Column for Feb. 14, 2008

I had several topics I wanted to cover, but none would take up a full column, so I decided to go with the "LaPlante's Rants" being plural rather than singular concept. So, here it goes.

I just finished filing my annual federal and state tax returns. Even with a good tax software program that I use every year, it was a real challenge this year. I had to deal with capital gains tax, stock options, medical bills, and more receipts than to which I am accustomed. I could have saved a few hours of my own time, corporations save tons of money, and Americans save plenty of time and money by having a simple tax code. I am a huge supporter of the so-called Fair Tax. We could replace our entire income tax and FICA tax system with a single national consumption tax. This would save so much time and money and none of us would have to fight with a tax code thicker than The Bible. It would also tax us according to our spending rather than the enslavement of our labors, all would pay taxes including illegal aliens and criminals, and we would not have an easily manipulated, punitive tax code.

I am very frustrated with the amount of taxes I have paid that will potentially going to people who do not work as I do, much less file tax returns. I personally know people who have what has been aptly termed a learned helplessness. There are people who frustrate me by leeching off the government, friends, and family. Why in the world do people cry total poverty, yet will run out to Wal-Mart to buy the latest DVD releases, get tattoos, buy cartons of tobacco products, pay for high speed internet, and satellite television? It is all a matter of priorities. I realize that there are truly those who are destitute in this world, but I am so tired of people begging to borrow money from me when they could simply do some planning on their own, exercise some self restraint, and do for themselves. In addition, many people could do much better on their own rather than waiting for the rest of us taxpayers to pay for their paltry monthly handout.

I recently had need to send a certified letter across the state. I paid the extra postage for the certified mail service, which also allowed for status tracking on the internet. I am glad that I could get an online status, since the post office is incredibly inefficient at returning mail such as mine that was refused for delivery. The letter took only one day to arrive for delivery, but after the recipient's refusal, I am still waiting for the return of the letter over two weeks later. Nobody at the post office can tell me where the letter is and why it has not yet been returned, even though there is a tracking bar code affixed to it. If UPS, FedEx, and DHL can track a package along every step of the delivery process, why can not the United States Postal Service do the same? Over five years later, my mother is still waiting for a Mothers' Day gift I sent her. When I got a PO Box, mail was taking six days to be forwarded from my home address in Selma to the PO Box. The mail was routed from Selma to Raleigh and then back to Selma to be placed into my box, just thirty feet from where the mail was placed to be routed through Raleigh. I was told that this was to make the mail process more efficient. If this is modern efficiency, I would prefer old fashioned common sense. Nothing will get better or service levels increase, but our postal rates will.

Speaking of the post office, what is it with these lazy people in Selma who are so lazy and inconsiderate that they will literally park the wrong way on the street in a no parking zone? It is literally scary to see someone cutting across traffic, going the wrong way, and then parking illegally. I see this most every day that I am at the post office. Many times I see that the offenders have handicapped parking placards and yet totally ignore the specific parking spot created just for them. Are people that lazy and selfish?

OK, one last one. My company recognizes Presidents' Day next Monday as a company holiday. I have a good friend who has to work that day where she works. That lack of a work holiday was a result of substituting Martin Luther King Day for Presidents' Day as a recognized holiday. It is bad enough that Presidents' Day was created to not recognize both the individual holidays of Abraham Lincoln's and George Washington's birthdays. There is no way I can possibly equate the celebration of Martin Luther King to the celebration of two truly great leaders of American history. This has nothing to do with race, just accomplishment, history, and importance of effect on this nation. Furthermore, I do have a problem with the idea of creating a holiday to appease a numerical minority.

As much as I would like to expound upon that last one, my space for this week's column has been taken up and my multiple rant packed column is now done for this edition.

Column for Feb. 7, 2008

Are there any Patriots left? Not if you are a Giant or love the U.S.

I was doubly dismayed at watching the Super Bowl on Sunday night. Not only did the New England Patriots blow a perfect season, I saw some corollaries that just saddened me. The New York Giants did not win The Super Bowl. The Patriots lost the game. There is a difference. The Patriots did not come in with their "A game". They seemed to be just going through the motions of game play except for a brief period in the fourth quarter. They were a much better team than they exhibited on the field.

I see a close parallel in today's culture. True American patriots are not coming to the game field with their best efforts. True patriots are not making the plays needed to secure victory. The effort just is not there. As a result, their opponents in the political realm are excelling and may very well win. For the record, I do not consider a former Muslim who currently attends a cultic "Christian" congregation and has a middle name of Hussein or the wife of a disgraced former President, both of which are admitted socialists by actions if not by name, to be patriots. I consider them to be the enemy.

I also do not consider liberally minded men who pretend to be conservatives to be patriots, either. When I see men running for the Republican Party's nomination for President who author bills that squash freedom of speech, oppose tax cuts, do not oppose gun bans, support amnesty for illegal aliens, desire to treat our war time enemies better than we treat our own soldiers, support increased spending and large government, and have just recently somewhat come to grips with some core conservative principles, I do not see patriots.

I may be biased, and I admit it wholeheartedly when it comes to this subject. One reason that I do not consider Mitt Romney, John McCain, and Mike Huckabee to be patriots in the truest sense of the word is because I have been studying a lot lately about the American Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence, and the U.S. Constitution. As a matter of fact, I have been teaching on the subject on a weekly basis for months. I have done extensive reading behind people like John Adams, John Locke, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Roger Sherman, and a host of others. The courage of men who "mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor" are far from those we have today. Basically, the true patriots of today, if there are any left, have failed to show up on the game field.

I can not, in all good conscience, vote for most of the men who are running for President this year. I would rather be stabbed to death with a plastic fork than vote for either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. If anyone truly believes that they would be good for this nation, then they must not have ever studied economics, the founding documents of this nation, and have no idea why we are a republic, not a democracy, nor a socialist nation. I have a hard time believing that anyone would purposely choose socialism over liberty.

I have an equally hard time voting for John McCain, who is certainly not a conservative. I have seen so many errant decisions on his part that I have a hard time discerning any vestiges of conservatism left in the man. Mitt Romney, though very articulate, is still a relative newcomer to conservatism. Quite honestly, I have misgivings about his loyalties, as well. Though Mike Huckabee is an evangelical Christian and ordained Baptist minister, I still dislike some of his soft stances on a few areas. Though I do not question his loyalty to God, I do question his loyalty to our form of government.

Even my first choice for President, Ron Paul, has some areas with which I strongly disagree. The more I study the U.S. government, our national heritage, and our founding documents, the more I am willing to overlook some areas of disagreement in order to cast a vote for a return to those values. He is certainly the only candidate espousing these same values and standing by them.

Alas, there are not more patriots in this nation that will vote as I will. This year, I refuse to hold my nose and cast yet another vote for the lesser of two evils. Then again, it may be the evil of two lessers. I don't know. What I do know is that just as I saw the New England Patriots blow a perfect football season, fail to show up to play their best, and allowed their opponents to take advantage of their weaknesses, I am seeing the exact same thing in our nation and have for years. Good, strong patriots seem to be in short supply, both in politics and in football.

Column for Jan. 31, 2008

Remember, grant money is not free. We pay for it either way.

Is grant money from the federal government that is awarded to local towns or states free money? How about grant money that is given to private corporations or citizens? Is there any such thing as free money? Of course not. If it comes from our tax dollars one way or another.

I read with interest the news that the Town of Selma was awarded $850,000 in grant money last week. The money is intended for "community revitalization, infrastructure improvements, and the construction of affordable housing". Selma was one of eighteen municipalities that received grants. The money was supplied through U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and was doled out through the NC government. Also, I read that the towns of Pine Level, Henderson, and Dunn were awarded grant money through the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the purposes of safety, operational expenses, and fire equipment acquisition.

Perhaps we would have more ability to do things locally if the federal and state governments did not siphon off so much money into Washington, DC. Second, even though these are "grants", they are still coming from tax dollars. Furthermore, the purpose of the grants are to be for "rehabilitation of housing" and the construction of "affordable housing". The term affordable is subjective. The idea of my tax dollars being taken from me, a man who works a full time, skilled labor job, on the threat of force if I do not comply voluntarily to dole out my hard earned money, and having those dollars inefficiently laundered through the world's largest bureaucracy only to be filtered down to another bureaucracy, then to another, then to private citizens for them to pay minimal money for housing or to renovate their existing homes is just plain repugnant. It is insulting. It is unfair. It is a disincentive to succeed. It is communistic and evil.

There were 18 towns in NC that got the HUD grants and three FEMA grants in the state. Multiply this times hundreds of towns across the country each year and you can see how our tax dollars are being wasted on programs that are not even supposed to exist. Take this program and multiply it by the countless such programs that some communistic or ignorant fools have pushed through Congress, and some well meaning but selfish President who wants to get re-elected and play politics with our tax money have passed, and the amount of money is mind boggling.

Perhaps the only thing more insidious than the idea of a grant from the federal government to a municipality is the concept of the federal government providing a loan to a local municipality other local government for the purposes of infrastructure development and community revitalization. In such instances, we are taxed at the federal level to provide the loan and then get taxed on the local level to pay the loan back to the federal government.

I had an email discussion with a close friend about an article from 1955 in "Housekeeping Monthly". I have a copy of this article on my personal web site. The article was full of tips for women on how to take care of their husbands, how to run the home, how to relieve personal and family stress, and the like. This conservative lady asserted that the article was from 1955 and this was 2008. Below is my response, which is related to my disdain for such government spending.

"In 1955, most women did stay at home and take care of the kids and do the house work. Unfortunately, our tax burden increased substantially necessitating a dual income family. Also, the women's liberation movement only hurt the family structure. The 1960's forward really hurt with the hedonism, atheistic, and hyper libertine agendas. That led to a decline in the family unit, an emphasis on self reliance instead of family reliance, a rise in births out of wedlock, single parent families, divorce, and the need for women to work outside the home." By family versus self reliance, I was referring to the idea of only thinking of one's own self, not supporting the family unit but instead believing that one can and should only rely on one's own self. For instance, a woman can and should be able to stay at home and raise her children rather than paying some low income earner with a different set of values to raise them for her.

It is bad enough that we have a high percentage of our money taken in the form of taxation of various types and from various levels of government. To have my tax dollars, which could be used to renovate my own home (which I have been trying to work on more and more lately) and have them sucked into a giant bureaucracy and given to someone else to renovate their home is a travesty. It angers me, and it should you, too. I believe that I know how to spend my money better than some bureaucrat does.

Column for Jan. 24, 2008

Analysis of rezoning public hearing

On January 8th, as readers of this newspaper know, there was as part of a town council meeting, a public hearing on the rezoning request of a tract of land to change to industrial from agricultural and residential use in Selma's extra-territorial jurisdiction.

During that hearing, there were many impassioned pleas to vote against the rezoning. There were many concerned area residents from Selma and Pine Level, as well as the outlying areas thereof. There were calls for a recall of any town council member who voted for the rezoning request. There were people giving allegedly expert testimony. There were demands for the education level and the identity of the issuing institution of higher learning of said degrees of education. There was a lecture on the four types of loam on the proposed site. There were accusations of "spot zoning" and illegal configurations of zoning in that area.

The problem that I had with most of the well meaning public commentary is that most of it was emotionally based, including the so called expert testimony. I saw little reasoned and informed public commentary. I understand that this is an issue that will bring many passionate views. Industry wants to encroach upon the quiet, countryside way of life. I get it wholeheartedly.

Here are some of the problems with the public hearing, as I saw it, inappropriate opening commentary by the mayor aside. I am just calling it as I see it. Keep in mind, too, that what I am about to write may not necessarily reflect my personal desire in this entire situation. First, there were automatic assumptions of chemical pollution, "light pollution" (not that I believe there is any such thing), noise pollution, and foul odors that would come as a result of the proposed plant. My simple commentary is that only one person in the room aside from the men representing the interests of East Coast Ethanol seems to have been anywhere near an ethanol plant. Certainly, nobody amongst the public has been anywhere near a modern day plant.

Next was the absolute ridicule of the government standards by which the plant would have to abide. There were people claiming that the EPA does not know their business and there was a great degree of distrust in government regulations expressed. At the same time, there was an extolling of the virtues of the USDA and their standards and reports. What in the world is supposed to make anyone think that one bureaucracy is any better than another? They are just two suckers on the same tentacle of government regulation and thievery. That was, in my opinion, a serious double standard and only detracted from the validity of the public commentary.

I was dismayed with the sheer arrogance of claims of lack of "due diligence" upon the part of the plant investors and contracted agency. What people just may not understand is that the project is nowhere near the stage of the investment in soil sampling, scientific investigation, and site planning to the extent expected by some in the crowd. A company is not going to invest literally tens of thousands of dollars into expensive surveys and testing until they are confident that they can advance with the project. The rezoning is an essential first step in the process. This is not the first plant ever built by the contracted company, so they do know what they are doing in site selection and process. In fact, they have built the vast majority of such plants in the country.

I found it ironic and hypocritical of one man to denounce the credentials of the men representing East Coast Ethanol and their contracted agency while he himself did not have the credentials of a soil scientist. Yet, he lectured people on the soil of the proposed site, cited the USDA studies of the area, and at the same time decried and debased other authorities. First of all, since when is a company obligated to fly in every chemical engineer or member of its engineering and scientific crew for a simple rezoning public hearing? Yet they were derided for not having these experts present. Furthermore, I have personally worked on huge construction projects where the soils present became a non-issue. Entire industrial and educational facilities under my jurisdiction have long ago emerged from fallow kudzu fields. Innovation and money is all it takes to mitigate those problems.

The public hearing was for rezoning. It was not a debate over the merits of an ethanol plant. The process of an ethanol plant takes a lot more steps of regulation than simply getting a piece of land rezoned to industrial use. Even if the land was rezoned, this facility would still have to obtain a special use permit from Selma to even think about operating. Furthermore, there are mountains of county, state, and federal regulations with which they would have to comply before even thinking about building. I found the assumption that there is going to be a plant built after this public hearing absurd, emotional, illogical, and borderline stupidity. For this reason, I also found it absurd that anyone would even consider calling for a recall of any town council member for voting for a rezoning of the property in question.

Another concern expressed by one citizen was the safety of the plant. Again, we are dealing with heavy government regulation. It is also just plain good business sense to have fire mitigation planning on site. My background is in this very field, I am the vice chair of the Johnston County Local Emergency Management Planning Committee, and this year will be the chairman of the county committee. The expressed concern of cooperation and training with local fire departments will be a non-issue, I assure you. I will personally be responsible for working closely with county Emergency Management and will be in regular contact with most every fire department leader in the county. With any such facility in the county, I can safely assure that this will be a non-issue.

The claims of emissions from the facility may or may not be a moot point. There have been great advances in pollution control. Just as there are catalytic converters and other emission controls on automobiles, there are going to be some new innovations in industry. I am not defending the industry position, I am just being realistic and honest.

Let us assume for a moment that the zoning of the tract of land in question will stay as it is, i.e., agricultural. Let us also assume that the land will be used as such. A hog, cow, or poultry farm would also have a great degree of emissions. Cow flatulence is never fun. Hog waste can be smelled for miles, as I have found out from my extensive travel throughout North Carolina. Poultry, whether turkey or chicken, can also give a "fowl" odor (I could not resist that pun, sorry). There is always a degree of noise associated with farming. Livestock makes noise 24/7 when there is a concentrated population. That pretty much destroys the noise argument against the ethanol plant.

Irrigation and/or watering of farm animals also takes a certain degree of water to do so, as will an ethanol plant. They may not be equal amounts, but the increased demand is still a certainty.

I say this to show that regardless of the use of the land, even under its existing zoning, there would be issues, complaints, and problems. What I do know is that one way or another, that tract of land and its surrounding area will eventually be developed.

With all this having been said, do I want an ethanol plant on the outskirts of Selma? I personally have relayed my opinion to some of my elected representatives on the town council. That is the best way of getting my desired result. Being emotionally driven, staying uninformed or subjective, and railing against the unknown are not the effective nor desired methods of accomplishing my desired end.

Regardless of my personal opinion, I have had plenty of opportunities to think about this topic and look at things from both sides. I do believe that I have the ability to be objective rather than subjective. For this reason, I have offered to the town leaders to be one of the town citizens to travel to take up East Coast Ethanol's offer to visit an ethanol plant. Unlike the comments from one of the citizens at the meeting, I do not want to visit one of the worst plants in the country in order to explore one. I want to see one exactly like what is proposed for Selma. To see anything else would be illogical. Will the town actually take up East Coast Ethanol on their offer? Will I get the opportunity to go? I have no idea, but I would certainly be fair either way.

That is the whole point of this column today. I want to be fair, not emotional. I am not an ethanol apologist. As a matter of fact, I am not a fan of ethanol as a fuel source, nor of the government boondoggle that has given us ethanol as such. However, I can still be open minded enough to at least be objective. I hope others can be as well.

Column for Jan. 17, 2008

My analysis of the mayor's lynching comment

Last week, I attended the Selma Town Council meeting and public hearing along with almost 200 of my closest friends. OK, so they were not my close friends, but it was good to see people who were concerned and wanted to get involved in their community, even if many of them do not live in the Selma town limits or even extra-territorial jurisdiction.

I should probably start with my expert analysis of the latest embarrassment brought to Selma in the form of the opening remarks by Mayor Hester. I was there for those remarks, heard them, found them to be entirely inappropriate, and am quite frankly, tired of this same sort of thing month in and month out. For over two years now, I, along with other citizens, have been witness to some comments, attitudes, and political gamesmanship that I find repugnant. I have personally seen Mayor Hester purposely back his vehicle into another man's (more accurately, political opponent's) automobile, I have heard him say obnoxious comments, and witnesses near tantrums he has thrown. I find the latest comment about having a lynching just one more in a long string of embarrassments for the Town of Selma.

What amazed me is that Mr. Hester attempted to explain away the comment as "Just Hester being Hester". If that is the case, the comments and behavior need to go, and if said behavior defines Hester, then Hester needs to go. I was further amazed that Mr. Hester used the obvious "damage control" scenery of Selma Baptist Church as a back drop to have an interview with WRAL. During the interview it was explained that there are people who do not much care for him in this town, but that is just small town politics. The ironic thing is that Mr. Hester himself practically defines small town politics but decries it in others. I know that other reporters tried to get in touch with Mr. Hester, without success. I personally was contacted by one of them and spent time myself with that same reporter. The comments by the mayor were on the web sites of the three major television stations, various news services, local newspapers, national news aggregator services, and local and national bloggers.

Did Chucky apologize? Sure, I was there and heard it myself. I have blogged the video of the commentary, seen it numerous times on television and online, played the audio of it on a talk show, and read the transcript. Regardless of my opinion of Mr. Hester's sincerity, I do have to take him on face value and accept that he did apologize. As to the denial that the comment was aimed at any one particular individual, I find that an absurd attempt to help excuse the commentary.

As many of you know, I am a regular writer on the internet, a talk show host, and I keep in regular contact with several people in the media. I saw my web site traffic statistics rise this past week. I found many web searches performed for terms such as "Selma mayor lynching comment" and other similar terms. I also found many visits to my web page as a referral from other web sites that have national news and commentary. The comments by Mayor Hester have carried across the nation and are not just a local "black eye" for the town. We now have national implications, commentary, and scrutiny of our little town. The sad part is that none of it is positive.

I have no doubt that the comment about lynching was not meant to be racist in nature as some on the internet and even at the public hearing have alleged. The comment was directed at a Caucasian male by a Caucasian male. By its very nature, the comment is not racist. There are those who automatically assume that just because the word lynching is used that it is to be assumed as racist. That is an extreme and prejudicial view. First, it was a minority of lynchings in this nation that were racially motivated. Most were carried out upon guilty parties for their crimes. I am so tired of the hyper-vigilance against all things even remotely or potentially racist in The United States of the Offended.

I find just as offensive the self flagellation of the usually liberal, overly cautious White race members because of some undeserved guilty conscience towards race relations. That being said, I would almost love for Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton to show up in Selma over the comment by Mayor Hester. This would serve two purposes. First, to demonstrate how absurd the comment was in the first place and hopefully effect some degree of change. Second, to demonstrate how absurd those two individuals and their ilk can be.

Since I am out of room for this week's column, perhaps next week I will write my analysis of the meeting itself, the claims made by both the public and by the men from East Coast Ethanol. For those who missed either the mayor's comments or wish to hear the entire two and a half hour public hearing audio, you may do so at my talk show web site, which can be accessed through troylaplante.com. If you did not make it to the public meeting and want to hear for yourself what the big deal was about the public hearing, you can listen 24/7 via web streaming or simply download the entire show for your listening pleasure.

Column for Jan. 10, 2008

Does LaPlante favor la plant d'ethanol?

By the time this column is published, the latest Selma Town Council meeting will have taken place and a scheduled public hearing will have been held about the proposed rezoning request in Selma's extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) to accommodate the construction of a proposed ethanol plant. These plans were detailed in last week's edition of "The Selma News" as well as in other local media outlets. The rezoning request has already passed the Planning Board and is now going through the process necessary to become reality. I am predicting that the public hearing will have brought forth some "great moments in sports," so to speak.

There is opposition being generated by Tony Tetterton, who lives nearby in the Selma ETJ, as reported in the paper. I have respect for Tony for several things. First, he is willing to "put his money where his mouth is" for the causes in which he believes. I don't see that too often nowadays. Regardless of anyone's opinions of his positions, you have to respect the willingness to take a stance and get involved. I do not agree with Tony on everything, and he knows this. We have, however, developed a good working relationship because we are willing to listen to one another's opinions and concerns. I have allowed him to share with me at length on various topics. Some I have agreed with him about, some not so much. None the less, I hope that he will get his due consideration, especially since he has spent significant time and effort to become educated about the things in which he believes.

That being said, the entire ethanol plant plan for the Selma area is only in the process of having a parcel of land rezoned. The ethanol company has not even bought the property yet. It would be some time before a plant is actually built, if at all. I personally serve on the Planning Board, as do other fine citizens of the booming metropolis of Selma. This request came before the board, we met with the representatives from East Coast Ethanol, and we looked at the zoning map and requirements. We did remark about the necessary upgrades to the roadways to accommodate the plant, its method of delivery, and other items of interest. However, our duty was not to debate the merits of an ethanol plant. Our duty was to determine whether or not it was appropriate to rezone residential and farm land to an industrial application. To that end, I was amenable.

There are arguments against the ethanol plant, as enumerated in last week's newspaper, so I will not get into them here. I also will not debate the merits of those arguments in great depth here. I will save that for my talk show. I personally am for progress and development when it is appropriate and beneficial. Is this the case with the proposed plant? I personally don't know yet. I do know that there was one quote from Mayor Hester with which I take issue, or at least wonder why this would be a consideration. He said, "If the plant is constructed, it will have a positive impact on Selma. It could add $100 million to our tax base. That's significant for the town." I agree that such an addition would be significant to our tax base. However, the proposed plant would not be within the Selma town limits and therefore is not subject to taxation by the town. As I understand it, Selma would have to annex that property in order to realize any such benefit.

There are also issues about court precedents that require Selma to take the zoning of Pine Level, the nearby ETJ jurisdiction. Do I think that Selma should have to take what another town does into consideration when determining our own town's destiny? Absolutely not. As a matter of fact, I think that Selma should totally ignore what other towns have for requirements of zoning just because we are an autonomous entity and should act as such. I have a hard time with another town determining Selma's jurisdictional authority and influence and vice versa.

I also have the thought that I am not fond of the very concept of an extra-territorial jurisdiction. I have a hard time with allowing a town to regulate people and businesses that are not getting to have a say in the governance as people within the town get to have with their vote. There should be the town limit and that is it...period. Either a property is within our town borders or it is not. Either it is within our jurisdiction and its owner(s) pays taxes and gets the same services and say in governance as others in town or not. There should be no property, person, or business held in limbo. That is just plain unethical. Unfortunately, that is how the State of North Carolina has determined that towns should run their affairs and we have to deal with it.

There is a balance to be struck somewhere, I am sure. The town leaders wish to expand Selma, as do I. There is the ongoing concern between freedom and regulation. There is the feud between development and environmentalism/preservation. What is the right answer for Selma in this case? Again, I am not sure. You will probably read the results of the public hearing in this issue of the paper. Hopefully I was able to be there in person and will be addressing this issue further if it develops.

Column for Jan 3, 2008

The Sissification of America

If you are like me, you fail to comprehend the use of the term "progressive" as it refers to current ideology. Often times, the term should instead be "regressive". Just in the past month or two, I have been extremely frustrated with some alleged "progressive" thought patterns. I am very thankful for those around me who keep me sane by maintaining old fashioned values that were and have always been progressive.

I have had the great fortune to be able to play "big brother" to a youngster lately. For years, I had pondered volunteering in a Big Brother/Big Sister type program, and now through a mutual connection, I am doing that very thing with a youngster. What I find refreshing is that this little guy is being raised as I believe a boy should be raised, meaning that he is allowed to be a boy. I have been able to wrestle, play with toy guns, will be buying some Super Soakers, and doing all the boy things like playing baseball, basketball, and football with him.

I recall the days of my youth spent running through the woods. A stick was the only toy I needed, since it served as a toy gun. The fellow children in the neighborhood also had the opportunity to play as boys do. We threw lawn darts, had pocket knives as toys and tools, we went into the woods and shot at each other with BB guns, had slingshots, rode in cars without seat belts or air bags, and wore large Buck knives on our hips to school every day just as in the show, "The Dukes of Hazzard". Young boys played with toy trucks, moved dirt with the assistance of Tonka, dug for worms, caught bullfrogs, and caught fish with our own fishing poles. Nowadays, children are told that catching fish is cruel, that every pocket knife is a dangerous weapon rather than a tool, that toy guns lead to violence, and we put children in booster seats with a paranoid guarantee of certain death. Children get suspended from school for drawing pictures of guns, carrying nail clippers, or making a joke about physical violence.

Would we have been able to fight World War II if little boys were never allowed to play with toy guns, wrestle, play physically demanding games and athletics, and only kept them sheltered from any and all harm? I doubt it highly. We would have had such a sniveling bunch of sissies masquerading as men that I doubt we could have ever had the resolve to win a war. It is that same "sissification" of American children today that has undermined the entire war effort in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have heard many comments made by our soldiers that they just want to be able to win. The major proponents of a sissy-boy approach have opposed the sending of more troops into Iraq but later had to admit that the "surge" tactic has worked effectively.

Remember, I was not in favor of the war in Iraq. I did not agree that Iraq was a threat to our national security and wanted a formal declaration of war before any invasion. Sure, I thought that Hussein was an evil dictator that needed to be toppled, that Iraq did and still does have weapons of mass destruction (fighter jets were just found buried under sand dunes this past week), and that there may even have been a connection between Iraq and the events of September 11, 2001. Fortunately, the men and women we sent into harm's way were not sissies and were able to get the job done and continue to do so. However, when I read the repeated rhetoric of opposition to all things Bush, I want to scream. I personally am no fan of George W. Bush and am glad that his eight years is coming to an end. However, I do give credit where credit is due. I would rather have had "W" on duty than Al Gore on September 12th, 2001 and forward.

The Sissification of America, or as I have often called it, The Wussification of America, is something that greatly disturbs me. I have heard it said by one popular Raleigh preacher years ago that "girls are not just long haired boys". The reverse is also true. Boys are not just short haired girls. Men and women are created differently. I know that is news to some, but for the six thousand years of recorded history, we have already known this fact. Let boys become men and girls become women. Boys are male by birth, but become men by choice. Girls are naturally female, but become women by choice, and hopefully, ladies.

If we do not take control of the simple fact that we need men and women, not some unisex sissies in this country, I can see that our nation will falter in our families, our communities, our governments, and eventually, our sovereignty. I don't know about y'all, but I am going to do my part to see that youngsters upon whom I have influence know, appreciate, and practice the difference between men and women and don't become sissies.

Column for Dec. 28, 2007

Do we REALLY want change? I doubt it.

I have been reflecting over the course of events both in my personal life and here in my community for 2007. I must say that there have been significant changes, probably some of the biggest changes I have personally ever gone through. In some things, however, I can say that the more things change, the more they stay the same. There is one local shop owner who laments to me every time he sees me, "Ah, Troy, my friend, I'm telling you...people in this town, they don't want any change!"

So what has changed here in Selma this year? Some houses and old dilapidated buildings were torn down. Some stores were sued. Some properties were going to be annexed but that may well be held up in court or nullified. We have a new fire chief on staff. What has remained the same? The same potentially illegal and dirty political tricks were employed in this year's municipal election. The same town council with one exception has been elected. Will our course as a town bring more change or maintain status quo?

There are all sorts of opinions as to the efficacy of the current administration here in town. I have heard from several different sides of arguments and concerns. I have talked to people who know this town's government better than most anyone and gotten some insights as to how things were run in the past and are currently being run. That is always a great benefit to me personally, since I get more than one side to a story or situation. I am not going to write about those perspectives or people, since I agreed to not do so, but I encourage everyone to ask questions rather than to take every statement, position, or situation you hear as the truth. Often truth is subjective, which is what defines politics.

I personally stand for what is right, not necessarily behind an individual. For instance, I did believe that there were some inefficiencies in our town spending that could have been tightened and they were. I believed that we needed to have a fire chief in Selma for various reasons. I stood by that position regardless of the hate mail I got, the names I was called, the acts of cowardice such broken glass that was purposely sown at the end of my driveway, anonymous comments left for me, people knocking on my door in the middle of the night and running off, vicious rumors, and a few other things.

Right is right. I have no aversion to standing up and taking a few tomatoes thrown my way for taking a stand. If I am wrong, I am wrong and will change accordingly. I had this conversation on several occasions with people I have known. That "take a stand" mentality has both gained and cost me relationships and friendships this year. As I study more and more about original intent and history of the Constitution as well as the Revolutionary War period, I come to understand more and more what was meant by "with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

I can not begin to describe the changes I have made and have endured in my personal life. In reflection on 2007, I can honestly say that this has been one of the most exhilarating and yet painful years of my life. I recall the beginning to the book, "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens. It begins, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." That truly describes my year. I began on a tepid plain, went through a long, fiery plateau, traveled through a furnace of a valley, and have ascended a mountain all this year. And yet through it all, I have grown as a man.

For the town of Selma, however, I can see where we have had many things stay the same. We have debated growth, we have redefined a few things from within, and yet this year is pretty much the same as any other of the past two years. We have made some progress in some areas, yet possibly regressed in a few others. Can we as a town, a county, a state, or a nation endure the changes necessary for true progress? Personally, I doubt it. Changes can be more easily effected on the local level, but I don't know as though people are ready for it. If people were ready for it on the county and state levels, we would have radical changes in leadership. The quadrennial election cycle is forthcoming, and I just do not see the resolve in this nation for a change from our present course. The ones that do have the resolve are being lampooned as lunatics, and yet I display my resolve for change on my front door. This paradigm seems to trickle down to the local levels of government.

What will 2008 bring? Will it bring change to Selma, Johnston County, North Carolina, or the USA? I can see some personal changes coming for the better. I can only pray I will see it on a grand scale, as well.

Column for Dec. 20, 2007

Demonstrating the Christmas spirit of giving

Every so often, I get the opportunity to be witness to acts of true love. These past few weeks, I have seen people give selflessly to others and show the true spirit of Christmas. One thing that I have said for years is that I would rather be the church than "go to" church. I would rather never darken the door of a church building and do as James wrote, "show you my faith by my works" than do just the opposite. This is the spirit we are supposed to celebrate at Christmas. God gave his only begotten son, which is what we commemorate each year on December 25th, and again in the Spring when we celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Christmas may get more attention each year, but without what most refer to as Easter, nobody would care about Christmas.

There is one couple who is very dear to me. They have been close friends for over fifteen years, have seen me through some tough times as well as some good times. Just today, as I am writing this, they are blissfully celebrating the love they have for three special girls. These three girls have been in the foster care system for almost six months now. Their mother could not continue to care for them, since she had to leave her abusive husband for fear of her own safety and that of their five children. The three girls were split up and put in foster care, along with the twin baby boys, after the mother could not support the family on her own. I personally know this mother, having been introduced by the proud, new foster parents that I call friends, and also now call the mother a friend.

This couple was happy to take in these precious girls, ages 2, 4, and 6 years. They have selflessly gotten toys, clothes, food, car seats, and bedding supplies for these children, as well as spent a great deal of time in preparation wading through the government bureaucracy, the eventual arrival, and now the actual care for these girls as a total labor of love. These girls were going to spend Christmas apart, in two different foster homes. Now, because of the relentless labor of love by one special couple, the girls will be spending Christmas together in a loving home and get to know the true meaning of giving.

Another act of kindness I have personally witnessed on more than one occasion is by another person with whom I am well acquainted. This man does something that I personally recommend to each and every one of you reading this column. This man travels frequently across North Carolina, sometimes into South Carolina, and up and down the eastern seaboard on occasion. I have personally seen this man take the opportunity to take the time to thank men and women who serve in our armed forces.

How he does this, as his favorite method of expressing gratitude to our military, is when he is dining out during his travels and sees military men or women in a restaurant, he will either simply ask the wait staff to bring him the tab for the soldier(s) or personally walk over to the military personnel and ask to pick up their meal tab and tip. If the wait staff is agreeable to bringing him the check, he personally walks over to the military personnel when they are about to leave, tells them that he is picking up the expense of their meals, shakes their hands, looks them square in the eye, and thanks them for their service to our country.

He does not go to them to tell them he is getting their meal to give his gifts before men, but rather to let them know why he is paying for their meals and to express personal, heart felt gratitude. I find that to be classy. Having witnessed this simple yet effective means of thanking a serviceman or woman, I have continued this tradition during my travels. If more people would also take up this idea as a means of materially as well as verbally expressing gratitude for service and sacrifice for our nation, I do believe that we will foster a better relationship with our military, indelibly mark the consciences of fellow men and women, as well as foster personal habits of expressing gratitude. Won't you try this same thing the next time you see someone in uniform at a dining establishment? Why not try this in other variations, such as for clergy, police, fire, or other such people who often work thankless jobs for the benefit of the greater populace?

I know that this week's column is a bit more sappy than normal, but I wanted to write this as my way of hoping that just before Christmas arrives, that you will know and maybe yourselves demonstrate what it means to give at Christmas time.

Column for Dec. 13, 2007

Enslavement of the soul and wallets

Why do we mortgage our future for the sake of some amount of control and political gain in the short term? One thing that liberalism has done to our nation is quite frankly, enslave the masses into a paradigm of selfishness for short term reward and a lack of long term gain.

We see this in such things as the continued use of affirmative action, welfare, prescription drug programs, earned income tax credits, Medicare, and Social Security. These programs make promises of long term gain, but the measurable gains are in fact few. The promise of a long term retirement plan was sold to previous generations in the form of Social Security benefits. Many use this as a primary method of planning for retirement instead of doing anything on their own. People look to the government for a minute fraction of a return on investment. Welfare recipients get a government check that keeps them in economic bondage, just as Social Security recipients. Entire generations of people are being limited as to the amount of money that they can earn or face losing the entitlement payment they wish to continue receiving.

When someone can get more money from the government for doing nothing than earning a living and taking personal responsibility for their own well being, then the government usurps the role of God as a provider and becomes an idol to be worshiped at the altar of a check or automatic direct deposit notification. What is the purpose of this manipulation of the economic system? Power. People who suckle at the teat of the government funding sow tend to vote for those who will perpetuate their hand outs, thus keeping them in power.

Benjamin Franklin wrote in 1787 and delivered to the Constitutional Convention the following words, as excerpted from the notes of James Madison. "Sir, there are two passions which have a powerful influence on the affairs of men. These are ambition and avarice; the love of power, and the love of money. Separately each of these has great force in prompting men to action; but when united in view of the same object, they have in many minds the most violent effects." This is true of both the ones who provide the dole and the recipients.

Another form of economic slavery is the mortgaging of our own futures for the sake of short term solutions. With all the recent attention paid to the collapse of a bridge in Minnesota and a parking deck in Charlotte, we in Johnston County are dealing with the state of our bridges over Interstate 95. Johnston County has the oldest stretch of I-95, since the interstate began here. We also have the lowest bridges as a result. Overpasses are often being hit by trucks and closed. The bridges get repaired and then get hit again. Instead of replacing the bridges, the Department of Transportation, in their infinite wisdom, is going to pay to raise the bridges so that they do not get hit any more. We are going to pay almost $4 million to raise the same, old, damaged bridges about one foot. Why not just replace the bridges now? It will cost more, but we are also talking about the oldest bridges on the interstate. We have old, banged up bridges, and instead of replacing them with wider, newer, better engineered bridges at the same time, we are going to just raise the old ones. This is abject stupidity to me and a waste of tax payer money. This is one instance where I firmly believe that we should spend more money now to save some later.

Why do we have the problem of needing, nay, wanting to spend less now and then turn around to spend even more later? Because a huge portion of our budget is going to entitlement programs. Both the federal and state governments are doling out cash like a sailor on shore leave to those who will take it. People who are not even citizens and citizens alike get free money, housing assistance, food assistance, transportation, health care, and tax credits at the expense of the rest of us who foot the bill.

Why do we allow the corruption of our values, the sale of our tax money for votes, the enslavement of our people, the abrogation of responsibility, and the pillage of tax payers? Benjamin Franklin had it right, and we tolerate it as a people to our own demise.

Column for Dec. 6, 2007

I do love my liberal friends, honest I do.

I have been told that I am rather opinionated. I don't mind being considered such, since we all have opinions. Some of us are just not as afraid to express them as others. If I was afraid to express them, then I would not be sitting at my computer writing this column each and every week and you would not have the pleasure (or not) of reading my rants.

For Thanksgiving, I was invited to a friend's house to fellowship with the family. I knew enough about this person's family to avoid topics of politics and religion. For those of you who have read my columns for any length of time, you know that I am not the least bit afraid to tackle those topics at all. It is amazing that I was a really good boy. I kept my mouth shut for quite some time. The family members were the ones engaged in discussions of topics relating to politics and religion. I kept hoping that the discussion would be limited to those participants and they would leave me out of it. But nooooo! Sure enough, I was asked my opinion, and good ol' Troy had to be Troy and be honest.

One thing about my opinions and perspectives is that I have consciously spent a great deal of time working on them, pondering them, reading, praying, and refining them. In short, I put thought into what I believe and why. This was not always the case. I used to be fairly liberal in many of my views and a bit conservative in others. Once I realized how emotionally based my liberal views were, and usually baseless, I changed those views. Even today, some of my views are being shaped and refined as I grow older. Even just living in the South for two decades has rendered some perspectives I would not normally have.

I was asked my opinions on things such as the death penalty and abortion. Those are two heated debates and I don't pussy foot around them. When told that someone has a faith of a certain religious order, and then start quoting Bible verses outside their context or intended meaning, I am not the type to just nod my head. For instance, I was told that the Bible says, "Thou shalt not kill" and therefore we should not put convicted murderers to death. At the same time, I was told that it is not right to tell a woman what she can and can not do with her own body and therefore it is acceptable to abort a fetus. My response was simple and logical, that I was just told that "thou shalt not kill" apparently does not apply to a baby; that it is wrong to punish the guilty but fine to slaughter the innocent. Of course I also had to expound on the fact that the death penalty was instituted by God Himself and that "thou shalt not kill" refers to murder, not the justified taking of human life. But I guess that I was not smart enough to stop there. I even offered to be the one to flip the switch on "Old Sparky", the electric chair since that is how much I stand by my conviction and know it is right. And I have not even gotten to the part about talking with a Jewish woman about her love of eating ham with our dinner.

I used to feel the same way as my friends about abortion. By way of confession, when I was a young, stupid heathen, several of my own children were killed in the womb for the sake of convenience. I am neither bragging nor flagellating myself over it. I am merely stating fact to demonstrate the concept that my views have changed over time and I realized how illogical my thought process was.

I usually find most all so called liberal thought patterns to be rather illogical and rooted in emotion. By way of example, my friend is a liberal Catholic and big time Hillary Clinton supporter (why someone would even think about voting for someone so evil is beyond my comprehension). I, on the other hand, am a conservative Protestant (for lack of a better term for it, though I don't consider myself Protestant or protesting anything) who thinks that Hillary is about the closest thing to the Anti-Christ we will see in these United States.

The ironic thing that I find about liberals is that they often skewer conservatives as being narrow minded and intolerant. Actually, I often find the reverse to be true. I tolerate the opinions of others, even among close friends. I have friends that are Christian, agnostic, atheist, homosexuals, and heterosexual. Just because I believe that someone is wrong does not mean that I can not tolerate them as people or debase them in any way. What I find ironic and often hypocritical is the claim that having convictions makes a conservative narrow but makes a liberal open minded. I find that the liberal is often the one intolerant of contradictory views.

Now that I know that I will never be invited for Christmas dinner or even get a Christmas card because I was asked my views on politics and religion and hold fast to those views, I just shake my head in amazement.

Column for Nov. 29, 2007

The AARCLU strikes yet again

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"… What is so hard to comprehend about that statement? Obviously, it is the beginning of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. There are those who are attempting to use both the court system and intimidation to rewrite not only the definition of religion but of the act of Congress making a law.

Our old nemesis, the American Civil Liberties Union, falsely so called, has been at it again. These God hating secular communists have continued to attack the Carolinas. I have talked to leaders from two different anti-ACLU organizations that have confirmed that the ACLU has been targeting towns, counties, and schools in both North and South Carolina for action to remove any vestiges of Christianity from our lives. I did say that the ACLU was full of communists. In looking at the origins of the ACLU, you will find that the organization does, in deed, have communist roots.

Two more North Carolina school systems have now been attacked by the ACLU. Earlier this month, Harnett County Schools knuckled under to the ACLU's demand to stop allowing The Gideons to distribute Bibles to elementary school students. The ACLU claimed that it was a violation of Constitutional rights to allow Bible distribution in the schools, and the school system decided to comply rather than resist. The very concept of forbidding the distribution of religious materials is actually the abridgement of Constitutional rights, not the allowing of the activity.

Allowing the Gideons to distribute Bibles does not comprise Congress making a law that establishes an official religion, or respecting one religion over another. Congress had nothing to do with the Harnett County School system or the Gideons. Why is this so hard to comprehend?

In Fayetteville, a mother of a fifth grader filed a complaint with the ACLU about the fact that Bibles are available for the taking in her son's classroom. The Bibles are not being pushed on the children, mind you, they are simply sitting there and available for children to take one if they want one. Of course, the ACLU says that this is against the Constitutional rights of the students.

How does the mere presence of a Bible violate the rights of anyone or establish a national religion? Why do Americans readily accept this garbage from a bunch of God hating communists? Why do we allow the courts to destroy over two hundred years of Constitutional procedure, principles, and tradition? I say it is because Americans are woefully ignorant of their own form of government, which is a planned thing. For years, American students have been "dumbed down" by a long term, planned process. When people fail to understand their history and heritage, they can not defend, appreciate, or even know to look to it for guidance.

Lately I have been reading through James Madison's notes from The Constitutional Convention and I am amazed at how some of the same arguments we have today were going on in 1787. The difference is that the people at that convention realized what they just came out from and some things to avoid. I doubt that the vast majority of people in this nation today have any clue what we are, where we truly came from, and why things are set up the way they are. Groups like the ACLU prey upon that situation and such an ill informed, secular populace.

The Anti-American Restriction of Civil Liberties Union (AARCLU, as the ACLU should be renamed) is not into the preservation of civil liberties. Nowhere is the Constitution is the freedom from being offended by the mere presence of a religious artifact, symbol, or book considered to be a civil liberty. There is a guarantee of freedom OF religion, but not freedom FROM religion. To claim absolutely that Bible distribution on school grounds is against Constitutional freedoms is absurd, intellectually dishonest, and nothing but a communist heathen agenda meant to crush your own freedoms.

If anyone wants to learn more about the original intent of the Founding Fathers, the writing of The Constitution, or get your own pocket copy of the document, feel free to contact me and I will gladly assist you.

Don't let the AARCLU bully your schools, your towns, and your counties into falling for their agenda or suffer the threat of lawsuits. They tried that with Selma and Forsyth County already. Tell your leaders to take a stand and tell the AARCLU to go pound sand.

Column for Nov 22, 2007

Thanking God at Thanksgiving

This week, we as a nation celebrate a sacred holiday. It is not as big a holiday as it should be. Thanksgiving is a day for just that, giving thanks. I am often dismayed at the idea that it is simply a day to have a feast, eat domesticated turkey, gorge ourselves on the abundance with which this nation has been so blessed, and watch football. To many, it is but a day or two off from work and the beginning of the Christmas shopping season.

It is bad enough that three radio stations in the Raleigh market have already started playing Christmas music full time. Wal-Mart has already started injecting Christmas music into its store public address system. Many stores started putting up Christmas decorations the day after Halloween, almost negating the sacred holiday in between.

This often over looked time of giving thanks has been maligned as to its purpose and frequency. In 1541, the Spaniards exploring the North American continent declared a time of thanksgiving in what is now Texas. I would be thankful to have gotten through Texas and finally found food, myself. As Coronado found out, Texas is a nice place to visit, but I would not to live there.

In the Revolutionary War period, there were multiple days a year set aside during which to offer thanks, such as after the Battle of Saratoga. Of course we read about an earlier time when the Pilgrims set aside time following the harvest in 1623. By the way, having grown up in the land of the Pilgrims, I can tell you for certain that the harvest did not take on the fourth Thursday in November and the feast would not have been outdoors as typically portrayed. It is too darn cold for either, so don't think that we celebrate Thanksgiving based upon the time frame of the activities that are in every elementary school re-enactment skit. Actually, early celebrations of thanksgiving entailed fasting rather than feasting.

A national day of thanksgiving was declared by George Washington for celebrating thirty years of nationhood in 1789. Another Washington proclamation came in 1795. Numerous presidents declared days of thanksgiving observances during their administrations. There was a thanksgiving day declared following the end of the War of 1812 as well as a day declared during the Civil War.

I look with disgust at the annual tradition of the President pardoning a turkey and think how far we have strayed from the precepts of a once hallowed tradition. What is the root of the tradition? Yes, to give thanks, but to whom and for what?

Just by way of research, I started to look up the history of Thanksgiving in America. One thing I find is the lack of to whom thanks was given. The pilgrims were said to have given thanks for the harvest. Of course they were thankful for the fruit of the harvest, but whom did they thank? Who did George Washington thank? Abraham Lincoln? Did they intend for us to have a day off to watch an annual parade and football on television? Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with football. I enjoyed watching the greatest NFL team in history, the New England Patriots, destroy the Buffalo Bills just the night prior to typing out this flimsy column.

What was missing from my research source material narratives was the emphasis of the entirely religious nature of taking the time to offer our thanks. The Proclamation of Thanksgiving by George Washington on October 3,1789 gives the purpose at its beginning. " Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor…"

This week, let us not forget to humbly take time to thank Almighty God for his benefits, His mercy, His love, His salvation, His grace that He has bestowed upon us, the blessings He has given our nation, our state, and our town. Let us thank Him for our safety and security, our liberty, and our provisions for health as no other nation has been able to enjoy these past few centuries.

I performed a quick search to see how often the words "give thanks" occur together in the Bible. The list is long and should tell us something about having an attitude of gratitude. I have a long list of things for which I am thankful, and I do express them to the source of my blessings, God Himself. May we all take the time to actually give thanks at Thanksgiving and have the courage to declare His glory.

Column for Nov 15, 2007

What part of "NO WAY" don't they understand?

I wanted to start out this week with a correction of a typographical error in last week's column. It was pointed out to me that the figure of 1% was supposed to read 10%, something I overlooked. Spell check and proof reading doesn't always catch errors like that. To make the matter worse, as I was writing the column, I looked back over what I had already written for a reference of my earlier statistic and referenced the typo. I chuckle over the mistake, but at the same time, I kick myself for making it. Hey, at least I admit when I make mistakes. If I am willing to be vulnerable to making them publicly, I had better be ready to admit it publicly. And thank you to those of you who pointed out the error. I would have missed it myself yet again in just reading over my column later. Before I even got my copy of the paper in my mailbox, I got emails pointing out the typo. Wow, y'all are quick, and very little gets by some of you. That is a good thing.

OK, back to my regularly scheduled programming. On more than one level, I was happy with the election results from last week. The one outcome for which I was thrilled was the resounding "No. Nix. Nyet. Nein. Fuhgedaboudit!" vote against the land transfer tax and one quarter cent sales tax increase referendum items. The vote was not even close. It went down in flames most everywhere it was on the ballot to the tune of seventy to 90 plus percent against the idea of tax increases. You would think that if sixteen counties soundly defeated the referendum items that the idea would be dead. Not in North Carolina or with liberal spenders. For them, it is "Yes. Si. Oui. Absolutely. I'll be back." Think "Rocky" and "The Terminator" for those last two.

I have heard several reports from the very day after the referendum was defeated that state and local officials are vowing to keep pushing the agenda until it passes. That means that we have to keep saying NO each and every time. It only takes one time to say yes. It does not seem to matter that a minimum of seven out of ten people have said that they are not for funding growth related needs in this manner.

I was in Greenville a few times this last week and saw one sign still standing along the side of the road saying to support the quarter penny increase for school construction. My understanding is that Pitt County did actually vote in favor of that increase, as did four other counties full or dullard voters, whereas it was soundly defeated here in Johnston County. Could the reason possibly be that we just voted a $90 million dollar bond and have seen sales taxes increase over the past several years? Even here in Selma we have seen a local five cent increase in property taxation. I would say that those had a bearing on the vote. I also believe that people are darn tired of having the complete burden for all of these growth and school items placed on the shoulders of the property owners. We are taxed on our income. With that taxed income, we buy a house in which to live. We are taxed every year on the house. When we sell that house, the thought of paying yet more tax upon a taxed investment payed for with taxed dollars is a repulsive and unethical notion.

It would be one thing if North Carolina did not already have the highest gas tax in the Southeast, a state income tax, and a property tax on top of that. In a few states, there are high property taxes but the corollary is that there is not a sales tax or income tax. Here we have all of them. North Carolina is becoming the "Taxachussets" of the South. Sure, we need to pay for growth some how, but I thought that growth was supposed to be a good thing and pay for itself. We are constantly being told that is what we need to increase the tax base. Yet we end up paying for growth rather than the growth paying us dividends, it seems. Something is seriously wrong with that concept.

I guess it would be too simple to look at profligate spending as a problem instead of a lack of revenue stream. Here in Selma, some simple things such as cutting spending went a long way in controlling our budget, even if we did have a corresponding tax increase. If we can do it on the local level, so can the county and state. Instead of myopic leaders in the state and county governments wanting to ramrod yet another tax burden down our throats until we swallow, it would make more sense to deal wisely with the monies coming to them at present. That should be normal fare, but apparently it is an afterthought to raising taxes. Does anyone run their own household that way? Some do and have ended up in bankruptcy court as a result. We can not collectively afford to do the same. No government ever taxed its way into prosperity.

Column for Nov. 8, 2007

To vote or not to vote

I was asked to write a commentary for a popular Triangle area web site about elections in general. Since by the time that this column is published, the municipal elections will have taken place, I figured it was safe to talk about the topic. I want to first take the time to thank everyone who voted in the election, regardless of for whom you voted, even if some people will always vote amiss, in my humble yet always most accurate opinion. You are the people who keep our republican form of government working. I don't care who is running or what the ballot initiatives (referendums) are to be voted upon, I am thankful for people who actually vote.

I was talking with an internet video producer and writer about voting, and as usual, ol' "ask me my opinion and you are bound to get it" Troy gave it. She then asked me to share those sentiments with her readers. I agreed, but I also wanted to hold off until I could fulfill my primary obligation to my own readers first. As a result of that discussion as well as a subsequent discussion with a candidate in a Johnston County municipal election, I figured I would punch some keys on the old IBM Net Vista (yup, I still have an oldie but a goodie).

Two years ago in the Selma election, there were, according to the Johnston County Board of Elections, there were 2853 registered voters in the town. That is almost 42% of the population. Only 22% of those registered voters actually showed up to the polls to cast ballots. That means that less than ten percent of the total population of the town actually decided the town's leadership. Does that strike anyone besides me as a sad statistic? Only time will tell the final totals this year.

When I compare this to the images we all saw in 2005 in the first genuinely free election in Iraq's history, I about weep. Regardless of your stance on the war in Iraq, the fact is that the first free election there was held just two years ago. Iraq had a 79.6% voter turn out. In Selma, less than 10%. 12.3 million people in Iraq walked for miles, stood in line for hours, and cast votes under the threat of death from insurgency groups opposing the election process and freedom itself. Despite the obstacles, millions of voters walked out of polling places with a purple inked finger, a sign that they had actually voted in their election. Why, in the most free nation on God's green Earth, do we have such a disparity of participation by comparison? Is it apathy? Is it the malaise of cynicism? I really can not answer that one, since I have voted in every election for which I have been qualified to vote since coming of legal age to do so.

Something I have commented upon for years is the total lack of accountability of the precious few votes that are cast. By that I mean that one does not have to prove identity in order to vote. In some areas of the country, dead people have voted for years. In other areas, people who are not citizens have been voting. Some people vote more than once. If one is not required to show identification to prove who is voting, someone can literally take your vote away from you by impersonating you. Someone I spoke with just last week decried this very thing when performing early voting at the Board of Elections office. No ID was required. That means that anyone who just came across the Rio Grande can possibly vote in our elections.

Of course some group like the ACLU would claim some esoteric form of discrimination if we did the obviously sensible thing and required people to prove their identity when exercising such a sacred right, nay, duty. Not only should we not be glib about taking our right to vote seriously, we should be vigilant about protecting the process from those who would perniciously violate it. We must protect the process and the right to vote. We must also shake off apathy and paradigms and actually participate in our electoral process.

I know, you are wondering why I would write this for publication just after an election. I am not late for the recent election, I am merely early for the upcoming primaries in just a few months. I can never remind people too much or too often.

Column for Nov. 1, 2007

Local patriots, local dissenters

I wanted to share some of my experiences this past weekend. As you will recall, I commented about an anti-war/anti-torture taxi march and rally that was scheduled for this past Saturday, and sponsored by NC Stop Torture Now. I decided that I did indeed wish to attend and observe. I had a plan and I stuck to it. My plan was to talk to people on both sides of the issue that showed up. I say both sides since I knew that there was coming a sizable counter protest from The Gathering of Eagles and Rolling Thunder.

I had a digital voice recorder and a microphone that works surprisingly well for the whopping four dollars I paid for it. I have microphones that cost a hundred times that amount, but this one is fine for the application. I decided to record audio clips of the protesters, the protesters protesting the protesters, and the whole ambiance that is little old Smithfield under siege. I actually got some great interviews, speeches, confrontations, background noises, and commentary recorded for use on my internet talk show. I wanted to be like a segment reporter at National Public Radio, but I am sure that many of you realize that I am usually incapable of such restraint. That leads me to a few things I wanted to bring out for public review.

One fantastic thing I witnessed at the rally is that passion is not dead in the hearts of many Americans. Whether I personally agreed with them or not, I was glad to see that so many people were willing to express their convictions openly. There are so many apathetic individuals in this nation, many of which are willing to be obsequious. Hundreds of people were unashamed of their convictions and to take a stand for what they believed to be right. For this very reason, even if I vehemently disagree with someone, I am willing to give someone the courtesy of a civil discourse if they are willing to reciprocate. Obviously, I have no problem with being expressive of my beliefs, and admire those who have the same "Moxie". For those who don't know, Moxie is a New England expression for spiritedness. Moxie is a regional, strong tasting cream soda that has been around for over 130 years. The expression is derived from the early marketing claims that the beverage gave one "spunk".

One thing that I do not do is question the love of country by those who protest Aero Contractors, George Bush, the Iraq war, or allegations of torturous acts, regardless of how misguided or ill informed many of them may be. What I do have a problem with is the automatic assumptions that any activity performed by the CIA is evil, all Bush administration members are liars, and that all interrogations are torturous. I heard one very nice and sincere lady discuss having a memorial for all those who died of torturous acts committed by our government, but when asked about numbers, she could only name one known case of such a death. One. I heard venomous rantings by highly educated individuals that just defy logic, in my opinion. I heard people defending the Communist Party and blaming George Bush for far more than he is capable of doing. I am no Bush defender, as many of you already know. On the other hand, I heard protesters referred to as scumbags, losers, and various other terms I can not publish here.

Another thing that I witnessed was the continued love of country and support for our military by the local citizenry here. The Gathering of Eagles was stationed along Market Street in front of the county courthouse. They were waving flags and holding signs that said to honk if you support the troops. For several hours there was non stop horn blowing and tooting in downtown Smithfield.

There is so much to share but so little space in which to write. There are plenty more details of sheer humorous ingenuity, passion, personal heroism, sacrifice, and soul searching that I would love to relay, but alas, print space is finite. I have recorded much of these for posterity in as fair a means as I can muster at present. Anyone wishing an audio copy, just contact me.

It is good to see that the proper exercise of freedom of speech, the right of assembly, and passion of commitment have not perished in this nation.