Once again I find myself responding to the self-righteous rantings of Bill Bryan, this time in your Sept. 2 issue.

Mr. Bryan attacks the dedication and quality of McIntosh band members and parents, while telling us all how great his band was. Does this remind anyone of his attack on the McIntosh football program a few months ago?

Mr. Bryan, first of all, I would ask you if you have any idea of the track record of the "Spirit of McIntosh Marching Band." I would put their history of awards and recognition up against any high school around. I believe if you look at the facts, you will be as proud of those young men and women as I am.

As for their dedication, here again you prove how oblivious you are to reality.

I am not a member of the booster club, but I continually hold the band boosters up as an example to the clubs to which I do belong. In addition to the usual parental tasks and expenses associated with their own children, these parents work the concession stand at McIntosh athletic events. They work events at the Georgia Dome and Omni (and will at its replacement). They help carry the equipment. They help clean the uniforms. And on and on and on.

As for the band members themselves, not only do they start practice weeks before school begins in the fall and continue throughout the year, many of their weekends are taken up with rehearsals and traveling to band competitions hundreds of miles away.

All the while, they do have educations to keep us with, too. And many of these fine musicians have other outside activities taking up more of their time.

So I think any reasonable person would forgive a family for not wanting to give up those few precious days of summer vacation for the 4th of July parade, worthy cause though it might be.

Now the members of several bands who were available for the parade gave up more of their time to join together and participate in the parade.

Do you thank them for the effort? Do you recognize the fact that those young people had very little practice time together? Do you try to support their effort?

No, you try to demean the folks who went out there.

This is not how my Bible teaches me to treat others.

As far as your statement that the McIntosh football program is horrible, have you looked at the records at all?

McIntosh has experienced a down period, and is now on the upswing, but let's take a look at a few facts.

1. In 1994, the McIntosh football record was 7-3; in 1995, 6-4.

2. Despite this very newspaper's assertions in the same issue that the Chiefs had not beaten a region opponent between 1992 and 1996, if you (and the Citizen reporter) will review the record, you will find that McIntosh did indeed defeat region opponents in both 1994 and 1995.

3. Remember the Morrow state championship team from a few years back, the one that was ranked number one in the nation by USA Today until its lone defeat that year? Check and see what team gave Morrow the only blemish on its record.

4. Which high school is the only one to win the Fayette County-wide championship?

No Mr. Bryan, just because your high school football team was hopeless doesn't mean the Chiefs are.

And when all is said and done, experience has shown me that the youth who attempt to play sports or in the band, who don't have the dedication or ability to finish the task, simply quit and blame it on someone else.

As for your repudiation of Rebecca West's statements that more money is needed, I would think someone such as yourself who almost single-handedly keeps the school system in this country afloat would recognize the need for more funding of our extracurricular activities. Like it or not, money makes things happen in this world.

The state of Georgia does not allow tax funds to be spent on athletic and other like activities, so your money has not been spent on our programs.

I am very proud of the school system in this county. That is why I moved here. But we can do more. We are grossly outspent by other school systems in our region when it comes to athletic and fine arts activities.

You then make assertions about Mrs. West's political leanings and stereotype all of Fulton County.

Because you are so obviously proud of your Arkansas leanings, should we assume that you have the same ethics and beliefs as our great nation's president?

In closing, Mr. Bryan, I too try to do my part to improve the education of my children and their peers. Many of the band parents also put in many hours of their time and many of their dollars. This would apply to many other families throughout our school system.

I would suggest that your time would be better spent pitching in to help, rather than spending so much of your time criticizing others. Try to recognize the good in others rather than being so pleased with yourself.

Be part of the solution, not the problem.

Go, Chiefs.