MAKE A BREAK

I just read the Athens Banner-Herald and Barnett Shoals Road will be widened. I have been keeping up with the constant tirade by Brad Aaron in the "City Dope" column. I have found myself in uncustomary agreement with him. With all the inherent traffic problems of living in a community with so many young people, I can't see voting for unsafe streets. I cannot imagine that even if this would not be as dangerous as the experts project that there isn't something else that would command a higher priority. Why this? Why now?

I hope Brad and the Flagpole will remember this and future votes of Country Club Democrats like Kathy Hoard before making future endorsements. If we are going to make a break from the corrupt, abusive and elitist history of this town we must have the courage to embrace new ideas.

We have to consider things in depth. Not just the simplistic notions that development is bad (or that development is progress). We must develop intelligently, balancing the needs of citizenry, history and environment with the valid desire to make a living.

Terry Stewart

Athens

OUTSIDE THE BOX

Wow. Don't argue philosophy with an artist. And don't debate an idiot. I'll try the latter, but where to begin? An imperious rabble-rouser who calls himself "Mr. Croc_HunterDM" (should have been D.A.) wrote such a fallow and discursive letter ["Developmentally Challenged," Feb. 5] to Flagpole it is impossible to know exactly what point he/she is trying to make. Mr. D.A. did not use his real name, so maybe he is trying to draw me out into a fight. It worked. But, I'll only respond to a few of his comments. And let's fight fire with fire.

As for D.A.'s comment that cyclists wear "very atrocious Spandex," quit looking. It probably is not healthy for you to get worked up about what I'm wearing. You should speak to your psychiatrist further about this issue. Truth is, deep down, you probably like it. You probably dream at night of having your way with a Spandex-clad pedaler at an all night bacchanal. But really, what is your relevant point? That you are fucked in the head? Got it.

As for your comment, "You wouldn't let a seven-year old child ride a bicycle on the road,..." perhaps you haven't ventured out of your box lately. I see seven-year old kids riding on roads every day. They are in subdivisions, neighborhoods, and on other roadways. What I wouldn't do is let a seven-year old kid drive a car. I guess we could build a sidewalk next to every single paved road in the county, but I have not heard that is even being considered. Perhaps you can lead the charge on that one.

As for your comments that cyclists are virtually begging to get hit by an SUV, again, perhaps you should open the top of the box you live in and let in a little light. I'm sure the fetid air in your box is having adverse affects on your peanut-sized brain. Your statement smacks of arrogance, and seems to suggest justification for all drivers who hit cyclists. Pull out a book with some laws in it and sit down and read it sometime. And remember, if you intentionally fuck with the wrong cyclist wearing Spandex, you're going to get an ass-whooping you won't soon forget.

David Crowe

Athens

HEAVY CUDDLING

As America gets ready to invade Iraq, let us not forget; that as good a liar as Iraq can be about its weapons, America is at its best when it comes to hypocrisy.

Today, America is the largest marketer of weapons of destruction in the world. America is selling weapons to African governments, who cannot even feed their citizens.

On the other hand, America is in bed with India and Pakistan. India and Pakistan have nuclear weapons. America is now heavily cuddling India and Pakistan, but at the same time, begging in hushed tones, appeasing them not to climax. For if they do: it could mean an end to all of them.

So, why spend all this effort on Iraq? Why send my prospective date to get killed - then say he died honorably? Honor should be about blameless conduct in America's position as a world power.

Pauline

UGA

WE'RE ALL LOSERS

As a weekly reader, I almost always enjoy everything in your paper. I was, however, completely against the blurb about Perdue's tort reform [City Dope, Jan. 22]. By definition, a "tort" is a civil wrong that can be corrected by civil action, and that is what Perdue intends to do. If this law is passed it will benefit the insurance companies, but it will benefit doctors and hospitals more, and subsequently benefit us - the patients.

California passed a similar law many years ago and many other states are looking at the same kind of award ceiling. While there has not been a big problem in Georgia, in other states many doctors are quitting because they can no longer afford medical malpractice insurance. Recently, in West Virginia almost all the doctors went on strike so the state would put a cap on the amount that a person can sue for medical malpractice.

The trouble is not ensuing from people suing doctors "who removed the wrong lung." People in America are suing doctors for anything possible, and the jury almost always sympathizes with the patient. With no cap, people are suing for millions, and the insurance costs must rise for doctors.

Right now, most insurance companies are losing money off of this insurance, doctors still can't afford it, and we are losing qualified, experienced doctors. Without this cap, everybody loses.

Wendy AuClair

Athens


NOT THAT SIMPLE

This is in response to Trevor's letter ["Signs Sicken," Jan. 8]. I am a volunteer and Vice President on the Board of Directors at The Athens Area Homeless Shelter (AAHS). Part of our mission is to educate the community.

Handing out spare change perpetuates the cycle of poverty and enables the very people you're trying to help to stay homeless. If you really want to help, then please donate the money to any homeless service organization (there are several in town) and inform the panhandler of the address. Our address is 620 Barber Street. If he/she is ready for help and decides to go; he/she will receive food and shelter. The caring people who work there will treat him/her with hospitality and respect. AAHS has effective programs (including Job TREC and Almost Home) that treat the causes of homelessness and not merely the symptoms.

Moreover, the downtown restaurants (including Trumps, The Grit, The Speakeasy, Harry Bissett's and numerous others) have been extremely generous in donating products, services and money to AAHS. In the various places that I have lived, I have never seen such compassion from so many businesses. AAHS is very grateful to them for their continuous support.

While Trevor is mistaken, at least his heart is in the right place. The same cannot be said for Hank Rearden ["No Luck Involved," Jan. 22]. His statement, "The bum shivering on the wooden bench in the cold and rain is there by choice not by luck," is a gross distortion. I realize it is much easier to oversimplify a problem, draw naive conclusions and then dismiss it. It takes much more brain power, time and effort to examine an issue properly. Stereotypes like "the bum" work in much the same way, simplifying a complex world for a simple or mentally lazy person. Homelessness is a direct result of a myriad of complex social, economic and personal factors and cannot be reduced to a simple choice.

Rearden stated that there is no luck involved, and that it is not an accident that those who develop an achievement mentality are successful. But how does one develop an achievement mentality? A plethora of studies suggests it is developed as a result of good childhood conditions and parenting. A child who comes from encouraging, involved, supportive parents has a far better chance of becoming successful than does a child who comes from poverty, alcoholism, and/or abusive and unsupportive parents. How does one choose the former conditions that will foster one's success? Oh, that's right, one can't. It depends on LUCK.

Poverty is a cycle. The vast majority of homeless persons began their life in poverty and, due to long-held beliefs, mental illness, low skills, job loss and/or many other factors, has great difficulty breaking the cycle. A child does not have a choice, and childhood is where we develop our beliefs about the world and ourselves. If a person has deeply-rooted beliefs or other issues that prevent him/her from knowing their choices, then those potential choices are not available to him/her at that point. A person has to know he/she has a choice before it is ever really a choice. AAHS helps clients learn what their choices are and how to employ them.

Because belief systems are so deeply ingrained, it takes a stringent, conscious effort to examine and change them. If you doubt the level of difficulty in changing beliefs try suddenly changing your religion, political affiliation, your beliefs about parenting, or how you think we "should" view the homeless.

In fact, whenever we imply "should" we are usually describing a belief system. It comes from a position of "this is the way it is," much like your statement, "The ways of the real world." This erroneous generalization is your subjective belief of "the ways of the real world." It is not reality, nor is it a belief held by myself or many others educated in the area of social work.

Your insensitive stereotyping of the man sitting on that wooden bench contributes to the ignorance regarding the causes of homelessness. I hope you will CHOOSE to educate yourself further and become part of the solution rather than remaining part of the problem.

JoAnn Kolbus

Athens