Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

There’s so much to appreciate

Many thanks need to be directed toward individuals conducting wonderful events here in the Valley. First, thanks to the organizers who worked to bring about the Chattahoochee Valley Writers Conference held at the Columbus Library last month. It was inspiring to hear from great writers and poets here in the Valley.

Also, many thanks go out to city employees and students, along with faculty from Troy, CVCC and CSU who volunteered with the Keep Columbus Beautiful “Help the Hooch” weekend.

And thanks to you for recognizing the efforts in progress for the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin (ACF) stakeholders who are working together to resolve water resource issues. Learning from each other and from our environment is so vital to the health of our community. So many neighbors enjoy the river’s beauty by walking and biking on the Riverwalk as well as fishing and kayaking on its waters.

Judy Van Doorn

Columbus

Richly deserved

On behalf of the State Bar of Georgia, I wish to express congratulations to Columbus attorney Ken Henson Jr., who was recently presented with the Edna D. Kendrick Award, the top honor of the Keep Columbus Beautiful Organization.

This award appropriately recognizes Mr. Henson’s efforts in the founding of the Habitat for Humanity chapter in Columbus and his service as a board member of Trees Columbus Inc., in addition to his legislative advocacy on environmental issues at the state level.

All Georgia lawyers can find inspiration in our colleague’s tireless dedication toward serving the justice system and the community. We join Keep Columbus Beautiful in recognizing the extraordinary work of Ken Henson Jr.

Bryan M. Cavan

President, State Bar of Georgia

Hypocrisy

Mr. Pitts, you and Al Sharpton are hypocrites. You support freedom of speech for yourselves and people who think like you do but you want to deny it to all those whose speech you find offensive. Freedom of speech is a precious right that applies to all who live in the U.S.

I personally find Rush Limbaugh offensive and refuse to listen to him or support his sponsors, but denying him opportunity because of his speech borders on un-American. If you want your free speech you should recognize others have the same right.

Edward Corlin,

Columbus

Democracy on the wane

These past weeks we have seen a series of actions by the administration that demonstrates their agenda of “ soft despotism”; the beginnings of a death spiral for our democratic way of life domestically and red flags for fledging democracies internationally.

Humana was deprecated by the administration for factually presenting to seniors the dangers of the proposed Health Care Reform Plan (HCRP); the Chamber of Commerce was also vilified for daring to oppose the president on portions of his HCRP; Rahm Emanuel, the chief of staff, and David Axelrod, Mr. Obama’s campaign manager, rounded the Sunday news shows to demonize and demean Fox News (as they differ with the president’s views); this was followed by the unprecedented attempt to ostracize Fox from interviewing the pay czar, while allowing ABC, NBC, MSNBC and CBS to do so. However, this was thwarted by the “News Pool.“

All Americans should be up in arms at the administration’s attempt to manipulate the free press and to suppress those who dare oppose it. Add to this the administration’s attempt to be derisive of the “New Politics,” the second “American Revolution.”

It was Mr. Churchill who spoke on the “unteachability of mankind “ — sleep and slumber, want of foresight, lack of clear thinking until self-preservation strikes a gong.” GONG!

Joseph Liss

Columbus

Luquire’s the man

During a portion of my service in Congress, Jerry Luquire served as my administrative assistant, my top staff man in Washington. He developed the system of logging in our three times a day delivery of district mail, and then logging it out when the action was taken and a letter written back. We gained the reputation of hard work, understanding a constituent’s frustration when up against the sometimes heavy hand of bureaucracy, and getting the matter looked after by sundown.

Later, in 1980 Jerry was appointed to be in charge of the Census office in Columbus.

To my personal knowledge he served in both capacities with distinction, and I commend him to the consideration of Georgia House District 129 voters. Wisdom, common sense and experience go a long way. On the state budget he says, “It’s not a shortage of taxes coming in … it’s poor choices on money going out.” This kind of fiscal integrity is sound and in keeping with our state constitution.

Jack Brinkley

Columbus