Dixie Flag shirts: Your article was incredibly unbalanced and very mean-spirited. You write about the racial make-up of Flat Rock Middle school like it is a bad thing. You imply that sending kids from the northern tier of Peachtree City to Flat Rock and Sandy Creek is a bad thing. You quote a few kids from the lunatic fringe who compare the rebel flag and all the racial hatred/oppression associated with it to a FUBU shirt. Why would you write such an offensive article? What is your real agenda? Are you concerned about the number of middle class minorities moving into Fayette County? Are you concerned about white girls dating black boys? Are you concerned that your next-door neighbor will be a black husband and wife with the two kids and a Lab? Your article was very, very unfair. You can do better. All the citizens of Tyrone deserve better than a lazy, racially inflammatory article.

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I have read with interest the story on the Confederate Flag T-shirt controversy. If I were one of those parents whose child was put into ISS over this, I would be creating quite a stir. It seems that there definitely is a double standard. Malcolm X was a totally divisive, racist individual. Why do the schools allow these T-shirts? We should be emphasizing things that bring us together, not things that drive a wedge between us. When a child wore a politically incorrect T-shirt making a total joke of our president, I called the BOE and they totally ignored my phone call. I don’t believe that any of these symbols are positive, but to favor one position over another brings into question the credibility of the entire process. The truth is that we are doing our next generation a disservice by expending an inordinate amount of time focusing on symbolic issues like the flag and little time on issues like the astronomical incarceration rates, out-of-wedlock births, illiteracy rates and rates of single woman heading households. Why does this happen? Because changing a flag is relatively easy, but attacking controversial social issues is a daunting task. Bill Cosby is right, it is time to start tackling these issues and stop blaming everybody. Certainly inequities existed in the past, and pockets may still exist, but opportunities in this country have never been greater. It is no surprise that our country is still viewed by the rest of the world as a place where energy and enterprise is welcomed and rewarded. The school board needs to show leadership and vision; unfortunately it appears that they would rather take the easy path. We owe our children better examples than this; if the board does not foster an environment that is truly even-handed, you have no one to blame but yourselves if we are wasting energy on the same unproductive issues 20 years from now. Sadly, we will have taught them that this is where their energy should be expended.

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There is a very simple solution to the problem of insensitive clothing in the schools. Do not allow any clothing with insignias, words, letters, brands, pictures, etc. There is plenty of time for personal expression during non-school hours. School time is for learning, not for making statements. One learns best with one’s mouth shut and one’s ears open. For those parents who think their adorable darlings need to be expressing themselves at all times, let them home-school the dears, and not inflict the rest of the schools with their thoughtless progeny. This dress code needs to be across the board for all grade levels and also for the teachers. Of course, there are always uniforms.

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I am at a loss at how some parents, students and media sources view the issue. It was explained by one of the students in the article that the choice to wear the T-shirts was an organized effort. Students determined a specific day to wear the shirts to make a political statement. Is this conducive to the educational process? I have asked several close Southerners, “What is Southern pride?” And I always get an uncomfortable look. They usually grasp for rhetoric concerning morals and convictions. But when you ask them, “What characteristics or beliefs are the foundation of these morals and convictions,” they never can expound on these morals. Or maybe the answer just isn’t politically correct. If wearing a shirt depicting African-Americans picking cotton constitutes Southern Pride, then thank God the South lost. My daughter attends Flat Rock Middle School, the school where the incident occurred. And the mother who stated that her daughter wore a shirt with two pickles on the back, left out the fact that it was her daughter that wore the shirt depicting slaves picking cotton the previous day. It was probably the same parent that was passing out Dixie T-shirts to students in front of the school. And I am sure she believes that this was not escalating the situation. Though I do not believe that the T-shirts should be completely banned, I do believe the school acted accordingly. I hope that the community will not allow a few Southern activists to incite our children. I had hoped that in the 21st century such ignorance and prejudice was dead. But I guess as roaches run and hide from the light, Southern activists have run to the shade of the rural woods to hide in the dark.

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Come on, Tyrone, we can do better. I know all the mess at the schools with the dilemma with Confederate flag T-shirts and so on have upset many people. Let’s not give in and move. I know many of you are considering it like I have been, but if we move, can you imagine what would be left here? Tyrone is ours if we let it be. We have not made a scene when they have their own circus, their own college, their own beauty pageant, their own clothing line, etc. Let’s not give in now. Although, some may think its makes us look weak, we know the truth. Staying true to what you believe in will overcome the ignorance. Stay calm. It will only prove my point. By the way, the comments from today’s paper said everything I wanted to say. Please read if you have not yet.

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Re: bullying in schools. I am the 14-year-old boy who only pushed this 11-year-old kid in sixth grade. I did not pick him up by the neck and throw him to the ground. The reason for me writing this is to clear my good name. I was only simply wanting to know why he was wearing a tie everyday to school. I thought it was weird and so did others. This is how the incident occurred. I walked up to him that Friday and asked him about the tie and made some remarks about it. My friends and I were laughing about what I said and him and his friends started unzipping my bookbag. So I whipped around and caught him by the collar of his shirt. I then admit I pushed him and he tripped over himself. Please take this to mind: I had no intention of hurting him and if I did I’m sorry for it. So to continue, after I pushed him, I walked away and they continued messing with me. So I thought I had made my statement and let it go. I now realize I should of done that in the first place. Yes, I’m ashamed of what I did, I know I should not have done that. Rising Starr Middle School gave me three days of ISS (in-school suspension). I thought it was a unfair punishment for just pushing a kid. But it’s what had to be done for me to realize I should think more before I act. My sixth grade was probably the worst year of my time at this school. I was always in ISS. Looking back on my past actions, I see how stupid I was for doing that. Now my past is catching up with me. I hope the people that are reading this see that I’m really not mean; I’m really nice and that you can respect me for writing this. But, to end what I’m saying, I have to say that RSMS is the best middle school I could ever want to go to because the middle school I would of went to if my dad didn’t marry my step-mom (who is amazing by the way ) I would be in a far worse place and I’m very thankful for this new life I have gotten.

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Some of the confusion about bullying being a normal childhood occurrence may come from confusion about the difference between normal conflict and bullying. While children do benefit from learning skills to help them negotiate conflict with other people, bullying is distinct from normal peer conflict. The wide variety of consequences that have followed for children who have been bullied makes it clear that being bullied is not in any way a positive experience for children. Although not all children who are bullied respond with extreme acts of aggression, bullying is a frequently cited factor for children who have perpetrated acts of extreme violence at school and has also been noted as a factor in children’s suicide attempts. If you find your child has been bullied at school you should follow up with the school to make sure steps are in place to keep your child and all children from being bullied. Make sure the school has good monitoring. Keep records of bullying episodes and of any communication with the school. Many bullies come from homes lacking in parental involvement, so confronting the parent might not prove productive. Besides, it will probably be difficult for you to talk to the bully’s parent in a calm and rational manner and that might only exacerbate the problem. Your instincts may tell you to let the child learn to handle the situation himself, but in actuality he may need an adult to intervene when bullying takes place because of the imbalance of power. Alert your child’s principal when bullying occurs and work with your school to make sure the atmosphere is safe and that there is effective monitoring.

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Why can’t the tailgaters at Starr’s Mill High sit like everyone else? Other people pay money for the game and would love to see it also.

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It is great to finally see Helen Sams Boulevard opened from South Jeff Davis to Jimmy Mayfield Parkway (Ga. Highway 92). One big problem: When you get to the traffic light at 92 coming from South Jeff Davis, the traffic light is not functioning. We sit through three or four lights and you have a choice to make a right turn, go up and turn around, or run the light.

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Lynda Wojcik deserves some gratitude for demanding a little common sense on the westside annexation. Paulding County is holding homebuilder Levitt and Sons to 1.5 homes per acre. In Peachtree City, Levitt and Sons is asking for three times that number. Where is the backbone of the city council when it comes to getting the developers to shape up and act right? They are letting builders run all over us. It’s pretty bad when Paulding County can generate better results than a master planned community.

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Jim Stinson and his Direct PAC brethren are feeling the heat over their tremendous support for the “Road to Ruin” also known as TDK. Stinson along with Rex Green, Jim Pace’s man in the PAC, fought hard to convince everyone that Road to Ruin was going to provide traffic relief for our future years. Steve Rapson and Steve Brown were the only ones who had the courage to stand up to our own Axis of Evil: Direct PAC, former PTC mayors and the Fayette Chamber of Commerce. Rapson and Brown took an enormous beating from Direct PAC, but in the end, they were proven right. Mr. Stinson and his PAC were masters at the art of intimidation, browbeating and harassment. However, now that the truth has been exposed about the huge negative impact of the road and the developer campaign slush fund, the PAC-men have proven themselves cowards, liars and cheats. The PAC wants to blame everyone but themselves.

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It really irks me to read some of the blogs on the Citizen Web site saying that some of Seabaugh, Westmoreland and Logsdon’s comments about TDK were “misleading.” Let’s tell it like it is: They lied. They hauled in campaign contributions from the landowners and they lied about the intended use for the road. Stop trying to spin it.

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Does anyone else remember the Citizen article(s) where Mayor Logsdon said the city council didn’t have any time for further discussions on the TDK Extension? I clearly remember them saying that a deal had already been reached on the Pathway property. Logsdon lies again. This is the most crooked deal I’ve ever seen. The developers make the changes in the backrooms and Logsdon makes sure they get what they want.

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The text below was cut from an e-mail I sent to the council members on Sept. 25, 2006, regarding their stand on the TDK Extension project. I have not received a reply from any one of the five members. “While talking to neighbors about the TDK Extension some say it is a done deal and others say it is not. The official PTC Web site has no mention of the road work under ‘Hot Topics’ and the newspapers print position letters from residents and actions taken by you, the City Council, and it is here where actions appear to be lacking. I have been to a couple of meetings where the council has requested additional information and input from residents but there has not been any outcome since then. In my two minutes I asked that given the lack of information and confusion I believe it would be appropriate for the council to pass a resolution either for or against the extension of TDK Boulevard. Without such a resolution the citizens of our city have no idea of your position on the issue and without knowing your position we are left only guessing. Another point I was attempting to get across is that by the apparent lack of action on the council’s part, like it or not, you are passively accepting the project. If my guessing is correct I understand that if nothing is done to stop the project on your behalf, then the project will continue as planned. Please be mindful that without a resolution and the lack of any action by you to stop the project, when it comes around to the next election cycle and the issue of traffic is brought up, you will not have the luxury to say you were opposed to the project. I don’t see the benefit of this project to PTC and its residents, so if you are also opposed to the project please let me know what I can do to help.”

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Jim Stinson’s unconvincing attempt to deflect criticism from Senator Mitch Seabaugh, Representative Lynn “Do Nothing” Westmoreland and Mayor Harold Logsdon about the TDK fiasco is a sure sign of a guilty conscience. Rapson, Weed and Brown were able to control development, and Direct PAC and their developer crowd couldn’t stand it. Look at what Logsdon and Stinson are encouraging in our community now. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure this one out.

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God forbid that we end up with Jim Stinson as our moral compass in Peachtree City. He’s trying to resurrect another well-organized Direct PAC propaganda campaign entitled “Blame Steve Brown for Direct PAC’s actions.” These are the same ones that supported the corruption in the local development authority, the approval of TDK while Rep. Westmoreland, Sen. Seabaugh and Mayor Logsdon stuffed campaign chests with TDK landowner contributions and they’re pushing high-density development in the city’s westside annexation plan.

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I invited a young lady to the Southside Slugfest yesterday and she thought I was inviting her to the Fayette County Board of Education meeting that was releasing the new proposed boundary lines. Yes, I guess they both do have something in common.

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What happened to the Code Enforcement office in Peachtree City. Does anybody know if it is functioning? I am concerned because there are at least three single-family homes in the Glenloch area where there are 15 to 20 immigrants between adults and children living in each one of them. Could they be boarding homes? Is almost impossible to travel thru these two streets, the amount of golf carts, cars, trucks and vans with construction equipment is incredible. Maybe it’s about time somebody take charge and does something about it.

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One can only wonder how long it would take to repair the mess at Huddleston Pond if it were located on the north side of town? Or better, yet, if a photo of the pond was used to help advertise our lovely city?

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I read in last week’s paper where a lady served as a juror for a state court case wherein the police and the county solicitor’s office did not present a sufficient case against a man accused of DUI and the judge ultimately dropped two of the charges against him. I was also on jury duty in state court that week and served on a case wherein the Peachtree City police arrested a woman for DUI, but they could never actually prove that she was driving a vehicle on top of the breath-testing device possibly malfunctioning. The jury took less than five minutes to deliberate the case and we concurred that had the police officer just laid back long enough for the woman to get in the car and crank it, they would have had an open and shut case. Instead this case took nearly four full days of police service from the streets of Peachtree City due to the time the officers had to spend in court. I am a big supporter of our law enforcement departments and a law-abiding father of three, but when I hear of a case like these two DUI cases and the one in last week’s police blotter where a 50-year-old man was arrested for “pedestrian under the influence,” I have to question their priorities. Chief Murray, Sheriff Johnson: I am not suggesting your officers turn a blind eye to DUIs and seat belt violations, but let’s reassess the type of incidents that really concern the citizens of our city and county. When we have cocaine trafficking, meth labs, gun-toting teenagers, cart path assaults and armed robberies happening all around us, what is more important: Stopping the violence and destruction of lives or generating revenue for the respective law enforcement agencies through the fines? Pursuing weak or impossible cases in the courts wastes the time of jurors, judges, officers and many other citizens. Let’s save their valuable time for the cases that will have a benefit for society, like the Internet predator program that the Peachtree City police have so capably implemented. On another note, praise is due the bailiffs, clerks and judges of the state court for their work, patience and concern for the jurors’ comfort and safety. It was a pleasure to work with a man of Judge Sams’ caliber.

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Although I am strongly encouraging of prayer, something in David Hedlund’s letter was unsettling: not only should we pray for others, but we should pray for ourselves. God needs to reveal to us, the citizens of the U.S., what we should be doing in this situation because believe it or not, the Muslim extremists are not the only group who may be behaving wrongly. Pray that the ignorant statements in communities similar to ours around the country do not stir up trouble. However, according to a recent article in Time, this sort of violence is unlikely in America for many reasons. We should pray for God to reside more fully winning us so that his peace, grace, mercy, love, and wisdom can emanate from us. We should pray for the strength to discern when it is and is not appropriate to act. We need God to direct us so that we can minister to those around us. God can send a divine revelation, but it is preferential if obedient followers allow themselves to be used for God’s work.

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It is scary to read one of the replies to a letter that was in this newspaper. Sounds like this person Kevin is a very angry know-it-all and is the “ignorant one that slithered from his lair and presented his lesion covered face.” He should also remember his own words, “Never pass up the opportunity to keep your mouth shut.” His letter shows that fanatics and radicals live all around us. I think he is the clueless one. By the way, did you hear the recent news reports about the terrorist that was attending a mosque in Gwinnett County? He was a good actor; seems some of the neighbors thought he was a nice guy.

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You won’t believe this: JC Penney has the service of providing a wheelchair for those customers who are disabled and cannot walk well. The problem is, however, that they require you to take the chair all the way to the back of the store to Customer Service to return. What does the poor customer do who has to use the wheelchair?

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OK, school board, where are all the arrests for filing false affidavits? I know for a fact there were more students caught. How can we arrest one parent and not the rest?

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Although I commend you and your family for your military service, your views are way too left for me. Why am I not? Because I have never believed it was about oil. And as my mother always told me, “Reasoning with a fool is like trying to carry sand in a sieve.”

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Looks like we’ve failed in our attempt to peacefully solve the nuclear threat from North Korea. The rest of the world hasn’t been much help in stopping the spread of nuclear weapons either. President Bush tried to run a bluff on North Korea by threatening that the final solution would rain down on their leaders and military machine if they didn’t cease their nuclear enrichment program. They didn’t and we didn’t. Guess what message we’ve sent Iran? If we aren’t going to back up our threats with action then we should withdraw our troops from the Korean Peninsula and redeploy them to Africa where they could do more good for humanity and provide a strategic presence. We should tell South Korea, who’s been hesitant to confront their brethren to the North, that Kim Jong Il is primarily their problem now. Then we should help Japan and Taiwan acquire their own nuclear weapons to counter the threat from North Korea and China. The development of nuclear weapons by fanatical leaders is going to come back and bite us in the butt someday.

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Here’s an idea for the Home & Garden Channel to reflect the changing demographics in many communities: Design a drop house for illegal aliens or maybe alter a one-family house to accommodate 20 illegals. Don’t forget parking spaces. Lawns waste water and cement doesn’t.

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Harvard study shows that too much diversity breeds mistrust. Ivy-covered DUH!

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It may be that America’s citizen number 300,000,000 will be born to undocumented parents somewhere in the South or the West, where population growth is the fastest. Almost one-third of America’s annual population growth is the result of immigration, much of it illegal. But only xenophobes care, right?

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In 1915 the U.S. population reached 100 million. Fifty-two years later, it reached 200 million. It just took 39 more years to reach 300 million. At present rates, we will reach 400 million within 37 years. Those born in 2006 who will deal with even more crowded schools and highways will wonder what we were thinking of to increase immigration and do little about illegal immigration.

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Babies born to immigrants already outnumber babies born to native citizens and that is unprecedented in our history. Illegal immigrants also outnumber legal immigrants. That’s unprecedented in our history, too.

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Everyone becomes an alien when they move from their nation of birth. When one enters another nation illegally, the correct legal term is “illegal alien.”

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