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2A THE NEWS-JOURNAL Raeford, N.C. January 21, 2009 Viewpoints Well done, good servant Volunteering in America is a way of life. Most of our organiza tions, which serve people, depend on volunteers. Personally, I have enjoyed my years of volunteering. I have served with some great volunteers, but unfortunately, I have served with some who need to be doing something else. I have never worked or served with a volunteer as worthy as Josh Scull. He is Johnny-on- the-spot when those organiza tions he serves call. Josh works with Hospice and the H.E.L.P Store, and with anyone else in need. Many families who have need of a stove or washing ma chine can thank Josh because of his concern and dedication to the job. He will buy, repair and give it to the H.E.L.P Store so a family can enjoy the benefit of his labor. Not only does he share his talent with those in need, he shares his goods. Josh is one of my best peach customers. He doesn’t fool me A View from the Country Raz Autry in the least. I am well aware that he shares those many bushels of peaches with those he loves, and those loves extend to many people. Josh has many “wives” and he isn’t even married. The ladies love him and know when they call. Josh will answer. God bless you my friend because you are answering the call He gives us. Those of us who know your heart can hear the angels sing, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” Most computers come up with messages that an ordinary human being can’t understand. The computer gets the mes sages like the little girl who came home from a one-room schoolhouse. Her mother asked her what had happened at school that day. She said, “Well, not much except I watched a little mouse run around the schoolroom and it finally ran up our teacher’s leg. She grabbed it through her dress tail and squeezed it as hard as she could. I never dreamed you could squeeze that much water out of a mouse.” If the weather folks are correct, which they seldom are, at this writing we are in for some cold weather. We all have to remem ber they get the weather from a computer, which is an instrument of the devil. My parting thought: A father was trying to help his son with his math schoolwork. ’’What’s two and two?” the son asked. The father explained, “If I gave you two apples and then took both of them away, how many would you have?” “Nary a one. Paw,” he an swered. “That’s right,” said the father, “Put down nary.” We Get Letters Sad that parents aren’t heard hy educators To the editor: Once again I am struck by the absurdity and redundancy of our local educational leaders. It is truly absurd that our illustrious superintendent would criticize a mother for her concern about her child’s safety. It is redundant that, once again, he chooses to think he knows better how to raise other folk’s children. I personally know Mendy Bmm- fiel. She is like any other mother in that she will do whatever is neces sary to protect her children. Any mother reading this article would have reacted in like manner. Some mothers would have paid the board of education a visit as soon as it happened. Incidentally, when was it decided that a teacher could not enter a school bus? Mrs. Brum- hel was identified as a substitute teacher. Is Williamson making up the rules as they become necessary? Does he not understand that (his) policy means absolutely nothing when it affects the safety of our children? It is a sad state of affairs when the powers that be will not listen to, nor consider any complaint from, school parents. In other words “Listen to me and do not question anything I say or do because I am always right and you are always wrong.” I have learned that Williamson would not listen to Mrs. Brumfiel’s complaint and actually chastised her for calling him. Of all the gall.... He apparently does not know that there are two sides to every story, not only his side. I would like to know who Wil liamson’s investigators are, as they found no wrongdoings by the bus driver. Why would a bus driver turn around in a cul-de sac, as there is only one way in and one way out? Also, he said the driver “couldn’t have been speeding that much.’ ’ Try that on a Highway Patrol trooper the next time you are stopped for speeding. Forparents who “want to remain anonymous to avoid potential incrimination,” I suggest that you get your head out of the sand and take more interest in the safety and well being of your children. You need to stop allowing those who feed at the public trough to push you around. Get involved! Go to school board meetings! Visit the superintendent! Force the issue and hold them accountable for their actions. Yeah! Get out and become involved. Vote the School Board out. Elect those who really want to do what’s right. Peacefully assemble and go to the next school board meeting and insistthatMrs.Brumfielbe allowed to state her piece. I trust that the legal matter concerning Mrs. Brumfiel will be laughed out of court. Hoke County does not need the embarrassment that is sure to come from this fiasco. If Williamson cared to show some real leadership in this matter, he would apologize to Mrs. Brumfiel and get on with more important matters. Or, if he hangs in there, maybe James Leach will name the next school building after him. Would that not be a treat? Apparently Williamson has his own fiefdom and controls it with an iron fist. What exactly is the function of the Board of Education in this matter? Do they advise and consent, or simply rubber stamp whatever Williamson decides he wants to do? Folks, ignorance can be overlooked but stupidity has its own reward, and it appears that we are to be rewarded once again. Sorry for the redundancy in the last sentence. Raz, Bob, Don, where are you? We need you! Our children need you! We’re sinking! Help! Jeff Sumner Isn’t the first speeding episode employees and let them know they are breaking the law, because it is obvious their superintendent does not know how to do his job. Since we are in a time of change, maybe the transportation superintendent and superintendent of the Hoke school system need to changed. Karen Knight Raeford School system went too far Editor's note: In an edit of The News-Journal’s article the word “incrimination ” was used instead of “discrimination.” At least one parent told us she was afraid if she publicly came forward, her child would face discrimination from the school system. To the editor: I hope that Mr. Creech and Mr. Williamson read this. I have an extremely simple solution to this problem of “those” bus driv ers who feel they do not have to obey the speed limit posted in neighborhoods, putting at risk the children that are waiting for their bus (as the bus flies past them) as well as those on the bus: STOP SPEEDING! I am also not surprised with the stand that the officials are taking on defending this driver. Why? Let me explain. Two years ago, I noticed this problem in the area that I live. I contacted the transportation department superintendent and told him about some of his drivers. His reply was for me to call the school the bus driver reports to, which I did. No results. Following up, I called numerous times to inform him that “those” bus drivers are not slowing down. At one point of frustration from him, he told me to call the state troopers, because he can’t control his drivers. I wrote him a letter, thinking maybe that would help, but weeks of no change. “Those” bus drivers continued doing whatever speed they wanted. I then wrote a letter to Mr. Wil liamson -1 was told he is the boss of the transportation superintendent - and told Mr. Williamson all I had tried to do to get “those” speeding bus drivers to stop. Nothing. This situation is extremely sad. To add to this, Ms. Brumfiel was fired for being an emotional par ent. I see her as a first responder to the scene of an accident. The bus driver, in his shock of what happened, opened the door and let her in. He should have told her she couldn’t come in. I would like to see what kind of investigation Mr. Williamson and those officers involved (if any officers) conducted. It is sad that a parent cannot call and complain of illegal activities of “those” bus drivers without retribution. It is very sad that the superin tendent and his boss will ignore facts from witnesses (based on what was published in the paper) and defend the driver. Those drivers who are law abiding need to elbow their fellow To the editor: He said, she said. After all is said and done it could have been dealt with differently. r m referring to the recent Hoke County school bus incident where a concerned parent took her child, she believed to be in danger, off what appeared to be a speeding school bus. We can understand the citation for illegally boarding the bus, but beyond that, the actions appear a little over zealous. Dismissing her from a job as a substitute teacher? Many are guilty of breaking a law of which we have no knowledge and although that does not excuse us for the violation, this punishment does not seem to fit the crime. I feel that our school administrators and our board of education are often too quick to take action and at other times take no action at all. It seems to be okay for some to enter school property without proper authorization and even destroy school property for vanity reasons, but not for others who have safety concerns for our chil dren. These improprieties should be dealt with on a consistent and equal basis. As the old saying goes, “two wrongs don’t make a right,” but some thoughtful consideration for our children’s safety is unques tionably right. I would like to see the Hoke County school system administration and our Board of Education representatives take their responsibility and weigh these situations carefully before taking action that is often seem ingly wrong. Robin Anselmini Raeford Letters policy The News-Journal welcomes letters to the editor and encour ages readers to express their opinions. Letters must be signed and in clude an address and phone num ber. The street address and phone number will not be published, but are required so we may verify au thenticity. 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 are not able to publish letters that are essentially thank- you cards. We reserve the right to edit let ters for grammar, as well as those that exceed 300 words. We will not publish letters that we consider to be in poor taste or libelous. In some cases we may add an editor’s note as a postscript when we believe a correction, explanation or amplifi cation is warranted. We may also, at our discretion, limit the number of times an individual writer may submit a letter for publication. .AMPPeftNPTO coHsrmnioNoF -we UNiRP sines soHeiPMeiioct ■wlWAlot*^ TREllMeiPER, Inauguration a signal to the world Where were you on January 20, 2009? It is a question we will be asking each other just like we have heard people asking others where they were on December 7, 1941 when they heard about Pearl Harbor. Where were they when they heard about and celebrated the end of World War II? Where were they on November 22,1963, when they heard about the assas sination of President Kennedy? Who were they with when they watched the funeral parade on television a few days later? Where were they on September 11,2001, and with whom did they spend the rest of the day? There are certain times when the force of events, sometimes tragic, sometimes uplifting, drives the country together and forges a common memory. Presidential inaugurations, important as they are, usually do not grab hold of the entire country. I have been to a few. On January 20, 1965, I marched as part of a group of Special Forces soldiers at President Johnson’s inaugural parade. (A photo, long ago destroyed, I hope, showed that I was the only one marching in step.) It was a nice occasion, but for the rest of the country it was just another day. A couple of other times I have been in Washington for inaugu rals. They were great fun for me and for others with an active inter- One on One D. G. Martin est in politics and government, but they were not memorable times for most Americans This January 20 is different. It is one of those shared national coming-together moments, with millions of people pushing their way into Washington even though no more tickets to the main events are available. The day will be remembered as a logistical nightmare, but those who were there will brag about it the rest of their lives. Those who cannot go have lined up ways to be something more that a mere observer. One friend’s book club planned a special meeting to watch the inau gural on television with everyone bringing the new president’s book, “Dreams of My Father.” One college professor can celled class and assigned his students to do what they would be doing anyway - watching the ceremonies. Individuals and groups orga nized all kinds of post inaugural parties all over the country, including many formal “black tie” events. Sales of Barack Obama coins, medals, prints, and other sou venirs have almost given the economy ajumpstart. Far away from Washington a people have stretched to be a part of this January 20. Why? Race is part of it. January 20, 2009, will always be a big day for black Americans, marking the time when an African American first became a U.S. President, a time coming much earlier than anyone had dared to hope. A big day for black Ameri cans, but maybe it is even more important for whites. It is whites that have been burdened by their racist past and have been without a way to symbolically set it aside. The inauguration of a black man as president frees them from their unspoken discomfort or shame at living in times of racism and being unable or unwilling to change. The change has been made for them and they rejoice. In addition, we know that this inauguration is a signal to the rest of the world and proof to ourselves that the best American values and ideals, though put aside or delayed temporarily, will in the long run not be denied. The tough times of governing are now upon the new president. No matter how good and talented he is, it will be a rocky road. To day’s excitement and good may melt away as political realities settle in. But even if they do, the memo ries of this inaugural will be with us, in common, forever. Governor might not have been official By Scott Mooneyham Capital Press Association Bob Orr is a journalist’s kind of guy. The former state Supreme Court justice just loves stirring up trouble. His latest stirring has to do with whether Mike Easley was actually North Carolina’s governor for the first nine days and a portion of the tenth day of January. If he wasn’t, then judicial ap pointments, grants of clemency and a few other acts by Easley in those final 10 days aren’t really vahd, Orr recently told me. He cites a provision in Article 3, Sec. 2 of the state constitution, which reads, “Their (the governor and lieutenant governor) term of office shall be four years and shall commence on the first day of January next after their election and continue until their successors are elected and qualified.” The term of office begins “first day of January.” It’s pretty plain language. That same constitution, though, reads that the governor, “before en tering upon the duties of his office,” shall take an oath of office. In other words, before current Gov. Beverly Perdue could take any actions as governor, she had to be sworn into office. She didn’t take that oath of office until Jan. 10. Mark Johnson of The Charlotte Observer spoke to some other con stitutional experts, including John Sanders, who helped write the cur rent version of the state constitution in the early 1970s. They beheve Orr is reaching. Sanders and Perdue’s legal counsel, longtime Deputy Attorney General Eddie Speas, told Johnson that Orr wasn’t reading the constitu- tionasawholeandthatthe provision on the oath must be considered when examining the other provisions. I’m not convinced. Orr points out that the provision on the oath doesn’t state that the ‘ ‘Govemor-elecf ’ shall take the oath. It say s that the “Governor’ ’ shall take the oath, implying that the office itself has already been passed. The implication in Orr’s reading oftheconstitutionisthatPerdue-not (See MOONEYHAM, page 3A) The News-Journal Published every Wednesday by Dickson Press, Inc. Robert A. Dickson, President • Anne Dickson Fogleman, Secretary/Treasurer 119 W. Elwood Avenue, Raeford, NC 28376 • (910) 875-2121 Home Page: www.thenews-journal.com m PRINTED WITH SOYINK Ken MacDonald (ken@lhenews-journal.com) Publisher Jason Beck (jason@thenews-journal.com) Reporter Hal Nunn (hal@thenews-journal.com) Sports Writer Hal Nunn (hai@thenews-journai.com) Sales Representative Wendy Tredway (wendy@thenews-journal.com) Sales Representative Sheila Black (sheila@thenews-journal.com) Office Manager Linda Watson (linda@thenews-journal.com) Receptionist Robin Huffman (robin@thenews-journal.com) Composition Design Mantise Andrews Press Foreman email ads to: ads@thenews-journal.com email classifieds to: classifieds@thenews-journal.com email legals to: robin@thenews-journal.com Periodical Class Postage at Raeford, N.C. (USPS 388-260) Postmaster: Send address changes to: P.O. Box 550 Raeford, N.C. 28376
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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