Opinions & Ideas
THE HOGANSVILLE HOME NEWS
usPs 620-o40
A (rimen @litimt
Millard B. Gdmes,
MI HAI
PUB12SIIFq/AI) VERT-ISING DIRECTOR
JOHN KUYKENDALL
ASSOCIATE PUBLfmmR/EDrrOR
, ROB RICHARDSON
ASSLSTANT EDITOR
JAYNE (N
BUSINESS 1VIANAGER
Phone (706) 846.3188. Fax (706) 846-22(16
P. O. Box 426
ttogansville, Georgia 30230
It's Time to Get
Tough on Crime
It's time to get tough on
criminals. Recent headlines
of area newspaper show just
how little regard some peo-
ple have for human life today.
The City of Phenix City
hds really had its share of
interesting criminal cases
over the years. I should know
after spending a few years as
General Manger of the news-
paper there. The old newspa-
pers are filled with story
after story of criminal activ-
ity, murder and mayhem.
There were a few inter-
esting cases during my days
there as well. I once ducked
bullets along with Phenix
City's finest police officers
one day, when a man became
violent and began shooting at
everything that moved along
his street. He had enough fire
power to barricade himself
in for days, but the Phenix
City Police Department and
the Russell County Sheriff's
Department was not about to
let that happen. The man
finally had to be shot to end
the standoff. He had no
regard for his life or anyone
else's for that matter.
ITSMS that each neW
case that develops there is a
little worse than the one
before. Last week, I was
shocked as I'm sure every-
one else was, to read about
the three people murdered
for money. What makes this
case so sickening is the slay-
ing of a 12-year-old boy. I can't
imagine what that father
must be going through. He
had to watch as intruders
entered his home, abducted
himself and his son at gun
point, shot and killed his son,
slit his throat in an attempt
to take his life and then buried
them both in a shallow grave
dug earlier that day. As a
father, I can not imagine the
pain of such a loss.
I'm sure if the intruders
wanted money, the father
would have given them all he
had to keep his son alive. This
is not just a tragedy for the
family, but mankindas well.
It goes to show just how lit-
tle we value human life today.
It seems we treasure money
and personal possessions
more today than human life.
Three men are in custody
in this case. If it is proven
they did kill the young boy
and other couple that was
robbed and murdered, they
should not be given life in
prison, they should not be
given a lethal injection, they
should not die in the electric
chair. They should be placed
on a wall, not given a blind
fold, put a firing squad in
front of them and give the
command to fire. Maybe
then, they will realize how
terrified that young boy must
• have been when they shot and
killed him.
I'M AM OF the firm
believe that we, as a nation,
have become too soft on crim-
inals. Our jarls and prisons
are overcrowded and there
is a good reason for it.
My father always told me
that once a man lowers his
morals it becomes easier to
lower them a little more and
then a little more, until one
day he has none. In my opin-
ion, that is what is happening
in our prison system today.
There was a time when a
man feared going to prison.
He would be working on the
chain-gang. He would be
placed in a little tiny ceU, fed
whatever, and work all day
long. He could be visited once
a month or so, but that was
about all the contact he had
with the outside world.
Today, every prison has a
gym, so the inmates can work
out daily. They have televi-
sions to watch and can even
earn college degrees. We call
this rehabilitation. We are
trying to turn them into bet-
ter citizens.
THIS IS KIND of like
sending a child to his room
today. When we were grow-
ing up and got sent to our
room, there were only a few
things to do. We could play
cards, read a book or play
with a Matchbox ear. Today,
most kids have a computer
with internet access,
Playstations, stereos, and
Lord knows What else in their
rooms. As a matter of fact,
most kids would probably
rather be in their room.
While prison is not quite
the same as sending a child
to his or her room, it's pret-
ty comfortable today.
I am of the firm believe
that the only way we are going
to reduce crime in our nation
today, is to make the penal-
ties for doing crime more
severe and making a prison
exactly.that.
I believe that as long as
we're soft on criminal activ-
ity, we will continue to be
shocked more and more by
just how horrffie some
crimes can be.
THE HOGANSVILLE Holm NEWS is published weekly by the Star-Mercury
Publishing Company, a division of Grimes Publications, at 3051 Roosevelt Highway,
Manchester, Georgia 31"816. USPS 620-040. Subscription rates by mail: $18 in
Froup, Harris or Meriwether Counti: $26 a year elsewhere, Prices include all
les tax. Periodical e paid at Hogansville, Georgia :230.
FOR sutcmr'no. call (706) 846-3188 or write to Circulation Manager. Star
Mercury Publicationos, P. O. Box 426. Manchester, Georgia 31816.
Pt,TM'TER: Send addr-s changes to P. O. Box 426. Hogansville. GA 30230.
STraY
Publisher and Advertising Director ............................................................... Mike Hale
Associate Publisher and Editor ....... ,...:,.. ........................................... John Kuykendall
Bttsinegs Manager .................................. ............................................. Jayne Goldston
Assis "rant Editor ...................................................................................... RobRichardson
StaffWriters .......................................................................... Bryan Geter, Billy Bryant
Assistant Advertising Manager ................................................................. Laurie Lewis
Advertish'lg Sal ........ 2 .............................................................................. .LilKla Lester
Composing ................................................................. Dewayne Flowers, Valinda Ivery
Legals ............................................................................................... :...... Jayae C_ds[tm
Pressman: ......................................................................................... Wayne Grochowski
Pressrann .......................................................................... David Boggs, Larry Caleges
Coaroix
President ............................................................. ; .............................. A4illa,d B. Grimes
Vice President .................................................................................. Charlotte S.
Secretary ......................................................................................... .Laura Grimes Cofer
Treasurer ...................................................................................... Kathy Grimes Garrett
Legal Counsel and Assistant Secretary .............................................. James S. Griraes
r
PAGE 4 - HOGANSVILLE QME NEWS - FEB. 28, 2002
Enjoying Breakfast With a K"
For years I have put up
with modern-day nutrition-
ists telling me what I can or
cannot put into my stomach-
At one time or other, I've
sworn off red meat, eggs,
bacon, sugar and all sortg of
other things I enjoy eating. If
we listen to health-food
advice, all we would be
allowed to put in our stom-
achs would be something ani-
mals graze on, bee pollen and
various sorts of bran.
I don't know about any-
body else, but eating a diet
like that probably would
make it necessary to spend a
great deal of time in the bath-
room, and I've got other
things to do.
Anyway, I have put up
with the nutritionists -- As I
would any other do-gooders
-- but now they have gotten
personal.
In case you missed it, the
Coca- Cola Company is out
with a campaign suggesting
you drink Coke at breakfast.
They might as well have
suggested along with your
Coke you start the da with two
Twinkies, a Little Debbie
Snack Cake and a Tootsie Roll.
Various nutrition experts
expressed shock and dismay
(not to be confused with the
rock group of the same name)
at the thought that Americans
might do something so ill-
advised as chase down break-
fast with a soft drink.
"Breakfast is the most
important meal of the day,
especially for children," said
one so-called food expert.
"Coca-Cola should be more
responsible and not suggest
Americans start their day on
a poor nutritional note."
Horsefeathers and grape
nuts!
I've been drinking Coke
for breakfast for years. In
Russia I couldn't find a Coke,
so I drank a Pepsi, warm. I'd
saved what little ice I could
find for the vodka. I'll admit
I'm no health specimen, but
I don't think I'd be in this good
a shape without my Coke in
the morning. You know how
most of us feel when we get
up -- groggy and sluggish, ill-
tempered, slack-eyed, and
loop-legged.
I might start with a cup
of coffee, but all that usually
does for me id get one of my
eyes open and start a fire in
a region just behind my navel.
But a Coke. It goes down
smoothly. It puts out the fire.
It refreshes -- and bring on
the day, I think I can make
one more. I began drinking
Coke for breakfast some 20
years ago when I had a job
that demanded I be at work
at 5:30 in the morning.
That was when you could
still find Coke in those little
six-ounce bottles, as the Lord
intended.
I would start each day
with a couple of those little
Cokes, and if anybody had
taken them away from me, I
would have been a complete
failure at my job and my
career would have been
ruined.
One more think, as a
Southerner, I simply must
stand fast against anybody
who would want to take Coke,
with its roots planted deeply
in the South, away from me
in the morning. Give them
Coke and, perish the
grits could be next.
BY SPECIAL
MENT WITH HIS
DEDRA, THE HOME
CARRYING
COLUMNS BY THE
LEWIS GRIZZARD,
GREW UP IN
MORELAND, AND
THE MOST WIDELY
GEORGIA WRITER OF
TIME.
TO ALL AMERICA BUTi
PARTICULARLY
TO THIS AREA OF
OF WHICH HE WROTE
OFTEN, AND WHERE A
TION OF 1-8,5 FROM
TO HOGANSVILLE
IN HIS HONOR. THE
GRIZZARD MUSEUM
ESTABLISHED IN
IN 1996, AND A WRITING t
EDITING LAB IS
ICATED TO HIS
HIS BELOVED
OF
AVAILABLE FOR
THROUGH BAD
PRODUCTIONS, P.O.
191266, ATLANTA, GA
1266 AND AT BOOK
MUSIC STORF
'Yes, Jesus Loves Me' Always
Someone has made the
statement, "Man has two
great needs, to be loved and
to have someone to love."
There is a lot of truth to that
statement, in that man is in
great need of love and to love.
There are those who have
ended their life because they
felt as if no one really cared
for them. Not long ago, I read
a' story of a young teenager
who was about to end his life
because he felt that his dad
did not love him anymore.
Fortunately, that tragedy was
averted; however, there are
still many who never are
assured that they are loved.
Someone may be reading this
little article now wondering
if anybody in this world actu-
ally cares about them. Well,
may I tell you that I have some
good news for you. You are
loved and you do have some-
one to share your love with-
Several Sundays ago, the
morning message was a
man's feeble effort to try to
tell a congregation of people
that God really loves them.
During the course of that
message we as a church fam-
fly found several things about
God's love for us. I must warn
you, however, the things are
not new nor are they deeply
profound. But, they are truths
that we need to be reminded
of now and again. The first
thing we found was "the
demonstration proving God's
love." We all know that it is
one thing to tell someone that
we love them, but it is quite
another thing to show that
someone we love them. We
read in Jeremiah, "The Lord
hath appeared of old unto me,
saying, Yes, I have loved thee
with an everlasting love:
therefore with loving kind-
ness have I drawn thee." All
through scripture we are told
that God loves us. Be that as
it may, there are some who
look at the present world con-
dition and cast a shadow of
doubt upon the statements of
scripture. Things such as
world hunger, violence, child
abuse, war, disease and a host
of other things are used by
Satan to bring doubt into the
minds of people.
To those doubts, may we
once again look to the Bible.
First our attention is called
to John 3:16, which says, 'Tor
God so loved the World, that
he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in
him should not perish, but
have everlasting life." Again
we read in 2 Corinthians 5:14-
15, "For the loveof Christ con-
straineth us; because we thus
judge, that if one died for aLl,
then were all dead; and that
he died for all, that they which
live should not henceforth
live unto themselves, but unto
him which died for them, and
rose again." Not only do these
scriptures remind us that
God loves us, but these vers-
es also provide evidence
proves God loves us.
greatest evidence of
love is the cross of
On the cross Jesus
bled and died not for
wrongdoing of his
for the sins of the
world.
That is what
love of God so
man chose to rebe a
God, yet God made a
make
Although man had no
nor love for God, God
loved man. In the love of
we see true love
ed. Many love others
of what those others
give them in return.
love is a love that
when there is no res
back, that is thlove
Christ demonstrated
cross of Calvary.
In conclusion,
reminded of what
John said in his gospel, (.
15:13) "Greater love
man than this, that a
down his life for his
The Search for a Better
It is understandable that
parents, educators, local lead-
ers, and even state politicians
are expressing concerns over
student test scores and
schools placing standards so
low that schools can avoid the
cutoff if as few as three of 10
students pass exams.
This is ridiculous! How in
the world does any system,
whether it be local or state,
conclude they could raise
educational levels in an indi-
vidual school or system by
lowering requirements or
standards.
The State Department of
Education has intimated
results from the Criterion
• Referenced Competency
Test will be used to test grade
schools beginning in 2004.
Grades given to scbools and
classes will determine
teacher bonuses and amount
of said bonus. If student test
scores are low enough, teach-
ers will be dismissed. This
could make a teacher think
twice before giving a student
a failing grade. Most teach-
ers I know want no part in
such a school system.
Most everyone agrees
something must be done, but
we must be careful not to
throw the baby out with the
bath water. No one knows bet-
ter than I how important good
teachers are, but there are
several other comes of
things that affect a child's
learning abiliW fully as much
as a teacher.
Earlier this week, I lis-
tened to Valley Parmership's
Skip Teaster and his presen-
tation of how the school sys-
tem relates to the effective-
ness of attracting industry.
Teaster pointed out the cor-
relation of a family's eco-
nomic status and learning
ability and test scores chil-
dren from these families pro-
duce.
Certainly we cannot walt
until the economic figures in
an area or school district
reach the desired level before
attacking this learning prob-
lem. Neither do I think it wise
to place the blame on teach-
ers whose students come
from underprivileged homes
and dismiss them from their
jobs. I'm afraid their succes-
sors will fair little better.
This doesn mean to stay
with the "status quo." We
should be concerned and
work toward improvements
in our educational system by
attacking weak spots in our
educational system.
We have come a long way
over the past years. Whether
we like to admit it or not, the
lunchroom program at school
for breakfast and lunch has
served to help level the play-
ing field.
Lowering the standard is
certainly not the way. It may
improve the number of stu-
dents tbat pass, but what have
you got?
Many of you may remem-
ber when some high schools
and colleges graded on the
"curve." I remember how I
disliked this system at
Georgia back in the late
Forties. This system as I
remember gave an A+ to the
top 10% and an F to the bot-
tom 10%, no matter what you
scored. Those that scored
well on the test were happy.
Even some that scored poor-
ly were happy anytime the
vast majority scored low on
a test because they knew only
10% would fail.
I remember Dr. Bocock
commenting on using the
curve in med school with this
statement. "I sure hope the
doctor that answers the call
to my sick mother's bedside
is not one that was passed
when he barely made the top
90O,"
Lowering standards to
allow a student to pass is
much the same. There is no
way I would approve this
manner of either lowering the
standard or setting a certain
percentage of a class or group
to pass.
State School
Superintendent Linda
Schrenko is at odds with
Governor Barnes' plan to
upgrade Georgit test scores,
but I haven't seen
that she had
looks any better.
Governor Barnes'
rewarding teachers
students score high
ing teachers whose
its pitfalls.
Using this dictate it
hire teachers at
whose students come
poor economic
According to
some 20% of
have low scores in
areas
If I were a
wouldn't touch a job i!
economic situations"
speak only
with a ten foot pole.
would have two distinct!
es of schools in the
Those with high
teachers teaching in
average to upper
schools. These schools #
have little
there would be little
Onthe
ers in
tions could be
cutoff list each
good teachers
these situations
like Mrs.
theproposedl
seen anything
situation without
the baby out with
water.
We must
search.
