Mayor Wilbanks reports that Girl Scout Troop 582 unveiled their Peace Pole project on the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks at the Gazebo on Second Avenue in Dacula. The Pole has the inscription "Let Peace Prevail on Earth" on the face. On the other faces of the Pole, the word, "Peace," is spelled out in 20 different languages.

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HOW TO FOUL UP an election. Why bother? Hire Florida. That state is an expert at this.

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BEST MOVIE seen this year, and of course I don't see many, is "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." Made for less than $5 million, its revenues will soon pass the $100 million mark. What a nice reward for such a fine movie.

Perhaps this movie will show the industry, once again, that major special effects, preposterous situations, all sorts of firepower and blowing up everything in sight, plus overdone promotion, is not what it takes to make a good movie.

It takes a simple story, well done, with class. That's "Greek Wedding." It's worth seeing.again.

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POLITICAL SIGNS after an election are eyesores. While we put up with them prior to an election, time the voting is over, we want to see those signs gone.

So far in Gwinnett, we've seen few signs remaining of losers in the races. Since this past voting was a primary, you expect the winners to keep up their signs.

You wonder about residents who first place a candidate's sign in their yard, then see their candidate defeated, yet still keep the sign up. What are those people thinking? Do they not realize that their candidate lost?

Perhaps they are proud to back their candidate. But leaving a sign up must be something of a hollow defeat. Why do it?

BUT HAPPILY, finally, something good about kudzu. Political signs, no matter how big, left unattended, will eventually get covered up by kudzu!

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BELATED CONGRATULATIONS to John Linder on his victory, surprising by its margin, over Bob Barr.

And welcome to two new nominees for Congress from part of Gwinnett, David Scott and Denise Majette. And of course, don't overlook Nathan Dean, who was running unopposed, but now serves a portion of Gwinnett County.

Where Gwinnett previously had three people representing a portion of the county, we now count four. However, in the Fourth District previously held by Cynthia McKinney, the new representative will only count five Gwinnett precincts.

In Gwinnett's local races, perhaps the most surprising aspect was Jeff Williams losing his House race to a political newcomer, John Heard. It seems another sign of what Georgia has shown this year: more and more of the winners champion centrist views, rather than being on the edge, as were their opponents.

It's already been a distinctive Gwinnett political year. Now let's watch the rest of the political story unfold from now until November 5. back to top

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: UPCOMING HEARING
County seeks input on Lenora Park

Gwinnett citizens are encouraged to put in their word about future amenities at Lenora Park in Snellville. Gwinnett's Department of Community Services encourages the public to stop by to view and make comments on the Lenora Park Master Plan from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19 at Lenora Park Gymnasium, 4515 Lenora Church Road, in Snellville.

A citizen steering committee guided the development of a new Master Plan for the 178-acre park, and recommended the following priorities for the next phase of development: 1) Improve the multi-use trail; 2) construct an outdoor family aquatic center; 3) construct phase one of a community center; and 4) construct a football complex.back to top

FEEDBACK:
9/17: Says red-eye Internet purchasers are culprits

Editor, the Forum:

In response to your recent comments editorial about Delta Airlines, I'd like to ask you a few questions.

Why is it that you think it's YOUR right to be able to use a ticket that you purchased for a particular flight for a different flight? Can you do this with a train ticket? No. Can you do this with a bus ticket? No. Can you do this with passage on a ship? No.You can't even do this with a movie ticket.

You say that by taking an earlier flight you're basically doing the airline a favor? Yeah, like they're supposed to sell an empty seat within a few hours. If not at the airport already, the person probably wouldn't have enough time to get to the airport, park, go through security and get to the gate on time to even make the "empty seated flight."

You want to know why Delta is losing money? It's because people buy a "red eye" ticket for a song over the Internet and then show up for an earlier flight (a more expensive one I might add) and expect the airline to allow that. Even with the $100 surcharge, you'll probably still find it cheaper to use this tactic.

I really feel you missed the mark with your comments towards Delta. Fly another airline if you think that will change things. But I think you'll find that Delta's policy will, in fact, become industry policy sooner than you think.

-- Craig Heighton, Buford

9/17: Delta competitor allows same day stand-bys

Editor, the Forum:

I echo your comments about Delta and their new policy on standbys. For that and other reasons, I fly their competitor who will let you standby on the day of your ticket for no charge. In fact I flew home when I was sick recently about three hours early and it helped me get medical attention earlier.

-- Charles Summerour, Duluth

9/17: Questions needed for photo ID when voting

Editor, the Forum:

A few thoughts on the manner of conducting elections: When I went to vote, the poll workers asked for my picture ID. I have known all of them except one for more than 25 years. They are friends and neighbors that I see regularly.

When I asked the logical question the answer was that it was to prevent voter fraud. You don't get voter fraud from people you know: it's from those you don't know.

I know a little about conducting elections as I was the chief registrar for Gwinnett County from l968-1972. The poll workers must be following orders from above.

Why not allow poll workers to make decisions rather than robots that follow all orders no matter how unnecessary? My complaint is with the orders not the poll workers. We don't need zero tolerance at the polls (or in schools for that matter).

-- Jim Hood, Lawrenceville

Dear Jim: Those poll workers are following orders when they ask for a picture ID, or any one of 13 different IDs. Or you can sign a Statement of Voter Affidavit, swearing/affirming that you are who you say you are. Now state law requires one of these ID measures before you are allowed to vote.---eeb

9/17: Discouraged at small poll turnout

Editor, the Forum:

Tuesday we had a "runoff" election, and I am quite frustrated.

I was the poll manager at the Civic Center. We had a total of 16 persons voting in a 12 hour period. Our first voter arrived at 9:35 a.m.

A number of people complained that the election was not publicized. I can't go along with that, but I do feel that we can do a better job of bringing them out.

The Civic Center itself can be intimidating because of the parking and because many people have never been there. It can be a very cold place for a newcomer and I feel the "responsible" people of the county have never pushed to the general public to be aware of its presence.

Perhaps that will change with the new arena, but as with my neighbor, he was wondering if there was a symphony orchestra in Gwinnett County. There is an art museum in the complex, but who knows where it is and what is being shown. In other words the Civic Center is a place that needs to be publicized and some way of telling the people of the county and the area that it is theirs and not just the Chamber of Commerce and the motel tax that built it.
Is this sour grapes? I don't believe so.

-- Howard Fox, Norcross back to top

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Reflection on Wild Things

The Peace of Wild Things

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

- - Wendell Berry, "The Peace of Wild Things," Openings (1968), via Mark Van Putten, president of the National Wildlife Federation. back to top

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