Bits And Pieces

originally published October 10, 2001

Them Dogs! Larry Munson replaced his epitaph Saturday in Knoxville from "Run Lindsay, Run!" to "Good God Almighty!" in managing to squawk out the news that Georgia had done it. Anybody who saw it could easily accept the apology he offered after the game. Have Georgia fans ever gone from the depths to the heights so quickly? (In case you were at the Laundromat, a last-minute touchdown put Tennessee ahead of Georgia, and then a last-five-seconds pass put the Dogs back on top 26-24 for a victory that will live forever in the hearts of fans who don't call "Rocky Top" dance music.)

Those Bombs! What can you say? We're at war with Afghanistan. Here's hoping our young men and women stay out of harm's way and that they don't harm innocent young men and women on the streets of Kabul, Kandahar, Jaladabad, Mazar-e Sharif, etc. Here's also hoping that our administration is correct in its stated strategy that bombing Afghanistan will advance the war against terrorism. All of this remains to be seen, of course. Intelligence is the key to rooting out terrorism, and our intelligence has looked pretty weak. If the bombing helps get rid of the Taliban, information-gathering in Afghanistan should be easier, but as Sec. Rumsfeld says, that's just a start.

That Commission! Tuesday evening, Oct. 2, as so often happens when citizens come for a burning issue - greenspace, hospital encroachment into neighborhoods, zoning issues - most of the Commissioners sat stone silent, as if it were beneath their dignity to respond to mere citizens. Commissioner Barrow spoke for his own motion for a moratorium on new construction and an assessment of housing needs. A couple of Commissioners briefly explained to Garden Springs mobile home park residents that while they felt their pain, they didn't think a moratorium would help anything. The others just sat there as if they resented having to miss "Buffy The Vampire Slayer."

Now, it's true that this particular evening most of the Commissioners were furious at Commissioner Barrow for forcing this issue in front of them when it had no chance of passage. Even to address the issue, apparently, would be to lend credence to Barrow's grandstanding.

The people from Garden Springs knew nothing of these internal politics, of course. All they saw was a Commission "behind the rail" sitting aloof at elevated desks not even deigning to look at them. The Commissioners, it's true, do not face the audience or its speakers. They sit facing across the room, looking at each other rather than at the public. It is very easy for our elected representatives to avoid making eye contact with their constituents. In fact, they have to make some effort to swivel around and kind of eyeball the public obliquely, when they want to. Otherwise, they can just stare straight ahead, seemingly ignoring the people.

The others just sat there as if they resented having to miss "Buffy The Vampire Slayer."

Tuesday night Barrow spoke in favor of his own motion; Jordan and McCarter explained why they could not vote for it, and Sheats urged government staff to do something about affordable housing, before voting with Barrow. Ford, Kilpatrick, Logan, Chasteen and Carter said not a word. Sims as Pro Tem presided in the Mayor's health-related absence.

This is not the first time a passionate public outcry has been met by a stony silence from Commissioners and not the first time a majority has been pissed off at Barrow.

It just seems that citizens whose homes are at stake, who come down and throw themselves onto the mercy of the Commission, ought to get some kind of reaction from their elected reps, even if it's a kindly, "We're sorry you are losing your homes, but you see we detest John Barrow for trying to do something about it, and therefore all we're going to do is vote against him when we finally get the chance."

Anything but sit silently by, ignoring citizens' pleas.

Barrow is unrepentant and unforgiving even of those who spoke in sympathy with the Garden Springs residents but voted against his moratorium. If McCarter and Jordan had voted with Barrow and Sheats for the moratorium, the 5-4 vote would have looked a lot better than 7-2 and might have led to some other solution down the road, when the Mayor is back and Sims has to vote on affordable housing. Indications are, though, with Barrow continuing to lash out at McCarter and Jordan, that next time around there will be even more Commissioners pissed off at Barrow.

Your Stories!

Okay, here's your chance to write that scary Halloween story and get it published in Flagpole. All you have to do is write 500 (or fewer) scary words and get them to us by midnight on Thursday, Oct. 18. The winning story will garner a neat prize and publication in the Oct. 31 Flagpole. Your story can be funny or serious or both, but it can't exceed 500 words, must be in by the deadline and must be fit to put a scare on our readers. Mail to "Halloween," Flagpole, 112 S. Foundry St., Athens, GA 30601 or bring it by to the same address or email it to editor@flagpole.com or fax it to 548-8981. See you at midnight.