOA M; Brigette L jp I |! Editor state of society and the economy today is nothing to feel happy about, especially for a young per son trying to work their way up the economic ladder and raise a family. (Cobain had a baby daughter.) Please see Loudermilk, pagelOA