June 26, 2004
There is no doubt about it. Our politicians provide great entertainment in their quest to get elected. I attended the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce's political forum on June 25th and was much amused. There were about as many candidates for office as there were folks assembled to listen to them. The candidates only got one regulated minute to speak. About all the audience could do was jot down who did a good job and who didn't. There were a number of folks in the lineup who should have stayed at home, but those folks never know who they are! One incumbent state senator,
Gloria Butler, told the group that her experience and knowledge would be detrimental to the General Assembly. This is not a joke; she really said this. Malaprops usually occur if the speaker is very witty or very uneducated, and I'll leave the decision to you. Maybe Senator Butler just needs to stay away from microphones.
Brian Whiteside, candidate for Sheriff, passed around a letter that bludgeoned the current Sheriff
Butch Conway's management of the department. This "letter" was signed by "A Very Concerned Deputy." No name. Obviously, Whiteside doesn't realize that this letter could have been written by anybody, even Whiteside himself, and so as a testimonial piece, the letter is worse than useless. Hello?
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Today's New York Times had an interesting story on the front page about cellphones having features that help people provide bogus alibis for themselves. It seems there is a network of folks in an alibi and excuse club that can be accessed for the asking. Well, if our culture has come to this pretty low point, I'd say we are in a peck of trouble. Now we can no longer trust anybody. Just because the background noise on a cell call sounds like being stuck in traffic, that may not necessarily be the case. You can buy background traffic noise. It seems loyalty, honesty and ethics are going down the tubes faster and faster these days.
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Many years ago I cut out a newspaper squib about success and posted it prominently on my refrigerator. The clipping now shows the yellowing evidence of old age. Unfortunately, I cut off the author's name in the interest of saving space, so I cannot attribute it, but these are some words to live by:
Success
"He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much; who has enjoyed the trust of pure women, the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task; who has left the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem or a rescued soul; who has never lacked appreciation of Earth's beauty or failed to express it; who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had; whose life was an inspiration; whose memory a benediction."
Now in Gwinnett County, Georgia anyway, I am wondering how many "movers and shakers" would buy into this wonderful description of success, probably only a pitifully small number. Unfortunately, I think for too many of our captains of industry, success is measured only by who has the most money. Success is not being measured by how one treats other people, unless backstabbing and rudeness have become admired in those rarified circles, which is entirely possible. The downhill slide of consideration and manners appears to be like a lemming run over the sleaze cliff. The prevailing sentiment is, "I certainly do put you first, right after me." Success is supposed to live in Gwinnett, according to the Chamber of Commerce. I guess it depends upon what you mean by "success."
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The United Peachtree Corners Civic Association is hosting a political forum on Monday, June 28, 2004 at Simpsonwood Conference & Retreat Center, 4511 Jones Bridge Circle in Peachtree Corners at 7:30 p.m. Everyone on the July 20th ballot who we can vote for in Peachtree Corners has been invited to attend so we ought to have a good crowd. Candidates have been invited to bring their campaign materials so you can get a yard sign for somebody if you wish. District 2 Commissioner
Bert Nasuti is the moderator. Candidates will get two regulated minutes to speak.
One of the benefits to attending a meeting at Simpsonwood is the big chance of spotting some deer. The herd roams the 250-acre Simpsonwood forest on the banks of the Chattahoochee River. It is a glorious setting. These are the deer that make their way to my backyard. My neighborhood is connected to the forest through a flood plain corridor.
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One last item: The proliferation of political signs on our roadsides has proved that almost none of these candidates for office has paid any attention whatsoever to the sign ordinances of the county. They all received a copy of the sign ordinances when they registered to run for office. Please look around and notice who all has placed their signs in the county right-of-way, an illegal placement. The Truckload Eighteen will undoubtedly pick these up and pitch them into the county dumpster. One or two candidates have been smart about this and placed their yard signs only on private property with permission. I guess this evidence of signs may be the first indication we voters have of whether or not a candidate has any brains.
Hope all is well and thanks for reading.
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