About Flagpole. (Athens, Ga.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (April 13, 2011)
Register online at www.active.com or www.athenshabitat.com WINE'S CRAFT BEER ON TAP PBR BUCKETS 6 TALLBOYS FOR TO 7 YUENOLINO PITCHERS Sponsored by: Sponsorships are still available! ■mWu. ^ Street Con s ctAAHFH H u ^?„ u ^ each ^ ^»?rity Director at 706-208-1001 LiASSK^OENTEK for more information. 20th Annual Silver & Archibald f Run/Walk f for Home 5k Saturday, April 23rd Race begins at 8am at the Classic Center m/wm mamBit mmen trlt Registration and packet pick-up begins at 6:30am $ 15/person before April 15th; $25/person thereafter until race day ATHENS AREA HOMELESS SHELTER Proceeds benefit Athens Area Habitat for Humanity and the Athens Area Homeless Shelter We are honored you voted us your favorite store to buy a gift for her store to buy a gift for him store to buy a gift for mom and local boutique. Thank you. Thank you, Thank you! 146 e. clayton st. • 706-354-8631 • www.helixathens.com What Have We Learned?: The Athens Clarke County Commission voted 8-2 last week to move forward with a plan for the Classic Center expansion that includes the closing of the entire block of Hancock Avenue between Thomas and Foundry streets. Even Kelly Girtz and Mike Hamby, who had worked closely with citizens to generate an option that preserved Hancock and had pushed for more time to look for solutions, in the end voted with the majority in order to secure seats at the table that allowed them to help shape a com mission-defined option. That option, for one, removed an astonishing provision—calling for an automatic fallback to the Classic Center's original concept plan in the event of failure to complete the land swap necessary to facilitate "Option la," the concept that was ostensibly the result of a highly touted public input process—that should have been rejected out of hand by every commissioner at first sight. The approved option also calls for formal public input during the expansion's design phase—which, again, shouldn't have required any prodding from Hamby and Girtz—and specified that "the final schematic design to be presented to the M&C will provide for a mid-block pedestrian access through the Classic Center campus connecting Thomas Street and Foundry Street." A fine and noble idea, but—considering that the only way to provide (or, in the most likely case, preserve) that access in a way that was remotely feasi ble and safe would have to involve some form of encroachment upon Paul Cramer's coveted atrium that will extend from what is, for now, the back wall of the Fire Hall—we'll believe it when we see it. So, what's the upshot of the commission's failure to contend with the unstoppable force- in-motion of the entrenched Classic Center leadership, which, through its symbiotic ties to the local business establishment and for midable P.R. savvy, was able to effectively control a process nominally under the auspices of the elected govern ment? Well, Hamby used the occasion of last week's vote to advocate for the formation of an "urban design commission," which would purport to give citizens a stronger voice in future processes like this one. "First, we need a downtown master plan," Kathy Hoard added, and of course she's right. Perhaps Ben Emanuel—you know him as the Oconee River Project coordi nator for Altamaha Riverkeeper—took Mayor Nancy Denson out for a canoe trip on the Middle Oconee River last Friday. You can gel out there during the Oconee River Classic Saturday, Apr. 16. the pile of money we've just paid an Atlanta design firm for a maddeningly oblique civics lesson would better have been spent on that. Now, the Good News: Saturday, Apr. 16 is the Oconee River Classic, an all-day celebra tion and paddling event co-sponsored by the Oconee River Project of Attamaha Riverkeeper and the kayaking outfitter Big Dogs on the River. Shuttles will run paddleis from Big Dogs, at 2S25 Atlanta Hwy., to the put-in point above Ben Burton Park from 10 a.m.-4 p.m, and the celebration ai the take-out at Big Dogs will go from 1-8 p.m. A portion of ticket sales—$20 including a river trip or $8 for just the party—will go to the Oconee River Project. Go to www.altamahariverkeeper.org or www.bigdogsontheriver.com for more info. Dave Marr newsQflagpole.com ATHENS NEWS AND VIEWS In the Eostside Kreger Shoffty Center (Old Mexkali Lowtien) * DeBvwy from RddawgFood Krazy Korner * Last time out, I introduced Operation Enkcurage the Krazy, my new plan to cheer on Congressman Broun in his most radically I BUY jo WINGS, GET 10 FREE % with Purchase of 2 Drinks £ I | EASTSIDE Location Orlg • 2301 College Station Read • 706.543.0050 ii ■— — — right-wing endeavors. The plan sounds counter-intuitive, but my goal is to destroy the Republican Party by fomenting internecine conflict. Emboldened by the Tea Party movement, Broun and the radical hardliners of the GOP are attempting to grab the ideological reins of the party and steer it toward unprecedented conservatism. Tea Party paragon Michelle Bachmann—to whom Broun once said “I love you” on the House floor, true fact—is almost certainly running for president. The radicals want the party's platform to ail but mirror Broun’s and Sachmann’s. But. if successful, the radicalization will only spell electoral disaster for the party on the national level. Thai's where we come in. Send Broun a letter. Send an email or call his office. Follow Broun's biggest sup porter, “brounfan," on Twitter. Let Broun know that you are a big fan of his ideas. It's what I call "Broun-nosing." Here’s a sample message with a few options: “Thank you, Congressman Broun, for keeping the (gays, taxes, illegals! away from my [liberty, freedom, lawn]. Keep fighting [that Kenyan, that Muslim, that Communist] for my freedom to town assault rifles, step on gerbils, own assault gerbilsj." As long as you mention your “liberties" and “freedoms" enough, the message will almost surely appear to be a Tea Partyer’s encouragement. Pretty soon, Broun will be boasting of even more support and feeling invincible. It's only a matter of time before the Bachmann/Broun 2012 juggernaut is forcing an existential crisis within the GOP. [Matthew PulverJ 4 FLAGPOLE.COM APRIL 13,2011 DAVIS KNOX
