JA THE NEWS-JOURNAL
Rueford, N.C.
May 30, 20U1
Viewpoints
Common sense gone but not forgotten — or is it?
After an after-dinner talk, if the
person calls for such, the audience
will write down comments about the
speaker. The person in charge will
send me the remarks.
Such happened when I recently
talked in Morehead City. Many of the
ladies were kind to me, such com
ments as “funny,” “excellent,” and
“very entertaining” were some 1 re
ceived. However, all of them weren’t
really impressed with my humor.
One comment shows they had
never heard me before: “loud voice
but difficult to understand.” I always
tell elderly folks in the audience to
turn down their hearing aids, because
they won’t have any trouble hearing
me. Apparently this lady didn’t turn
hers down. Others; “Some jokes were
too far out,” “Could not hear, could
not understand,” “Didn’t like the
jokes,” “Humorous, but felt he was a
more standup comic than speaker,”
“Funny, but not very helpful —speaks
too fast.”
These ladies were a tough audi
ence. My wife said those ladies who
made those comments were a bunch
of prudes. Spoken like a true wife.
There is one thing in which a
speaker can take comfort; if they had
all liked you they would have been
lying. In a serious note, it is difficult
to know what people want to hear.
Most folks have a great sense of hu
mor, but some don’t want to hear
anything that might suggest a thought
that wouldn’t be acceptable in Sun
day school.
Even though 1 stay after my
preacher and in turn he doesn’t let me
off the hook, he will pass some great
articles to me. The subjectof th is com
mentary is: Do you read the obituar
ies?
Today we mourn the passing of an
old friend by the name of common
sense. Common sense lived a long
life but died from heart failure at the
brink of the millennium. No one re
ally knows how old he was since his
birth records were long ago lost in
bureaucratic red tape. He selflessly
devoted his life to service in schools,
hospitals, homes, factories and of
fices, helpingfolks get jobs done with
out fanfaie and foolishness.
For decades, petty ruft^j*»illy law*
and frivolous lawsuits held no power
over common sense.
He was credited with cultivating
such valued lessons as to know when
to come in out of the rain. The early
bird get the worm, and life isn’t al
ways fair. Common Sense lived by
simple, sound financial policies (don’t
spend more than you earn), reliable
parenting strategies (adults in charge,
not kids), and it is o.k. to come in
second. A veteran of industrial revo
lution, the great depression and the
technological evolution. Common
Sense survived cultural and educa
tional trends including feminism, body
piercing, whole language and new
Poison Prevention Month
Play areas can
be danger zones
By Dr. Marsha Ford, director
Carolinas Poison Center
Do you love to hear children laugh
ing, bouncing a ball, playing an in
tense game? Do you smile at the cheers
when one scores a point in the goal
you bu i It onto the garage? How wou Id
you feel if the play area you’re keep
ing transformed those joyful sounds
into shrieks of pain... or worse, si
lence?
Almost everything in the garage is
a poison danger, so the garage should
be “poison proofed.” Car maintenance
items, such as gasoline and antifreeze,
are extremely toxic. Home repair
items, such as paint, paint thinner and
turpentine, can also be dangerous.
Even barbecue items, such as easy-
light charcoal and lighter fluid, can
cause injury in the hands of a child.
These products are best kept in a
locked cabinet. Always keep chemi
cals in their original containers with
their original labels to avoid confu
sion. For example, something as po
tentially lethal as antifreeze has a re
markable resemblance to a soft drink,
so don’t store in a soda bottle or other
container.
In addition to poison-proofing,
knowledge of the warning signs of a
poisoning can help save a life. Chil
dren probably won’t tell you they’ve
been poisoned, so look for signs such
as stomach pain, dizziness, drowsi
ness, difficulty breathing, vomiting
ordiarrhea. Chemicals may be spilled
on or around the child. Burns and
irritation around the mouth can indi
cate poisoning with a caustic sub
stance such as lye or acid.
(See POISONS, page 3A)
A View from
the Country
Raz Autry
math. But his health declined when he
became infected with the “if it only
helps one person it’s worth it” virus.
In recent decades his waning
strength proved no match for the rav
ages of overbearing federal regula
tion. He watched in pain as good
people became ruled by self-seeking
lawyers and enlightened auditors. His
health rapidly deteriorated when
schools endlessly implemented zero
tolerance pol icies, reports of six-year-
old boys charged with sexual harass
ment for kissing a classmate, a teen
suspended for taking a swigof mouth
wash after lunch, and a teacher fired
for reprimanding an unruly student. It
declined even further when schools
had to get parental consent to admin
ister aspirin to a student but cannot
inform the parent when the female
student is pregnant or wants an abor
tion.
Finally, Common Sense lost his
will to live as the Ten Command
ments became contraband, churches
became businesses, criminals received
better treatment than victims, and fed
eral judges stuck their noses in every
thing from Boy Scouts to professional
sports. As the end neared. Common
Sense drifted in and out of logic but
was kept informed of developments
regard! ng questionable regulations for
asbestos, low flow toilets, “smart
guns,” the nurturing of pprohibition
laws and mandatory air bags. Finally,
when told that the homeowners asso
ciation restricted exterior furniture
only to that which enhanced property
values, he breathed his last.
Common Sense was preceded in
death by his parents. Truth and Trust,
his wife. Discretion, his daughter.
Responsibility, and his son. Reason.
He is survived by three stepbrothers.
Rights, Tolerance, and Whiner. Not
many attended his funeral because so
few realized he was gone.
We Get Letters
Centennial contributors are thanked by committee head
To The Editor:
I’ve had so many wonderful com
ments concerning the City of Raeford
Centennial. I think Victoriana Sum
mers covered the success of every
thing in The News-Journal in her ar
ticle “Raeford Marks 100” concern
ing the Raeford Centennial Celebra
tion.
I wish to thank the centennial com
mittee for their contribution in mak
ing this event a success. This was a
dedicated group who put in many
long free hours to see that each event
was the best it could be. Please thank
these people for their hard work: Pa
rade—Tony Austin and Anna Garri
son; Dinner — Carroll Coley; Fire
works — Palmer Willcox; Play —
Ray Harris, Jane Sellars, Ginny Rauch;
City Seal — Sam Morris and Eloise
Carter; Old Fashion Music — Ginny
Rauch; Gefltennial Dance — Mary
Bolin and C^'I McKeithan; Item
Sales — Irish Pickett and Grace
McDonald; Invitations — Sam Mor
ris and Dodie Currie; History —Locke
MacDonald, Betty Smith, John
McAllister, Palmer Willcox, Sam
Morris and Jim Best; Publicity —
Sam Morris, Connie Ellis, Ken
MacDonald, and The News-Journal;
Museum — Mike McNeill; Draw
ings of Historic Sites — Jeni Smith;
Mini Museum — Lynette Dial and
Jeni Smith; Downtown — Mike
Lucas, Mack High and the city em
ployees; Mural — Boy Scouts Troop
440 (Lester Davis, Manuel Leander,
Greg Brigman, Vail Li, Ashley Davis;
Capsule — Locke MacDonald,
Palmer Willcox and Betty Smith;
Reception — Jane Britt, Sondra
Scarboro and Faye Lippard; Decora
tions for reviewing stand and library
stage — Calico Corner; and Conces
sions for the centennial dance —
Music Booster Club.
Others who should receive special
thanks for their support of the centen
nial celebration are Mayor Bob Gen
try, the City Council, tiii»Reverend
Billy Brady, and the many people
who contributed to the writings of the
history of Raeford as found in the
special edition of “The City of Rae
ford - The First 100 Years 1901 -
2001.” Thanks to the following places
for selling centennial items: Barbee
Pharmacy, Chamber of Commerce,
Baker House, House of Raeford, and
City Hall. We appreciate the loyalty
of the employers that purchased cen
tennial shirts for their employees and
the businesses and churches that ad
vertised for us. Thank you to the ones
who purchased centennials items, din
ner tickets and play tickets and who
participated in and attended the events
planned for you and who helped to
make the centennial celebration a suc
cess.
If I have failed to mention
someone’s name, please accept my
apology and let me know, because we
truly appreciate everyone and every
thing that was done to help celebrate
Raeford’s 100 year-old birthday.
Sincerely,
Grace McDonald
City of Raeford Centennial
Committee Chairman
Hoke County is blessed with kind and generous people
Dear Editor:
There isn’t much time left to get
the word out that we are going to be
collecting canned foods and non-per
ishable food items at the Hoke County
Library stage on Saturday June 2 all
day long during the Jesus Day 2001
activities. The actual March For Jesus
this year will begin assembling at the
parking lot at Hoke High at 8 a.m. and
the march itself will begin at 9 a.m.
The route will be up Bethel to Harris
and then up Main Street to the library
stage. Anyone who wants to walk is
invited to meet at the school or join
the march along the route. After the
marchers reach the library there will
be a full day of activities including
Sidewalk Sunday Schools at three
locations in the county, a free car
wash and a canned drink give-away.
There will be singing, praise and cel
ebration on the stage all day long. For
further information, contact coordi
nator Lorraine Landry at 875-6414 or
875-5680.
I want to say thank you to all the
generous people of Hoke County who
continually open their hearts to their
neighbors and fellow citizens. Our
poor little county has one of the best
donation rates per capita for the Relay
for Life and the American Cancer
Society in the state. I have started a
Samuel Sosa Eye Fund to buy artifi
cial eyes for Hoke County’s youngest
cancer victim, and the donations are
coming in, some anonymously. They
can be made to Hoke County Partner
ship for Children ano Families, PO
Box 1209, Raeford; dropped off to
me or at the WMFA Radio Station.
When someone needs a hand in Hoke
County there is always someone will
ing to give a hand.
There are other ways to help. Hos
pice of Hoke County and the Literacy
Council are both conducting mem
bership drives and accept donations
and volunteers for their worthwhile
causes. The Raeford Hoke Humane
Society needs members, volunteers
and donations of cash, bleach and cat
litter. Aluminum cans for Habitat for
Humanity’s efforts can be dropped
off in the trailer at the intersection of
Highway 20 and 401 Bypass or taken
directly to Raeford Salvage if you tell
them to credit Habitat for Humanity.
Just about all of our schools are
collecting either boxtops or soup and
other labels to obtain athletic equip
ment, computers and other items for
our children. All of the schools need
volunteers, and the teachers and ad
ministrators have to work hard to be
more appreciative than the students
when you show up to spend some
time there. Sheriff Davis is right when
he says “If we don’t educate our chil
dren, we will have to rehabilitate our
adults.”
I see people all the time eating at
Subway and not taking their stamps.
You can donate these to Kalen
Whilhide at the drivers license office.
Ministerial Association says thank you
To the Editor:
On behalf of the Raeford-Hoke
Ministerial Association, 1 would like to
take this opportunity to thank everyone
who helped to make the County-Wide
Revival a success. I could not begin to
name everyone who was instrumental
in this effort. However, 1 would like to
say a special thanks to Mayor Bob
Gentry and all the town and county
officials who worked so diligently with
us. And for Mr. Mitch Tyler, superin
tendent of Hoke County Schools, who
was especially supportive and helpful
to us. Our thanks to Evangelist Quinton
Mills for taking the time out of his busy
schedule to come and minister to
us.
I also want to thank the hundreds
of people who came out each night to
Lumbees asked: Chiefs, where are the braves?
To the Editor:
Why does it seem that everyone
wants to be the chief and no one wants
to be the brave? In all my years of
working in different counties, I never
had the envy and backstabbing that I
have here with my own blood broths
ers and sisters. If one of us becomes
successful, others are jealous of them.
People, we do not need to be so child
ish. I here is enough for everyone that
proposes to do something with their
life beside doping of being plas
tered.
Do you not know where our fore
fathers came from or what they had to
go through with? Or, better yet, what
Letters to Editor policy
The News Journal welcomes Letters to the Editor and encourages readers
to express their opinions.
Letters must be signed and include an address and phone number. The street
address and phone number will not be published, but are required so we may
verify authenticity. The name of the writer and, in some cases, the town the
writer is from will be published at the end of the letter.
We reserve the right to edit letters for grammar, as well as those that exceed
300 words. We will not publish letters that we consider to be in poor taste or
slanderous. In some cases we may add an editor’s note as a postscript when we
believe a correction, explanation or amplification is warranted. We may also,
at our discretion, limit the number of times an individual writer may submit a
letter for publication.
The News-Journal
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119 W. Elwood Avenue
Raeford, North Carolina 28376
(910) 875-2121
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She uses them to take a church girls’
youth group on outings so save your
stamps and donate them from time to
time.
Hoke County is blessed with kind
and generous people who just need to
know where they are needed or where
they can give back some of what they
have been given. Thanks for the love
you all show for each other.
Hope to see you Saturday at the
March for Jesus.
Tom Squier
COG (Child of God)
Robert Dickson Publisher
Ken MacDonald General Manager
Pat Allen Wilson Editor
Victoriana Summers Reporter
Henry L. Blue Production Supervisor
Mantise Andrews ; Press Foreman
Sam C. Morris Contributing Editor
Teena Jones Advertising Representative
Composing Room Staff
Robin Thompkins, Sandra Wiggins
Postmaster:
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Raeford, N.C. 28376
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The News Journal is sold at these locations:
the revival. I know you were richly
blessed and that many souls were
saved and needs met.
But mostly, 1 want to thank God
for the great weather, the many an
swered prayers, and His Spirit that
was with us each night of the revival,
for without His presence this would
all have been in vain.
I believe we will see many good
things as a result of this County-Wide
Revival. And I believe we can make
this an even greater event in the years
to come. Let’s all keep praying for our
county.
Rev. Billy Joe Brady,
Vice-President
Raeford-Hoke Ministerial
Association
Averitte’s Central Ave.
Barbee Pharmacy Harris Ave.
Bo’s S. Main St.
Butlers Grocery Arabia
CVS Drugs 401 Bypass
Carthens Grocery. Centre Grove Church Rd.
Community Grocery Five Points
Daniels’ BP 401 Bypass
Daniels’ Exxon E. Central Ave.
David’s #5 Hwy 20 & Central
Edinborough Rest S. Main St.
Fast Shop W. Prospect. Ave.
Food S. Stop W. Prospect Ave.
401 Express Stop ... E. Central & 401 N.
401 Shop & Save #1 Harris and 401
401 Shop & Save #2 E. Central Ave.
G-Mail Hwy 211 E.
Graystone Restaurant... E. Central Ave.
Hardin’s Rockfish Rd., Rockfish
Home Food Supermarket Main St.
Howell Drug Teal Dr.
J&L Clover Scurlock School Rd.
Jimmy’s Exxon Hwy. 401 N.
Lucky Stop 401 and Palmer
McNeil’s Grocery Antioch
McPhatter’s Grocery 401 BusA/ass Rd.
Miller’s Cash & Carry Dundarrach
0 & J Conv. Marl Old Maxton Rd.
Papa’s Pizza Harris Ave.
Parks Grocery McCain
Poco N, Main St.
R&R Grocery Hwy. 211 East
Robins Hgts Grocery E. 7th Ave.
Short Stop #14 401 & Palmer
Short Stop #23 Rockfish Rd.&401
Short Stop #54 Hwy. 401 Bypass
Short Stop #64 Hwy. 211 West
Short Stop #66 745 S. Main St.
Short Stop #68 N. Fulton St.
The News-Journal 119 W. Elwood
Wagon Wheel Rest 509 Harris
Woody’s Rockfish Rd. at King Rd.
Zip N Mart 401 N.
they lost (examples: land, homes, dig
nity)?
We as a tribe, do we need to be so
greedy that we cannot help the true
needy and not the truly greedy? We
can and do help any other race by
supporting their businesses. Can we
not do the same for those of our own
tribe?
Remember, a house divided against
itself will fall. We have been sepa
rated too long. The enemy, the true
enemy, is ourselves and not any other
race or creed.
Wanda Jacobs
Hoke County
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