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A Long and Happy Life
Marion Montgomery died peacefully in his sleep surrounded
by his family last week after a long life and a short illness.
He lived with his wife, Dorothy, out in Crawford, GA, in a big
old house, from whence he drove his pickup truck into Athens
for many years to teach English at the University of Georgia,
typically attired in coat and tie, with his trousers reaching to
his hunting boots. Marion was a formidable teacher and an
encouraging mentor. He and Dot begat a lively brood of smart,
musical children, and Marion turned his brain to poetry and
fiction—and in retirement, to a voluminous social criticism
drawn from his strongly held religious principles and faith,
which he also shared with the communicants at his beloved St.
Stephens Anglican Church. He had a wry humor and an intel
lectual clarity that was offended by dishonesty and mendacity.
He was a warm friend and a tenacious opponent.
I was always a little bit afraid of Professor Montgomery,
mentally editing my words before uttering them in his pres
ence, and I was glad to be on his side in the early days of
the Athens Observer newspaper when he and other faculty
members were contending with the university administration
over issues of academic rectitude and authority. Marion took
a keen interest in our paper and egged us on as we, too, con
fronted the administration, sometimes with one of his carefully
argued screeds gracing our pages. At that time Greater Georgia
Printers, where we printed our paper (and still do), was in
downtown Crawford across the tracks from the old railroad sta
tion, a short stroll from Marion's home. While we struggled to
get the sections of the paper inserted on Wednesday nights,
Marion would mosey over to get an early copy, accompanied by
an after-supper cheroot and his gangly son Marion, who always
had his guitar along, to practice a few chords if the paper was
delayed. Marion Montgomery III is now that consummate blues
guitarist you sometimes see at places around town or at the
folk festival, who went on to become advertising director at
the Observer and now holds that position with Greater Georgia
and its subsidiary. Piedmont Impressions.
Marion Montgomery proved in his person that the examined
life is very much worth living. There should be, perhaps, no
sadness that the end has come for such a man, yet we cannot
help but cry out in the knowledge that we will seldom see his
like again. We now must be consoled by memories of Marion's
rigorously probing mind, his courtly manner and his lively
interest in the surroundings and people making up his world.
Fortunately, we have the words he wrote down, where we can
still catch glimpses of him and remember his twinkling glance
as we try to comprehend his meaning.
Hats Off
The anti-downtown-Walmart movement owes its effective
ness to the passion and skills of young lawyer and former
congressional candidate Russell Edwards. As soon as the proj
ect was announced, he sensed the defining importance of its
impact on our community and immediately put his consider
able organizing and oratorical skills to work amplifying and
focusing the widespread opposition through meetings, an ever
growing petition, signs and who knows what next. Every cause
needs an advocate, and Walmart has brought Edwards forth,
just as Grady Thrasher and Kathy Prescott galvanized the fight
against the "bio-terror lab" several years ago.
THIS WEEK’S ISSUE:
[MEWS (is FEATURES
City Dope 4
Athens News and Views
The movement to keep Walmart out of downtown is gathering steam.
Peter Godwin Interview 30
The Human Rights Activist on the Tragedy of Zimbabwe
The author of The Fear: Robert Mugabe and the Martyrdom of Zimbabwe
talks to Flagpole
Grub Notes 8
Al! American
Stuffed Burger and The Dogg Pound take well-loved classics to the next level.
Movie Pick 13
Where Vour Dreams Are Made
Scorsese s Hugo is a phantasmagorical tribute to the foundation of cinema itself
^uso©
Threats & Promises 14
Music News and Gossip
Out of print Star Room Boys releases via NucTs Space! Rare tracks and
greeting cards by Madeline!
Poverty Is Real 17
A Benefit Concert for Whatever It Takes
Featuring Patterson Hood. Futurebirds. Woodfangs and more.
CITY DOPE 4
CITY PAGES 4
CAPITOL IMPACT 5
ATHENS RISING 6
WALMART& VESTED RIGHTS ..7
GRUB NOTES 8
GREG PROOPS 9
HOLIDAY MARKETS 10
MOVIE DOPE 12
MOVIE PICK 13
THREATS & PROMISES 14
SLOW RECORDS 15
*
FACE OFF 16
POVERTY IS REAL 17
RECORD REVIEWS 18
THE CALENDAR! 19
BULLETIN BOARD 24
ART AROUND TOWN 25
COMICS 26
REALITY CHECK 27
CLASSIFIEDS ; 28
CROSSWORD 29
PETER GODWIN 30
EVERYDAY PEOPLE 31
EDITOR & PUBLISHER Pete McCommons
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER Alicia Nickles
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Larry Tenner
MANAGING EDITOR Christina Cotter
ADVERTISING SALES Anita Aubrey. Melinda Edwards, Jessica Pritchard
MUSIC EDITOR Michelle Gilzenrat
CITY EDITOR Dave Marr
CLASSIFIEDS. DISTRIBUTION & OFFICE MANAGER Jessica Smith
ASSISTANT OFFICE MANAGER Sydney Slotkin
AO DESIGNERS Kelly Ruberto. Cindy Jerrell
CARTOONISTS Cameron Bogue. Lee Gatlin. Missy Kulik. David Mack
A00PT ME Special Agent Cindy Jerrell
CONTRIBUTORS Ryan Anderson. Hillary Brown. Kevin Craig, Tom Crawford. David Fitzgerald.
Chris Hassiotis, Derek Hill. Gordon Lamb. Bao Le-Huu. Sarah Page Maxwell. Jodi Murphy.
Emily Patrick Leara Rhodes. Jamie Baker Roskie. Sydney Slotkin. Jessica Smith. Jefi Tobias.
Drew Wheeler. Kevan Williams
CIRCULATION Charles Greenleal. Nash Hogan. Jesse Mangum. Matt Shirley
WEB OESIGNER Kelly Ruberto
CALENDAR ’essica Smith
ADVERTISING INTERNS Rebecca McGee. Morgan Gurit/
MUSIC INTERNS Jodi Murphy Ryan Anderson
Ath Off
Remember to make the pledge to "Shop Your Ath Off." Just
go online to www.flagpole.com and register your commitment
to spend at least $100 at local businesses during the holidays.
That easy act also makes you eligible to win $100 worth of gift
certificates from local businesses. Hurry. Deadline to register
is Sunday, Dec. 4. Winners will be announced in the Dec. 7
Flagpole. See the details in that big ad over there on p. 2.
Slack Off
COVER DESIGN by Kelly Ruberto featuring a painting
by Jim Barsness on display at Trace Gallery
STREET ADDRESS: 112 Foundry St.. Athens. GA 30601
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EOITORIAL: (706) 549-9523 ADVERTISING: (706) 549-0301 FAX: (706) 548-8981
ADVERTISING: ads@flagpole.com
CALENDAR: calendar@flagpole.com
COMICS: comics@flagpole.com
EDITORIAL editor@flagpole.com
LETTERS: letters@flagpole.com
MUSIC: music@flagpole.com
NEWS: news@flagpole.com
WEBSITE: web@flagpole.com
Don't be slacker than we are. Send in your contributions
to our end-of-year reader-written-and-photographed section,
Slackpole. We've extended the deadline to Monday, Dec. 5 at 5
p.m., so, you've still got time: slackpole@flagpole.com.
Pete McCommons editor@flagpole com
Flagpole, Inc. publishes Flagpole Magazine weekly and distributes 14.500 copies free at over
275 locations around Athens. Georgia Subscriptions cost $55 a year. $35 for six months.
©2011 Flagpole. Inc All rights reserved
VOLUME 25
ISSUE NUMBER 47
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