BLACK GET BACK
I have lived in Athens my entire life and at the present attend the University of Georgia. I carry myself in a presentable fashion and come across as fairly educated and respectable. Several weeks ago, I stopped by a food establishment new to downtown in order to grab something to eat. I saw a sign on the door of the restaurant advertising for delivery drivers, so I inquired about the opening after I placed my order and received my food. The manager informed me that he had hired enough delivery help and responded that he had a surplus of applications after I asked if I could complete an application in case any new drivers did not work out. I notified them that they still had the "drivers wanted" sign posted on their door. Well, why did I continue to see the sign on the door for weeks following this encounter? I hope the fact that I am a black female with dreads had nothing to do with the fact that I was not even considered for the job, but I have experienced several similar incidents throughout Athens, whether it be me shopping in a store with my white friends and being followed while the storekeeper ignored my white comrades or having cars doors locked as I pass. The list goes on and on. I like Athens and am proud of the fact that I am a native of a musically-talented, fairly progressive college town, but can see lots of room for improvement, the first being in the area of subtle racial discrimination.
Nica Clark
Athens

GO FIGURE
In order to continue the high level of academic achievement, Algebra should be a subject continued to be taught on the 7th grade level at Patty Hilsman Middle School. The students who participate in this class are qualified for this subject of study at this crucial juncture in their academic careers. Many of them participate in a nationwide program called "Math Counts" and have raised the academic standards of the school with their continual success over the past seven years in the yearly statewide championship. Patty Hilsman participants consistently come in victorious in their ranking in this important event. This is due to the excellent preparation, innovative teaching, and tireless dedication of their teachers - Mr. Bacchus and Mr. Manglitz. To eliminate 7th grade algebra at Patty Hilsman would be a grave disservice to the incredible and impressive progress these students have made and a detrimental regression in the impetus to continue striving for educational excellence in our public schools. As one of many concerned parents, I hope that our collective voices will be heard and taken strongly into consideration when making any decisions that will impact the quality of education that our children receive in the public system.
Donna Bar-Peled
Athens

ONLY ISSUE?
Chad Munsey's assertion that a vote for John Barrow is "a vote against all glbt people" is absurd. I don't know how long Mr. Munsey has been a resident of Athens, but anyone who's lived here for a few years knows that John Barrow has been a friend to Athens' gay community for a long time.
I hope that disagreeing with Mr. Munsey doesn't mean I am "against all gay people," too. I'm just against people who make blanket statements about a candidate based on a single platform issue. I'd like to think that gay marriage isn't the only issue GLBT people are concerned about when they cast their votes.
Chad Galloway
Athens

COME & HELP
This morning as I listen to NPR a song comes on that grabs my attention. It is hauntingly beautiful. It speaks to me subliminally, with undertones of rustic voices and hardly intelligible harmonies blending together. There is no music. Only voices. It sounds as if it were recorded in my grandfather's church - the all-wood Primitive Baptist Church where I grew up singing at my grandfather's side, picking out parts of harmonies to sing, wishing that we could sing all day. Except the voices on the radio are not singing in English. They are from South Africa, and they are singing in Zulu: a song called "Friends Come and Help." They are calling to me like a siren song. I am led to ask, "What can I do? How can I help? Tell me!"
It turns out the song was written 10 years ago during the time of the very first Democratic elections in South Africa, when Nelson Mandela was elected President in the first multi-cultural, all-inclusive elections. The voter turnout was amazing - everyone trying to be first in line to have his or her voice heard, to cast their vote. It brings to mind the country where I live now, where so few people vote in the elections, a country where our materialistic nations form lop-sided budgets, allowing children to go hungry, without proper medical attention and families are left to suffer. How much longer? The question I ask is can we learn our lesson without complete upheaval? Will we have to repeat the past again in order to learn our lesson again? You know, the problems with SR 595 have been a wake-up call for me. For this I am embarrassed. It has taken something that affects me to call me into action. But I proposed this is simply a symptom. This is not about Gay Marriage. This is not about discrimination. This is total unconsciousness. This is about a Government that has built up so much steam and momentum headed in the wrong direction through misrepresentation and controlling the people who elected it to serve us. But before I paint a dire picture, let the social worker in me take a quick Strengths Perspective view of things. 1. Things are bad, but it has taken all of it to wake us up, and people are waking up. 2. The current situation could be seen as poised for destruction, but also it could be seen as poised for renewal. Ready for change. Ready for something better. 3. This is election time, and we can vote in change. So try to imagine what it would be like to have your vote heard for the first time.
Like in South Africa where the call was sent out to everyone, come and help! Come and Help! Friends, Come and Help!
Chris Allen
Athens

STUCK BY LAW
See, I thought I was reading The Onion yesterday (3/24) when perusing an Associated Press report about another brilliant move by our state legislature: "Georgia House Bans Genital Piercings." The deal? "The ban applies only to women, not men." Ok, so a dude can get a Prince Albert and be awesome, and a lady can get the equivalent and be in prison for "two to 20 years!" Granted, a court will strike this non-sense down like Big Show. But let's listen to Representative Bill Heath (R-Bremen), who was reportedly "slack-jawed when told after the vote that some adults seek the piercings." He said, "What? I've never seen such a thing. I, uh, I wouldn't approve of anyone doing it. I don't think that's an appropriate thing to be doing."
If it helps to get your small mind around the practice by making it illegal, well okay, for you've done us all the favor of betraying what a bunch of dumb-ass, sex-less, Ward Cleaver lawmakers you are. Aren't there better things to do, like harass the gay citizenry, kill raccoons, and march with the Democrats for Bush with ol' Zell?
Andrew Cole
Athens