There is a difference between ignorant and stupid. Ignorant is a lack of knowledge. Stupid is acting in an unintelligent or careless manner. The worst of both conditions is when a person is ignorant, yet pretends he is not. He is then likely to do profoundly stupid things.

Cary Rogers wrote a letter condemning Carl Avrit's recordings as, “incorrect, sensational, and misleading.” He said it would have been nice if Mr. Avrit's views were “true and accurate.” Mr. Rogers has shown his profound ignorance. I'll bet he could recite little or nothing of the recorded message.

Since it has never been in print, it has been easy to lie about what it said. So, for the record, let's review, word for word, what was on that first message. It said the following:

“This is a community alert for Fayette County voters. Please listen. If you do not vote on Tuesday, your taxes are going to go up. With the possible increase in sales tax for the new county jail, your sales tax could go up 40 percent in three months. Stop wasteful government and don't let that happen. Vote `No' on Tuesday. Vote `No' on Tuesday.”

Anything “incorrect, sensational and misleading” there? Nope. Anything not “true or accurate?” Nope.

The county had been talking up the jail SPLOST for months. A headline in The Citizen on June 30 read, “Taxpayers face $160 million double whammy.” The story dealt with the real possibility of a 2-cent sales tax (40 percent for those mathematically challenged, Mr. Rogers) by the end of the year. If there was any “sensationalizing” of the combined tax votes, it was done months before Mr. Avrit's recordings were made.

There is a lesson here for Mr. Rogers. You can look knowledgeable to people if they do not have the evidence in front of them. But now that the actual words have made it into print, you will be found to be ignorant and foolish for speaking as though you knew what you were talking about. Profoundly so.

Bill Webster
Peachtree City

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