Mayor Logsdon and Council member Plunkett, we really appreciated your support at last [week]’s meeting. You made us proud. Since we represent nearly 32 percent of the Fayette County population and pay the majority of the tax money which goes back to the cities, we deserve to have a strong voice in county matters. I am encouraged by your outreach to the board and your effort to work with them.

“If you build it, he will come.” In the case of the new Bennett’s Mill Middle School, this famous quote should read, “If you build it, we will fill it.”

As always, school redistricting is a continued source of amusement. Especially from those who seem to think that there is a Peachtree City School district (The Citizen, Oct. 18, 2006).

Today is Oct. 22. Registration of PTC golf carts is not due until Oct. 31. Yet someone has made the decision to suspend the online registration because the city will not be able to process the applications in time.

Appalled is the only word I can use to describe my reaction to the latest round of redistricting efforts by the Fayette County Board of Education.

Steve Brown responded to my letter regarding his shifting of sides in the TDK project by accusing me of “sidestepping” the issue. Actually I avoided the issue. He dared me to speak about it. OK, Steve, here goes.

Attached is permission to print an editorial by student/football player Sam Hale that appeared in McIntosh High School newspaper, The McIntosh Trail, as a rebuttal to a Free Speech item printed several weeks ago in The Citizen about Head Coach Dwight Jones. His intuitiveness suppresses his age. Perhaps the individuals in this community need to know all the facts and not take comments out of context before making suggestions about how to leave this area.

We support all of the coaches at McIntosh and hope that this community will give these gentlemen the opportunity to do the job that they are hired to do without being put under a microscope.

Ron and Teresa Hampton,
Co-Presidents
McIntosh Touchdown Club

The letter to the editor by Mr. Hoffman raises several interesting points. His initial paragraph in describing critics of the Bush administration’s Iraq policy (”I did not impugn their patriotism, although some of them are certainly deserving of that charge”) is somewhat confusing. So, per Mr. Hoffman, some unnamed Iraq war critics are unpatriotic although he does not further define just what particular elements of their criticism is unpatriotic.

I was privileged to attend the concert given by the Southern Crescent Symphony Orchestra [Oct. 15]. As a former bassoonist, I was very impressed with its performance. It was very obvious that dozens of hours went into the performance, albeit hours that were entirely volunteered.

Our fourth-grade class is currently studying the regions of the United States. We are learning about each state and their environment, land-forms, and special places of interest. We are asking for your help.

I am totally amazed at the discussions that I’ve read in this newspaper regarding the Dixie T-shirt ordeal at Flat Rock Middle School. Suffice it to say that racial issues are still very prevalent and important in today’s times.

I would like to set the record straight in regards to the deadly accident on I-85 S. at Ga. Highway 74. The gentleman from Peachtree City has determined that this accident was caused by a “cut-in” driver. Not hardly. What was the cause and how should I know?

The Citizen reported on Congressman Westmoreland’s support of legislation that would allow landowners to bypass city and county zoning laws and file suit in federal court to appeal local ordinances regarding land use.

Last [week] in Coweta County, there was a marvelous display of American democratic values and civic responsibility. The local Republican and Democratic Party chairs got together and sponsored a debate for not only county commissioners, but the more important Congressional seat of the new Third District which includes all of Fayette and Coweta (as well as parts of 13 other counties). What a fabulous display of true patriotism to actually hear the candidates talk about their views on important issues.

The Fayette County Board of Education wants to re-zone north PTC neighborhood schools from Booth Middle School to Flat Rock Middle School and McIntosh High School to Sandy Creek High School.

I am sure that you are aware of the Fayette Board of Education is planning on redistricting the schools. They want to bus our kids out of Peachtree City to Flat Creek and Sandy Creek schools.

I am not certain whether the readers give any credence to Direct PAC authors such as Jim Stinson any longer now that the two majors issues they fought for – they defended the illegal Development Authority activity and provided vigorous backing of the TDK Extension road at taxpayer expense – have been thoroughly exposed and were proven not to be in Peachtree City’s best interest. However, I will address Mr. Stinson’s correspondence.

In response to Mr. Williams’ charge that I was “besmirching the sacrifices of young Democrats,” I was careful in my original letter to say that certain critics of the Bush administration “unwittingly” and “unknowingly” give aid and support to terrorists by their criticisms. I did not impugn their patriotism, although some of them are certainly deserving of that charge.

I’m a bit confused. In his letter to the editor on Aug. 29, 2006, former Mayor Steve Brown asks us to all do what we can to stop the TDK Extension project, and insinuates how hard he worked to fight the project.

I have lived throughout the country. Moving throughout my childhood as my father climbed the corporate ladder gave me the opportunity to experience life in many different types of communities.

Last week Janice Summers wrote an interesting letter criticizing Mr. Carter’s defense of the Muslim religion. She feels that all Muslims “...want us dead if we don’t accept their beliefs.” These are her words.

I read your newspaper regularly. It gives me a lot of information/news of Fayette County.

Being a resident of the beautiful city of Peachtree City, I am very much interested about the happenings in the county.

A recent letter writer lamented that the Aga Kahn had not denounced the terrorist incidents involving the embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, the bombing of the USS Cole, the destruction of the World Trade Center and many other incidents, and again concern was expressed about the Ismaili mosque being built in our county.

We all heard how the Islamic fundamentalists have decreed that the Pope and Christians must be killed. I’m sure you’re all as shocked as I am. But we should be used to it by now. These are not people who share the same concepts or beliefs as loving, peaceful people. They are driven by a madness that is capturing the thoughts and actions of men and women around the world.

Any member of the Democratic Party, of which I have proudly claimed to be since the late 1950s, who reads the Oct. 4 letter of Mr. Hoffman [“The tragedy and irony of Islamic terrorism”] should be outraged at its not-so-subtle accusation of Democrats “becoming strange bedfellows with the terrorists.”

By now most likely you have seen the Sonny Perdue ads in which the Governor advertises his initiative to exempt retired people from paying state income taxes.

Re: False allegations regarding Rep. Lynn Westmoreland

The undersigned is counsel to Congressman Lynn Westmoreland. Today, your client, The Citizen, via the Web at www.thecitizen.com, published false and malicious statements under the blog headline, “Seabaugh-Westmoreland Code of Conduct.”

Re: Congressman Westmoreland

Dear Mr. Passantino, this is in response to your faxed letter received Friday, Sept. 29, referencing a posting made by some unknown person to a blog on the Web site of our client, The Citizen.

With your permission, I would like to use this forum to offer thanks to the many kind and generous people who offered their assistance and support to me and my family this summer.

I wrote a letter to the editor once. Rule 18 read:

“When you are coming home from work and the line to get off the exit to Ga. Highway 74 is backed up, don’t speed in front of everyone and then slam on your brakes and dart in front of someone. It’s dangerous and it’s rude. Peachtree City is worth the wait.“