THE BRUNSWICKfeBEACON
Edward M. Sweatt and Carolyn H. Sweatt Publishers
Edward M. Sweatt Editor
Susan Usher News Editor
Terry Pope and Dort Curganus Sta]} Writers
Doug Kulter Sports Editor
IVgfiy Earwood OJ}ke Manager
Carolyn H. Sweatt Advertising 1)0 vetor
Tiinberley Adams iukI Cecelia Core ..Advertising Representatives
Dorothy Brennan and Bretida Clemnions Moore . .Graphic Artists
William Manning Pressman
Lonnle Spiinkle Asststci/it Pressman
Itioebe Clenunons and Fram es Sweatt Circulation
PAGE 4 A, THURSDAY DECEMBER 5. 1 09 1
To Victors
Go The Perks?
Community residents arc understandably proud of the grid
record posted this season by the West Brunswick High School
Trojans in the highly competitive Waecamaw Conference and
by their post-season performance in the state 2-A playoffs.
Unfortunately a system set up in advance of the playoffs by
the North Carolina High School Athletic Association has taken
away some of the glow. (These are the same nice people, by the
way. who insist that the North Brunswick Scorpions continue
competing as a 2-A team when they want and should be 1-A.)
The Trojans went into their first third-round game without
the traditional home field advantage due winners like them
selves.
NCHSAA says it was chance that West Brunswick ended up
on the road for last Friday's showdown.
While sympathetic to underdogs, we see no reason why
game location in the playoffs should be left to the luck of the
draw or predetermined bracketing.
A longstanding tradition in scholastic athletics calls for the
team with the best record to have the home field or home court
advantage in playoff competition. Such was not the case here,
which added fire to the bellies of the traveling Trojans.
The outcome of that game isn't known at this writing, and it
doesn't really matter. Win or lose, the Trojans didn't get the
perks due them.
While not the Waccamaw Conference champion, the Trojans
had the better season record of the two teams.
The Trojans were seeded higher in the conference than their
third-round opponent.
The Trojans had beaten Whiteville 19-7 at Whiteville in reg
ular season play.
From where we sit. no advantage comes to mind to the
NCHSAA or to its members in having predetermined brackets
for the playoffs. If anything the system has resulted in an injus
tice. A system that put^ the team with the best record on the road
for a semifinals match diminishes the significance of the regular
season record.
To the victors should go the spoils, or this case, the home
advantage.
West Brunswick players and fans were fortunate that
Friday's trip was short. But that doesn't really matter. What docs
matter is the system.
A predetermined neutral location would be preferable to the
system in place this playoff season.
NCHSAA needs to take another look at the way it does busi
ness.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Walkway Over Dunes Appreciated
To the editor:
Congratulations 10 the Sunset Beach Town Council anil their adminis
trator, Linda Flue eel, lor the planning and construction of the fine park
ing lot at the beach.
Especially appreciated by our senior and handicapped residents is the
walkway from the parking area over the dunes.
We also are thankful to Minnie Hunt, who as a member of the taxpay
ers association and, later on the town council, led the movement to re
store the parking lot to its rightful owners. Sunset Beach.
Dr. Arthur Templeton, Bonaparte Landing
Renovation Makes Store Attractive
To the editor:
On behalf of the Town of Shallotte, I would like to compliment Mr.
Fred Mint/ of Coastal Drug Store on the very attractive renovation that
he had done to his drug store. It certainly makes this place of business a
pleasurable place both for viewing and for shopping.
It is dedicated citizens like him who make our tow n a beautiful place
lt? visit and live. 1 feel he is truly an asset to our community and to our
lovely Urn n.
Sarah L.. Tripp, Mayor, Shallotte
(Letters Continue, Next Page*
Which Will It Be, Artificial Or Live?
There is a major and controversial
decision approaching that luis to be
made within the next week or so.
Which will it he this year, artificial
or live?
I'm talking aNuit Christmas trees.
A part ot me enjoys having live
trees 111 the house, just so the family
can smell the pine needles. You can
also spray thai artificial snow on the
tips to give the tree some color and
to make it look better.
I lut you don't want to spiay an ar
uficial tree w ith artificial snow. That
ruins the tree ami makes it look
cheap. Also available now is a pow
dery snow that conies in a plastic
bag. a lake lype ot artificial snow.
There is an artificial tree in the at
tic at home that hasn't been used in
years. It may or may not get a work
out this season.
We've been debating for weeks
ihw about the si/e of tree we feel is
suitable, given the limited space
available. We've also been checking
out artificial trees at the local stores,
but they never look the same in per
son as they do in print. Sort of like
the pictures on TV dinner Nixes.
The tree in the attic is a six-footer
and looks anemic. It was purchased
so needles wouldn't fall into the car
r
Terry
Pope
I ~
*? ?
A
pet. as il vacuum cleaners don't ex
ist. 1 tlnnk it was bought when
Jimmy Carter was in the White
House.
You see. artificial trees are like
polyester pants and wigs. They are
lake, trying to he something they are
not. You can't gel rid of a pair ol
polyester slacks for they never wear
out.
The same is true lor an artificial
Christmas tree. You feel guilty about
buying a new one when one is al
ready in the attic, for that defeats the
puqxise of buying an artificial tree
? so you will never have to buy an
other tree again. It'll last a lifetime,
they tell you, and eventually you
grow to want something different.
And like wigs, you can bend the
limbs in all directions, tw ist and turn
the entire thing around to sec its bet
ter side and still have a cheap-look
iiig. plastic, wiry, bean pole. Hut
hoy, you don't tuvo needles in the
carjvt, and you don't have to saw
i)ll the bottom two or three times be
fore the height is just right.
When you pick out a live
Christinas tree, no matter how con
servative you think you are being,
the tree you bring home will Iv
three feet tin) tall. You end up using
your lather's hand saw while sticky
sap turns it into a major project just
to cut through three inches of pine.
You hull and puff and pull on the
saw and lose all of your Christmas
spirit when the season is only just
beginning.
Then you can't get those tree
stands, with the legs that come apart
so it will lit into the box. back to
gether again. You twist and twist on
those three screws that arc supposed
to hold the tree in the stand, and no
matter how far you turn them the
tree is still leaning and one screw is
missing the trunk entirely.
But not with an artificial tree,
which is about a tenth the weight of
a live tree. No sawing, no pouring
water and having to remember to
put aspirins in the pan to prevent
shedding, no ugly mess. The wired
limbs are not llimsy when you're
trying to hang lipurincs. You can
liang your cat from those limbs.
Sonic artificial tree manufacturers
are imiw trying desperately to cap
ture the tree market by making some
that look almost yellow, while oth
ers have some brown plastic twigs
added along with the bright green.
The aim, I think, is to make the trees
look less artilicial. lor nothing is
perfectly green.
In the end. you simply can't hide
the artilicial look of an artificial
tree. And those solid white and sil
\cr trees that nun have been popular
the same time black and white
loafers were hip, forget them entire
ly. Table-top models no way.
II the linal decision is to go with a
live tree, then care must be taken.
Pre -cut trees should be considered
potential lire hazards to the home
lor some have been cut months in
advance.
I tested that warning one year.
After Christmas, I took the tree
from the home, set it on lire and
sukkI amazed as it exploded into
flames, as though a gas can had ig
nited. It made me realize those
warnings arc for real.
By next week the verdict will be
in. Artificial or live? I'll sleep on it
some more.
HELP PUT AMERICA BACK TO WoRK
REAPTHE LABEL BEFORE YOU BUY !
Helping Others A Way To Give Thanks
Sometimes we forgei to be grate
ful lor the basics: Our families, our
Iriemls. Work thai is productive.
Income that covers the basic neces
sities. Good health.
Sometimes it lakes someone
else's misfortune to remind us to be
thankful, and to stir us into action on
behalf of those who arc less fortu
nate than ourselves. These are hard
limes for a lot of people, something
that's all to easy to forget as we rush
about minding our own business.
But we should never forgei.
So it's a little laic for a Thanks
giving column; bear with me.
Last week, I was concentrating on
gelling some work oul of the way so
as lo leave town for a long holiday
weekend when the phone rang. An
elderly acquaintance was calling, at
the urging of a family member, to
share what had lo have been a trau
matic experience.
The family had had a running ac
count at a local business for many.
Susan
Usher
t
many years, with ihc balance owed
at times running into the thousands
of dollars but down by now to less
than SI, (XX). While the money
wasn't always easy to come by. the
payments went in regularly ? until
of late.
Both man and wile arc elderly,
will) health problems. Some unex
pectedly high medical expenses put
them in a bind, with the choice of
buying medicine or paying on the
appliances. They fell behind on the
payments, thinking they would have
a chance to catch up without having
lo ask anyone for help in meeting
their expenses.
That they might actually stand to
lose the goods they had been paying
on didn't really seem possible.
"Sometimes I just couldn't make
it," the woman told me.
Naturally the store attempted to
collect what wax due it, but the cou
ple simply didn't have the cash.
A long history of doing business
and paying regularly wasn't enough
lo make a diffc.-nce. In the end, the
store chose to repossess a refrigera
tor and a freezer. Businesses have to
survive, loo, and rules arc rules, it
seems. Ciet loo far behind, the goods
come back.
Bui the lady was determined not
to give up either iieni until she could
find a place to store their contents.
Everyone she asked had a freezer,
but it was already full, like hers,
with the bounty of summer. Her
freezer contents represented hours of
labor in garden and kitchen to pro
vide food for the winter.
She lost everything in the refrig
erator, but fortunately was able to
salvage much of the freezer's con
tents. Otherwise winter expenses
would have been even more difficult
to manage.
She didn't do it alone. Neighbors,
family members and friends came to
the couple's aid, rounding up anoth
er refrigerator and a freezer for their
use.
"It all worked out in the end; the
good Lord will provide," she said,
relieved just to have shared her story
and knowing there was little anyone
could do to change the situation.
The gix>d Lord does provide ? but
he does it by working through peo
ple like her friends and neighbors.
We need to be willing to do our part
and more.
What better way ? in good times
or bad times? to express gratitude
lor what we do h:iv.?
Let's Stop Joking
And Start Taking
AIDS Seriously
Many people are learning some
basic, scary facts about AIDS
(Acquired Immune Deficiency Syn
drome) ihese days.
People are realizing, since Magic
Johnson's announcement thai he is
HIV-positive, dial AIDS is not
something to be joked about, or to
be considered as a homosexual dis
ease.
It's on the television and in the
newspapers every day; you can't get
away from grim reports about
AIDS.
It's unfortunate that so many het
erosexual people have not taken
AIDS seriously enough to protect
themselves. It's also unfortunate that
so many parents don't realize that
their own children are at risk.
The U.S. Surgeon General has
said it; respected athlete Magic
Johnson has said it; and countless
health workers in magazines and on
television have been saying it for
years: Either don't have sexual rela
tions, or use protection, such as a
condom, when you do.
Dori
Cosgrove
Gurganus
I know thai ihis sort of statement
disturbs many people who think that
it condones premarital sex.
But look at the facts:
?Teen-agers do have sexual rela
tions; not all of them, hut a large
enough number that parents should
know about it.
?A large number of heterosexuals
have contracted AIDS from
intravenous drug-users.
?Women are contracting AIDS
faster than any other segment of the
U.S. population, according to an ar
ticle hi a regional newspaper last
week.
? Many heterosexuals have con
ft
tracted AIDS from fellow heterosex
uals: people who (arc you listen
ing?) arc not gay.
Believing thai all teen-agers will
abstain from sexual relations is like
believing that every person who
walks past a $100 bill on the side
walk will not pick it up and put it in
their pocket.
Some will, some won't.
It is very important for everyone
to understand that if ihcy have sex
without using a condom, they have
just increased their chances of catch
ing AIDS. It has also been publi
cized again and again by health
workers thai AIDS divs NOT dis
criminate.
Straight, gay, male, female, black,
while, Hispanic, rich, ptx>r, white
collar, blue-collar: you can get
AIDS it you don't know the facts.
That doesn't sound very funny to
me.
Many schools across the country,
namely in New York City this past
week, have begun handing out free
condoms on request to students.
AIDS support groups have been
passing ihcm oui on ihc streets in
NYC, to mixed reaction, as was re
ported on the CBS news last Tues
day evening.
Condoms don't prevent AIDS
completely, hut the Surgeon General
has reported them to he the most ef
fective means of protection against
infection.
Many people think that if you
hand a kid a condom it's like saying,
"Go ahead, it's perfectly all right 10
engage in premarital sex."
The fact that teen-agers will have
sex regardless of their parents' wish
es exists even here in Brunswick
County.
I believe that most teen-agers and
young, unmarried adults have the
sense and moral strength to abstain
from premarital sexual relations.
I also believe that most people are
using condoms, too.
However, this can't be true of ev
eryone.
Some parents right here in
Brunswick County are thinking.
"Oh. I don't have lo worry, I've
taught iny kids lhat you should wail
until you're married to have sex. My
kids won't do anything immoral like
that."
Or they might even he thinking.
"Well, my kids know the facts about
AIDS; they wouldn't do anything
silly like not use protection."
Parents, please, ask your kids to
use protection. Wouldn't you rather
have a child who is sexually active
and alive? The alternative might be
a chilil who doesn't know the facts
about protection anil dies because of
AIDS infection.
Or, ask them to wait to have sex
until they're married to a person
who is also not infected. Teach litem
what you believe is the right thing to
do.
I would like to able to say that
teen-agers everywhere have been
taught noi to engage in premarital
sex.
But I know thiit's not true. Even if
it were, not every teen-ager would
listen.
This disease has been publicized
lor 10 years now, anil the public has
been told for about the last five or
six years that it's not just lor homo
sexuals.
The new spapers and television re
ports are full of depressing news
about the increasing rate of AIDS
related fatalities.
It's very sad that it look Magic
Johnson's tragedy for massive num
bers of heterosexuals to listen.
Not all teen-agers are having sex
or unprotected sex. Many of them
know what's best for them and are
looking after themselves and their
boyfriend or girlfriend.
I just want us to make sure that
Brunswick County looks after them
as well.
Students need to know that con
doms are available at local clinics.
Parents should have the facts about
AIDS, teen-age sex and what their
child is doing.
Let's not allow this disease spread
in our community by closing our
eyes.