Newspaper Page Text
SEEING RED
After I left the Board of Elections office, I stepped over to the
bank to take care of an overdraft, only to find that my balance was
now comfortably positive. On the way out of the bank, I ran into a
guy who gave me an excellent tip on some coal company stock. As
I walked back to the office, a cool breeze blew, and an attractive
woman invited me to lunch. By the time I got back, Halliburton
had called, with instructions to run three full-page ads and they'd
send a check. I didn't realize the rewards of voting Republican
would be so immediate.
Yes, I did it, even though it meant abandoning Bill Overend in
the local Solicitor General race and the state Democratic candi
dates for governor, lieutenant governor, etc. I wasn't sure it was
the right thing, and I was relieved to realize that all I had to do
was check the Republican box on the application. I didn't have to
shout out, "Give me one of those-Republican ballots." But, then,
I voted early, at the Beard of Elections office. I guess if I had
voted at Oglethorpe School, I would have gone to a separate table,
where everybody would know and
What it’s like to vote would look at my clothes.
But when I touched the screen to
Republican... vote against Ralph Reed in the lieu
tenant governor's race, I felt a flood
of satisfaction. In my heart I knew I'm right. Kill the brain, kill the
ghoul. Casey Cagle, who got my vote, however much he might add
to the shame of the Republicans under the gold dome, would not
use the office as a stepping stone to the presidency.
Maddened with power, I also voted against Gov. Sonny Perdue,
even though that meant voting for the flag guy. H° was only run
ning against Perdue because the Governor ran last time on the
promise of restoring the battle flag of the Confederacy to our state
flag and then baldly (no pun intended) reneged on it. I figured if
there ever were such a thing as a protest vote, this was it. Sonny
has been a disaster, and he shabbily betrayed the flag folks.
It has taken a while to get back to feeling okay about myself.
At the intimate R.E.M. affairs, there's a certain coolness in the
air (pun alert), but I just keep reminding myself that what I did.
though maybe unethical in certain circles, was not illegal.
I guess I just don't like to be an "aginner." We ought to vote
for somebody rather than just voting against candidates, but of
course this whole apostasy started when Democratic gubernato
rial candidates Mark Taylor and Cathy Cox both began caving to
the anti-gay hypocrisy that Perdue was whipping up. For better or
worse, I went one step further than just boycotting their race and
boycotted their party. And it did feel good. So, let the record show
that even a knee-jerk yellow-dog Democrat can be persuaded to
vote Republican.
Those few steps I walked in Republican moccasins gave me a
fleeting sense of comradeship for the reds among us. They have
for many years been a minority here in Athens, with most of their
candidates forced to endure the ignominy of running as Democrats
if they wanted any chance to win. Now, at least that charade
is over. To cover their
In my heart I knew I’m right. &***• local Republicans
succeeded in pushing
Kill the brain, kill the ghoul. through the legislation to
do away with party elec
tions for local office. In November, we'll vote for our mayor and
commissioners never knowing whether the candidates on the ballot
are Democrats or Republicans. They'll all just be nice people, and
we won't find out until after they're elected what their political
philosophies really are.
Well, good luck to all. Politics is hard work, and we should
thank anybody who undertakes to go through the arduous task of
asking fellow citizens for votes.
I was talking with a commission candidate the other night who
actually enjoys the give and take of going door to door asking for
votes. He said he hates havirg to ask people ror money, but he
thoroughly enjoys knocking on their doors and talking to them
about their needs and concerns.
My response was that one of the best things about a political
campaign is that it really does educate the candidates who get
out and work. And it also educates the volunteers who try to help
somebody get elected. There is no better way to learn about your
community than to get involved in a campaign. You'll no doubt
feel nervous and awkward the first time you knock on a door and
offer somebody a leaflet, but after you've survived the initial fear,
you'll feel a sense of exhilaration from plunging into street-level
politics. There are also envelopes to be addressed, telephone calls
to be placed, computers to be worked and friends to be made.
There are lots of legislative, mayoral and commission races
between now and November, not to mention the state offices. Find
one and get involved. No matter how your candidate fares, you'll
come out a winner.
Pete McCommons Editor 4 Publisher editor'^Hagpo 1 '* m
THIS WEEK’S ISSUE:
NEWS & FEATURES
Mountaintop Removal 10
A Visit to the Former Hills of Eastern Kentucky
Modern-day Appalachian coal mining means leveling whole mountains. What’s that look like?
A Bedouin Breakfast 12
Dropping In For Coffee At A Tent In The Middle Of The Middle East
Whet’s it like to have coffee in a Bedouin Arab tent in the middle of the Middle East?
ARTS & EVENTS
Out There! 14
What’s Happening This Week
iMiusfle
The Redbelly Band 25
Petitioning Queens, Looking Ahead And Refining The Southern Sound
From modest origins, this band now based out of Atlanta is growing
into its own skin on its new full-length album.
School Of Rock 26
How One Athenian’s Air Guitar Mastery Almost Rocked
The International Scene Like, Yes, A Hurricane
Jace Bartet won the first ever National Collegiate air guitar championship. He recently
headed to New York to vie for the national title and a shot at competing in Finland.
LETTERS
CITY PAGES
OTHER VOICES
MOUNTAIN TOP REMOVAL
TRIP TO JORDAN
OUT THERE!
MOVIE OOPE
MOVIE PICK
ABC
REDBELLY BAND
AIR GUITAR
RECORO REVIEWS ...
THREATS & PROMISES
COMICS
REALITY CHECK
CLASSIFIEDS
EDITOR l PUBLISHER Pete McCommons
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR l PUBLISHER AJ»cia Nickles
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Larry Tenner
MANAGING EOITOR Margaret Moore
ADVERTISING SALES Anita Aubrey. Melinda Edwards, ‘•sstca Pritchard
MUSIC EOITOR Chris Hassiotis
CITY EOITOR Ben Emanuel
CLASSIFIEOS. DISTRIBUTION A OFFICE MANAGER Emity Waldron
AO DESIGNERS Ian Rickert. Kelly Ruberto, Knsten Bach
CARTOONISTS Patrick Dean. Joe Havasy. Jake Hebert. Missy Kulik. Jeremy long. Dick Matheson. Clmt McEIrcy
featuring a painting by Matt Blanks at
Ricker Theatre & Bar
CONTACT US:
STREET ADDRESS: 112 S. Foundry St.. Athens. GA 30601
MAILING AOORESS: PO. Box 1027, Athens. GA 30603
EDITORIAL-(706) 549-9523
ADVERTISING: (706) 549-0301
FAX: (706) 548-8981
A00PT ME Special Agent Cindy Jerrell
ABC Chris Hassiotis. Ben Emanuei
WRITERS M»cha:i Andrews. Jace Bartet. Corne Brown. Hillary Brown. David Commms. Tom Crawford. Bella
Dante. Dean Hardy. John Huie, Gordon Lamb. Daniel McDonald. Tuan Chau Nguyen. Andy Stokes. Michael
Wehunt. Orew Wheeler
CIRCULATION Charles Greenleat, Clayton Auoon. JoJo Glidewefl. Ansley Greene. Zack Haas
WEB DESIGNER Ian Rickert
ADVERTISING INTERN Stefa Witt
ADVERTISING: adsktflagpole com
ARTS l EVENTS: outthere@flagpole com
EDITORIAL editor@flagpote.com
LETTERS: letters@flagpole com
MUSIC: music&flagpole com
MUSIC LISTINGS: abcOflagpole com
WEB SITE: www flagpole com
.. VOLUME 20
ISSUE NUMBER 28
Flagpole. Inc. publishes Fljgjjoie Mjftim *ee«y and distributes IJ 000 copes
tree at over 275 locations around Athens. Georgia Subscriptions cost $55 a year.
$35 for su months © ?0(K Flagpole. Inc All rights reserved
Vi
VERIFIED
AUDIT CIRCULATION
/; O ©
liui il #* #•
» X0 •»<•»# %#•*•»#%< #1
NEWS & FEATURES
JULY 10.2006-FIAGPOLE.C0M 3