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Viewpoints Your Opinion Law without justice,freedom without limits also problem Dear Editor: In Bob Tribble’s June 11th Column he added his list of seven root causes of violence to Gandhi’s list, then told his readers: “You can probably come up with seven more root causes of violence.” Let me now offer my own list that can be added to his and Gandhi’s list, although I offer only two. (1) Law without justice. Society cannot function without law. However, to be just and effective, law must perform its God-ordained task, plainly given in Romans 13: 1- 4, of punishing evil-doers. This is simple justice. But our weak-kneed and soft-headed laws in America today let criminals get away with murder. Because of the demented social theories and the nit-picking legalistic mumbo-jumbo of our times, killers are set free to commit mayhem on the innocent again. Furthermore, this leftist legal lunacy provoker vigilantism among normally law-abiding citizens who are frustrated beyond endurance by the law’s self-afflicted inability to protect them. Eccl. 8:11 warns: “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” (2) Freedom without limits. Freedom is a good thing. But faced with the choice between freedom and a peaceful social order, most reasonable people realize they can not live without the latter. This is an unfortunate, but obvious fact of life. Just as too much to eat can hurt the body, so too much freedom can hurt society, and paradoxically, destroy freedom. Politically “correct” thinking, however defines freedom as the absence of nearly all moral responsibility and legal restraints, which are indispensable in keeping human passions from running amuck. Thanks to successful liberal efforts in the removal of these civilizing restraints in the name of their warped version of “freedom”, criminals need not fear just punishment for their misdeeds, and thus, violent crime runs rampant in America. Any effort to restore order and sanity to American society is met by liberals with the paranoid cry of “fascism!” Little is it realized in liberal quarters that a sure-fire road to the fascism they profess to dread is the road of freedom without limits that they’ve put America on. As moral and legal chaos escalates, Americans, like Germans in the 20’s and early 30’s, can get to the point where they will be willing to listen to any demagogue who can restore order in America, but not necessarily preserve freedom. Unless Americans are willing to return to a moral standard and reasonable legal restraints on human passions, by which to govern themselves, true freedom will be in danger of extinction. And if we are willing to accept chaos in the name of “freedom”, we will deserve no freedom. P.K. Bunine, Kathleen Readers fight rabies problem; take pets in for vaccinations Dear Editor: I wish to give you my thanks for all the articles you have printed this year concerning the rabies problems in Houston County. Due to your well written, informative articles, hundreds, maybe thousands, of pet owners vaccinated their pets against rabies. The rabies vaccination program during the week of May 2-7, 1994 was very successful. All of the veterinarians I talked with said they were overwhelmed with the numbers of people coming in for the low cost shots and some even had to refer patients to other vets or work extended hours. The rabies problem has seemed to have subsided at the present, but there are still large numbers of rabid wild animals (most likely raccoons and foxes) out there. People still need to take the following precautions: •Never pet or play with wild animals or strange dogs or cats. •Have your pets vaccinated against rabies by a veterinarian every year. •If you are bitten by any animal go to the doctor or emergency center. Respectfully, Bert Tilton, Environment Health Specialist II Houston Times-Journal P.O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll Street • Perry, Ga. 31069 Phone: (912) 987-1823 Member Georgia Press Association-National Newspaper Association tt/v on, tA«. tfM. swusajcaA*, <w au&tujyuvy UW M pA*4Af (W (il*/ op tfve, to. aAA4m&le« aruL ta> tX*, 90*3«/u\/rv*ut ftvfc a//f<k44> Your right 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 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 Treeeurer Secretary Our Staff Brlgette Loudermllk Editor and General Manager Eddie Byrd Advertising Director News: Brenda Thompson, Pauline Lewis Sports: Veto Roley Advertising. Jimmy Simpson 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:IO7S-1874 Criticism of Robins hospital a serious wake up call THE LETTER from a federal official who conducted an investigation of serious allegations against Houston Medical Center said: “We have determined that the deficiencies are so serious that they constitute an immediate threat to the health and safety of any individual who comes to the emergency department and requests examination or treatment for an emergency medical condition...We plan to terminate your hospital’s participation in the Medicare program.” Strong words. Frightening words to those of us who use the facilities of the hospital in Warner Robins. The statement from the federal official resulted from a survey conducted in April by the Georgia State Survey Agency. It cannot be taken lightly, though a hospital spokesman tells us the charges are not serious and the real problem is just “documentation”. We have to hope so. The threat was made that Houston Medical Center could be terminated as a “Medicare provider.” It probably won’t happen. But that does not mitigate the seriousness of the problems the surveying agency said it found at our hospital. THs PEANUT GALLERY I ~7: fa TRUE, WE DONOT\ | / HAVE THE BOH\E>. BUT \ WE DO DO VOODOO j A just, impartial jury will be hard to find in O.J. case I’ve got to be honest. I don’t go out of my way to flaunt my opinions and normally wouldn’t ask to write a column out of turn. But, today, is different-because like the rest of America I am dumb founded by the events of this past weekend and writing is one way I can work out my confusions. The topic is O.J. The question is: “Did he do it?” As much as I hate to say it, the evidence looks pretty incriminating. And, his actions Friday did not make things look much better. Still, he says he didn’t do it and, no matter how fledgling our court system may be, he is still innocent, until proven guilty. He still de serves a fair trial; a trial with an unbiased judge and an unbiased jury. Which brings me to my biggest point of confusion. How in the world will O.J. Simpson, his de fense, or his prosecution, for that matter, get a fair trial? Where in the world will they find a jury of people that are not somehow opinionated in the case; a panel of people who did not see the hours and hours of live “suicide notes”, “car chases”, “stand offs” Voice Your Opinion ... Write a Letter to the Editor! All opinions published are not necessarily those of this newspaper, therefore all letters must be signed. Houston Ttmes-Joumat ARE YOU mad? Are you upset? Do you feel betrayed? What are your reactions? This is the same hospital that came into being in the late fifties as a 50-bed Hill-Burton hospital. Few of the people who read this were here then. Many of those who were here know little or nothing about the struggle that went on to get a hospital for Houston County. There were many people...some of them quite powerful...in our county who did not want us to have a hospital in Houston County. They did not want to pay the taxes to get one. I remember how strongly I advocated a hospital for our county in the columns of my Warner Robins newspaper then. I remember a handful of far sighted, dedicated civic leaders in Perry and Warner Robins working the entire county long hours for many weeks seeking support. I remember them spending their own money for this campaign. When a referendum was held it passed. But not by a big margin. It was a victory for all of us. We were so proud. * * * NOW WE are told that those into whose hands we have entrusted our hospital have let us down. and melodrama as well as the continuing news analysis that has followed the weekend’s events? A change of venue just won’t help this time. I mean really . . . here we are in Middle Georgia, 3,000 miles away from where it all happened, and it’s almost like it happened in our own neighborhood. With all the media coverage, it has been THE topic of conversation . .everywhere! Would the trial be a fair one here in Middle Georgia? Personally, I don’t think so. As for my own suspicions and opinions, I get the feeling that we have some very smart suspects and lawyers playing the media, and consequently, the public to the fullest. Everything was just too calculated and neatly packaged, from the Friday “escape” of O.J. from a full house of people, to the nationally-telecast “suicide” note addressed to the public, to the 40- mile-per-hour “chase” down the interstates of Los Angeles and the “stand-off’ at O.J.’s home. Several things bother me about the whole ordeal. First, in OJ.’s note to the public read during a televised press conference, he said - Wednesday, June 22,1994 "Houston Timos-Journal Page 4A Who is at fault? Are the charge* that are flying true? la it all smoke and mirrors? The emergency room has been singled out for criticism. I have heard many stories that frighten me. Many of these stories have been discredited. I know the absolute truth about only one case. It involved a prominent Warner Robins man. He went to the emergency room complaining of chest pains. When they got around to checking him he was told that all he had wrong with him was indigestion. He should go home and rest. Fortunately, his son refused to accept this verdict. The son took his father to the Medical Center of Central Georgia. His problem was diagnosed immediately as a serious heart problem...serious enough that within less than 12 hours after he was admitted to the hospital they did emergency coronary by-pass surgery on him. Ironically the man was a personal friend of one of the members of the hospital authority. * * * WILL THE hospital administrator-Karl Weinmeister who resigned shortly after the April survey be tagged as the person responsible for what was found he wanted the media to leave he and his family in peace; and, yet, he did everything just right to gain access into millions and millions of homes throughout the world with his press conference and his trek down the interstate. And, by doing so, he not only attracted public sympathy, but also created himself as a victim, rather than a possible murderer. A master at the media game himself, things couldn’t have worked out any better for him, given his predictament , . . somehow, the events of Friday made many people forget about the two gruesome murders O.J. is accused of committing. The public was actually gathered on the overpasses and roadways, outside of his home, and around televisions the nation over, many of them cheering for ‘The Juice”. That’s right, folks, cheering for a man that is being charged with slashing the throats of two living, breathing human beings, one of which was the mother of his children; cheering for someone accused of committing murders nearly as gruesome as the infamous Sharon Tate murders. Foy Evans wrong at our hospital? Or someone else on the hospital staff? Or the hospital authority, which has the responsibility of overseeing the operation of the hospital? Or will it turn out this is just a tempest in a teapot and everything is just fine and the threat in the letter was without merit? Finger pointing will do no good. What we have seen in the past...denial that anything is ever wrong instead of tackling and correcting the problem...should be a thing of the past. The people of Houston County opened their pocketbooks many years ago and made it possible for us to have a hospital. They have supported it ever since, though not always agreeing with what they saw. They have a stake in the outcome of the present crisis. Hopefully, the criticism and threat by the Department of Health and Human Services will serve as a wake up call for everyone. r*“r "«m f I I Brenda Thompson! Staff writer I can’t help but ask myself what would have happened if the tables had been turned . . .if his-ex-wife had been the suspect and OJ. the victim. Without a doubt, she would be hanging by her toenails right now there would be no public sympathy; the police would have never let Friday’s events “play out” like they did Perhaps, that is what is baffling me most about this whole ordeal — have we, the American public, be come too sympathetic and lackadaisical toward murder and crime? Have we been conditioned and hardened to the point that we actually forget who the real victims are? Maybe O.J. didn’t do it; but Please see Thompson, page 6A