OPINION
PAGE 4 - HOGhNSVUJJ HOME NEWS- JULY 27, 2000
THE HOGANSVILLE HOME NEWS
USPS 620-040
A rims tuhlkan
Millard B. Gdmes, President
PUBLISHER/ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
JOHN KtaraWDAU
6LSSOCIATE PUBLISHERDITOR
BRYAN GE'rER
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
JAYNE GOWN
BUSINESS MANAGER
Phone (706) 846-3188. Fax (706) 846-2206
P. O. Box 426
Hogansville, Georgia 30230
Let Women Wear the Ties
I saw a woman on an airplane
the other day who was wearing a
tie. I don't think I had ever seen
a woman wearing a tie before.
I thought only men wore ties
to make up for the fact we don't
have to have babies..
The woman in the tie looked
like one of those big-time busi-
ness women who owns her own
condo, a BMW and a fluffy cat.
"Excuse me," I said to the
woman. "I was just wondering
why you are wearing a tie."
"Why not?" the woman asked
intended.
Her eyes bugged out, her face
turned red and the veins in her
neck popped out in anger. She
called me several unprintable
names, a couple of which I have
never heard before, leading me
to believe women not only have
equaled men in the ability to
curse, but may have exceeded us.
I thought the woman was
going to have a stroke, so I sug-
gested she loosen her tie. She did,
and in a few minutes she seemed
as calm as possible under the cir-
: : to wear ties to get into
restaurant. You walk
ladyand shehas:
........ "You may enter,
...... ......... ..... maitre d' would day,
there needs a tie."
"...It is a known
fact that wearing
Sunshine Laws • meback, cumstances. € M, to Ely
• "Well," I said, "I thought only Upon some quiet reflection a tie eventua
men wore ties." regarding this incident, I cameto leans
"You obviously are one of the conclusion that women cer-
What's Covered those Neanderthal redneck men tainly have a right to wear a tie /,SS."
who think women have no place anywhere at anytime.-
in your world," said the woman, In fact, I think it is only fair
who was very irritated by my that all women be made to wear
It appears some of our local
governmental bodies have been
violating the Sunshine laws.
While it is probably not inten-
tional, it could have some serious
repercussions.
In recent weeks, while speak-
ing with some of the writers for
our newspapers about stories
from meetings, I realized that
some of the boards have been vio-
lating the Sunshine laws.
The purpose of this column
is to inform the boards of the
Sunshine laws so there will be no
more misunderstandings or mis-
interpretations. '
Last week, one of our boards
held a meeting but did not inform
the media about the meeting.
Luckily, one of our reporters
found out about the meeting and
did attend. However, he only
found out a few minutes before
the meeting was scheduled to
begin.
The legality of this meeting
could have been challenged by
the newspaper had management
chose to do SO.' " : ;.,:
The. Sunshine. law is very
explicit about legal and illegal
meetings. It reads as follows:
"Governing boards and agen-
cies are required to post infor-
mation as to the time, place and
dates of regular meetings. If a
meeting is to be held at other
places or times, the agency must
provide 24 hours advance notice
both by posting notification at
least as large as the legal organ
or the newspaper with a circula-
tion at least as large as the legal
organ and to any media that
requests it in writing.
The notice must be given by
telephone or facsimile at least 24
hours in advance of the meeting."
IN OTHER WORDS, a gov-
erning body must notify the legal
organ at least 24 hours in advance
of any special called meeting or
a meeting change. Without this
being done, the newspaper could
challenge the legality of the meet-
ing.
If the meeting is determined
to be held illegally, all action
would become null and void.
There also appears to be some
confusion by some of the local
governing bodies as to when they
can and can't go into executive
session or closed meeting. The
laws governing this is pretty sim-
ple as well, they are as follows:
"A governmental agency is
not required to close any meet-
ing; however, it may vote in pub-
lic to close a meeting to:
inspection of physical facilities
under its jurisdiction.
• Discuss future acquisition
of real estate. However, notice
that such a meeting is taking
place must be given and minutes
taken. When the deal is either
completed or abandoned, those
minutes must be disclosed.
• Privileged consultations
with an attorney regarding pend-
hag or potential legal action or
claims. However, a meeting with
an attorney to discuss the legali-
ty of closing a meeting must be
open. . :: .: • ';
• Discuss employment, peri-
odic evaluations or disciplinary
actions regarding a public offi-
cer or employee. However, the
presentation of evidence or argu-
ment in disciplinary cases must
be open. And any action taken
must occur at an open meeting."
comment.
"Not at all, madam," I inter-
rupted. "I certainly believe if a
woman can do the same job as a
man, she deserves the opportuni:
ty to do so and she should get the
same pay as a man. "The only
thing I'm against women doing is
voting and driving," I went on, in
jest, of course.
I FORGOT, HOWEVER, that
the feminist movement is totally
devoid of a sense of humor. I
should have known the woman
wouldn't take my little barb in the
frivolous spirit in which it was
ties and men be allowed to stop
the silly practice.
I quit wearing ties anywhere
except to funerals of close friends
several years ago when I decid-
ed I had had enough of being
uncomfortable.
But I'm lucky. I don't have a
real job like most men, so I can
get away with not wearing a tie.
TIES ARE detrimental to
men's health. Men who have to
wear ties all the time tend to be
high-strung and nervous because
they've got this piece of cloth tied
tightly around their necks. It's
ties, not cholesterol, that cause
most heart attacks and strokes.
Also, besides being terribly
uncomfortable and unhealthy, it
is a known fact that wearing a tie
eventually leads to baldness. The
tie hinders the circulation to the
scalp and that's why men's hair
falls out. :-
You don't see many bald-head-
ed women, do you? Of course not.
That's because they don't wear
ties.
But it's high time they did.
And it's high time men were
relieved of this burden.
Imagine if the tie tables were
turned and it was women who had
THE LARGEST confusion
seems to come with what war-
rants an executive session or
closed meeting. The law only
allows closed session for acqui-
sition of real estate. That means
purchasing real estate, not the
disposal of properties. Note the
words "pending or potential legal
action." That means just what it
says, the threat or a actual law-
suit. These appear to be the two
areas which'create the most con-
fusion.
Open and closed records
appear to be confusing for some
agencies as well. Court records,
accident and police reports and
minutes or governmental meet-
ings are all considered open
records. If a member of the media
requests those records they are
suppose to be givem However,
the agency can ask for a request
in writing.
I HOPE this clarifies some of
these laws. If any agency would
like a copy of these Sunshine laws,
this newspaper will be happy to
provide a copy. Simply write us
or call us and a copy will be pro-
vided.
BY SPECIAL
MENT WITH HIS
DEDRA, THE
CARRYING
COLUMNS BY THE
LEWIS GRIZZARD
UP IN NEARBY
AND BECAME THE
WIDELY READ
WRITER OF HIS
GRIZZARD
ALL AMERICA BUT
TICULARLY
THIS AREA OF
WHICH HE WROTE
AND WHERE A
85 FROM
HOGANSVILLE IS
HIS HONOR. THE
GRIZZARD MUSEUM
ESTABLISHED IN
IN 1996,
EDITING LAB IS
ICATED TO HIS
HIS BELOVED
OF
BOOKS AND TAPES AR
AVAILABLE FOR
THROUGH BAD
PRODUCTIONS, P.O.
191266, ATLANTA GA
STORES NATIONWIDI.
The First FDR Birthday Balls
Amid a great publicity blitz,
the first Roosevelt birthday
balls were held on Jan. 30, 1934.
There were 6,000 of them!
Roosevelt spoke on a nation-
wide radio hookup, not as
President so much, he said, but
"more as the representativeon
this occasion of the hundreds
of thousands of crippled chil-
dren in our country." He said
Warm Springs could use "the
generous gifts which are being
made tonight [to] increase its
usefulness nationally... We shall
be able to take more people and
I hope these people will be able
to come to us on the recom-
mendation of doctors from
every state in the union... The
fund to which you contribute
tonight will undoubtedly permit
us to extend the facilities of
Warm Springs in a greater
degree than before... No man
ever had a finer birthday
remembrance..."
THE MOST PUBLICIZED of
those 6,000 balls was held at the
Waldorf Hotel in New York City.
It was a $25-a-ticket affair. The
President's 79-year old mother
attended. But there were also
balls and other parties where
much smaller donations were
made. An Associated Press
story said celebrations covered
a spectrum from Palm Beach
society to menial workers at a
state hospital for the mentally
ill.
There were two balls in
Warm Springs, one for the
townspeople at a casino, the
other at Georgia Hall for the
patients and staff. Children in
wheelchairs went through the
"steps" of a country square
dance.
THE NATION seemed
caught up in a crazy mood of
can-you-top-this? The world"s
longest telegram of congratu-
lations was sent to the President
from 40,000 Alabamians. A
relay team of runners brought
a short message to the White
House from Baltimore. The
final runner was a 57-year-old
newspaper employee who
worked the midnight-to-7 a.m.
Shift, then went out in the zero-
degree cold wave that was grip-
ping the East that week, run-
ning the 35 miles with four
younger men.
(Roosevelt himself celebrat-
ed with a small group of old
friends in the White House. The
group had first come together
in the 1920 vice presidential
campaign, and partying togeth-
er on Roosevelt's birthday was
a tradition.)
The money poured in. The
total, after expenses of some
$800,000, came to $1,016,443.59.
A giant check was prepared in
that amount and presented to
the President for the
Foundation.
The question then became
what to do with it. As Morgan
explained later, if that money
plus several hundred thousand
dollars in large contributions
raised by the Finance
Committee in that period had
been invested in 2.5% govern-
ment securities, the Foundation
could have been secure for the
future as it had never been
before.
But, he went on (in a letter
to a prospective large donor in
1935), the
"There were two
balls in Warm
Springs, one for the
townspeople at a
casino, the other at
Georgia Hall for the
patients and staff."
trustees felt that "would not
be true to the Foundation's
ideals and its reason for exis-
tence..." Thcrefore, it recom-
mentted another course to
Roosevelt.
That course the President
announced to the nation on May
9, 1934, when he accepted the
check.
"Let me pause here to say,"
Roosevelt said at the reception,
"that the communications
which have come to us from all
parts of the country since the
Birthday Ball have made it
more than ever apparent that
there is a shortage of properly
financed orthopedic beds in
many, indeed most, sections of
the country. They have also indi-
cated to us that as a result of
the new interest built up by... a
Birthday Ball, at least
these institutions i
greater local assistance'
was already thinking
next stage of the polio
which
raised to spend not at
Springs but in local
and i research ink
As to the million
hand, he announced
money would be s
ways. A $100,000 fund
established "to
further the mer
being done in the
tile paralysis... Elsewhere
at Warm Springs."
A$650
therance of the
done at... Warm Spring
said he would leave the
to the trustees but
there would be
change of doctors and
pists in Warm S
communities. The
quarter of a million
would be used for the
plant at Warm Springs.
(Next week: SearCl*
Polio Cure)
'THE SQUIRE OF 'THE
OFWARM:
TLE WHITE HOUSE.
TAINS
REPRINTED IN
PER DURING THE pAST
PROCEEDS FROI
SALE ALL GO TO TI
SEVELT
CENTEK
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Why Song Can Have Such An
At the beginning of the ath-
letic contests of our country, some
one stands to sing the national
anthem. The singer belts out the
words, "O say can you see, by the
dawn's early light..." To a lot of
Americans, that song brings chills
to their spine, tears to their eyes,
pride to their heart and a lump to
their throat. A song that reveals
must of this nation's history, spir-
it and pride. But not only does the
Unites States have an anthem that
describers her, do does the church
of the living God. Probably the
most recognized hymn in the
world is "Amazing Grace." The,
song "Amazing Grace" ought to
do for the child of God like the
national anthem does for the
patriotic America. There are"
those when that old hymn is sung
in church that their heart's swell,
the tears flow, and the mind tries
to image what it must have been
like to stand on Calvary's hill and
see the Savior shed his life's blood
for a lost world.
Many may not understand
why a song has such an affect on
people. In order to find the true
meaning of grace, one simply
needs to go to the Bible. In 2
Samuel 9, God's Word records an
event in the life of King David
that is a beautiful illustration of
Grace. The synopsis of the story
is simple, but the meaning is pro-
found. In short David seeks out a
family member from King Saul's
house that he may show the grace
of God. The one he finds is a lame
man named Mephibosheth. This
young man has been lame on his
feet since he was five yars old.
David sends for this man, brings
him to the palace and gives him
a place at the kings table. This is
a wonderful illustration of grace.
According to the late Dr.
Harold $ightler there are four
thing s in this story that relates to
us the grace of God. He says first
of all that grace is God loving
unlovely sinners. The Bible deft-
nition of grace is unmerited favor.
Truly the love of God is unde-
served and unearned by those of
us who inhabit the earth, but God
"so loved the world that he gave
his only begotten son that whoso-
ever believeth in him should not
perish." Next in this stow, we find
grace is God lifting unable sin-
ners. Mephibosheth was lame and
unable to get to the king, so the
King brought
himself. What a
man could not get to God,'
came to where man
brought unable humans
sell'. David said in Psal
brought me up also out of
rible pit..." God not
down for fallen humanitY,
picked them up. Thirdly
in this stow that
ing undeserving
restored
pertained to his
All that we have is
Jesus and his sacrific e
cross of Calvary. Lastly
ners. Mephibosheth was
permanent seat at !
To those save bythe graCe
The next time you
word
Mephibosheth.
