February 6, 2019 Page 5A
ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
by Don Daniel
T udattempt by two Forsyth council memb.e Julius
and John Howard, to change the dtys travel
cy so that family members could attend the
irees council members are requh to attend is
absolutely disgusting and puts a bad rap on the other four
council members and politidans in generaL
I was not surprised at coundlman Howard's attempting such
because his past record indicates he feels he is entitled to use
taxpayer money for his own personal satisfaction. Council-
man Stroud's go-along was the surprise. It is one of those"
instances where this comment is apropos: "Dodt youknow
better? Go get that peach limb switch. I am gonna teach you
better".
The sad thing is how Howard got elected again after his
shenanigans as mayor. Voting again for Howard and Stmud is
like saying "that's okay". A classic example ofpolitidans trying
to serve themselves instead of serving the dfizens who dected
them. Our elected politidans have a gravy train opportunity
to abuse the powers they hold. Circumvention and '3et me
see ifI can get away with this" seems to be some politidans'
mantra, is why transpar-
ency in government is an absolute
necessity
if we are going to have a
govemment of the people, by the
people and for the people.
I wouldn't take the bet when
it was offered that Howard and
Stmud will get re-elected.
Council members, commission-
ers and other elected offidals can
take advantage of how they can
use and abuse taxpayer money.
Here are a couple of examples of
how they are being reimbursed
with taxpayer mone3n, travel-
hag around their districts; meals
reimbursed when they attend a
function such as a chamber break-
fast; tipping a hotel bellhop for carrying luggage are just a few.
He 'S the one that gets me: health insurance premiums and
retirement plans for part-time dected officials.
It was not a good news week for the dty with Howard's and
Stmud's attempt to usurp taxpayer mone plus another dty
employee getting caught stealing. Will and his staff got the
scoop with great news coverage.
THE OTHER night and I think once a quarter or maybe its
once a month, there is a confab of our elected dty and county
offidals, school board members, et al to dine and sup together
to learn what the others are doing. It's brag time and very
informative and you should attend because it is a public meet-
ing. You might learn something.
Here are some unattributed comments from the in-town
soiree last week hdd at the Conference Center and trough fed
barbecue and all the fixins' from Georgia Bob's: (at least those
dected cannot file for meal re-imbursement. Wonder if they
will file for mileage reimbursement from their home to the
conference center):
"Wonderful mayor";
"One last thing";
"Doing good work out there"
"Like the mayor says ;
'TU let you go first";
"Come on up";
"Basically what it does";
'A little bit of information";
"Life doesn't always work out the same".
MONROE COUNTY Hospital and staff said they were just
doing what they were supposed to do after being praised for
their effident response to the school bus wreck on 41
last week. About 30 students were brought into the emergency
room and the staffquickly performed triage as trained, mak-
ing sure they were all OK. Hospital CEO Lorraine Smith told
me her staffhas had training in response to a mass casualty
situation, which this disaster could have been. Thank good-
ness, no life-threatening injuries just some bump and bruises.
I ENOURAGE you to read the legals in this weel Reporter.
About 30 home and land owners have refused to pay their
county taxes and are ricing the possibility their property will
be sold to the highest bidder on the courthouse steps. Might
be your next-door neighbor.
LAST WEEK was a busy week in downtown Forsyth with
two new businesses having their official announcement of
being open and ready for business. The Brokery had a ribbon
cutting at offices at the old Reporter office. And then right
next to the present Reporter office, another ribbon cutting was
held for Fair Masonr); which I regretfully missed.
I attended The Brokery ribbon cutting and again, as most
of the time, I am surprised who doesn't show up to lend
their support and encouragement to new businesses com-
ing to town. Just too busy to support and encourage I guess.
A ho-hum attitude personified by many who think they are
"community leaders".
CHAIRMAN OF the Monroe County School Board is
Nolen Howard and Wayne Calhoun was the first to answer
last week's The Question. Wayne gets a certificate of down
Dunkin Donuts, slice of JonaKs pizza, Dairy Queen Blizzard,
dessert from The Sweet Tea in Bolingbroke, Whistle Stop
flied green tomato appetizers, slice of Shoney's strawberry
pie, chips, drink and sandwich from The Pickled Okra, and a
t-shirt from Forsyth Main Street.
And, The Question for this week: how many nearly attended
the Five Below job fair? First correct answer after 12 noon
Thursday gets the certificate.
STILL WONDERING along with you what happened to
dose the door and turn off the lights at on-the-square res-
taurant Bluetick. Really enjoyed their fresh bread, coffee and
biscuits and grav
GOT A comment or want to answer The Question? Con-
tact Don Danid at tullaybear@bellsouth et. Listen to The
Reporter On The Radio on Majic 100 on Sunday mornings
at seven or anytime by clicking on the radio tab at mymcr.net.
Also you can watch us myself, wm and Richard on Forsyth
Cablevision as we tape the show.
Dona/d Dan#.//s thefounder andformerpub//sher of The
Monroe County Reporter Contact him at tullaybear@bellsoutlk
net.
i orter
LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR
II
To the Editor:
Wit to "Ignite the night?"
Beautify Forsyth has the answer
r Forsythians
who like cinna-
on with a "kick." Littered every-
where on our roadways are the small, red-capped
50 mL bottles of Fireball cinnamon whiskey.
Invariably empty, the found containers feature
the caricature of a self-described "fire-breathing
dragon who just ate a whiskey barrel full of
spicy cinnamon." Additional prose describes
Fireball as a "red hot" libation that can "ignite
the night" (thoughI suspect all quadrants of the
day are susceptible). It offers33 percent alcohol
(66 proof) and all the above advantages for only
$1.19. What a deal!
Our featured international delicacy is manu-
factured by the Sazernac Company, a privately
hdd entity owned by billionaire William
Goldring and based in New Orleans and
Louisville.
Beautify Forsyth encourages everyone to
collect litter around their homes and busi-
nesses. As always, those "adopting" a street
can receive a free pick-up stick.
Tom Perry
Forsyth
To the Editor:
fter reading the artide
regarding council mem-
bers wanting taxpayers
pay for their families
to attend various events in the Jan.
30 Reporter, I am just astounded.
"Public service" has become "self
service." Call me stupid but I always
thought that taxpayers pay for the
council members and they should
pay for their famih'es bottom line.
Now they want my tax money spent
on providing more benefits to people
that can dearly afford it, when I
cannot get any benefits at all. By all
means let me do without health/
medical insurance, so you and your
family can have a great time. Don't
get me wrong, I am all for law and
order, you can't have organized
crime without it.
Mary Moore
Forsyth
To the Editor:
I was sorry to see the listing of
[nameredacted] being charged
in the You Remember
When column on Jan. 30,
2019. IfI remember correctly he was
acquitted. Having his name dragged
through the mud falsely one time
was bad enough but to republish it
10 years later deserves an apology on
your part.
Nora Hoyt
Forsyth
Editor's note: Yes you are correct he
was acquitted. We won't re-print his
name this time, but our apologies to
him for that oversight.
To the Editor: a participant in a flag burning in cannot be changed. No one living
Iam sending this Ietter in re-,1992. She participated in burning today had anything to do with the
sponse to Sen. Chuck Schumers the flag of the great state of Georgia. American Civil War, it happened. It
choice of a person to respond to Apparently flag burning, whether seems the people who feel that it was
the State of the Union address our wonderful American flag, or such a travesty keep dredging it up.
from President Donald Trump. the flag of one of our great states is It happened, lay it to rest.
Stacey Abrams is the first person acceptable to Sen Schumer and the Edd Hart
not holding public office who has Democratic par . This is an insult Forsyth
been chosen to do so. The ques- to all citizens of our great country.
tion becomes why? She also was American history "is what it is." It
JUST THE WAY IT IS by Sloan Otiver
M hTyvocabulary is completely the womb. And because the ,fetus isn't Rep,ublicans, are NeverTrumpers
to describe viable, its not a person. Theyre correct; (NTs). The Dems latest efforts to legal-
repulsive and sinister a five-month-old fetus cannot survive ize infantidde should be aloud siren to
emocratic Party has outside the womb. However, with all the NeverTrumpers. You NT'S must
become. Democrats have devolved into
a satanic, death cult. Her6s
proofi The Democrats glee-
fully support k ng babies
because the Left worships at
the altar of "Choice" How
much more evil can the
Dems get than to heartily
and enthusiastically support
killing their own babies?
In case you missed it, last
week Gov. Andrew Cuomo
(D-NY) signed a law that
legalizes murdering babies,
for ANY reason, up to
and even during the baby's
birth. The law was over-
whehm V d ml,rrs
Democrat-controlled leg-
islature who then hollered and cheered
when Cuomo signed the bill into law.
Does anyone know if the Nazis cheered
when they legalized killing Jews? Just
asking. Then, the Dems in Vhginia
tried to 'but evil" them. The VA Dems,
supported by Gov. Northam (D-VA),
tried to pass a law that would outdo the
NY infantidde by allowing the doctor
and mother to kill a living baby after it's
been delivered. Fortunately, the VLrginia
Republicans defeated that satanic bill.
proper medical care, a six, seven and
eight-month-old fetus
can surviv they do
so all the time. Ifthe
pro-choice argument is
that a non-viable fetus is
not a person; then, the
opposite must be true -
a viable fetus is a person.
Everyone, induding
"pro-choicers ' knows
that a viable fetus is a
person. The pro-choic-
ers lie to themselves
to argue otherwise At
some point, that "non-
O/;V'eI" person"becomesa
person, and it's months
before birth. Once the
fetus becomes a person, it's murder to
kill the bab5 not "choiceY Basically, the
Left and Dems want to take the grant-
ing of'lmman status" away from God
and give it tO leftist politidans who have
different ideas on when human life
begins than do most of us.
TillS IS not a religious issue. This is
a humanitarian issue; it's right versus
wrong, good versus evil. You libs can
go ahead and call me a"woman hater"
because I dofft support killing viable
babies. Fine, at least I'm not a baby killer
or support those who are. Here's how
the left and Dems frame the conversa-
tion: A woman should be able to do
anything she wants with her body
- because it's her Translation, it's
her "choice" to do as she desires. And
nobody, espedally a man, is going to
tell her otherwise. If she wants to kill
the baby in her womb, that's her choice.
If you disagree, "tough shyster,' it's her
body. Then, they argue a fetus isn't even
a person; it's a blob of ceUs. And ifshe
wants to ldll the "non-person" carried
in her womb, it's her right to do so.
Now, shut up and pass the forceps.
THE"PRO-CI-IOICERS" tell
us that a month-old fetus or even a
five-month-old is not viable outside
LAWS AGAINST harming babies in
the womb are another aspect not being
disctme Under current law, if some-
one assaults a pregnant woman, and
that assault kills the fetus, the perpetra-
tor is cha ed with murder because the
fetus is considered a person. How can it
be murder to kill one fetus (when done
via assault) but not murder to kill an-
other fetus (when done via abortion)?
If it's a murder to cause the death of a
fetus in the womb, then shouldn't it be
murder to abort that same fetus?
BACK IN 2008 Sarah Palin was
mocked for asking if"death panels"
would soon be coming. At the time,
nobody knew how prescient she was.
The Democrat Party has become a
death cult. Whds next to die, infants
with Down Syndrome? Infants with
birth defects? Should we keep babies
alive for several months and only then
deride if we should kiU them or allow
them to live?
AS I'VE said before, President Trump
wasn't my first choice. But given the
choice between Hillary and Trump, I
supported Trump. Unfortunately, many
realize how extreme and dangerous the
Democratic Party has become. Until
recently, the Dems tried to conceal
their true intentions and beliefs. They
never came right out and said what
they planned to irntxxse once they got
in power. However, since November
the Dems have steered radical left.
They have become hard core leftists
and support many tenets of the old
Soviet Union. The new crop of Dems
are completely open about their desires
and beliefs - income tax up to 90%;
daily condemnation of the wealthy; not
just neutral on religion, openly hostile
to Christians as ted by a1 cks
on Covington Catholic High School;
confiscation of weapons; complete
open borders allowing anyone to enter;,
immediate benefits to all illegals; abol-
ish any and all border enforcement free
college education to everyone indud-
ing illegals; complete remake of the
dectorate via millions and millions of
illegals; baby killing on demand; gov-
ernment mandates over large sectors
of the economy to indude energy and
healthcare; and a huge expansion of all
government to implement and regulate
those new mandates.
THE LEFT, the Dems, and the media
are attacking the country on all fronts.
When the leftist cabal doesn't win at
the ballot box, they file endless lawsuits.
The Derns, and their media spokes-
people, have handcuffed President
Trump with a bogus investigation.
Endless fake news has so confused the
dectorate that sooalism, as a form of
government, is polling very wall among
Democrats and millennials. President
Trump is one of the few Republicans
who see the dangers ofthis cabal but
he's becoming increasingly powerless
because few recognize and understand
what's at stake. If the new infantidde
laws dodt convince the NT'S at how
evil the Democrats have become, then
nothingwi
WEEKLY Quote The Left worships
at the altar of"Choice
Sloan Oliver is a retireA Army cer
who lives in Monroe County. Email him
atdamdivera arthlink.net
