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Column
By
Adam Fouche
The Jackson Herald
October 25, 2000
Shame on you,
Mr. Candidate
Some politicians have slumped to a new low in Banks County.
A torrential downpour of negative campaigning has created a huge
pit of political mud, full of slush and nastiness.
Unfortunately, some candidates aren't voicing their views or
boasting their accomplishments. The need to explain one's plans
for a political office has gone by the wayside.
Instead, candidates are resorting to desperate measures in a
final effort to win over Johnny Voter.
Candidates have stopped packaging themselves and are trying to
destroy their opponent's character.
They are turning to the rumor mill and sending out tiny lies
to scour the county like rats in a freshly cut field. They are
infesting the voter with false perceptions and empty campaign
promises.
I hope you are proud of yourself, Mr. Candidate.
You have abandoned common decency. You no longer cling to ideals
and morals. Your conscience has shriveled up and died, leaving
a political carcass too desperate to care about doing the right
thing.
I bet you don't even realize the image you are portraying to
voters.
Do you really think we want to elect someone who is distrustful
and unethical? Do you believe we want to put a person in office
who will stoop to any level to get what he wants?
I think not.
And no more of the "It's all a part of politics" routine.
It doesn't have to be a part of politics. It only is a part because
we, the voters, allow it to be.
The time has come to abandon those old ideals.
It's time for us to stand up and demand a clean campaign. It's
time for us to show Mr. Candidate that we are voting for the
guy who ran a good campaign and kept his hands out of the mud.
Voters beware. Mr. Candidate is tricky and he will entangle you
in his web of deception if you let him.
But, to help you relate to the injustice of negative campaigning,
consider this example:
Your son has just applied for a very competitive college scholarship
against another young man in your community. The other young
man, seeing that your son is the better candidate, decides to
start a rumor that your son once raped a fellow student.
He continues, saying your son frequents wild parties and drinks
a lot.
Eventually, the rumors get to the scholarship board members.
They promptly turn down your son's application and grant the
scholarship to the other young man-the dirty young man.
Was it fair? How do you think you and your son would feel?
Just remember that in two weeks when you go to the polls.
Step back from all the negative ads. Vote with your conscience.
You know what is right.
Send the right message to future candidates.
We don't want negative campaigns in Banks County.
Adam Fouche is a reporter for MainStreet Newspapers.
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Column
By
Tim Thomas
The Jackson Herald
October 25, 2000
A grand finale
The state championship win by Jefferson High School's slow-pitch
softball team capped off an amazing season not only for the Lady
Dragons but for all five teams in the Mainstreet Newspapers coverage
area.
Madison County's fast-pitch team scorched their competition during
the regular season, and did well at Columbus, finishing fourth
overall in the state tournament. Banks County finished in the
top six by winning their opening-round game, and Jackson County
was also among the state's elite eight.
The fourth-place finish by Commerce is a bit surprising, given
that the Lady Tigers handed Jefferson all three of their losses
on the year. The competition in class A was fierce, and any of
the top four teams probably could have won if not for Jefferson's
return to the dominant type of game they showed all season before
the Commerce losses.
Looking back, those losses to the Lady Tigers may have been just
the tonic Jefferson needed going into the state tournament. Sometimes
it takes a loss - particularly one to a rival - to bring a simmering
kettle to full boil.
The level of success enjoyed by area teams this year is of course
unprecedented, but could actually be repeated next year. Each
team is ripe with young talent, and the three smaller schools
will all be back in slow-pitch in 2001. Madison County may play
the role of odd man out among local teams, as the Lady Raiders
must find a new pitcher to replace senior Sheena Mason.
The situation at Jackson County is too cloudy to call. At a meeting
Monday night, school officials decided to offer both fast- and
slow-pitch in 2001, but whether enough interested players can
be found for a fast-pitch team is unclear. If the Lady Panthers
field only a slow-pitch team next year, they should be able to
return to Columbus.
Of course, fast-pitch proponents say the school will eventually
have to go that route anyway, so why not start now to avoid having
to play catch-up later. They may be right, but try explaining
that to a group of very talented underclassmen who now have the
taste of state tournament competition in their mouths. Perhaps
one of them can emerge as an overpowering pitcher such as Mason.
The class A title game was easily the most thrilling sporting
event this reporter has seen all year, with Jefferson and Bryan
County needing three extra innings to determine a winner. The
contest drew a larger crowd than any of the higher-classification
games.
In the midst of the celebration, Jefferson team members shared
tearful smiles, and remembered the source of their inspiring
performance.
"We did this one for Daniel Goza, baby!" pitcher Melinda
Floyd was heard exclaiming as she left the playing field.
Congratulations to the Lady Dragons, and to all our local softball
teams, on a tremendous season.
Tim Thomas is a reporter for The Jackson Herald. His email
address is SpeckCh@aol.com.
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Jackson County Opinion Index |
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