LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Gun control, ESPLOST and other topics

There are many reasons why Barnes was defeated, including his acceptance of millions of dollars in campaign funds from numerous special interest groups who care nothing about our constitution and the individual freedom it stands for.

Some of the results of his actions, both as a state representative before he became governor and during that time our state budget doubled and more and more restrictions were added to lessen our freedoms even more. During his first legislative session as governor he passed the egregious Health Securities Bill SB 385, which state senator Seth Harp (D) promoted as “Martial law” which it is.

Of course when a country is living under martial law, its citizens can and will be told what to do and when to do it. And that includes surrendering their firearms, ammunition, food and even their homes for the “common good.” And why not? A police state needs its citizens to be disarmed and enslaved in order to control them, even to the extent of genocide.

Some of the gun control laws that Barnes supported required that the citizens of Georgia to have a Concealed Carry Weapons permit to exercise their God given right to choose what weapons they would use in their defense of a government that had become destructive of the restrictions imposed upon it by the Constitution, i.e. gun control, restrictions on ammunition and even our health care, insurance, food and housing, etc. Quarantines and evacuations could be forced upon us simply because the governor declared any emergency.

Unfortunately, every member of the Georgia general assembly voted for this gun control bill or abstained, as a favor to President Bill Clinton, for the price of $25 million dollars. Barnes also supported a Governor Zell Miller bill that requires a digital fingerprint on a driver license, thus making it a national id card, which flies in the face of the founding principles of our Republic. This nefarious act was also adopted as a favor to President Bill Clinton to the tune of $25 million. Now, our state senator in district 50, Jim Butterworth has supported a bill (SB 308) to require the general assembly to define what constitutes a public gathering on a state required permit to carry a concealed firearm for self defense. This flies in the face of the 2nd Amendment and all other founding principle of our Republic.

All of these things and more are tools to be used in a police state, such as the one that existed in Germany, whose Nazi gun control act of 1938 was enacted and enforced by Adolph Hitler’s jack booted government thugs as they stormed peoples homes to confiscate their guns, food, clothing and whatever else they chose to. Then taking many of them off to concentration camps for possible extermination. 13 million were.

The federal gun control act of 1968 is a copy of the 1938 Nazi gun control act that was brought home from the Neuremberg trials by U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Connecticut.)

Now my question to former Governor Roy Barnes and State Senator Jim Butterworth, along with their NRA sponsors is: who do you think you are to commit such atrocities as this in America?

Sincerely,
Edwin Gravitt
Former Chairman of the Franklin
and Barrow County Republican Parties


Encourages renewal of ESPLOST

Dear Editor:
Although it seems like everyone is researching and trying to decide on a myriad of candidate from Governor to state and national representatives, from secretary to commissioners, I hope all Barrow citizens are in agreement on our need to vote YES for the upcoming E-SPLOST referendum.

This is a continuation of a 1 penny tax that goes to educational projects – no maintenance, operations or salaries can be paid with it. We have approved it three times before, and we really need to do it again. This tax is not SPLOST or LOST that goes to the county and cities. It is specifically for the Barrow County School system.

The projects covered by this tax will improve technology and allow our school system to plan for the 500 plus enrollment increase that we experience every year (almost one whole school), as well as replace school buses. A large portion of it will continue paying for the school improvements and additions that we already have as a result of the last E-SPLOST referendum.

Due to the slower economy, the debt on those classrooms hasn’t been paid off as fast as predicted. If this tax isn’t continued, all property owners (houses, land, cars, boats, etc.) will be obligated to pay back this debt. It will add over 5 mils to our tax bills – a 25% increase!

If you would like more information about what has been accomplished or what this continuation will do, please visit the Barrow County Board of Education website to view two short videos: http://www.barrow.k12.ga.us/district/html/esplost_iv.html

This referendum will be on the July 20 Republican and Democratic primary ballots; please be sure to vote YES!

Sincerely,
Gwen Hill


ESPLOST to help with faclities

Dear Editor:

Please support Barrow County schools and vote in favor of the ESPLOST tax that is on the ballot July 20.

This will continue the once cent education sales tax that is already in place. The proceeds will help construct new classrooms, buy buses, improve existing facilities, and much more.

Early voting has already begun, so join us and vote yes for barrow County Schools today.

Sincerely,
Paul and Sally Brown
Auburn


Concerned about loan

Dear Editor:

I’m not one to write letters to the editor, but I have a need to express myself when it comes to the Winder Public Library. This comes as a response to the article regarding a $5 million loan on the front page of the Barrow Journal on Wednesday, June, 16, 2010 along with Monica Newman’s concern over the library closing early.

How is it that our city and/or county officials can allow a loan that was sought out without prior approval to move forward? Let us keep in mind that it will ultimately cost our citizens $10 million to repay. This coming at a time when we the community are suffering the effects of local budget cuts to the extreme that we cannot get the needed upgrade to the air conditioning of our local public library forcing it to close their doors early due to extreme heat. It is estimated that the repairs to the a/c at the library will run about $300,000 which is still far less than the $10 million for a public works “complex” that consists of 37,000 sq. ft. It would seem as though this “complex” is perhaps something that could occupy already vacated buildings currently within the city or be postponed until a time when all of the employees that have been laid off can return to their posts.

Let us all hope and pray that our community leaders will ultimately see that this loan should not go as planned and our library will be able to comfortably serve our community well.

Sincerely,
Dr. David Ragland
Winder


A father’s trip to his son

Dear Editor:

It is a mystery who your new baby boy will become when you exit the delivery room.

Of course your first fear is for his health. I was reassured to learn that my son was in perfect condition. After that you wonder now what do I do? You realized you have never raised a child before. We put him in the back of the car a gingerly drove him home.

I held him in my arms and talked to him ad nauseam over his early years about the great future he would have and how he was capable of doing anything - and I mean anything! He would say, "Goo gooo" back to me.

As he chewed his way through tons of food - and we survived the subsequent tons of Pampers - he emerged to walk and to say his first words. His personality struggled to form. The terrible twos brought a small child's temper and his first steps. Memorable is his finding security in me whenever he was frightened of strangers.

The first days of school produced the beginnings of many years of crayon drawings and crude writing he brought home for my approval. Many of which I have kept in a cherished binder for nearly three decades.

I remember his favorite toy a tiny truck and his incredible devotion to it. He spent what seemed like countless hours pushing it along the kitchen's hardwood floor. His mother and I would explain to him he had to put it away when we were going out. He would put away - until we weren't looking. By five he would hide his truck in the morning before school and when I wasn't looking he would secretly tuck it away in his inside jacket pocket. During a teacher parent conference his teacher reported how well behaved he was - with one exception. You guessed it! She said he would play constantly with a small truck. That led to frisking him every morning before school.

One thing that amazed me over the years was his uncanny ability to remember, with a photographic memory, any trip we took. Whenever I was lost I recall him saying (from the back seat), "Turn there" and he was right every time! At six he would recall every turn for trips through several counties. He was literally a human GPS. It never ceased to astonish me.

As a teenager he asked me to help him learn to drive. I did. He was a natural!

I explained to him, "You have to drive by the book during the driving exam. However, if you drive exactly like that on the road you will be dead! Be careful at all times but use common sense." He became an excellent driver and soon found a job driving a truck in his first year of college.

While at college he constantly asked me to give him my old car. I didn't because of my fear he would not finish school if he had that distraction. I promised him that I would do it in his last year when he was close to finishing. I lived up to my word and he drove off in my old car happy as a lark.

It was a great joy to hear my once small son's name called out as he walked across the stage at San Francisco State University to accept his BA degree as the last of my three children to earn a degree. How lucky can a parent get?

Over the years since he has traveled to England, Argentina, Ghana, Chile, and has settled in Hong Kong where we communicate regularly by email.

I love him dearly and would do it all again.

Sincerely,
Dwight Acey
Winder