I was shocked to read one of the headlines above the fold on the Jan. 4 edition of The Citizen: “Black Republican to run for county comm.” Why not “Republican to run for county comm.” or “Attorney to run for county comm.”? I am appalled that the color of a man’s skin is still viewed as the most important descriptor of a candidate in Fayette County politics, and saddened to see it in our newspapers.

I was one of many appalled to see the words, “Black Republican to run for county comm.” printed across the front page of this week’s “The Citizen”. Having lived in Fayette County for only three (long) years, one would think I’d gotten accustomed to reading and listening to folks sharing their opinions on just how different people are from one another. Some closed-minded individuals seem quick to comment on a person’s race or simply assume because somebody was of a certain nationality that they fit into this nice little stereotype. How convenient to be stuck in such a paradigm. “The South’s Gonna Rise Again?” When was it “on top” with these views on humanity? The fact that The Citizen will actually publish stories and opinions geared towards racism, lifestyle bashing and religious fanaticism (and blatant hypocrisy) is certainly practicing one’s right of free speech, but at who’s expense? Consider the price that these “children of God” pay everyday when they face this. Yes, they must just be use to it. Again, I find it a very sad aspect of this community. Yes, I believe in God. Yes, I’m white. And yes, I’m a damn Yankee. Go figure!

What exactly is a black Republican? I’ve heard of a black Russian. Is it similar? Is there a white Republican too?

Greg Dunn and Linda Wells, I frankly am no big friend of either. But I think that they may be a safe bet for the future. They tried to stop the mess in Tyrone and look what’s happened. Same thing now with the sheriff. My wife and I have one last child in high school; we are close to retirement. We might move. But we do not want to. What are the prospects for the future? Crime is going up, the courts locally are getting more lenient, traffic is getting worse and the public schools are declining. Locally, we have good families and good students. But Georgia overall has a stranglehold on last place, with either political party. As retirees we will tolerate a lot, traffic, taxes, etc. It’s the crime that scares us. Are we going to be unable to take a walk at night on the cart paths anymore? Am we better off in Destin or Lake Martin? Are we going to be like Riverdale and College Park? The very, very sloppy performance by the Sheriff’s Department in losing that murder trial (and in a lot of the other cases) tells me that law enforcement ought to quit fooling around and fighting over police cars, knock off the press conferences and get to work. If I had to vote tomorrow, I would hold my nose, vote for Dunn and Wells, and I would write in PTC Police Chief Jim Murray for sheriff.

Here’s the bottom line for me: the sheriff is spending OUR tax dollars, OUR hard earned money, whether it’s called “drug money” or whether it’s the money he gets directly from the taxpayers through the county commission. The guys who go on the drug busts in and out of the county are using OUR money to get where they are going. They are paid by US. They drive or fly in vehicles WE pay for. They have offices in buildings WE pay for. They wear uniforms and have benefits that WE pay for. Seems to me if that when they get all this extra drug money they shouldn’t be looking at it as fun money to buy televisions for their offices or extra helicopters or the latest fancy cute gadgets or the newest and coolest cars. They ought to use it to take care of the basics and offset what WE are putting into the pot.

Every one in elected office has some sort of oversight. City council and mayors. County commission chairmen and county commissioners. House and Senate. Republican and Democrats. We set up a system in this country of checks and balances. It stands to reason that someone or some body of government must be able to oversee what the sheriff does since he is just one solitary elected man. It doesn’t make sense that he would only answer to the voters. How are we to know if he is abusing his power or is spending money incorrectly? If the newspaper can’t get a straight answer, if the County Commissioners can’t get the information from the sheriff, how are all of us out in voter land supposed to get it?

Ain’t it strange that anytime someone questions the sheriff or that other guy who works for him about something they’re flying or driving or building, it was bought with drug money?

School Board members, I am confused. By granting all voluntary requests through the months of January (i.e., redistricting ourselves) this allows you to not listen to our concerns (PCES, trailers). We wanted to have a petition but were told not to because there would be a positive outcome. Well, I think the outcome is anything but positive. Take the West side, take the other side; make a decision to get our children out of trailers.

With the lessening of the bursts of candor, it’s time to get down to business. My family voted for Harold Logsdon for one reason: taxes. Our new mayor demanded that the previous council roll back the millage rate in September and they didn’t have the backbone to do it. Logsdon complained about our skyrocketing taxes and now it’s time for him to assemble a blue ribbon panel and begin cutting the current 2006 budget straight away. Sharpen your shears, mayor, and act on this one immediately. A lot of us are counting on you.

Memo to the NFL: 1. The college tie-breaker system is better and fairer than sudden death. 2. Stop the clock to set the chains for first downs in the last two minutes of each half. 3. Many of your Sunday and Monday night games get a rating of poor to suck. 4. No more indoor football games (stadiums with movable roofs that can be closed if the temperature is above 95 or below 30 degrees are OK). 5. Let the Saints move to San Antonio with a new name (it’s not fair to the players or owners to force them to stay in New Orleans).

My wife and I first moved to PTC in 1986. At that time we had 16,000 residents, no traffic problems, virtually no crime and almost no litter. We now have all of the above, as we all know. However, we are doing something about two of the above. We are expanding Ga. Highway 54 all the way to Coweta County and PCPD continues to fight crime in an aggressive manner which we all appreciate. The third problem, which is litter, seems to be completely ignored by the city. Why? We have volunteers such as the Knights of Columbus going out in mass to clean up the cesspool of trash which we are now living in. Ga. Highway 74 coming into PTC is a disgrace as is Peachtree Parkway and Crosstown Road, to mention only a few. I would like for PTC and the new mayor which I am elated to have in office to give me one good reason why we don’t have $250 fines for littering signs posted on all major roads in PTC. I can’t think of any better way of raising money for the community than by slapping these low-life litter bugs right in the mouth with some big fines in order to get this problem under control. Give me one reason, just one.

To all those who are opposed to Jordan’s Salvage: Leave. It’s that simple. Jordan’s Salvage is a landmark to Fayetteville that has been here before some of us were born and before many of you moved here.

Thank you for evaluating the need to re-start printed Free Speech and doing it. Your ad buyers should be very happy, and your detractors really ticked. Without oversight of politicians we are doomed to unfairness and failure. Free Speech helps prevent our doom in spite of a few idiots who write you who don’t have a legitimate complaint. Look out, special people; look out, upper class privileges using tax money; look out, banks who make terrible loans; look out, zoning irregularities; look out to the people who think they know what is best for everyone, and don’t.

It’s good to have the Free Speech back. Without it all those ignorant, mean-spirited, moronic idiots couldn’t “say their piece.” Take for example the two comments about Delta pilots. First I don’t really know why anyone out there spends so much time hating and obsessing over some corporation’s work group. But if you must, couldn’t you at least get it right? Of course not, your hatefulness and envy prevents it. You who made the comment about the “arrogant and haughty Delta Pilots Wives Club” is truly showing your ignorant stupidity. I can only surmise you find it “arrogant” to raise thousands of dollars with volunteer effort to support the Battered Women’s Shelter. Maybe that’s because you knew somebody (your abused wife, maybe?) who fled there and it was a great attack on your manhood. But it’s hardly “arrogant” to the many abused women who have been saved by the shelter. As for “haughty,” I guess it is “haughty” to volunteer your time every year to help and feed the wonderful volunteers who work so tirelessly for Habitat for Humanity. Very “haughty.” Now for pilot pay. None of your business. Get a life and worry about yourself. If you are so obsessed and jealous of pilots, why didn’t you become one? Oh, next time you are sick, go ahead, go to work and see if you are 100 percent. Ask yourself how up to the task you are at 5:30 a.m. after being up all night. Do you really think those 200 people in the back are totally safe if you are puking in the cockpit after being up all night trying to land in that swirling wind and thunderstorm? Your contention about “abusing” sick leave couldn’t be farther from the mark. It truly shows your ignorance and stupidity, as does your comment, “They can always pick up another trip.” In the new proposal that, in fact, is wrong. You won’t be able to pick up another trip. Oh, by the way, when you are sick, do you go in on your days off and make up the time without pay? Yeah, right. I married my “trophy wife” 32 years ago. She is a phenomenally beautiful and compassionate woman. Everyone who knows her adores her. She has loved me unconditionally through the good, bad, lean and profitable years. She will do the same no matter Delta’s fate. Bet that’s more than you can say. So, Cal, thanks for this absurd forum. It really does bring out the idiots, ignorant, spiteful, and hateful anonymous chickens. Way to go.

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