Newspaper Page Text
CONTACT US AT 0.0. BOX 1027. ATHENS. CA 30603 OR MAIL@FLACOOLE.COM
LETTERS MAY BE EDITED FOR STYLE. CLARITY AND SOACE CONSIDERATIONS
AW. SHUCKS
I must complement Flagpole on its reporting
on the elections; of all local media outlets, it had
the best and most insightful coveiage on local
and state elections. I found the article, "Follow
The Money" [Nov. J]one of the best ways ever for
seeing where a candidate really stands; it let you
know who was actually behind each candidate.
People or Realtors—causes or corporations. I have
always felt that you can find out more about a
candidate from who is supporting them than you
can from the candidate themselves. Also,
Flagpole s week to week coverage of local political
happenings is fabulous, and it is the best way of
keeping up with what is going on here. Too bad
space limitations keep you from covering the poli
tics of the counties surrounding Athens more com
pletely. Again, job well done.
"One Arm" Steve Fleming
Email
THANKS
I just wanted to send a quick note of thanks
for the candidate questionnaire that was pub
lished this week [Nov. J]. As I have only lived in
Athens for one year, it was very helpful to read
your questionnaire in order to understand the
views of those running for local office. I appre
ciate your extensive coverage of Athens issues.
Thanks
Amy Scott
Athens
A PARK DESTROYED
Dudley Park used to be my haven. Now it's an
embarrassing emblem of citywide trends to cut
and pave. Only it's worse than that.
It's a portrait of the dumb decision makers of
Athens hung forever in my face. Only it's worse
than that. What's been done .s horrific, unre-
versable and shameful.
The first time I saw the destruction, I felt sick.
Riding through the park was a true test for
fighting regurgitation. Then came disbelief. Who
would tear apart this beautiful piece of land?
The sickening feeling came back with the real
ization it was too late. The tractors were already
digging, trees were roped off, orange strings and
plastic fences were everywhere demarking the
mess to come. The second time riding back
through the park wasn't any better. What was
missing this time was long and narrow. It's red
metal was a sight patterned against the green.
Regal and beautiful, it was a landmark, and was
to be the next subject for a series of photographs.
A glorious bridge. God knows how old it was. It
certainly was a rarity. Now it was in pieces and on
wheels.
Why?
There was a legendary picnic table too. Huge.
Long enough for an entire extended family and
then some to sit around. It used to be on the hill
overlooking the valley. Used to be. Another rarity
gone. Crumbled and discarded. Gone, too, are the
two big rock slabs that used to bathe in the
valley. And for what? Fat paved walkways? Rock
walls?
What about basketball courts the neighbor
hood boys used to play on every afternoon? And
the wide open field above that my dog used to
gallop on? Everything good has been rolled over,
beat down, broken up. It's crap. It's ugly.
It's not progressive. It's regressive. It's not
better. It's ugly.
It's Shameful.
Will the railroad trestle towering above the
park's entrance be removed too? And what pious
man cut down our community's tree swing? I
never felt so fine as swinging in that rope swing
in the evenings watching my dog roll on his back
in the tall grass below. Did it feel like flying when
the hill dropped off from underneath my feet? Was
it not the best moment ever swinging out to the
wide open space before me, my park. Or was it
just a dream?
I finally took pictures of my park today.
The workmen nodded as they rode off to lunch
in their trucks. And I stood in the dust and cried.
Rhonda McFarland
Athens
GREENSWRONG
I do not dispute the good intentions of those
who rally under the Green Party banner. But before
we get all earned away willy-nilly, let's pause for a
moment and remember what the road to Hell is
paved with. The Green Party has noble objectives;
they advocate the public good. So has every dic
tator and tyrant, from Marcos to Castro to Stalin
to Hitler, all the way back to the beginning of his
tory. Individual freedoms are not as important as
the public good, they all say; and the people help
them, willingly giving up their liberty in exchange
for social and financial security. Let the
Government take care of that. The Government
should do something about that. Let's let the
Government make those decisions. Government:
the cure-all for every social ill. It'll feed the poor,
educate the kids, clean up the rivers and the
lakes, send me money, and put a chicken in every
pot and a car in every garage.
The problem is that Government is, in and of
itself, evil. I'm sorry, there's just no other way to
put it. It's a necessary evil, I'll admit anarchy’s no
fun, so we do need some basic structure to settle
disputes between us and provide for the common
defense. But power corrupts—and the more pow
erful the government becomes, the more oppres
sive it becomes. The idea of expanding the power
of the Federal Government for any reason, no
matter how noble, is insane. The political process
replaces individual decision-making. The will of
the masses becomes more important than the rule
of law. Suddenly, the system of government
favored by lynch mobs everywhere is in charge of
your entire life.
There are only two basic rules of government
in a free society: mind your own business and
keep your hands to yourself. Imagine how much
nicer our society would be if those rules were
enforced: Do-gooder: "Hey! Those gay guys are
getting married over there!" Government: "Mind
your own business." Do-gooder: "We need to keep
that girl over there from getting an abortion."
Government: "Keep your hands to yourself." Nice.
Of course, the down side to that setup is that
people have to start thinking, stop sticking their
noses where they don't belong, let other people
do things for themselves, and keep their grubby
paws out of other peoples' wallets. The Green
Party seems capable of none of these things.
The Libertarian party, so far as I've seen,
doesn't want to force anyone to do anything. They
don't want to re-educate anyone. They just want
people to mind their own business and keep their
hands to themselves. The Green Party theory of
usirg the government to make the world a better
place is the same type of forward-thinking polit
ical theory that made China, Cuba and most of
Eastern Europe a human-rights nightmare for half
a century. I'd rather not live in a nation of goos-
esteppers, thank you very much.
Maurice Cobbs
Athens
THIS MtllKH WtILI
by TOM TOMORROW
AS Of OUR DEADLINE, 60RE IS TRAILING IN FLORIDA
BY A80UT 300 VOTES...LHt> WITH A MARGIN THAT
NARROW, FORGET NADER--HELL. THE CANDIDATE FOR
SOMETHING CALLED THE "WORKER S WORLD' PARTY
60T ENOUGH VOTES TO TIP THE BALANCE OF THIS
ELECTION FIVE TIMES OVER...
WELL I HOPE YOU
WoRkER S WORLD
VOTERS ARE HAPPY
WITH YOURSELVES.'
IF GEORGE BUSH IS
ELECTED, it will
BE ENTIRELY
YOUR FAULT!
AND THEN THERE'S THE MATTER OF THOSE CONFUS
ING PALM BEACH BALLOTS, which may have
LED TO THE DISENFRANCHISEMENT Of MORE THAN
10,000 FLORIDA VOTERS...NOT THAT THEY SHOULD
BE EXPECTING ANY CoNSERVATNE COMPASSION.
MIND YOU...
IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT 100 MILLION AMERI
CANS DON'T EVEN CONSIDER IT WORTH THElR BOTHER
TO VOTE--THOUGH IN FLORIDA, FEWER Of THEM THAN
IT WOULD TAKE TO Fill A MOVIE THEATRE COULD
HAVE CHANGED THE COURSE Of HISTORY...
WELL, Z WAS GOING
TO VOTE--BUT I HAD
TO FLOSS MY TEETH
THAT DAY!
THERE WAS AN ELEC-l
TtON? WHY DIDN'T
SOMEBODY TELL ME? I
ALMOST CtRTJUN TO SC CONTlNUt*)
ULTIMATELY, HOWEVER, THE REAL QUESTION HERE
IS HOW VOTERS, FACED WITH SUCH A CLEAR CUT
CHOICE BETWEEN TWO Such DEEPLY APPEALING
CANDIDATES, could HAVE POSSIBLY BEEN So
AMBIVALENT...
ERRDRI ERRORi SELECTOR |
OF inFEROR CfVTOOATE
ODES flOT COmPUTEi
ENOUGH O YER
FANCY TALK! Am
ELECTORATED
YET?
Need Someone To Talk to?
Unique Psychotherapy for Unique People.
Ten /ears experience, low Roles.
MEIIN EOSCUE
tiuT-«d Professional Counselor. 613*7099
HK3 s Space Therapist, too
A two day intensive with Gandharva Sauls
. energy, focus, concentration, sleep, relationships
. stress, unwanted habits, behaviors and attitudes
A Understand... your mind body and spirit
S^nrdny, November IK & Sunday, November 19 lpm-5pm
UCfor one day and $100 for both days
Consultations Available by Appointment
Please pre-register 546-4200
Athens Yoga Center • 263 YV. Clayton Street
Famous Name Brands!
Designer Labels!
His & Her
Discount
Clothing Outlet
Thanksgiving Week Sale
November 20-26
20% OFF ENTIRE STORE
Clothes • Shoes * Belts • Purses * Jewelry
Miltedge Ave
Guthries
THE FINAL
MARKDOWN H
5?1 BAXTER ST ■■
Church St.
MOK. 11/20 - SAT. 11/25 10AM-7PM
miMKBam
SUN.11/Zfi12PM-5PM
'CLOSED THANKSGIVING D HI'
521 Baxter SL • 208-9760
Athens’ Finest Equipment
and Clothing for
Camping
Hiking
Backpacking
Climbing
14
1490 Baxter Street (706) 546-7575
www thcoutfittersltd com
NOVEMBER 15,
2000
UI03 PIJOMUJ^pOUMim MMM •• UJQ3 IN MfeMOJJOUIOl " QQ.fr.M OM*dil*W^L WrL