Worth celebrating

Saturday night I had the absolute pleasure of seeing the world premiere play “Mother of Rain” brilliantly adapted from the book written by Karen Spears Zacharias. I have seen many plays here in Columbus and several parts of the world. I have to say this play was the most powerful work of art I have ever seen.

Everything about this performance was incredible. The acting was mesmerizing; I completely forgot they were actors and truly felt as if I were there in the Appalachian Mountains watching these people live their lives! The music, which was outstanding, seemed to become its own character.

This world premier was right here in our hometown, with tons of locals participating in every aspect, even the playwright!

Lately there have been some awful things happening in our town. Let's take some time to ponder on the great things Columbus has to offer and celebrate our hometown.

I believe the play runs for one more weekend. I would certainly recommend for you to go have a lovely dinner at one of our many locally owned restaurants and then head over to the Springer for an evening of live theatre.

Details

I am glad that Gov. Deal wouldn't sign the toilet bill that Sen.McKoon feels so strongly about. How were you planning to enforce the bill that stated people had to use the restroom that corresponded to their birth certificate? Would we all have been required to carry our birth certificates with us and show them before entering? Who will pay the attendant?

How can you tell what sex a person was at birth without a birth certificate? Is that good-looking woman in the men's room a trans or is she just tired of waiting in line at the women's?

Were you going to stop that effeminate-looking man who has been teased his entire life when he tries to enter the restroom? What about that biker with the beard? Not going to stop the biker? Well, he is a trans. Of course that biker could go into the ladies’ room. Where he meets his wife, an immigrant with an unfortunate mustache.

Trans or not, men and women would be able to enter either restroom.

Thrown stones

When the Monica Lewinski scandal broke, the veins on many an Alabama Republican’s forehead exploded in feigned angst over our adulterous then-president, imagined loose Democratic morals and the president having illicit sex “in OUR house (White House).” They had even begun re-singing that jingle as Hillary closes in on the Democratic presidential nomination. But they don’t seem quite so animated today.

Alabama Republicans seem a bit inclined to the pratfalls of “sex and money” as well. The sex scandal involving Gov. Robert Bentley has revealed that our frugal and pious former church deacon spent over $1,700 in public funds to buy disposable “burner” phones to communicate with his intimate “friend” and that he used shady 501(c)4 “Charitable Organization” funds to hide paying Alabama’s “de facto governor” salary.

I am confident that state Republicans will regain our state’s honor — after the speaker of the House completes his trial on charges of 23 felony ethics violations. They can then refocus on being the party of “Family Values” and continue their relentless assault on birth control, regulating abortion out of existence, castigating the “Godless federal government” and denouncing same-sex marriage.

Like Tennessee, they could even make the Bible the official state book. Of course, they might want to delete John 8: 6-8, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone …”

Quixotic quests

Fifty-three years ago at JVHS I was required to read and write a report on “Don Quixote.” For some reason I think about Don Quixote when I read about Senator McKoon's religious liberty legislation.

You may recall that Don Quixote lost his sanity and imagines that he is a knight wearing a suit of shining armor. He set out on a quest to revive chivalry, undo wrongs and bring justice to his imaginary kingdom. His first act of chivalry was to mount an attack on some windmills that he believed to be his enemy.

I wonder if Senator McKoon realized that he was in a no-win fight with a windmill when he attacked Gov. Nathan Deal and the other powerbrokers at the state capitol. Senator McKoon should know there are no knightly virtues in announcing that he will boycott the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Falcons because they did not support his religious liberty legislation.

At the end of this story Don Quixote decides to retire from being a knight and move to the countryside to become a shepherd. That could be Senator McKoon's next move because his personal interest has cost the taxpayers of Columbus millions of dollars.

This story was originally published April 11, 2016 at 5:04 PM with the headline "Worth celebrating."