Free Speech for 9-28-05


		Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2005

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FREE SPEECH
Our Readers Sound Off

What do you really think? E-mail us your pithy opinions, your short takes on life in Fayette and environs, your gotta-get-it-off-your-chest questions or sound-offs. E-mails only to editor@TheCitizenNews.com.
Put "Free Speech" in your subject line and include your contribution as the body text of your e-mail. No signature required. No phone calls, faxes or snail-mail letters, please. No personal attacks on private persons, but just about any aspect of public life is fair game.

09-28-05

Lt. Col. Bruce Jordan sounds like he thinks it’s the citizens of PTC and Fayette who are the cause of break-ins. And his statement responding to complaints where valuables have been left in plain sight in a vehicle is “frustrating to deputies”; maybe if he and his deputies were doing a better job, there won’t be any break-ins so the deputies won’t get frustrated. Besides, has he ever tried to deal with an insurance company without a police report?

Over 50 percent of newborns in Georgia are covered by Medicaid. Most of these births are out of wedlock. Does that mean the other 50 percent are paying these folks to reproduce?

A student who has been on the honor roll since fourth grade, hasn’t missed a day of school in two years, does everything he’s supposed to do. This young boy is suspended from school for four days for defending himself against a known troublemaker who has bullied him for two years. What does this teach the boy, who was told it doesn’t matter who is at fault because he was “fighting.” Something is wrong with this picture.

Good ol’ boyism has reached new heights. As I watched the [youth] football team get demolished, I was in dismay as every parent in the stands questioned why [player A] was quarterbacking the team when everyone knows [player B] is the better athlete, quarterback, and vocal leader of the team. The choice is clear to everyone except the coaches who have said repetitively that they are going to make the change but refuse to do so. [Player A] has scored [multiple] touchdowns while [player B] has yet to gain a yard. But as you dig deeper under the covers, you reveal the reasons behind the madness. The [three main coaches, including player A’s dad] have a financial partnership through banking, real estate, and general contracting that can’t be disrupted, even for a kid’s game. What a shame that children have to experience the politics of life at such an early age rather than just work hard and earn a spot on a team they dreamed about making all spring and summer and playing a game they love so much.

We got increasing crime in Fayette, no doubt, and that Pavilion ain’t helping. And also the County Commission wants to bring in that drug house for addicts, which should not be here. Put it in Atlanta. If we are going to keep it good here in Fayette County, we need to do two things. First, let’s continue as a community to support our schools and teachers because they’re great. Second, what we do with crime. We bulldoze the Fayette Pavilion and close down the city of Fayetteville. They already look like Riverdale so maybe they can hook up. Get rid of the marshals and Greg Dunn, too. Then we leave law enforcement up to Randall Johnson and Jim Murray. That’s the solution. Now git ‘er done.

Mayor Brown and the rest of the City Council, shame on you for trying to slide an onerous new golf cart rule in under the guise of trying to keep track of who owns a golf cart. I put fancy lights on my cart; now that my cart has been altered from the original factory specs and does not conform, will I get a ticket? Will I be told I cannot use the cart anymore? How dare you try to legislate without our representation, and on top of it all, tell me that I cannot use my golf cart on the paths, something I paid a lot of money for prior to this new rule. Also, if my new cart is used, how do I know what is factory or not? You weren’t using your heads when you came up with this idea.

Mayor Brown, if you are doing so many great things, why are you wasting all your time trying to slander the previous mayor and the previous DAPC members and outright lie about some of the things that were done to improve life in Peachtree City? Could it be you don’t have anything good to say about your tenure in office? It’s easy to babble on with lies and innuendo when there is a lawsuit pending and the other party is unable to say anything in rebuttal.

Is the public aware that if they change the Peachtree City administration significantly in the next election that they are at the same time voting to pay the Peachtree City National Bank and Group VI about a million dollars? The loan was made illegally and should not be paid as it was a bad loan for an unneeded enterprise. If the bank and Group VI think they have a legal claim, then they should foreclose and either run the Tennis Center or sell it. Enough good ol’ boys for awhile.

How long are we going to have to hear about the bad loan made to the DAPC by Peachtree National Bank? Three of the bank’s board members were also on the DAPC. They knowingly approved a loan that could not be repaid. Shame on them. You made a bad business decision; now the bank has to live with it. Stop all the whining and take the loss. You earned it.

What part of the puzzle does John Malone, Delta’s pilot union leader, not understand when he makes his statement, “We will fight at every step to protect our contract”? The same contract that put Delta into bankruptcy. Delta’s running costs were too high before the fuel increases to compete. Add $2.3 billion in early pension payoffs to pilots when the company was in dire straits. There was never going to be anything left. Now they are all shocked that the pension plan is no longer going to be funded.

Fayette County, follow DeKalb’s lead. Chained dogs equal bored dogs equal barking dogs. For the sake of the dog and the neighbors, make it illegal.

Seems to me that too few drivers know the rules of the road and common courtesy. Georgia State Statute 40-6-40 states, “(A) a vehicle shall be driven upon the right half of the roadway except as follows: (1) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction” and further states, “(4) (d) No two vehicles shall impede the normal flow of traffic by traveling side by side at the same time while in adjacent lanes, provided that this Code shall not be construed to prevent vehicles traveling side by side in adjacent lanes because of congested traffic conditions.” The guy going smoothly past you in the left lane does not pose anywhere near a traffic hazard as when a cluster of cars stacks up behind you because you choose to match the speed of the car next to you, creating a rolling roadblock, usually at or below posted speed limits. It is not a driver’s job, nor is it safe, to block “speeders.” It is a driver’s job not to impede the normal free flow of traffic and keep right when not passing. If drivers follow this rule, there would be a lot less needless congestion due to clustering on roads such as Ga. Highway 74, despite the traffic count increases. Additionally, hazard warning lights are never to be used while operating a car on the roadways; their purpose is to signal oncoming motorists to the position of your disabled car which may be a hazard to traffic in its parked position on or in the roadway. Let’s drive safe and smart. Don’t get me started on cell phones; that’s a whole ‘nother issue.

In what was so accurately criticized as a political “stunt,” Gov. Perdue suddenly prompted the closing of schools at 3 p.m. Friday, causing gas pump panic and causing unnecessary expense to parents and employers [the next] morning. Ironically, the move was not necessary and would not have produced any real fuel savings in any event. As for Greg Dunn, he, too, could not pass up an opportunity to obtain headline coverage in the supplicant Fayette Daily News by donating our tax money to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Donate your own money, Mr. Dunn (like our family did), and not our tax dollars so you can get a headline. It is painfully reminiscent of Dunn’s gratuitous ambulance ride to the hospital for his friend. When my father had complications during pancreatic cancer he needed to be taken by emergency ambulance to Fayette Community. We were surprised to be billed $300; we paid it. If we had to pay so should Dunn’s friend. The point is that politicians should not use their positions for self-improvement or for self-aggrandizement.

To the man who proceeded to “flip out” with me as I threw my cup of ice out my window, relax. I know you were upset about my ice hitting as you were following me to close on your motorcycle and I do apologize for my mistake. It was a mistake, but I did not think that someone would be 10 feet from my bumper, but it was mistake on my part. The sad reality is five years ago we were scared because our kids were getting shot when they wore designer shoes to school. Today you can have your life threatened by a fellow motorist in Fayetteville, Ga., because you threw a cup of ice out the window. Our country and our county needs to relax sometimes.

I see that the Fayetteville City Council will stay the same. Having serious health problems I am unable to qualify. I have been trying since January to get someone to run for all three posts, but Fayetteville citizens just do not seem to care who is on the council. This is the same council who has allowed builders to take over Fayetteville and ruin it. They also stood behind a police chief who had our police officers working under tyranny. These council members answer to no one. The longtime citizens are paying for all of this. I used to be proud to call Fayetteville my home, but not anymore.

Why is the station [in south Peachtree City] charging as much as 19 cents more per gallon of gas than other stations in the area? Is it because they are the only gas station on the south side of PTC, and many people are willing to pay for the convenience? I drove a little farther and saved 16 cents per gallon. We need to send a message and not patronize this business if they are going to continue to gouge their neighbors like they do.

I guess the Jet Blue pilot just proved what everyone else already knew. You don’t have to be paid $300,000 a year to be a great pilot.

I am completely disgusted by the comment that a person made last week about contributing to a charity for the prompt return of hurricane victims to New Orleans. How an ignorant comment like that can be made about people who just lost everything is beyond me. Then again, this is Peachtree City and Fayette County, home of the biggest snobs and most selfish people I have ever met. More than 700 people died and all you can think about is figuring out a way to get them back to a place that pretty much no longer exists. The arrogance in this town is unbelievable.

The insurance companies says the big wind didn’t blow out the levees, they don’t pay for floods. The theory that everyone can be wealthy if they work very, very hard is a myth. What we should be working toward is that everyone who holds down a job can expect improvement instead of the same pay for life. Doesn’t help for the government to throw out the Bacon act either. Old and sick people are also pretty well doomed in the future with the failure of Social Security. Rome all over again.

What I have not seen in Katrinaville: The ACLU setting up a feeding line. People for the American Way helping in the shelters. The NAACP doing any work whatsoever. The American Atheist organization serving meals in the shelters. Jesse Jackson doing anything constructive.

I too have noticed the children at Peeples Elementary get only 30 minutes for lunch. I wonder if it because the school is so overcrowded? If we gave the children 45 minutes, the lunch shift would only be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. That would be great to have a kid eating lunch at 9 a.m. Maybe people should think about doing something about the crowding at the school. Go to a Board of Education meeting and tell your elected officials to even out the enrollment at the elementary schools.

I don’t want Fayette County children sharing Fayette County classrooms with looters. Fayette taxpayers pay $6,500 a year for every student here. The children from Katrina and Rita are here because they need our help. Let’s help them. It is the illegal students from Clayton, Coweta, Fulton and even out of the USA are that are looting the Fayette County taxpayers. Deport the illegals and arrest the parents of the out-of-county students. The kids know about it. The parents know about it. The school system knows about it. Do something about it or refund the $6 million it costs Fayette taxpayers each year.

If I were running for president of the NAACP this would be my platform. I would start the Ebony National Bank-Trust-Mortgage Co. I would ask every African-American over the age of 18 to buy at least one share of stock at $100 per share. I would use this pot of money for low-interest business loans to companies and subcontractors to help build 10,000 rental and low-income housing units over the next five years. I would also give educational grants for tutoring assistance and ask our best business minds to serve as the board of directors at minimum wage salaries. Next, I would work to effect the following: Reduce school dropout rate 50 percent, reduce teenage pregnancy 50 percent, reduce the sale and use of drugs 50 percent and increasing two-parent families by 50 percent. We also need to do a better job of engaging the sports and entertainment industry and our religious leaders in advancing these goals. Our own efforts will be more effective and more respected than continuing to blame others and expect others to fix our problems.

So, Steve Brown determines what the major issue is going to be in the campaign and it’s the Development Authority? No, Steve, the issue is you. That’s why five people lined up to run against you.

Steve Brown acts like he is the ringmaster of Peachtree City, but to most of us he is just the clown.

Peachtree City Mayor Steve Brown doesn’t seem to be waging a campaign focusing on the issues, and he doesn’t appear to recognize that he has several opponents in the city election. Instead, he keeps bashing Direct PAC and the Development Authority. The most recent bizarre thing the mayor has done is to accuse Direct PAC of getting involved in Tyrone’s affairs, which, of course, is a complete figment of the mayor’s imagination. Maybe at some point the relevant issues of the Peachtree City election will be allowed to surface.

News flash (I would have said “Breaking News” but all of the networks have rendered that term meaningless): Mayor Steve Brown of Peachtree City has just achieved a lifelong dream. His most recent letter to the editor vaulted him into first place in the Guinness Book of World Records for most published letters to the editor in any 12-month period. Brown’s achievement surpassed the previously held record that was shared by Timothy Parker and Kathie Cheney. Congratulations, Steve.

Please go somewhere else, Bob Lenox. You are the glaring pimple on Peachtree City’s beautifully smooth skin. I should not have to eat my breakfast and read your comments at the same time.

We screamed for and received term limitations for the mayor and council of Peachtree City during the Lenox administration. It was no accident that this issue came up while Bob Lenox was mayor. He had a history of wheeling and dealing in a manner that wasn’t in the best interest of the general population. He had a rather infamous history of building relationships with a closed circle of developers like PCDC that required a certain amount of government decision making capacity. I’m glad he’s out of elected office and I wish he would stay out. Lenox is scared to death that Brown is going to win his second term without a runoff and he should be.

Only two things are infinite, the universe and Bob Lenox’s ability to drive us all crazy, and I’m not sure about the former.

Bob Lenox is just like that brooding bully that used to threaten, tease and hurt the innocent children on the playground. The Direct PAC boys go around knocking others off their bicycles and laughing. I am so glad that bunch got kicked out of office years ago.

My husband and I can’t figure out why Harold Logsdon’s golf buddies are putting his campaign signs in their yards. The man has absolutely nothing to say. His Web site, www.haroldlogsdon.org, is a bunch of bland statements that really don’t express a specific leaning in any direction. The only positions he expresses on the site was that he was against the city’s smoking ban to protect us from second-hand smoke and he favors paying back the illegal authority loans. In fact, most of the candidates have not express a single opinion on anything except the illegal loans. You can’t help but wonder whether Peachtree National Bank and Group VI are funding their campaigns. How any of them plan on beating Rapson and Brown by “riding the fence” while the incumbents keep racking up awards and moving forward is a mystery to us.

Much ado has been made of the fact that Mayor Steve Brown requested that the mayor’s office be thoroughly cleaned and repainted after he was elected. Given the filthy, rotting mess that preceded him, I believe that the taxpayers of Peachtree City got off cheap.

Evidence of the ineffectiveness of Direct PAC: Representatives of the group repeatedly stated pre-qualifying for PTC mayor that “only one good candidate” was needed to remove Mayor Brown and that the field should not be too crowded lest Brown benefit from such. The result of Direct PAC efforts is that now there are five aspirants for the position plus Brown. Direct PAC is the best thing Brown has going for him. Now Brown only needs some law firm to file a libel-slander suit against him and he will be guaranteed another term.

Does anyone know what we here in Peachtree City are supposed to do in the case of an emergency? I already have my plastic and duct tape that FEMA recommended. Do I drive or walk north, south, east or west? Can I ride a bike or golf cart on the highway? Where is our emergency food stored? I want to know and if it is to be guarded. Can we drink the lake? Is there a plan for flood, germs, poison, bombs, nuclear, invasion, ice, never-ending storms, and has FEMA now been instructed to come in and help us even if it is dangerous?

Was anyone else amused at the colored picture at the bottom of The Citizen’s front page on Sept. 21 showing Mayor Brown and Dan Tennant looking as though they were dancing and enjoying it?

Tennant is like that little creature on the toe nail fungus commercial. He’s a little yellow man who won’t go away, and will infect us all if he gets under your skin.

I can’t believe your use of the word refugee. How offensive. Do you even know what a refugee is? Maybe you should grab a dictionary: according to Random House/Webster a refugee is a person who flees for refuge or safety especially to a foreign country, as in times of political upheaval, war, etc. Katrina evacuees are not refugees.

Want to know where the billions will come from that the government needs to rebuild the Gulf Coast? From the money tree that the Secret Service, with the help of the Treasury Department and the Department of Agriculture, has planted in what they thought was a secret location. But the location has been discovered: it’s in China.

How much fuel could we save if all able-bodied students were required to ride the school bus? An educated estimate is about 5,800 gallons per day, just in Fayette County. Per year? Do the math.

What has our Homeland Security Department been doing for five years? Is there no one who CAN plan anymore? Are we incapable of imagining anymore what might be needed? This time let’s not just put everyone to preparing for another flood or hurricane; you know there just might be dams breaking, or total electrical outages everywhere, or germ warfare, or poison gas, or ...

Let me see if I can understand this. The governor cancels schools for two days and Fayette County has already reduced the number of instructional hours this year by instituting two “early release” days. No wonder we have problems with our educational system; these people think you can improve education by having less of it. Makes no sense. Furthermore, no one seems to care about the problems created (by these actions) for parents.

Hello, I am a resident of Quail Hollow and beg of you to slow down. Every morning as you leave the house for your morning commute their are children heading to the school bus stops. There are no sidewalks and as each day passes it is getting darker and darker. When will it end? When I or one of my neighbors lose another child needlessly, or when the driver of the vehicle is behind bars and his family is also destroyed. I want to thank the drivers who slow down and wave “good morning” on a daily basis and hope that they will spread the word amongst their neighbors that we as a community need to take care of our children.

Let’s start by saying that I am a six-year Panther parent and we love the game and the band, too, but it is not about the band parents, it’s about the kids. So stop entertaining the older crowd and entertain the kids. We love hearing the sweet sound of pairs, but you need to let the kids have the fun, too, and it’s not all about tea and brunch.

In response to Bill Bryan’s letter to the editor about Fayette students being historically ignorant: As a student from McIntosh high school, I am not aware that any of our teachers are Communists. If anything we are constantly being challenged in our government class and current issues class to think for ourselves. I think looking at our test scores and SAT scores that parents, students, and teachers in the community would disagree that Fayette County and McIntosh High School is producing “brainwashed” students.

To the people complaining about the teenagers and their behavior on the cart paths, get the tag number and call the police. As a mom of two teenage boys, I want to know if it is my kids before they hurt or kill someone and cost me my home.

Question: What is larger than the ego of Steve Brown? Answer: The ego of Dan Tennant.

09-21-05

Thank you, John Munford, for your article on Fayette County automobile break-ins. The first step in abating this increase is to inform the public so that preventive measures can be taken. Perhaps the sheriff can recommend a reputable shotgun dealership.

Two disasters, not counting Iraq, have occurred on your watch. Not having learned from the others, and admitting as much, you should resign or be impeached.

Steve Brown has more determination in his little finger than most people have in their entire body and the spoilsports can’t figure that out. Peachtree City is a fabulous, award-winning community full of great people. The bad old Direct PAC huffs and puffs and tries to blow the great work down that Steve, Steve Rapson and Murray Weed have literally fought for on our behalf. After nearly 20 years of residence I can say without doubt that I finally feel like the city government cares about my family. Hopefully we will show our appreciation for all of their hard work in November. Thank you, Direct PAC, for being so negative and so nasty that we recognize a good thing with Brown and Rapson when we see it.

That Dollar General store is sure shaping up to be a nice addition to downtown Tyrone. The Town Council had so much foresight when they approved that one, since it fits in so well with their “revitalization plan” to make downtown Tyrone special and appealing. Come to think of it, when I think about attractive “Main Street” towns in the South, I always picture a Dollar General store as an integral part of the picture.

Other than the tragedy of lives lost, Katrina was the best thing that has ever happened to New Orleans: new infrastructure, new buildings, new levees, and the human toilet was flushed. All the criminals and the welfare-Medicaid non-contributors have been dumped on the rest of the country, never to return to N.O. Does anyone know of a charity taking donations for the prompt return of these “evacuees” when N.O. is reopened? I’ll be the first to contribute.

The trash cans at the Shakerag festival were overflowing with plastic water bottles and aluminum soda cans. Why doesn’t the city require recycling bins at this type of event?

The Tyrone Recreation Department did a great job in organizing the Founders Day celebration. Unfortunately, the event has lost its charm since being moved to Handley Park. Unless you happen to cast a glance to the east of Ga. Highway 74 when you drive by, you wouldn’t even notice that there was a Founders Day celebration going on.

I’m very glad that Tyrone citizens are working hard getting ”Save Shamrock petition” signatures. Do y’all think y’all could make a couple more to go with it that demands that Founders Day be moved back to Shamrock Park and (the one I can’t wait to see) a petition that demands the removal of the ultimate problem in the town: Barry Amos. He has done nothing but destroy our quaint town and buddy up with every underhanded developer in town.

To the parent at Peeples Elementary who wants the kids to have 45 minutes to eat lunch: Maybe you should volunteer your time to be a lunchroom monitor and then after a few days you might re-think your delusional Free Speech comment. Or better yet, why don’t you home-school?

I have lived in Fayette County for 15 years and I thought the number of pets per household was the same as all of the counties around us (i.e., five). Instead of limiting the number of pets to three, why not enforce the leash law for cats and dogs? A family in our neighborhood used to have two dogs tied to dog houses outside year-round. These animals never had food or water and would bark incessantly, until another neighbor would get up in middle of the night and give the poor things food and water. My point is even though these people stayed within the guideline number, their animals were severely abused. These people should not have been allowed to have goldfish. DeKalb County has made it illegal to have any animals tied outside because over time any animal tied outside will become aggressive (that is why people who train dogs for fighting tie them outside). This would be an excellent law here. Stop punishing responsible pet owners and start to go after the ones who are irresponsible.

Now that we are entering the political season, I think it would be reasonable to limit the number of lines in a Free Speech e-mail. If you can’t say what you want in five lines or less, then the e-mail should be a signed letter to the editor. Or, are the incumbents and their supports afraid to have their names in public?

“ref*u*gee = n : an exile who flees for safety.” One does not have to be a citizen of another country to be identified as a refugee. A refugee is one who seeks refuge from something unfavorable; perhaps catastrophic natural phenomena? Used in a sentence: I’d like to seek refuge from some of the banal comments in Free Speech. Wise up, people.

To the parent complaining about their child’s lunch time: I get just as much time to eat lunch as my students do, considering I have to walk them to the cafeteria, sit down and eat once they’re going through the line (if I don’t have to sit with them that day), round them up to go to the bathroom, then take them back to class. Is it really that big of a deal?

Our state and local authorities need to start using sales taxes to support our schools. I resent having my property taxes raised every year to pay for some else’s mistakes. Yes, they are mistakes; if you are having so many you can not raise them or discipline them properly, they are a mistake. Based on the amount of vandalism in this county by teenagers (which our tax dollar has to pay for, too) and the drug use, most of them are a huge waste, not all of them, but most of them. Let the people who are on welfare and live in apartments pay their fair share through sales tax.

I’ve lived here for years, and I’ve never said anything about the supposedly “unintentional racism” that is said in the opinion columns and Free Speech. But to hear the comments from the cowards who feel like the evacuees won’t do the right thing with money was the last straw. Did you say that about the tsunami victims? Cowards. For ignorant people who make comments like that, you see why we still need civil rights laws. I won’t categorize all white people who live in Fayette County because that will make me as ignorant as those fools. Black evacuees have just as many rights as the white evacuees. Like it or love it, God also loves other people outside of Fayette County; yes, even Clayton County, too. Oh yeah, for that person who lives in Tyrone worrying about the demographic of the evacuees, I hope your white friends break in your house.

All of you people who are complaining about the word “refugee” being used concerning the Katrina victims and saying they are “Americans,” not foreigners, therefore they are not refugees, need to get out a dictionary. “Refugee” means people seeking shelter or safety. Nowhere does the definition have a nationality attached to it, nor is it offensive or derogatory. Also, “minority” does not mean “black.” Look that up, too. This “political correction” crap is more dangerous to this country than terrorism ever will be.

More than 30 minutes for lunch? You really need to go to school and see what kids do at lunch instead of eating. When I went to school in the ‘70s we only had 30 minutes. What part of the curriculum would you like to omit to add 15 minutes? By the way, the staff at my child’s school get the same 30 minutes as the kids. I know because I volunteer in the lunchroom. Note to other parents: How about brushing up on your child’s table manners?

The same birth certificate that got me into college, into the military, got me my passport, and qualified me for my present job is not good enough for me to get a Georgia driver’s license. Are you kidding me? Beam me up.

How long are the citizens of Fayette County going to sit back and allow the FCBOE to continue to run on the good ol’ boy system? The FCBOE superintendent’s office does not audit the schools, allows the principals of certain schools to do as they wish, and the list goes on and on. I am sure the next new principal of one high school will be a good ol’ boy and not the best person for the job by qualifications.

Earth to Mascot: DAPC acted illegally? I am going to fill you in on something which most people automatically realize. People that commit illegal acts in the public eye generally go to prison. I can’t seem to locate even one jaywalker citation in this case. Imagine that. You can fool some of the people some of the time but you can’t ...

To the person who wrote, “I welcome the families that come here because of Katrina,” and complained about his or her child sitting in the classroom with kids from other counties: Don’t you think that is better to use our taxes to educate American kids than to use them to educate kids illegally here in this country? Have you noticed how many people illegally here from Mexico have lots of kids in the Peachtree City schools? I believe this is what you should be complaining about.

Earth to Steve Brown and his tiny group of supporters and letter-writers: You did not beat Bob Lenox. You could not beat Bob Lenox. You did not even run against Bob Lenox. You got in a runoff election when Fred Wellman withdrew to serve his country after 9/11 and ran against Gary Rower. You beat a Delta pilot; that’s all.

It seems that the out-of-town criminals have discovered that PTC is the eighth-best place in the nation in which to reside, hence the increase in car break-ins and other mayhem. Hmmm, I wonder if one of them stole that speeding golf cart whose inhabitants threw a lit firecracker at me while I was walking my dog one evening in Fishers Bank, or if they were the offspring of some upstanding PTC residents. What is going on here? Sounds like we need more police presence and quick.

You might hear the air raid sirens because Peachtree City is under a Direct PAC attack. They are determined to knock out the mayor and other councilmen and they refuse to let the truth get in their way. Political action committee leader Rex Green has resorted to political prostitution in order to get Group VI (his employer) its dirty money. By now everybody knows that Rex Green, Rick Schlosser, John Dufresne, Bob Lenox, Richard Downing and Jim Stinson (who whines without ceasing) are all part of an organization created to undo all of the open government reforms of the current administration. They liked the old system when we had backroom dealing and special interest control. It kept the average citizens out of the way.

I had the worst experience today in Peachtree City. An Atlanta radio station, Q100, came to Peachtree City today and offered all of its listeners free lunch. They also asked for donations for “Bert’s Big Adventure,” a nonprofit organization that sends sick children to Disney World. In front of the building, they offered free T-shirts, stickers, CDs and other items that seemed to disappear very quickly. I saw two women with three CDs apiece and people acted as if this stuff was priceless to them. My friend and I walked up to the table to donate our money and there was not a box so we asked the guy at the table where we could donate. His reply: “I did not think that anyone would want to donate.” Needless to say, he did put out a donation box and we placed our money in the box and walked away. Well, we sat and watched as more people came to grab free stuff and noticed that no one donated any money. I am ashamed to say that I am from this city. It is sad that most of the salaries of these people add up to be more than a house and they could not even donate a dollar. To make matters worse, it did not even faze these “snobs” to take everything they could get their hands on including a free lunch. You people should be ashamed of yourselves driving around in $60,000 cars and wearing designer clothes and acting as though it is okay to take everything you can get your grubby hands on when it is being given away but then pass by a donation box and not flinch. Take $1 out of you Louis Vuitton bag that is sitting in your Lexus and give it to someone who deserves it because you sure don’t. You people are horrible and I hate that a city that I love so much is represented by snobs like you.

I just finished reading the 9/14 Free Speech where the anonymous writer stated the Katrina looters were all African-American and they “hope even more that nothing ever happens here, especially at the rate that Tyrone’s demographics are changing.” As a white Fayette County citizen I am appalled but, unfortunately, not shocked. Although I know racist idiots like you exist, I am ashamed and embarrassed to find you rearing your ugly head in my back yard. People like you should be neither seen nor heard and I hope you see the value of crawling back under your rock and staying there. NIMBY.

I’m very tired of speeches and 800 numbers as the solution to everything going wrong in our country. Also a little tired of “brilliant” people with little record being put on the Supreme Court. If that is what we need, just put [Bill] Gates on there by himself.

Even though the complaints in the paper regarding the Peachtree City amphitheater have subsided somewhat since the new management took over, don’t think that subscribers are happy. This summer series certainly did not draw entertainers that thrilled the majority of past subscribers. The ticket prices increased substantially and the quality of entertainment declined. Also, notice the total negativity of the amphitheater entrance. The next time you stroll down the path, look at the signs: no lawn chairs, no umbrellas, no photography, no beach balls, no anything. By the time you get inside you are totally glum over all the “no” signs. The current management needs to get a job with FEMA where their bureaucratic negative mindset would fit right in. Come on, next election! Officials, change the amphitheater back to some semblance of the good times in the past. In the meantime, at least you can attend the Fayetteville amphitheater and get better concerts, cheaper prices, and an upbeat management.

The Direct PAC people are downright mean. Why are they getting involved in Tyrone politics? When you read their letters it’s pretty obvious they are motivated by selfishness. The town of Tyrone doesn’t need a bunch of narrow-minded and militant folks devoted to ruining our slice of Fayette County. Just because Peachtree National Bank set up an office in Tyrone and they are friendly with Mayor Lee doesn’t mean they can bully us too. Stay out of Tyrone, PAC. Stick to making everyone’s life in Peachtree City miserable.

It must have been quite a scene recently when a well-known local businessman invaded the county offices to register a complaint about the tax bill on a building he owns. From what we hear, he was so disruptive in his behavior that he had to be escorted from the premises and told not to come back.

I wonder if Robert Rothley, whose name appears as the signer of the letter defending Mayor Steve Brown (The Citizen 9/14/05) would swear on a stack of Bibles that he actually wrote that letter? There aren’t many people who either have the time or inclination to do the research coming up with the quotes from the past trying to discredit former Mayor Bob Lenox and boost the reelection efforts of the current mayor (although we all know that one person famous for having the time and inclination to do this type of research and often either reaching the wrong conclusions or twisting the facts to meet his purposes is an extremely high-profile local politician, currently running for reelection). This famous “researcher” has written so many letters to the editor and anonymous Free Speech items in recent years that it doesn’t take a professional to recognize who is actually producing these writings. As for the anti-Lenox letter, some research on where the letter writer lives and who resides in his neighborhood might shed some light on this subject.

To the parent who has children at Peeples Elementary: as an educator, I was fine with your complaint until the comment, “I am sure that the staff gets more than 30 minutes to eat their lunch.” First of all, what if they did? They are the adults. However, sad as it is, they do not. Teachers must consume their food within 10 minutes if they end up with that much time. If you want your child to have more lunch time, pack their lunch so they do not have to wait in line. Don’t ever judge a teacher, counselor, or administrator until you have walked in their shoes.

I am quite confused by the budget deficits being piled up $200 billion at a time. Didn’t we once have a law that said Congress must vote to raise the deficit? Do you know what the interest is on just $400 billion for say five years? How about $150 billion for the interest only? My goodness, how soon can we get those free-spending Democrats back? Have Ronald Reagan and George Bush II taken over the deficit spending platform? It now amounts to trillions between the two. If no one in this administration sees a catastrophe coming in a very few years they are more ignorant than some of us think, or don’t have their pension vested yet.

The Peeples Elementary parent needs to do his/her math. The State Dept. of Education requires a minimum number of minutes instructional time per subject per day. The school day is a set number of minutes. Would most parents be willing to extend the school day for longer lunches, recesses, and more bathroom breaks? The parent should be glad that 30 minutes are given for lunch considering the number of students at Peeples. By the way, the more students eating lunch in a school, the longer the backup. Hopefully, when school district lines are redrawn this spring, overcrowded schools in the county will no longer be a problem. Hopefully, this parent will be happier and support cafeteria workers and administrators who are doing their best to feed a healthy meal to all the children who eat lunch.

You would think that Tyrone Founders Day Parade Committee could get the grand marshal a sign that wasn’t made out of construction paper. Well, I guess that fit in with the “simple life.”

If Steve “I love being your mayor” Brown is doing such a great job running the city, then why has he attracted five opponents in the upcoming election? That must be a record number of opponents against an incumbent elected official in the entire history of Peachtree City.

John Dufresne, Rex Green and Jim Stinson are Peachtree City’s equivalent of those three little monkeys who “hear no evil,” “speak no evil” and “see no evil”. The city’s improved bond rating, the national awards, the road funds from the state, the smoking ban and the other successes never existed in Direct PAC’s ears, mouths and eyes. I was there for the mayor’s 2005 State of the City speech. A certain few of my fellow Rotarians were deeply saddened by the City Council’s long list of accomplishments. Nothing strikes fear into the hearts of the special interest PAC like an open and responsive government that is the enemy of political corruption.

You’ve got to love it when the Direct PACer complains in the Free Speech section that other people are writing about them in the Free Speech section. Special interest promoter Jim Stinson appears to be suffering from a behavior disorder and he seems to exhibit a high degree of antisocial behavior. His ailment is probably due to being a refugee from the powerful winds of change four years ago when a flood of good-hearted voters drowned the Bob Lenox era cronies in the voting booths. Maybe it could be the womanly pink flamingos that Stinson hauls to all the amphitheater concerts. Anyway, the Red Cross is setting up a shelter for the Direct PAC in Washington, D.C., so they can be around a healthy dose of corruption to make them feel as though they are still in power.

Let’s talk about Founders Day. I’m going to start with the “Simple Life Program” [which] states, “Rejecting the rat race, town enjoys getting back to basics!” Well, let me tell you, there are many “rat races” in town, especially at the rat nest, Town Hall. The main feeding time at the nest is on Thursday when Town Council meets. That’s when our biggest rats come out to feed. They want to feed on the citizens of the town, who come to the podium to express concerns over things that have been done without any input from the taxpaying Tyrone citizens. I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time to set some large rat traps. Tyrone citizens also beware: the upcoming election has a few “handpicked” rats in the race. It’s time for more cats to get on the prowl because Tyrone is on its way to being rat-infested.

If it was medically necessary for County Commissioner VanLandingham to be taken by ambulance to Clayton County three times, I don’t begrudge the county for using a county ambulance to do it. It may have made sense. I might observe, however, that (1) the mileage should have been recorded and the trips should not have been concealed in any way and (2) an elected official whose sickness is so severe or so long that it keeps him from doing his job properly should in good conscience resign and allow someone else to perform the duties of his office.

09-14-05

How many cell phones, cigarettes, beer, and lottery tickets will those $2,000 debit cards buy?

It is generous for corporations to offer assistance to the Katrina survivors, but I’ll be impressed only if the CEOs and executives making millions donate from their own pockets. Congress must enact legislation prohibiting corporate looting. We watch in horror as flood victims steal VCRs, but turn our heads from white-collar hoodlums. The poor are falling under the radar, and the middle class cannot continue to bear the brunt of paying for a war and providing for the needy.

Once again in the midst of a tragedy, the race card has to be played. What a truly sad time for America. Let’s get it together, folks.

Have we heard from any of our international friends/allies regarding assistance the U.S.A. might need in New Orleans/Gulf Coast region? I was particularly wondering about our friends in Africa who have been receiving billions of dollars in aid from the U.S.A. for the past 40-plus years. Have any of those countries offered to help us? Just curious.

I blame Hillary Clinton and the Democrats for Hurricane Katrina. Why not? She, all the Democrats and all the liberals blame George W. for everything else.

I think it’s only proper to refer to the people that were affected by Hurricane Katrina as United States of America citizens and not refugees. These people are not from another country. They are from neighboring states. They are American citizens, not refugees.

Thumbs up to the government for plans to find jobs for all those displaced by Katrina. Thumbs down to GWB for promising Mexico to give the same benefits to illegal aliens that are given to citizens.

For the employees of the nursing home in New Orleans that left all their elderly patients in their beds to drown: Shame on you for not even trying to save them. Thirty drowned and 50 more in critical condition when rescuers found them. God have mercy on your soul.

Watching CNN and FOX on TV this week reminds me very much of Forrest Gump supervising the guy from “Sling Blade,” emptying a theater on fire. Apparently, it was decided in past planning sessions not to send any Red Cross, FEMA people, outside police, or National Guard anywhere that they may get hurt, or that have to live like the victims of the emergency.

In Katrina, what disgusted me more than the looters and opportunists were the people who left behind their supposedly beloved companion animals to die. And as for the ones who not only abandoned their pets but also left them chained or caged, I only wish they rot in the darkest and most miserable pits of hell. For they truly are the lowest and cruelest of beings.

Did anyone else notice that all the looters seen on TV in the devastation of the hurricane were African-American? Makes me hope even more that nothing ever happens here, especially at the rate that Tyrone’s demographics are changing.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Democrats make gains in the next election. The Republicans had an opportunity to increase our oil supply five years ago by drilling in Alaska and increasing our oil refining capability by fast-tracking approval of new refineries. But they didn’t have the guts to “getter done.” Many local, state, and federal Republicans have also morphed into Republicrats. Conservatives who usually vote for Republicans may now withhold their support from the GOP and even jump to the Libertarian party.

“Christian Call to action.” Haven’t we had enough religious divisiveness in this country? It’s time for everyone, Christian, Muslim, Jew, Atheist, et al, to come together and answer a human call to action. History, modern and ancient, has repeatedly taught us the dangers of the mentality which elevates one religious belief above another. Why can’t we learn this?

Watching on television, neighbors helping neighbors in the pouring rain nail down tarps on wind-damaged roofs in Carroll County reminds us all of what community and being a good person, a good citizen, really means.

So now we’ve all seen the results of four years of George Bush’s building of the Department of Homeland Security. Even hardline Republicans agree that the Bush administration’s response to Katrina has been incompetent, “too little, too late”, and disastrous. Bush has relied on partisan political hacks (Chertoff and Brown) to protect our country from national disasters, whether they are from terrorists or from nature. They must be fired. It’s time to impeach Bush and Cheney, and get real leaders.

I welcome the families that come here because of Katrina. They need our support and care; that is the right thing for us to do. But why does my child sit in our classroom with two children from Coweta County, and two from Fulton County? Fayette County taxpayers pay for those out-of-county children’s education and our school board, teachers and the rest of the administration all know about it. We can afford to help those who need it, but not those who loot our school system.

Price increases are when you change your price to reflect what your supplies cost. Gouging is when you increase the price of the gasoline that’s already in your ground tanks by 25 percent in two hours. There needs to be some lawsuits for the gouging that’s been going on statewide, including right here in Peachtree City.

If I am only allowed to have three dogs on my property then these idiots that we have voted in to supposedly look after our best interests need to pass a law about the number of children some of these irresponsible people keep having. We have no children but my property taxes keep increasing every year, most of which goes to schools, so I am paying to have to keep someone else’s kids in school. My dogs are better behaved and have more breeding than most of these uneducated and rude brats out there.

We live in unincorporated Fayette County so that we can have open spaces and avoid intrusive control of what we do on our property. I think that if I live outside of city limits and subdivisions, I should be outside of politically correct control. If I want to have a car on block in my front yard, it is my right as a property owner. As long as I do not harm my neighbors, butt out. If you want to move out to the country and only see manicured lawns and $500,000 houses, I suggest Westchester County, New York; we can supply transportation.

So why are the citizens of Fayette County limited to three pets? Here’s what I figured out. Republicans say they believe in limited government that does not intrude in people’s lives. The elected officials who run Fayette County are Republicans. Republicans lie. (P.S.: Democrats lie, too, but they don’t pretend to be holier than thou like the Republicans do.)

The revenue collection officers are out in force in Tyrone. On my way to work, I had one on my bumper. On my way home I saw one lurking in a parking lot. I’m planning on taking a new way home from now on. I guess this means Tyrone won’t get my money from fines, or from the sales tax on money I used to spend while passing through.

Tyrone is the Ludowici of the Southern Crescent.

As a 22-year resident of Tyrone, I fail to recognize the ”identity crisis” Tyrone faces as described by Mr. Amos et al. In fact, I think Tyrone has a rather nice identity, and I am saddened by the dismantling of Shamrock Park. Perhaps if Mr Amos is unhappy with Tyrone’s identity, he should move elsewhere. Oh, that’s right, I’m told Mr Amos doesn’t live in Tyrone. I cannot help but think that this “identity crisis” is being created to make Tyrone more marketable for the developers who want to cash in on our town at the expense of the resident taxpayers.

Is it too much to ask that the town of Tyrone spend as much money on an engineering firm to fix the erosion at Handley Park as they did on the city clerk’s new SUV or Councilman Mike Smola’s $6,000 drawing and $5,000 worth of postage to mail it of a library on land the town doesn’t own?

Hey, Tyrone citizens, I have a better idea: why don’t you boycott Founder’s Day? That’s sure to stir up Aunt Bea, Barney, and the rest of the Mayberry gang.

Does anyone know where we can get a gallon of Vaseline? We just got our property tax bill and it won’t fit. What is going on in Fayette County? It’s harder and harder for a working middle-class family to live here anymore. We seem to have to bear the burden of poor people and rich people. The poor people can’t pay and the rich people won’t pay their fair share. Have you noticed all the new subdivisions being built in Fayette County lately? They’re in the $300,000s up. Who’s going to live in these expensive houses? People that work at fast-food restaurants? If taxes keep going up, you’ll have to be an executive of a mega corporation (or airline) before you can live in Fayette County. I’m surprised they don’t check your W-2 now before you’re allowed to buy a house here.

I can see no reason why a city the size of Peachtree City does not have any tornado warning sirens. Is Peachtree City going to have them installed soon?

Fayette County Sheriff’s Drug Task Force is a joke.

I am a parent of children at Peeples Elementary. Why do the children only get 30 minutes to eat lunch? They spend 15 of the 30 minutes in the lunch line and have 15 minutes to shove food in their face before they have to go back to class. Can’t the school system give them at least 45 minutes of lunch? I am sure that the staff gets more than 30 minutes to eat their lunch.

The worst looking roads in Peachtree City are the ones that have recently been repaired. I am glad that the repairs are being made, but I think that if a road needs so many repairs that it will look aesthetically worse than before the repairs, then it should be completely resurfaced. This patch work that is being done to our roads is really bringing down the look of the city.

It is a pleasure seeing those citizens opposed to Brown, Rapson and Weed signing their letters and the people (probably Brown, Rapson and Weed and wives) [supporting] Brown, Rapson and Weed writing Free Speech without signatures.

Folks, get ready for Steve Brown, the second term. Dar Thompson’s candidacy, such as it was, has evaporated with his eviction notice. No one knows Boswell. Harold Logsdon is a nice guy; he is just embarrassingly inarticulate. And Direct-PAC is ineffective and does Brown more good than harm. Get ready for four more years.

Darryl Thompson, World Gym owner, actor and mayoral candidate is being evicted by Jim Royal, owner of Partners II Pizza and successful PTC businessman for about the last 30 years. Wonder who is telling the truth between these two about the terms of that lease? I think I would believe Jim Royal over Darryl.

The mayoral candidate eviction notice column can be summarized very easily: “Dar Thompson’s word is no good.”

Come on, Mr. Green, do you think that we are all stupid? Asserting that your Development Authority friends did nothing wrong is ridiculous. The Police Chief’s press release following the GBI investigation clearly reads that the review of the documents brought “numerous suggestions that bad decision-making, failure to disclose conflicts of interests and failure to follow proper procedure were prevalent when the Development Authority and its members were conducting Authority business. In many cases, the failure to have a detailed operation plan specifically designed to hold accountable both employees and members of the Authority for the proper accountability when spending or obligating taxpayer dollars has led to a cloud of supposition.” That’s a little different than what the Direct PAC leader Green said.

Direct-PAC lives! Wow! I was amazed at the letters to the editor of just average citizens stating their strong unbiased opinion: Rex Green, Direct-PAC president; John Dufresne, Direct-PAC treasurer; Bob Lenox, Direct-PAC executive board member; and Richard Downing, Direct-PAC member.

John Dufresne, Rex Green, Bob Lenox, Rick Schlosser, Jim Stinson and 28 other people make up the entire membership of the malicious Direct-PAC. Why don’t you just create a special section called “free vermin speech” in the newspaper? I’m glad the current city council destroyed the parasites and freed us from the political food poisoning of the old days. It’s amazing how 33 people can cast such a negative light on 34,000 residents. The City Council puts the average citizen first now and the whiners can’t stand it.

Direct-PAC Chairman Rex Green finally admitted to us just how bad things were at the Development Authority in the past. In trying to discredit the mayor, he did a good job of showing that Brown had the guts to stand up to the bad guys and protect our tax dollars. What Mr. Green neglected to say is that Group VI (they built the leaky tennis center and are suing the city) hired him awhile back. Oh, yes, the mouthpiece of the political action committee is a hired gun. Rex will tell you that they have done nothing wrong and he has the paycheck to prove it.

Sneaky Rex Green, you shameful special interest guy trying to commit a hatchet job, you fibbed about the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The GBI didn’t say that the Development Authority did nothing illegal. The report actually says, “During this review, we [GBI] found that the information provided was insufficient to allow a conclusive determination as to whether a crime has been committed.” Saying you couldn’t find enough evidence to convict because of poor or nonexistent DAPC records is not the same thing as saying that someone never broke the law. Since the city did not pay for the facilities, where did all the money go, Rex?

Richard Downing, a Dan Tennant supporter to the end, has come up with a new-age edict that the soiled Peachtree National Bank loans are a “moral debt” that should be honored. Since when are immoral acts like sneaking hundreds of thousands of dollars of high interest, short-term loans under the table without a public vote each year a “moral debt”? Was it moral for Tom Farr, as bank officer, to lend the money from the bank and then sign for it as the development authority chairman? No wonder they hid their actions from the public. Mr. Downing, moral means conforming to a standard of right behavior and the authority’s behavior was dishonest, improper and just plain wrong.

Mr. Downing is to be congratulated for disguising government corruption as moral indignation in his letter to the editor. His moral sense of need to raise our taxes by 45 percent to pay off the illegal development authority loans leads me to question his definition of morality. Do I really have a moral obligation to pay significantly more taxes to cancel someone’s dirty deeds? Should we pay for Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell’s misconduct too? How about we payoff Fayetteville’s debt? Do we raise our taxes and help bailout Delta? Is it morally acceptable to allow the former tennis center director to have a government owned, rent-free space, staffed by government employees for his own personal profit?

I wish we could halt the incendiary and inane individuals whose inflammatory gibberish toward our City Council only incites pessimism among the masses. John Dufresne and Richard Downing behave like a pair of simpletons. Their hate-mongering correspondence is akin to a deadly virus that permeates our souls and leaves us feeling as though we had been raped. Look at all the spectacular good fortune that has fallen upon our great city in recent years. Dufresne and Downing have cast themselves in the role of the overpowering knaves who intend to spew negativism on us until we can no longer see the good in our community. The City Council has done a superb job and I am ecstatic to reside in one of the preeminent places to live in the United States. Thank you to Mayor Brown and councilmen for pouring your hearts out to your constituents and for attending to an often thankless duty.

How about this for a novel idea to conserve gas. Put your kids on the bus rather than clogging the roads in the mornings because your kids are too special to ride the bus. Another thought. Let the teenagers ride the bus rather than driving to school. Imagine how much less traffic there would be if all these vehicles were off the road in the morning. If your teenager must drive, then make them go to school rather than cruising around before school starts.

What did our state and local elected officials do to try to get Fort McPherson and Fort Gillem (where some of our Fayette County citizens are employed and military retirees depend on) off the “to be closed” BRAC list? Why did rebuilding Forces Command’s expensive technology elsewhere take priority?

I have been a resident of Peachtree City since 1974. I grew up here. As a teenager I complained about this place and said I would never come back after college. Well, here I am. That is because after you live in other places and visit other states, there is no other place to be. So for all those who love to trash our great city and complain in the Free Speech column, we used to have a saying here for people just like you: Delta is ready when you are. I suggest getting involved in solving the problems you disagree with instead of just complaining.

Peachtree City Police Chief James Murray and the Peachtree City leaders like to boast about and hide behind the national accreditation of their police department. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department was accredited while the now-convicted murderer, Sidney Dorsey, was sheriff. Just because they are an accredited agency doesn’t mean they are not capable of corruption.

As a DeKalb County firefighter I know something about what it takes to get a job done in an efficient and safe manner. First of all, the salary issue should be addressed on an individual basis. Second, volunteer firefighting is not for everyone. Maybe it’s the blood and guts that firefighters regularly see, or maybe it’s the fact that fire is a scary thing, or maybe it’s a time issue (work, the kids, poker night, whatever). It’s just not for everyone. I am willing the bet that the people who have written into Free Speech in the past couple of months about how easy it should be to get more volunteers have not applied. The question of how many people are going to show up when my house is on fire is not the right question. The question you need to be asking is how many people do I want to show up when my house is on fire?

In response to the vents about ER wait times, this is primarily because the ERs are filled with Medicaid patients for which everything is “free”: doctor’s fees, tests, procedures, prescriptions, etc. Did you know this? Instead of going to their doctors, they go to expensive ERs for minor problems where they show off their cell phones, designer clothes, “bling bling” jewelry, and their out- of-wedlock children. This is why Medicaid is bankrupting our nation.

Now that you have to slow down while driving through Tyrone, look at the Publix Shopping Center for Partners II Pizza if you want a decent place to eat.

Thank you so much to the fine young man who threw the refreshing cup of cold water on me as I was walking my dog Sunday on the golf cart paths (and then riding off laughing). And thank you, Peachtree City, for allowing things like this to happen to women. Good job.

Blinkers? First of all drivers from Coweta County don’t ever use them. Second, people in F