YELLOWS AND GREENS

I read with great interest Brad Aaron's well-written criticism of commissioners Kathy Hoard & David Lynn [City Dope, Feb. 12]. "City Dope" is always well researched and precise, and I find myself agreeing with Aaron virtually all the time. What was not mentioned however was that Flagpole heartily supported and endorsed both Hoard and Lynn in the last election, as well as Doc Eldridge in 1998.

Lynn's "yes" vote on the Barnett Shoals Road widening project came as a complete shock to those of us in the Athens-Clarke County Green Party (ACCGP), as well as those folks in the Normaltown/Boulevard neighborhoods who worked so hard during his campaign.

Kathy Hoards' "yes" vote on the other hand, came as no surprise to us. On three separate occasions during the 2002 election year, members of the ACCGP wrote letters to Flagpole lamenting your support and ultimate endorsement of Hoard. We indicated in our letters that if you had researched her voting record from her days as city commissioner in the 1980s there was no reason to believe she was bike and pedestrian friendly. Furthermore it was obvious she was not a friend of the environment.

We, the Athens-Clarke County Green Party, pleaded for your support and endorsement of a truly progressive, intelligent candidate in the 7th district: Ed Vaughan. We stated clearly that Hoard was a country club demopublican, like Eldridge, and could not be trusted. Her comment on the Flagpole "candidate questionnaire" regarding "How can Athens provide more jobs for poor people?" should have served notice. And I quote Hoard, "I think we should encourage more fast food restaurants to establish here in Athens." Now that's brilliant analytical discourse! That comment alone should have had red flags popping like beer cans at a game day frat party.

Flagpole has been a tremendous influence in the local community and was probably the single most important factor in getting progressives like Heidi Davidson and George Maxwell, as well as republicrats like Hoard and Lynn elected.

Such endorsements should not be frivolously handed out.

The Athens Green Party will be fielding candidates for the county commission in 2004. Districts 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 are up for grabs. We have pledged in the past and continue to pledge not to run candidates against "green" democrats like Carl Jordan, who some ACCGP members went door to door for in his 2000 campaign. Also, John Barrow, who has been a breath of fresh air in Athens politics for two decades, and George Maxwell, who has already begun to prove himself with his "no" vote on the Barnett Shoals Road widening project.

We invite the Athens community to work with us in 2004, if you're tired of Republicans and yellow-dog Democrats like Hoard and Lynn. If you'd like to run on a Green Party ticket you can be assured of our tireless support and energy to help you attain ballot access, recognition, and hopefully success. And we'll all have a good time doing it because we believe in putting the party back in the Party.

My criticism of Flagpole is not meant to demean. And Brad Aaron's support of the Green Party, other than the Hoard fiasco, has been generous and greatly appreciated. Let's all work together in 2004 because this beautiful community of Athens is being sold up the river to the highest bidder, and it really must stop, and soon.

Ken Starratt
Athens

Editor's note: Flagpole did not ask last year's candidates "How can Athens provide more jobs for poor people?" Nor did Kathy Hoard respond with "I think we should encourage more fast food restaurants to establish here in Athens." What we asked was "What type of industry does Athens need to improve the standard of living for citizens with low incomes? How should we go about fostering that industry?" Hoard responded, "Athens can certainly seek to secure additional factory type or fast food businesses that will provide jobs for low-income residents." Hoard went on to say, "Our community would be better served if our County Commission sought grant opportunities and partnered with agencies that provide job training, technical and adult education opportunities to better equip these citizens for better paying, skilled labor positions and a higher standard of living."

A VERY GOOD THING

In response to the City Dope column of 2/12, I did not support David Lynn because I expected him to vote the way you or I wanted him to. I voted for him because he has the capacity to think on his own. For you to include all the campaign comments that he and Kathy Hoard made, and not include the comments they made as they discussed the vote on the Barnett Shoals Project is just another example of your bias. The decision he made was one that was obviously very difficult for him, but at least he had the courage to do it, while he expressed his reservations. This project was going to make someone unhappy no matter what was decided. The fact that you can't take anything for granted is a very good thing. You do not speak for the people who elected David or anyone else.

Mark Johnson
Athens

A MODEST PROPOSAL

I've a modest proposal for this brave new commission, which seems resigned to be paving the way for SUV and V-8 rights, at the expense of non-motor and pedestrian rights-of-way and passage.

Everyone knows that less safe roadways cause more accidents, additional injuries and unnecessary deaths. Everyone knows that such is the price of a healthy business environment in a modern-American community. What business-friendly community doesn't think it a reasonable price to sacrifice a few teenagers and senior drivers each year so that the more aggressive, bigger-engined of us can enjoy the kind of shopping convenience and by-the-door parking we've become accustomed to?

Local government officials appear to know that, sometimes, moneyed interests are more important than the safety and the lives of mere, ordinary citizens. Citizens may be endowed with the vote, but real-life, practical, pragmatic politicians learn quickly that it's not what rests in the heart or what lurks in the mind that matters. It's what stuffs the wallet and, by extension, the sleeve that matters.

Therefore, I'd like to propose that the ACC Commission draft and vote on a new local ordinance.

It would provide for a fitting memorial, to be paid for by donations from the Barnett Shoals business "community," that would commemorate in perpetuity the first person to be designated an official traffic fatality on the new stretch of Barnett Shoals.

A local competition could be held in advance to find the right design, as long as it bears a plaque of bronze or some such. Temporarily it could be titled "Your Name Here." Better yet, since the county would have to acquire the real estate and sacrifice the valuable parking space that might be occupied by such memorial, the road itself could be named after that first documented fatality.

Maybe the area merchants could even put together a valuable coupon package, to present to the crewmembers of the ambulance that brings in the first bona-fide Barnett Shoals Nuevo fatality. A special sale day, on each anniversary date, after the first fatality occurs could boost revenues even more. An annual "fun run," during which the runners would not only have to cover the distance but also dodge the bumpers of whizzing passersby, could be a good vehicle to raise funds to pay some of the expenses incurred by the surviving family (if any) of the first fatality.

It should be obvious to the enterprise-minded among us that if left alone, the free-market will adapt, no matter how dangerous our elected officials vote to make our public roadways.

Jim Baird
Comer

NUÇI'S ROCKS.1

It's cool that this Grammys in the Schools thing happened, but I think they were wrong about there not being anywhere supportive of high-schoolers. Nuçi's Space is very supportive. But for some reason people keep overlooking it. They did it here in the Flagpole, and they did it in Rolling Stone, when they talked about Athens' music scene. Nuçi's Space is a big supporter of the music scene, as well as a big supporter for high-schoolers. It's one of the few places us kids are allowed into. High school involvement in the space isn't a new thing either - Math Head, G305 and Starkiss were rocking it out there awhile ago, and the place was packed with high-schoolers. And there are a bunch of us now who are working to create more involvement. Nuçi's Space supports high school music. Why don't you guys give the Space some credit?

Kevan Williams
Winterville

NUÇI'S ROCKS.2

I guess it's nice to see musical involvement in schools, even if it does come from professionals with an impersonal approach to music. I disagree that the only way to get your band noticed is by following a songwriting formula ("write great songs that move people" suggesting a formulaic-play off of someone else's emotions - for your own success) or by "lighting yourself on fire." But that is not the main point of my letter. I'm writing in regards to the "lack of support" in Athens for high school bands. I was in several bands during high school (Pavlov and his Doggs, Dharma, Math Head and the Sugar Shakers) and found an amazing amount of support at Nuçi's Space. It was harder to get shows in high school, due to age and the normal difficulties, but don't overlook Nuçi's. Nuçi's gave Math Head, G305, Starkiss and other high-schoolers plenty of opportunities to play, and those shows started early to suit a high school crowd. Nuçi's Space is an incredible place, open to high-schoolers and everyone else. People looking for bandmates, to share music and all things related, or just high-schoolers looking for somewhere to hang out should go by Nuçi's - they'll always be welcome there.

Ryan VanSickle
Atlanta