Newspaper Page Text
CONTACT US AT P.O. BOX 1027, ATHENS, GA 30603, LEnERS@FLAGPOLE.COM
OR VIA THE “TALK BACK TO US" LINK AT FLAGPOLE.COM
HEALING ARTS CENTRE
It was sad news to my ears recently to hear
that after the lights went out on the Healing Arts
Centre's 6th anniversary celebration last month,
it was burgled. It is ironic that at the end of a
day of free classes, therapies and entertainment
that the good people at the Centre offered up
in thanks for another year of community sup
port, that an individual in the community would
choose to rob them. How awful that someone
was so needy that he or she would take from oth
ers who are so giving. This person stole all of the
money from the Sangha retail shop and Remedy
herb shop.
In these times of economic turbulence and
the increased pressures of preparing for "tomor
row,’' even a small
city like Athens is
not immune from the
resulting signs of
fragmentation. People
are so busy "djing
their thing" that we
have not only lost
touch with family and
friends, but neighbors
and community, too.
This is exactly where
the Healing Arts Centre fits in so perfectly: a
place for the community to gather, learn and
grow as individuals together.
The Healing Arts Centre on Prince Avenue is a
vital part of our spiritual community. There, one
can treat oneself to yoga, Feldenkrais and many
classes. They have therapists offering massage
and many other holistic treatments. There is a
meditation group, which meets there weekly and
welcomes all. In Remedy, the herbal pharmacy,
one can find many nutritional supplements,
vitamins and healing products. The Centre spon
sors many entertainment groups from Grogus to
Kirtan chanting. They host workshops, disolay art
by local artists, as well as other opportunities of
which I am not even aware, yet all of which are
good for the soul and the community.
Even before the burglary, the center has been
experiencing financial difficulties. It makes me
sad that this place is struggling so financially
due to lack of interest, a very sad state of affairs
for our community. It is necessary that this vital
part of our community survives and prospers. We
can begin nourishing our community center by
nourishing ourselves with the many gifts they of
fer: massage, yoga, nutritional consultation.
By stepping into the sacred space that the
Healing Arts Centre provides for transformation
and personal evolution, we are encouraged to
relax into a more easeful, peaceful life and this
benefits the entire Athens community. So, really,
this is the community's center.
Myrna Rosson
Wintervitle
THX FOR CHEAT SHEET
Thank you for printing "Pete's Cheat Sheet"
[Nov. lj. It was very helpful! As a new resident
of Georgia and of Athens since Apr. 22 of this
year, I was very confused with all the TV slams
by politicians and heard little of their plans for
change. So the cheat sheet was very helpfuL
Thant s again!
Frank Edwards
Athens
CHEAT SHEET CRITIQUE
Whether or not one agrees with the editorial
perspective of Flagpole and Pete McCommons, I
think that the flip endorsements on two items
of "Pete's Cheat Sheet" [Nov. 1] did a great dis
service to voters and our state. The Commissioner
of Agriculture is one of the most important of
fices in Georgia, and the issues that this office
and agency deal with are of international impor
tance. The 2002 Census of Agriculture, published
by USDA-NASS, shows the value of agricultural
products sold in the state as $5 billion annually.
This number does not include the support busi
nesses, services and processes which multiply
the economic impact over 1.5 times every year.
In addition, the Commissioner of Agriculture has
a significant role in developing and overseeing
policy related to environmental regulation, food
safety, consumer protection, animal welfare, pub
lic health, disaster response and homeland se
curity. This is hardly a race to be decided solely
over a candidate's interesting hobby and support
of hemp as a cash crop.
Regarding the expanded tax exemption for
certain farm equipment, Pete quipped, "Nah. we
need the tax." The
state does receive a
lot of tax from farm
ers. However, as the
McMansions go up,
so do land values and
propertytaxes. This
is hardly conducive to
grazing cattle or grow
ing crops. Instead of
cows and cotton, we
get houses and golf
courses. Despite their legal status as corpora
tions, most of Georgia’s farms are family-run
businesses with high capital costs and low profit
margins. Agriculture is still the primary driver of
Georgia's economy; it provides for much of the
open and green space we have left, and will play
a part in future energy independence and the
production of sustainable bio-based replacements
for oetroleum products.
We live in a from-the-grocer's-shelf society
largely ignorant of food, fiber and natural re
source systems. Informed citizens should recog
nize that policies affecting agriculture will affect
us all. The election is oven Tommy Irvin will
remain commissioner for another term, and the
farmers will receive the tax exemption. I do not
wish to criticize or comment on the candidates •
or outcome, only the seriousness of the matter. I
hope that the next time we have an opportunity
to vote on such issues, whose impact will affect
all Georgians so profoundly, Mr. McCommons will
consider all the candidates and issues with the
respect they deserve and encourage his readers
to do the same.
T. M. Bass
* Athens
ELF POWER? OKAY.
Your article about Elf Power's tour was boring
and pointless ["Lessons Learned," Oct. 25].
John Quincy Swint
Email
TURNING POINT
Our first imperial president has had his hand
slapped, which he has called a "thumpin;'"
actually, it is a whipping. The country has re
sponded to his radical agenda with a loud voice
of opposition, and awaits serious corrections
in Washington as a result,of this mandate of
the people. This president and the radical wing
of his party have not been friends of liberty or
justice; instead, they have done everything pos
sible to undermine olir Constitution, the Bill of
Rights, and our international treaties dealing
with humane treatment of other people. By turn
ing their back on those who have been protected
by treaty, the administration has violated the
Constitution as well since valid treaties, accord
ing-to the Constitution, are to be treated as the
law of the land.
The departure from democracy led by the
radical wing of the Republican Party, in collusion
BUMPERSTICKER OF THE WEEK:
The Road to Hell is Paved
With Republicans.
Thanks, Sera-). Send stickers to
ben6flagpote.com or 706-549-9523.
with the fanatic wing of Christianity, has caused
pain throughout the world. In a country that we
supposedly invaded to save ourselves from weap
ons of mass destruction, we have unleashed our
own weapons of mass destruction resulting in the
death of about 200,000 Iraqis, children, women
and men. We, under this administration’s fascist
control of our government, have become hated
worldwide. Our sins have found us out, to put it
in biblical terms. We have shown an ugly under
belly to the world, the underbelly of a serpent
claiming to be of God, but closely presenting a
most diabolical streak to the world.
The task at hand for the newly empowered
Democratic Party is to undo as much of the dam
age as possible. The people must once again be
recognized as the reason for our government, not
the super-rich and the international corporations.
There needs to be an accounting for the monu
mental expenditure of our treasury to special
interest groups such as Bechtel, Halliburton and
other close friends of this administration.
The price of gas at the pump fell leading up
to the election. We can now expect it to rise
again, perhaps to new heights. Congress needs to
rein in the power and greed of the oil cartel and
its hold over this country and our economy. Taxes
and royalties due our treasury need to be vocifer
ously collected from the oil interests.
Big Pharm, too, needs to be reined in, and
put on a open market footing in this country,
rather than continuing to enjoy the special privi
leges it has enjoyed for far too long. This admin
istration needs to be more thoroughly separated
from its money supply, from those special inter
ests who think they own us and our country.
God help us alL We are at a turning point
in history, and the next few years will reveal
whether we will regain our freedoms lost under „
this administration. At least now there is hope
in the possibility of a glorious impeachment of
those holding the two top posts in the country.
We would then have Nancy Pelosi as president,
and she could not possibly do as much harm to
this beloved land as it has endured in the past
six years. Maybe now there will be some truth
and true patriotism being heard from the pulpits
of this country. The side of right and liberty has
been too long silent...
Jerry Atkins
Athens
DEAR CHARLIE NORWOOD
My latest unread letter to my Congressman:
Dear Charlie Norwood, correct me if I'm wrong,
but the consensus of most people I know is that
the only purpose of going to Iraq was so Dick
Cheney and other Republican war profiteers could
steal vast wealth from the American people and
shift it to Halliburton and friends. Why else
would we be spending so much time over there?
We have a plan that's been intentionally set up
to make the war never-ending to squeeze every
last dollar possible. This is only the most horrific
of the many many instances of Republicans sell
ing out America's future by stealing our money.
If Republicans don’t clean up this mess them
selves, and have to get Democrats to do it for
them, that will be the beginning of the eventual
permanent dismantling of the entire party and
their pet corporations. "The first shall become
last and the last shall become first."
Greg Akeley
Athens
BUS
THE POOR.
_ LITTLE DUCK
WHO'S RICH IN LUCK!
this'll be i -me liberal ^
GREAT OM A tAfcPlA'LL HAVE
YOUTUBE 1 1 A FIELD
/hev. a
* .
fcvB&sJ
eouiMfcr
■■ me -nTTTJ^, llil Hl£
\TS already started/
WHO CANS HELP N\E?/
iu use t<ny. naepa
OUTLETS TDG€T The'
vteSHT* rr CotivENieuT
FOR LUCKY PUCKY +0
Get Beaten up CiGrHr
at ELecrcoN
TMe*)
lyCKS PUCKY Was
ObViOUSLY fAkiNG' .
his Heap woukjps/
jataes k.Poult was
great/WOW LET'S SEE
WHAT THE LIBERAL tAEPlA
say s.. jr-■ -
MANY SEE the 5MACK-OOWM
AS AW ATT* VlPT TO TEACH
LUCKY POCKY TD FKVHTFoR
l HivASLLF,
NEWS & FEATURES I ARTS & EVENTS I MOVIES 1 MUSIC 1 COMICS & ADVICE 1 CLASSIFIEDS
4 FUkGP0LE.C0M • NOVEMBER 15,2006
■'***’“ -StS- tt Tool® ffi»6 •‘ J,a