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PAGE 4A- HOGANSVILLE - THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2014
THE HOGANSVILLE HERALD
VsPs €o.o4o
ROBERT E. TRIBBLE, President
JOHN KUYr, ENDULL Kn MITCHELL
]BLISHEIJEDITOR Busnzss MAGER
ANDY KOBER Phone (706) 846-3188
ASSOCLTE EDITOR Fax: (706) 846-2206
news@star-rnemury.com
ANGELA BUOWN P.O. Box 426
I¥OUT F, DrroR Manchester, GA 31816
Political Career
Not My Thing!
Last week qualifying
ended for our state and local
elections and there are a large
number of candidates seek-
ing a seat and I'm really glad
I'm not one of them for sev-
eral reasons.
I can't understand for the
life of me why anyone would
want to seek political office.
It is a thankless job, in my
opinion.
I certainly wouldn't seek
a high public office.
In order to gain a high pub-
lic office a person must do
that which is necessary to
gain the attention of those who
would make it possible,
This may be accom-
plished through obtaining
favor from enablers by way
of voluntary personal contri-
bution and support to them,
or taking employment
offered from these entities,
that implies quid pro quo from
them - or - by appealing to
voters in running for lower
level public office along the
way.
I would think that the rea-
son for most to seek political
office, especially a high pub-
lic office, is driven by a desire
to have a degree of influence
in enabling changes they
desire to made in govern-
ment or their conirnunities.
What may start out to be
an idealistic endeavor usual-
ly results in one where moral
and ideological beliefs
become compromised.
Those who help one to
achieve higher public office
usually are looking for some-
thing in return. Whether it is
an elected officeholder or one
seeking office, they both
require funds to support their
respective campaigns.
The position on issues that
the office seeker actually
takes in order to gain the
approval of a majority of the
voters may not always con-
form to that which is person-
ally desired or even that
desired by the financial sup-
porter.
Thus the pressures
involved cause the office
seeker to often compromise
the true positions initially
held.
Too often, the students of
political science become
aware that to gain the respec-
tive positions sought requires
they accept the precept that
'he end justifies the means".
Those compromises in
moral and ideological posi-
tions are required and the
need for financial support
from those seeking govern-
ment favors is of primary
importance.
SEEKING POLITICAL
office can be difficult, expen-
sive and disruptive.
Mtdtimillionaires like
New Jersey Senator Jon
Corzine and New York Mayor
Michael Bloomberg made
hundreds of millions of dol-
lars in business, but then will
ingly spent tens of millions to
get elected to jobs that pay
little, require a lot of work,
entail a lot of personal abuse
and accomplish relatively lit-
fie.
SO, WHAT'S the attrac-
tion? Fame, certainly. But
there is more.
And once in office, why
do they do almost anything to
stay there, even divorcing
their wives.
The answer is that gov-
erning in a democratic sys-
tem is the most difficult job
there is.
Very complex, a real test
of a person's competence and
intelligence. From the intense
competition in politics, and
the numbers of very wealthy
individuals who are attract
ed to it, it would be Saf to say
that it is easier to make a hun-
dred million dollars than it is
to get elected president.
Those in office and that is
the people whom they serve
often forget what is most
important. It is the people that
their alliance should be with,
not campaign contributors;
not big corporations; special
interest groups, etc.
It is best that those hold-
ing office become good lis-
teners and hear what the peo-
ple have to say.
Once a candidate was
soliciting votes among a
group of local bus passengers
and he sat down beside an old
man who looked down on his
luck. The candidate began
telling the man about his plans
should he be elected. Among
those plans was how he would
improve the public bus sys-
tem and train service.
All of a sudden the old man
became interested in what the
candidate was saying and told
him how he had been an engi-
neer on the Pennsylvania
Railroad and had once driv-
en a train bringing President
Roosevelt from Washington
to New York and gave him full
details. He then gave him
ideas to improve the system.
Some people just want to
complain to candidates. But
the candidate should still lis-
ten and see what they have to
say.
The reasons above and
others are why I would not
seek a high political office,
but if I did, serving the peo-
ple would be my top priority.
Tm HO6ANSVn,LE HERALD iS published weekly by Trib Publications,
Inc. at 3051 Roosevelt Highway, Manchester, Georgia 31816. The
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pers that you, our readers, are proud of. We will reach that goal through
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truth.
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GA31816.
We Need More Judges Like Roy Moore
Alabama Chief Justice
Roy Moore has joined the gay
marriage debate with his
desire for a state led consti-
tutional amendment defining
the institution as a union
between one man and one
woman. Moore is known on
the national level for his
efforts to continue display-
ing the Ten Commandments
in a judicial building.
"rhe moral foundation of
our country is under attack"
Chief Justice Moore said
recently in an interview. He
has mailed letters to all fifty
governors urging them to get
their legislators to call for a
covenant to add an amend-
ment to the U.S. Constitution
saying the only union recog-
nized by state and federal
governments is "the union of
one man and one woman." He
said that the only, way to stop
judges who are finding new
rights for gay unions is with
a state initiated constitution-
al amendment.
SEVENTEEN states and
the District of Columbia allow
gay marriage. None is in the
south where every state has
enacted a ban on same sex
marriage. In Virginia a fed-
eral judge heard arguments
recently challenging the
state's ban.
An openly gay state leg-
islator in Alabama who mar-
ried her partner in
Massachusetts said she
expects most governors will
toss Moore's letter. Rep.
Patricia Todd, a Democrat
from Birmingham said that
Moore was fighting a losing
battle.
Moore said that a great
majority of the American
people want to hold to the def-
inition that marriage is
between a man and a woman
although he acknowledged
that an amendment would
probably draw opposition
from both sides of the politi-
cat spectrum.
In the past U.S. legisla-
tures have introduced feder-
al marriage amendments but
Moore does not think
Congress will offer one this
year. The only alternative he
said is going through Article
V of the Constitution to get
34 states to agree that a con-
vention is necessary. Judge
Moore is correct on his
assumption that U.S. legisla-
tures will not introduce a fed-
eral marriage amendment
because if they did and it
passed our president who has
no problem with same sex
marriage would veto it.
Alabama Gov. Robert
Bentley said he has no prob-
lem with what the chief jus-
tice is proposing but his pref-
erence is to leave the issue
with the people of each state.
Bentley also said that he was
a states' rights person and
that most things should be
decided on the state level.
When Moore was elected
in 2000 he placed a granite
monument of the Ten
Commandments in the state
judicial building. A federal
judge ruled that it had to be
moved. Moore refused and a
state judicial court put him
out of office in 2003 for dis-
obeying the court order.
Moore became known as
Alabama's Ten
Commandments judge as he
traveled around the country
speaking to churches and
conservative groups.
Alabama voters re-elected
him to the high court again
in 2012 and he has not tried
to bring the monument back.
Alabama's nine high court
justices usually do not get
involved in national issues
but Moore said that it is appro-
priate for him to speak out
because Alabama has a state
constitutional amendment
that recognizes that a mar-
riage is a union only between
a man and a woman.
"Basically, I am upholding the
law," Judge Moore said.
A lawyer with the
American Civil Liberties
Union said the seventeen
states that allow gay mar-
riages are not likely tO
reverse their positions and
call for a constitutional
amendment. "I think the chic
justice has a math proble
ahead of him," the attornel
James Esseks said.
Some others also say tha.
attitudes have changed
Alabama since the law was
enacted. College Republican
Federation of Alabama sup-
ported the U.S. Supreme
Court's decision that over-
turned the Defense of
Marriage Act. That bothered
the state Republican Party
chairman who proposed a
rule change aimed at keep-
ing party leaders from tak-
ing public positions contrary
to party policy but the state
GOP executive committee
would not approve the
change.
THE BIBLE makes it
very clear that marriage is
between one man and one
woman and that began with
the first two persons God put
on the earth, Adam and Eve.
If all marriages were
between persons of the same
sex there would be no more
children born. What our
nation needs is more judges
like Roy Moore on the United
States Supreme Court and
filling other high court posi-
tions.
First Impressions: You Never Get Second Chance
The saying "You never
get a second chance to make
a first impression" is more
true than most people ever
realize.
This weekend I was
parked in a parking lot wait-
ing fop Vicki. Diagonal and in
froit 0f ie ' 'i woffi
're" flti:ingh'ii' , one @s
in her late teens and the other
two somewhat older.
The teen abruptly got out
of the car and began twerk-
ing, right in the parking lot.
That was the first time I
have ever seen twerking live.
I was not impressed and, let
me tell you right up front, it
is a wonder that girl did not
hurt her lower back.
FOR THOSE of you who
might not know what twerk-
ing is, ask a teenager. Or
watch the current version of
Miley Cyrus.
This teen, and the two
women with her, might well
have thought this was funny.
Funny.)
Really?
After witnessing this
event, it is needless to say that
my immediate impression of
this teenager was certainly
not favorable.
Her actions made her look
like a cheap .... Well... a word
best not used here
I think it is unlikely that
I will ever see this girl again.
She might live a life involved
in helping others. She might
even be a paragon of virtue
in her community. But if I
ileverdo see her again, that
'imfigd of twking will be in
my mind.
You never get a second
chance to make a first
impression.
JUST RECENTLY I was
covering a governmental
meeting.
Two women were sitting
behind me, and during much
of the meeting they were
doing nothing but making
snide and ugly comments.
Some of the comments
were aimed at elected offi-
cials and some were target-
ed at others attending the
meeting.
I consider their behavior
to be that of cowardice, or
worse.
Instead of standing up and
making their feelings known,
and going on public record
with their thoughts, they
chose to hide in the figura-
tive shadows, keeping their
spiteful words low and large-
ly unheard.
I do not know anything
about those two women. I do
not know who they are. Since
they were sitting behind me,
I never got a good look at
them, so would stand little
chance of ever recognizing
them.
Quite honestly I do not
want to know who they were
because I do not like people
who conduct themselves in
such a manner.
Just like the teenage girl
I saw twerking in the park-
ing lot, these women might
be pillars of the community
or leaders in their church - I
have no idea. ! hope not.
You never get a second
chance to make a first
impression.
THANKFULLY, not all
such first impressions are of
the negative variety.
Just the other day I saw
a woman taking care of her
elderly mother and encoun-
tering an problem. It was the
first time I recall having seen
either of them.
The mother is quite eld-
erly and suffering from some
of the myriad issues that can
affect the elderly. As a med-
ical doctor0nce't61d me,
sometimes the "golden years
are not quite so golden."
The daughter, likely in her
60s, was being extraordinar-
ily patient with her mother
but was making little head-
way.
I pitched in a hand to help
and we exchanged pleas-
antries.
AS we dealt with the issue,
I could not help but notice
how much this woman cared
for her mother.
Such a person reaffirms
the goodness that can be
found in people - at least in
some people and I hope in
most people.
You never get a second
chance to make a first
impression.
I urge you to always con-
sider making the first impres-
sion a positive one.
That's my opinion.
40 Years Ago,,,
In the
Hogansville Herald
[ I t , ,,,,,, ,,, , I r ..
Complied by Rob Richardson
• A BIG NUMBER IN ITS DAY - The top story in the
March 14, 1974 Hogansville Herald was about a city
council decision. "The city council adopted a budget
in the amount of $649,267 here last Monday night as
they conducted their first meeting of the month. All
councilmen with the exception of Jaza Strozier were
present, along with Mayor Rosser.
• UNEXPECTED TWIST - Another story on the front
dealt with auto theft. "Police reported this week that
a car stolen from a local used car lot had been retumed
as they continued their investigation into the incident.
Police Chief L.G. 'Buddy' Bryant said Monday that the
1969 auto stolen from Carland of Hogansville was
returned to the lot last week as officers traveled to
Conyers where the car had been left."
• SPRING TRAGEDY - The paper also had a story on
a nice day that tumed bad. "An 18-year-old Hogansville
youth drowned in a small lake off highway 54 here last
Sunday aftemoon when he was unable to swim to
shore. Troup County Sheriff L.W. Bailey reported
Monday that John Calvin Grier Jr. was swimming with
his brother and three other boys when the incident
occurred."
,OTHER HEADLINES - "Miss Jackson to Wed Randy
Reese McWhorter;" '-,ommission Votes to Repair Jail;"
"Hogansville Boys Inducted;""Plastridge Gets Scouting
Honor;" "District Star Student to be Named Friday."
