Wednesday, Mar. 30, 2005 | ||
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Bad Links? | What our Readers Are SayingLetters to the Editor Terri Schiavo: A matter of life, deathThere are crises that, in a unique way, reveal our beliefs in an immediate way. These index crises expose ones world-view; what is right, what is wrong, and in the Terry Schiavo case, what is the value of human life? Its difficult to sort out the real issues from the more peripheral ones because so many have said so much in the last week. Did Terry Schiavo say that she would rather die than live in a vegetative state? Is she aware of her surroundings (family, care-givers, etc)? Is no hope of recovery or improvement grounds for removing her feeding tube? Has the government (legislative or judicial) over-stepped its bounds? Is the sanctity of marriage under attack by those who want to deny Terry Schiavos husband the right to make medical decisions on her behalf? Do her parents have any legal or moral rights in this matter? Is quality of life a determining factor in whether one should live or die? Mercy killing is not a new phenomenon in our society. Dr. Kevorkians suicide machine, books such as Final Exit, and Clint Eastwoods Academy-Award-winning, Million Dollar Baby, have all pushed the right-to-die movement forward. Terry Schiavos now-famous case has revealed in a new and horrifying way the extent of the moral anarchy of our age. But the question that stands first in line is: Is mercy killing ever morally permissible or justifiable (and) are there cases where it would be morally obligatory to remove a patients suffering? A Christian response is necessary. There are moral absolutes. God has established a moral creation because He is a moral Being. The Terry Schiavo story has become the occasion for a major world-view clash (Christian theism versus naturalism). The principle of life informs a Christian belief. God gives life and only He can authorize any taking of human life. Human government does not have autonomous rights. It cannot create rights. Suicide is wrong because it is self-murder. The sanctity of human life has its roots in Christian teaching. The principle of death is an issue. Death is not a friend but an enemy. The last enemy to be destroyed is death and that will happen because of the death of Death in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Those who have not experienced Gods pardon of sin in Christ and who are counting on their own good works to take them to heaven are deluded. The gaping jaws of eternal separation from God in hell await those whose only preparation for physical death is a living will. Murder is wrong. Scripture forbids the taking of innocent life of creatures made in Gods image. It is not a coincidence that many of those who want Terry Schiavo to die are also advocates of abortion on demand. The principle of suffering is vital. Suffering can be an opportunity to glorify God. Affliction can have meaning because of the meaning of Jesus Christs death on the cross. Joni Eareckson Tada is a living testimony of how God transformed an immature and headstrong teenager into a self-reliant young woman who is learning to rejoice in suffering. I am not surprised that a culture of death is developing. Suffering without God is a bleak outlook. Healing and loving care-giving are also potent factors in times of great pain. God may choose to heal. Recovery is sometimes possible and should not be ruled out. Comfort and help for the hurting are always right. Even in those cases where recovery and improvement may not be possible, merciful care should be given. And for the Christian there is always the hope of a future resurrection body when all things will be made new. The principle of precedent should guide our thinking as well. This is sometimes called the wedge principle or the slippery slope argument. The practice of so-called mercy killing sets a dangerous precedent. It all starts with an attitude that there is such a thing as life not worthy to be lived. In the words of one ethicist, One might want to limit the breadth of the category of people who qualify for euthanasia, but once it is decided that certain people are to die, it is hard to find any logical grounds for keeping others alive. While there seem to be some legitimate legal concerns involved in Schiavos case, there are those guilty of moral turpitude seeking to hide behind the skirts of a judicial process. It is possible to be legally right and morally wrong. The confusion over which handicapped and incapacitated people get to live and those who should die is a dilemma of modern mans own making. The inability to think discerningly and morally is due to the judgment of God (Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts ... Romans 1:18ff). When man wants to live without God there will be nothing but the increasing loss of moral perspective. So then, is the removal of Terry Schiavos feeding tube a merciful act? No. What man calls mercy may not be mercy. It may be murder. But God has revealed His mercy in His Son, Jesus Christ. The empty tomb of Jesus Christ offers us our only hope in a world that views personal existence as only a matter of life and death. Dr. Howard E. Dial
In Schiavo case, following the law results in great injustice being doneAs Terri Schiavos last days seem to be coming to an end, I am deeply affected by the moral compromise in America. How can we let a disabled woman, especially since she is not terminally ill and has no living will, starve and dehydrate to death? I know that many will claim that this should be a private family matter. But why is an estranged husband with suspect motives and conflicted interests allowed to decide that his wifes food and water be denied her? He even refuses to let her parents (and siblings, her family) put ice chips in their dying daughters parched mouth. Why is he so adamant that Terri not be given even a few drops of water to quench her thirst? Where is his compassion? How is denying water death with dignity? Legally, a guardian may refuse any medical treatment, but giving water is not such and is not within a guardians power to refuse it. However, the court continues to allow such abuses, even posting police officers nearby to enforce this ghastly order. This is more like communist China or Russia than America. The Schindlers, Terris parents, petitioned the court (Judge Greer) at the end of February to allow her family (and at least one registered nurse) to provide Terri with food and water by natural means, by mouth, citing Terris ability to swallow and that this would not be in violation of the courts order since the court had surmised only that Terri would not wish to live on artificial life support. Judge Greer determined that the family was asking for an experimental procedure and denied the motion. How could anyone just walk on by a helpless puppy in need of water, allowing it to succumb to a natural death process (as the courts have prescribed for Terri) without at the very least giving it water by a dropper? So, I wonder, how can Mr. Schiavo claim to love his child-like handicapped wife, yet close his ears to her loving parents repeated pleas to allow them to care for her? If Terri feels no pain and is unaware as he claims, why does he callously deny her parents passionate pleas to at least give her water? (To show his compassion, Mr. Schiavo did euthanize Terris cats, melted down her wedding ring, and has had various girlfriends and two out-of wedlock children rather than divorce Terri and relinquish guardianship of her to her parents.) This issue is not just a cause of right-wing nuts as the mainstream media indicate. Attorney Lanny Davis, special counsel to former President Clinton, appeared on The OReilly Factor (3/23/05) and expressed his concerns about the merits of erring on the side of life where were not certain about this poor womans wishes. We have a husband who claims what she said is that she wanted to be disconnected [Terris not on life support]. But were not certain. And at least in this instance, which is rare, where you have parents willing to go through the pain and the agony of tending to this poor young woman, we ought to err and allow those parents to do that. Mr. Davis also reminded viewers that Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) is out there calling for this womans life to be allowed to continue, whatever state its in. Terris plight has had some bipartisan legislative cooperation. Mr. Schiavos brother admitted to Greta Van Susteren (On the Record, 3/24/05) that Terris end-of life wishes were made during a casual conversation among several people after the death of an elderly grandmother who had been on a ventilator (unlike Terri) and died as a consequence of disease. In a later news interview with Geraldo Rivera, he revealed that the grandmother was on a ventilator for just ONE DAY while her living will was being ascertained. How could anyone be convinced that a healthy young womans supposed comment at that time, I dont want to be kept alive on a machine, is analogous to dont give me food and water if I become incapacitated? How could Mr. Schiavo remember specific comments made by one particular person at such an emotionally stressful time when others were adding their own comments? If Terri were so adamant about her desire to be euthanized by starvation and dehydration, why didnt she discuss her desires with an attorney and have her wishes clearly documented? Her beliefs as a practicing Catholic (Mr. Schiavos background is Lutheran, but church has had little importance to him) preclude suicide or mercy killing. Judge Greer has repeatedly ruled as unacceptable any testimony that would in any way suggest that death by dehydration is not Terris wish. This casual conversation is a poor basis, even for hearsay evidence, for Terris judicially mandated death order which is all that the court has, for Terris supposed request to end her own life. This is NOT clear and convincing evidence that most would expect the law to require. Diane Coleman, president of a Not Dead Yet (www.notdeadyet.org), argues that disabled-rights activists as a whole lean toward being pro-choice on abortion, but want to protect individual rights of incapacitated people who might be considered a burden to both relatives and authorities. Based on respected medical studies, disability rights advocates contend that a large portion of cases labeled persistent vegetative state (PVS), the category some doctors apply to Terri, are misdiagnosed and that state courts tend to devalue people with disabilities. What happened on Larry King Live (3/24/05) when a woman, who had been on a respirator, had a feeding tube, and had been diagnosed as PVS, came to the show believing that Terri should be allowed to die with dignity but then saw a video of Terri? I hadnt realized that she was quite as alert as she seemed to be. I hadnt seen any films of her until just now, and Im pretty satisfied that the lady is definitely with us. I wasnt - I thought at one time that there was absolutely nothing going on, but I cant say that after having seen her ... I think that shes got a real strong case for living. Mrs. Cole went on to point out that a feeding tube is not life support and questioned why Terris rehab had been stopped. (A very good question since Mr. Schiavo won quite a lot of money from a malpractice suit to pay for Terris rehabilitation but consequently moved her from a rehabilitation center to a nursing home, denied her any therapy, and ordered the staff not to treat her for any potentially fatal infection.) Mrs. Cole pointed out, Terri at one point was swallowing Jell-O, [and] we know she was saying some words. What happened to the speech pathologist? Recognized neurology expert Dr. B. Engstrand filed an affidavit and is willing to testify in court that Terri may even be conscious, and that therapy makes a difference. Holding back therapy from a sick patient can make that patient go backwards. Ms. Schiavo needs therapy ... With swallowing therapy Ms. Schiavo can slowly be trained and then the feeding tube can be removed ... Ms. Schiavo definitely needs speech therapy. Dr. Ronald Cranford, (also on the same Larry King show) a neurologist and medical ethicist who advocates euthanasia (the starvation of Alzheimers patients and brain-damaged children and organ retrieval from infants with anencephaly, etc.), briefly examined Terri in 2002. He insists, Shell never regain consciousness. Shes completely unconscious. However, a registered nurse who cared for Terri for more than a year, in a sworn affidavit, under penalty of perjury, testified When I worked with her, she was alert and oriented. Terri spoke on a regular basis while in my presence, saying such things as mommy, and help me ... and would try to say the word pain, motioning where she hurt. (She has been given Tylenol to alleviate her monthly discomfort.) She and other caregivers realize that Terri is more responsive with those whom she trusts. It is disheartening (criminal?) that so much medical testimony has been ignored by Judge Greer. Recently, Dr. William Cheshire, a neurologist and appointed volunteer with the Florida statewide Adult Protective Services team who was called to provide an independent and objective medical review, came to this case with a belief that Terris life should be ended. In his sworn affidavit, however, he explains why he changed his mind in Terris case. There remain, in fact, huge uncertainties in regard to Terris true neurologic[al] status. He points out, Some studies have indicated ... a high rate of false initial diagnosis of PVS, and that medical practice currently recognizes a minimally conscious state because of the significant medical strides that have been made in this field since Terri became incapacitated. Dr. Cheshire elaborates on seven of Terris behavioral responses that cast a reasonable doubt on the prior diagnosis of PVS, behavior that Mrs. Cole instinctively recognized as meaningful. He also talked to the nurses about Terris response to pain and documents her ability to experience pain (contrary to the definition of PVS) and her being given ibuprofen. He honestly admits, One cannot directly know with certainty the pain another person experiences. Terris feeding tube is not a burden to her. It is not painful ... But for the decision to withdraw her feeding tube [despite her familys request that she not undergo this medical procedure], Terri cannot be considered medically terminal. But for the withdrawal of food and water, she would not die, Dr. Cheshire writes in his report. Dr. Cheshire concludes, I could not withhold life-sustaining nutrition and hydration from this beautiful lady whose face brightens in the presence of others. Why are his observations disallowed while Dr. Death Cranfords are accepted by Judge Greer? Her family has requested (and been denied) that Terri be allowed to die at home because her family does not want her to have to be alone at her death without people who love and care for her being near her and in order to maximize their final moments with her. Their request that Terri not be cremated because it would be in contradiction to her religious faith and that she be buried in Florida since the majority of people who would likely to visit the grave of the Ward reside in Pinellas County, Florida has not been granted. Mr. Schiavo intends to cremate her (Judge Greer has already ordered that no autopsy be performed that might allay suspicions of physical abuse) and to put her remains in Pennsylvania although he resides in Florida. Just how fair do you think the legal system has been to Terri and her family? Read the court documents (www.terrisfight.net) and listen to the interviews yourself and ask if there is much justice left in America any more. Dr. Cheshire reminds us all, How medicine and society choose to think about Terri Schiavo will influence what kind of people we will be as we evaluate and respond to the needs of the most vulnerable people among us. When serious doubts exist as to whether a cognitively impaired person is or is not consciously aware, even if these doubts cannot be conclusively resolved, it is better to err on the side of protecting vulnerable life. Gayla Conley
Fayette loaded with Bubba ball fields, but not a single arts venueLast Wednesdays Free Speech brought out the nameless but none the less opinionated in force to ridicule Barry Amos and his suggestion of the arts and culture having a place in Tyrone. Ive never met Mr. Amos but I have to respect the only person in some position of government in Fayette County that realizes there is a need for the arts and culture. Ive suggested before Fayette County continues to cultivate an environment of sports in an attempt to develop our youth into the next generation of Bubbas. Sports are an integral ingredient in the development of children and should not be overlooked. However, there are other developmental areas requiring skill and talent which should not be ignored. Take a few minutes to thumb through the local yellow pages and notice how many dance studios, music teachers and art instructors are available in our area. Then pick one at random and ask them where they hold their recitals (in Bubba lingo that means the field where they play). Did you know Toastmasters is here in Fayette County, as well as several writers groups? Do you know what they do? Last June the Free Speech and the Opinion sections of the paper contained the tirades of parents and others incensed because they had to sit in a church to hear a concert performed by the Whitewater High School Chorus. They would rather rant their affront to religion than to push the county to provide proper facilities. With the exception of Sams Auditorium, (circa 1963), and the limited seating of the YMCA Lodge House, Fayette County has no venue for these groups. The April/May issue of arts & expressions magazine lists plays, art shows and other upcoming performances. Atlanta, Griffin, Coweta and Clayton County all have facilities to accommodate these events, rain or shine. Fayetteville is having an outdoor art show, also rain or shine. The county administration has no incentive to build a performing arts center as long as the community appears to only be interested in playing sports. Developers only have to put in a few soccer or ball fields to win favor in the community and the County. Ive never heard of John Wieland offering to build an auditorium. Could there be a consideration for an auditorium rather than another ball field or big box store? Is Fayette County cosmopolitan enough to consider cultural development? It appears despite the grandiose facade, Peachtree City is not ready, and Fayetteville has no interest in the development of our youth beyond sports. Chances are slim but I hope Barry Amos builds his cultural center. Mike Loyd
Open Records: Paper struggles in 24/7 worldThose of you who are frequent readers of The Citizen might be surprised to read that [editor] Cal Beverly and I are actually friends. We talk on the phone every couple of months about whats going on in Fayette County and what we think of it. It is always a friendly conversation. We usually dont agree on everything but we probably agree more often than not. For those of you who are new readers to The Citizen, the reason that may shock some people is because Cal sometimes criticizes me in his paper when he thinks Im wrong, and I always criticize him publicly when I know he is. The relationship has remained cordial because we have known each other for 20 years, all the way back to when he was a young reporter and I was a younger detective (Did you catch that one, Cal?) I suspect I am the person Cal is referring to when he says the sheriffs department only calls his paper when we are ticked off. Well, I hate to say it but my old friend Cal is wrong again. Well, maybe not wrong this time, just a little unfair. The sheriffs department received a low grade from Cal on how much we report to the local newspapers. He also apparently thinks we pay more attention to the television media than we do his paper. The answer to the television debate is more a matter of them (the television media) paying more attention to us. They have people working their news desk 24 hours a day calling us about every little hint of what they think might be news. Cal and his paper do not have that luxury. In the old days I was the only one allowed to talk to the media, other than Sheriff Johnson, on criminal matters. If I worked a homicide that was high profile, I may work all night and come in to find I had 32 messages from the media wanting phone calls returned. Many times I would be too exhausted to return that many calls, so I would just leave word at the switchboard to tell anyone that calls that we would have a press conference at a certain time. Since the local papers did not have someone working the phones 24/7, they did not always get the word. The sheriffs department did not have anyone whose job it was to sit and call the media whenever something happened. Cal would get mad (wrongfully so, of course ) because his paper would miss out on the meeting. Nowadays we do have a person who, as a part of her job, is supposed to keep the local media informed as best she can. When the proverbial fan gets splattered, she is hard to reach, because she is in the field gathering the facts on what has happened. For all these reasons Cal gave the sheriffs department a C, D and sometimes F on our grade for how much we communicate with the media. Im not sure what that will mean to us; I suppose we wont get to participate in any extra curricular activities with The Citizen until we get our grade up. How much information to give out is always a difficult scale to balance. Lawyers and their clients complain that I talk to the media too much; the media and my wife complain that I dont talk to them enough. I like Reba, our lovable, always happy drug-tracking dog. Im always afraid someone will think I named her after my mother-in-law, but I swear I am not the one who named that dog. Reba doesnt care if you talk to her or not. Shes just happy to be here. Bruce Jordan Lt. Col. Jordan is director of the Criminal Investigations Division of the Fayette County Sheriffs Department.
School tardiness law usurps role of parentsThe law enacted last year by the Georgia legislature to hold parents accountable for their childrens school attendance is well-meaning, but further erodes the rights of parents to raise their children without undue government interference. I could comment at length on a philosophical level about the intrusion of the state into the sacred parent-child relationship, but lets talk about the practical aspects of this law. There were already sufficient laws on the books to allow school administrators to report delinquent parents to the appropriate agencies. With this new law, the local school systems will now be gathering data that can potentially be used to send parents to jail! This raises some interesting questions on the record-keeping of school systems, including the Fayette County Board of Education, in relationship to this new state law. Since these records will be now be used by local prosecutors in court, will the records be kept in such a way to meet the standard for evidence? Who will keep the records? Who will have access to the records? How will the data be protected? Will school administrators be called into court to testify to the validity of those records? The answer is that the local school board, school administrators, and even school office staff WILL BE called into court to testify once local officials try to fine or send a parent to jail under this inane law. I doubt the staff of the FCBOE is really ready for such an event. Remember, parents, if your child is one minute late for school it counts as a tardy. How many times have we sat in a line of traffic in front of a school trying to drop off our children, with no local police in sight for traffic control, only to arrive a minute late? Will the FCBOE hire police to improve traffic control to remove this situation, which is outside the control of the parents, in response to this new law? I doubt it. The bottom line is that this is a bad law that places an enormous bookkeeping and legal burden on our local school boards for no real benefit. Once the first few cases are prosecuted, the parents of this state will wake up and demand that their state representatives repeal this absurd law. Steve Justice
Brooks and bikers can work togetherIn response to the person who feels animosity towards the bicyclists who enjoy their annual race in Brooks, I would like to propose that the community work together with the race coordinators to make it an event that would benefit both the bicycling community AND the citizens of Brooks and beyond. First of all, I applaud you for involving yourself and your children in the sport of baseball. Anything that gets our kids outdoors and away from TVs and computers is a wonderful thing. Bicycling is also a wonderful way to stay active and I encourage you to embrace it, as well. I have many friends and family members who are avid cyclists, and they would never intentionally impose upon the kids parade. That was certainly unfortunate and needs to be addressed. Perhaps the opening day of baseball season and the Tour de Brooks might work together to the advantage of all. The baseball parade could be the official opener of the weekend, which would bring more support and spectators to both events. There are always hungry bicyclists and spectators who would love the opportunity to help out by purchasing snacks and beverages from local organizations (Little League, Girl Scouts, churches, etc.), who could set up spots along the course. I would also like to invite you and everyone else in Fayette County to come out and watch the Tour de Georgia, which will be passing through Fayette County on Wednesday, April 20, beginning at 1:30 p.m. in Fayetteville. I would agree that baseball is the official sport of the U.S.A., but come check out the amazing athletes participating in the Tour de Georgia and youll see why bicycling could be the official sport of the world. It really is an exciting sport to watch, especially at the world-class level. Come cheer Lance Armstrong, who is such a great role model for kids and athletes of all levels and sports. Please, please give cyclists a chance. Many of us live in Fayette County because of the community and recreation that it provides. Wouldnt it be great if we could work together to promote physical activity of all types, in hopes of creating a healthier and happier society? Kelly Anderson
More freedom than he can handle or deservesI have to agree with Mr. Parker that we have finally arrived at the heart of the matter. I am trying to seek truth and Mr. Parker is trying to win rhetorical points. I have provided relevant facts, rational opinions and arguments, and even some lighthearted humor. He has provided largely irrelevant facts, defamatory rhetoric, blatant lies, and silly assertions about the people he opposes, and a level of arrogance so astounding that it seems to have rendered him incapable of recognizing humor. My evidence is the series of letters which can be found at www.thecitizennews.com [beginning Dec. 29 last year]. Mr. Parkers last letter provides several examples of his apparent inability to carry on a civil, rational discussion of relevant issues. After all too-typical gratuitous remarks about my writing style and intellect, he proceeds to discussions of the constitutional requirements that Congress declare war, and freedom of speech. He points out that he does not agree with the way starting war has evolved in the United States. This is wholly irrelevant to the discussion because we have to deal with the fact that Congress long ago abrogated its responsibility to the President. The degree of Mr. Parkers agreement with the facts was not the issue. Typically, he stands howling his complaint long after an issue has become history and relevant people are moving on. Similarly, Mr. Parker quotes and discusses constitutional freedom of speech and points out that if the Founding Fathers had wanted to they could have made some exceptions for wartime. The completely false implication is that my discussion of his anti-American diatribes in time of war has anything whatever to do with Constitutional freedom of speech. My point has always been that Mr. Parker has good and sufficient rational, moral, and ethical reasons to restrain himself from providing aid and comfort to the enemy in time of war. Despite having prostituted his ability to understand and reason for the sake of polemic, I am confident that Mr. Parker in reality understands the difference between a right and a responsibility. He is more interested in appearing to win an argument than being right on an issue. Next, Mr. Parker returned to the issue of the writ of habeas corpus. I was done with this long ago. Neither Mr. Parker nor I can settle the issue but it will surely, in due course, be settled in the courts. As with the war powers issue, Mr. Parker may or not have it his way, but our system of government is not threatened or even slightly burdened by such issues. Ranting and raving about relatively minor issues that are on course to resolution elevates the attention they receive at the expense of vital issues. Mr. Parker then takes half of a sentence I wrote and fabricates a specious argument against the fragment that would not have been possible without his disingenuous surgery. Very Clintonesque. How he can run for public office as an anti-war candidate without opposing the present war seems to escape Mr. Parker. How about support the troops and the war while it is going on and then campaign as hard as he wants for pacifism after the war? Rant, rave, demonstrate, write letters, testify before committees, and make documentaries, whatever he likes. Not easy enough? No kidding. It is a strategy that has lost the Democrats more national offices every time it has been tried. So sorry. Mr. Parker really needs to learn to live in the world that is rather than the utopia he fantasizes. Mr. Parker continues with more attacks on the President and the people who voted for him. I grow weary of the repetition of his position. To the extent he and his comrades succeed, the war will last longer, more of our soldiers, innocents, and enemies will be killed and wounded, and America will lose the war. A victorious radical Islam will renew efforts to spread its version of Islam worldwide. Mr. Parker and others who have taken his course of action will have much blood on their hands when it becomes their turn to submit to radical Islam or die. History shows that we can fight enemies sooner or later or never and that the cost in blood and treasure is always greater when we choose later or never. Tim, I was devastated that you did not notice the humor in my reference to you calling me a sniveling liberal. You say my writing style and apparent intellect may lack depth, breadth, and subtlety. I guess I just cant compete. Adieu for now. Perhaps Ill take some courses at The Clinton School of Parsing and Prevarication, The Kerry Institute of Waffling and Nuance, and The Dean Scream Academy of Hate Rhetoric. But stay sharp, buddy, because after all that educational enhancement I may be able to come back on a giant like you. Don Dickinson
Dickinson confuses civilian, military rolesThe debate continues: I have read Mr. Dickinsons comments and offer my comments. First, the President cannot declare war. It takes Congress, both House and Senate to do this. The President was given limited emergency powers. Second, Bush did not win because of the popularity of attacking Iraq. He got elected by invoking religion and fear into his campaign. Mr. Dickinsons idea that one should unequivocally support the war effort is right out of basic infantry 101. If you are a military man, you are expected to follow orders without question. I believe that is also covered in the general orders taught to all who enter the military. Dickinson simply doesnt realize that military rules dont apply to civilians. It is apparent that Dickinson and the Republican Party want to suppress all who disagree with them. The idea of suppressing my right to dissent is tantamount to tyranny. Yes, Hitler and Mao applied the same principles. I dont have to sit back and keep quiet just because Bush got elected. I did not support the invasion of Iraq. However, that doesnt mean I dont support the military. My heart aches each time I learn of another loss of life in that war. John Kerry served in Vietnam and was wounded. There are those that ridicule the fact he was awarded the Purple Heart and elected to return home after the third time he was wounded. However, the bullets the VC were shooting at Kerry were real and deadly. I served during the Korean and Vietnam War and I spent 20 years in the USAF. I have often heard the expression that brains are inversely proportional to rank. I truly believe that expression applies to the Commander in Chief. Larry Robinson
Why should VA pick up tab for civilian errors?I am a veteran of World War II (U.S. 8th Air Force, POW, Purple Heart) and I would like to respond to the Consalvo-Mulvaney letter. I agree that it is outrageous that we are spending millions on health care for illegal aliens and that funds are not available to provide the best possible health care for eligible veterans. However, I have a different solution than a bigger budget. The Department of Veterans Affairs mission should be to provide care for any veteran who has a service-connected disability and to eliminate the care given to those who left the service in good health and because of their own life-style are now in poor health. Why should ones fellow citizens pay for heart surgery brought on by a three pack a day habit? Unfortunately, politicians quickly recognized that veterans and their families make up a very significant voting bloc and have pandered to the ever-increasing pressures from organized veteran groups to provide more and more benefits. As was suggested, write to your congressman but do not ask for a bigger budget. Ask that the DVA eliminate the health care for non-service-connected disabilities. If this is done, the budget can be drastically reduced and those with service-connected problems can get the care that a grateful citizenry wishes for them. Joe B. Maloy
5th grader: Peeples Elementary is crowdedIm a 10-year-old fifth grader, attend Peeples Elementary School, and just became a Boy Scout. I am working on my communication merit badge. One of my requirements is to write to a editor and share my opinion on a subject. Ive been reading the opinion section of your interesting newspaper. I just would like to say that I love living in Fayette County and attending Peeples Elementary School. Peeples, I think, is one of the best elementary schools in the county. We have a wonderful staff that works very hard to make sure that all the students get the best education. I have two concerns: Peeples Elementary School is getting crowded and there are too many houses being built in the area. Chad Landgren
6th grader: Give us back August, keep TgivingI am a sixth grade student at J.C. Booth Middle School. When I read the Opinions section and saw the school calendar letter from Terri Morris, I thought this was the most sensible thing Ive read in a while. Kids dont want to be cooped up in a classroom in the middle of August. They dont want to wake up at 6 in the morning to go to a place they dread. However, I think that Thanksgiving still deserves a week. Apart from the Christmas holidays (oops, the Semester Break) this is the best time to get together with friends and family. Kids like having breaks in the warmer months, but not at the expense of holidays like Thanksgiving. Also, with more time in the summer, teachers can have more time to prepare for the new year, shop for supplies, and order new ones. I like having breaks in the middle of the school year, but dont mess with the shortening of summer vacation! Tyler Rissier
Let Sheriff Johnson run law enforcementRandall Johnson has been sheriff of Fayette County for many years, and done a very good job. This is why he is always sent back to this office, as people like him. I am sure he knows the law, and will do what is right and best for everyone concerned, and we are very fortunate to have him as sheriff. Leave him alone and allow him to do his job; he has proved that he is capable. Why do we need marshals? All this confusion and arguing among politicians is giving Fayette County a bad name, and is causing people to laugh at us. I moved to Peachtree City in 1971, my children went to Fayette County schools, and in 1983 moved to Coweta County because my husband wanted some land. But we both had businesses in Peachtree City and have had ties here since 1971. I now live in Peachtree City again and love it as my home. But I am embarrassed by the mayor and all the bad publicity we are getting from all this fussing. I wish everyone would cool and not think of just themselves, but the residents. After all, we elected these people; cant we do something to eliminate the problem? We never had anything like this going on before. Enough is enough! Patricia A. Hicks
Church thanks deputyOn behalf of our parishioners, visitors and, I am sure, the other neighboring churches, thank you to the Fayette County Sheriffs Department deputy who came and directed traffic at the intersection of Ga. Highway 92 South and Antioch Road on Easter morning. We all sincerely appreciate your going above and beyond the normal call of duty to help alleviate the backup at the intersection when three churches dismissed the congregations from Easter services. Jim Winkler
County Commissioner Pfeifer defends against charges by PTC mayorThe Peachtree City mayor, in a letter to the newspapers, made some comments that are not correct and some that are misleading. Also, in his letter he says that my letters are puzzling and difficult to understand. And, that I am, well, kind of mean. He thinks, or hopes, that you dont understand me; I think you can. I guess that I dont think you are dumb and ignorant. He also hopes that he can make you think that I am mean. I dont think you do, or will. I dont know if all the readers know this about me. I had a hemorrhagic stroke in December of 2002. As Ive recovered, Ive learned a lot more about this type of stroke, also known as a brain bleed. According to some of the information Ive read, about 20 percent of all strokes are hemorrhagic. A majority of the people who get one are dead in less than a year. The mortality rate in the first 30 days after the stroke is about 50 percent. That is the highest rate for any type of stroke. Approximately one-half of those who survive the stroke end up as permanently disabled. I had this stoke over two years ago. I survived; I do not have any lingering physical conditions. I have no paralysis, no speech problems nor vision issues. I walk normally. My recovery was achieved due to the prayers, support, care and work of many people. My family was wonderful. My friends supported my family and they supported me. They visited me. The ones I know about (I was not very aware of what was going on back then and my memory has been slowly recovering) were Greg Dunn, Jim Steinbach, Rick Price, Chris Cofty, Jack Krakeel, Rob Steers, Marilyn Watts, Lane Watts, Sue and Phil Heise, Jean Studdard and Chris Edwards. Also many visited from my church, including Chuck Hodges, Betsy Haas and Lori Casey. What could this possibly have to do with EMS and roads and the other issues Ive been talking about? The reason I mention all this is because of the effect this event has had on me. I believe that a miracle was performed on my life. Im sure that the purpose was not politics as usual. I dont think that God struck me down and then brought me back to be a false witness and to try and fool you. I was always a believer in truth-telling in life and in politics and now I have a renewed interest in whos trying to kid you or fool you for political gain. Being human, I may be mistaken sometimes and wrong other times, but I am truthful. Lets return to the mayors recent letter and to one of the misleading statements it contains. I think that his comment is a response to my charge that Peachtree City government is not doing their job very well regarding our tax dollars and the efficient delivery of services. In his letter, the mayor says that, for the record, over the last three years our city has secured more state and federal funds than at any other point in our citys 46-year history. This is true, but misleading. The misleading part is that the city, meaning city leaders, didnt have anything to do with securing most of this funding! The road funding was secured by the hard work of two or three people. One of these was the vilified (by the mayor) Greg Dunn and another was the ignored (by the mayor) state Senator Mitch Seabaugh. The truth is that no one, before Greg Dunn, from Fayette County has had more than a modest effect on the activities of the ARC. As I have pointed out before, the truth is that Greg and Lee Hearn (Fayette County road department director) have gone up to the ARC and they have learned the system and the process. They have learned the projects and the financing. They have gotten to know the players and those who can make things happen. During this process Greg became well-known enough and respected enough by the other ARC members to have his name placed into nomination and to come very close to being chairman of the ARC. Greg has been accused, by the mayor or his alter egos, of being rejected as chair by the ARC (Atlanta Regional Commission). What is the truth here? The truth is that Greg was nominated and he ran against the current chair, Sam Olens from Cobb County. The truth is that the ARC is 10 counties and 63 cities. The total population is estimated to be 3,716,100 people. That is a significant chunk of Georgia. Fayette County is the smallest county in the ARC, with a little less than 100,000 people. The other counties are Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale. Most of the counties are represented by full-time, separately elected, highly paid county chairmen. Our chairman is elected from the commissioners, by the commissioners. He gets a couple of bucks more than the other commissioners (which is probably about a fourth or a fifth the salary other counties pay their chair). Greg is retired military and spends the necessary time to keep up with, or ahead of, those other county chairs. Fayette County is getting a bargain. The ARC also does transportation planning for another eight counties in the metro area. The recently adopted ARC Mobility 2030 Transportation is a $53 BILLION plan. So, Greg is not the ARC chairman. What does he do at the ARC now? Well, the current ARC chairman has appointed him to chair the transportation committee. Isnt that interesting? The chairman of the smallest county in the ARC is appointed to run the largest component of the ARC and to be in charge of a $53 billion plan. I guess that they dont consider Greg to be rejected, a dictator or an emperor. Could that be because the other ARC members have enough confidence in themselves that they can accept dealing with an individual who has a great deal of talent and ability? Could it be that that is the true difficulty that our mayor, and some others, have with Greg? That they doubt, or they know, that their abilities dont match up with his? Are they intimidated? I think they are and I think they believe that others are as intimidated as they are. While Greg Dunn has been working on the ARC and on the DOT, Sen. Mitch Seabaugh has been working hard on the state government (Ga. DOT) as well. I think there is something interesting to tell you about my being complimentary to Mitch Seabaugh and to Greg Dunn. Greg is a friend of mine. I have tremendous respect for his abilities. He was one of the frequent visitors I had when I was sick and he treated my family well. I was Gregs campaign manager when he was first elected to the commission and I supported him when he ran for reelection. I have been accused by the mayor among others, of being Gregs lap dog and puppet. The truth is, Greg and I have many opinions and beliefs that are the same (I couldnt have supported him if that wasnt true). We have also had some sharp disagreements. I am my own person and he is his. But, I would never question his integrity or his abilities and I dont think he questions mine. On the other hand, what about Mitch? Well, I was Rick Prices campaign manager when he first ran for the state Senate in 1996. Rick had two opponents, Scott Stallings and Mitch Seabaugh. In that year, we beat Mitch in the first round and beat Scott Stallings in a run-off election. I was also Ricks campaign manager in 2000 when Rick was defeated. His opponents that time were Dan Lakly, Charlie Harper and Mitch Seabaugh. This time, Ricks opponent in a run-off was Mitch. And, this time, Mitch won and was elected to the state Senate. So, two times Mitch has been an opponent and the enemy. However, I have a good relationship with Mitch. The truth is that I think he did a very good job when he was our state senator and I think he still does a good job since he was redistricted out of our county. Two times I supported Greg Dunn for commission, two times I opposed Mitch Seabaugh for Senate. If I compliment Greg, I am supposed to be a puppet or a lap dog. What does that make me if I compliment Mitch? Well, there goes that little theory. The truth is that neither one of these men would be my friend if I was shallow and weak as the mayor and his friends would like you to believe. Neither Greg nor Mitch needs lap dogs or puppets around them. And, I still remain a friend of Rick Prices. He was another of those who took care of my family and me during the stroke crisis. He does not have a weak personality either. And the real truth is that I dont think that Im all that unique in this community. I think that there are plenty of you out there who have enough confidence and belief in yourselves to associate with other strong people. I think there are many of you who can make an honest assessment of the facts. And, as I said at the top, I think many of you are smart enough to understand whats going on around you and to understand when someone tries to put things over on you. Peter Pfeifer
Sexual predators among us: System evolves toward more leniencyThank you, Gayla Conley, for publishing the publicly available information on registered sex offenders. The same leniency in our system that allowed Jessica Lunsfords killer to roam free in search of new victims may yet produce more such victims without proper vigilance from the people themselves. This is part of a trend wherein public authorities abdicate more and more of their responsibility for violent offenders, especially those engaged in sexual crimes, in the name of so-called human rights, and in the process endanger the society which they are supposed to protect. The same thing happened with the case of Brian Nichols, whose right to not appear guilty to the jury caused the sheriffs department to remove his shackles and allow him to be escorted by a lone 50-year-old grandmother. To take it further, the public authorities zeal for political correctness lead them in to the disastrous decision to let a woman guard a 220-pound former linebacker based on the downright stupid assumption that men and women are equal in all ways. You see this same upside-down morality in the world of adoption, where the rights of the birth mother are put ahead of those of the child. As a result, countless couples of good will who pay for the expenses of the birth mother are left holding the proverbial bag, as the birth mother changes her mind or as she or an unscrupulous relative attempts to blackmail the adoptive couple for even more cash. The system does NOT protect the adoptive couple; rather, it puts all the eggs in the birth mothers basket. Who suffers? The child. The children lose out most in our society. Their interests and rights are a far second to those of the mother. The logical and most heinous end of this line of thought is abortion, where the mother is allowed to kill her unborn child in order to protect her own desire to live how she pleases. This ridiculous drive to protect the rights of those who would do wrong is also prevalent in our laws and attitudes regarding pornography. Studies show clearly that pornography is an addiction similar to drugs and causes the addict to engage in increasingly harmful behavior to himself and society. It breaks up marriages, fuels degrading fantasies about women, and provides stimulation to the child abusers of our world who, thanks the Supreme Court, are free to view as much digitized child pornography as they wish. Or take the Supreme Court, where one of the justices, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, has advocated lowering the age of sexual consent to 12 years. Ms. Conley mentioned that sentences for molesters have shortened since 1992. This is not surprising. The sentences for all types of sexual crimes have been reduced gradually since the 1960s. The sexual revolution, spurred on the prurient research of the now-celebrated Alfred Kinsey, cast all forms of sexuality as natural, normal, and healthy. It convinced society that it was oppressive and wrong to stigmatize certain sexual tendencies as deviant or inappropriate. Instead, the ethos of whatever feels good came to dominate and the courts followed, decriminalizing certain sex acts entirely (sodomy, pre-marital sex, adultery) and reducing the sentences for rape and molestation. Do you see where we are going? In our stupid rush to legitimize our each and every impulse and urge, we are creating a society that not only tolerates sexual predators, but encourages their creation and development. All in the name of individual rights. Its time to stop giving aid and comfort to those who engage in immoral and damaging behavior and start putting the onus on them to control themselves, instead of on society to be kind and understanding to their predicament. How many more little girls, judges, and innocent people in general have to die before we get it? Trey Hoffman
Slain agents family gives thanksThe family of [U.S. Customs agent] David Wilhelm would like to express our deepest gratitude to all the people in the community for their support during our time of need. We were overwhelmed by those who came to help: The Peachtree City Police Department for their watchful eyes and caring hearts; Greg Hall and the entire dedicated staff at Carmichael-Hemperley Funeral Home for their compassion and generosity; the people of Amli apartments, both employees and neighbors, for their kindness and support; the ministers of Peachtree City United Methodist Church and Peachtree City First Presbyterian Church for their words of comfort and prayers; our friends and neighbors of Pinegate for their food, love and hugs. We saw people reach out and help, without knowing us, only knowing our need. When you are new to a community, you often feel alone, but Peachtree City should be proud of the way it cared for its newest residents. We also want to thank those who honored David by attending his local memorial service. Our hearts were filled to see those who only knew David a short time and those he had never even met come to honor him. The family was deeply moved by the marks of respect along Ga. Highway 74 as we began our procession to North Carolina. The Peachtree City Fire Department initiated the tribute with a breathtaking American flag, waving from the extended ladder truck, then Davids fellow agents from the Atlanta ICE office lined the road to salute David and our family. The tributes continued as additional police officers and individual citizens from Peachtree City, Tyrone and Fairburn assembled along the highway to pay their respects. We will never forget the love and reverence you showed. David was a wonderful husband, a dutiful son, a caring brother, a loving uncle, a faithful friend and an excellent federal agent. He will not be forgotten. Our hearts are comforted by your thoughts and prayers, The Wilhelm Family
PTC Council ignores needs of Little LeagueWhat a tremendous turn-out the Peachtree City Little League had on [March 19]. After months of volunteer work to prepare the fields and organize the event, the 2005 Opening Day program was a great success. Even the weather cooperated (For pictures, go to www.ptcll.com). But what a shame that no one from the City Council could attend. Perhaps is was because, as The Citizen pointed out [the week before], Mayor Brown is too busy enabling large tournaments to come into PTC to generate hotel/motel tax income. It would be helpful to the Little League, which has over 700 Peachtree City children enrolled this spring, to have the support of the city. Maybe the council could even take the time to help with some of the ongoing issues that have been ignored to date, such as:
Note: taxes from the additional tournaments have not been directed toward any baseball field improvements. While these tournaments the mayor seeks to bring to our city may be important revenue generators, in terms of the actual facility, these tournaments come at a cost. The complex is used, perhaps even by some PTC taxpayers, but the clean-up and repairs, etc., are done by the PTC Little League with little more than minimal support from the city. How disappointing from the viewpoint of the taxpaying citizens whose children are part of the Little League that what should be the pride and joy of our recreation department (especially with the beautiful new addition of the Field of Hope) is actually an embarrassment to our community. Certainly, the other facilities in town such as the hockey complex are being upgraded and improved. Why is it a facility that is such a big draw for new tax dollars should be left to deteriorate? Pat Heimes-Taylor, secretary |
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