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TODAY'S ISSUE
Does a journal in class deserve a year's school suspension
By Vally Sharpe
Special to GwinnettForum.com

DULUTH, Nov. 14, 2003---Certainly the name Columbine is forever associated with tragedy -on a number of fronts: tragedy for those parents who lost children who simply went to school one day and never returned; tragedy for those students who survived, but will never view their safety in the same way again.

But it was tragedy for the rest of us as well. And just as we responded to 9/11, we reacted to Columbine in a search for whom to blame. We believe that if we can assess blame, we can gain control over preventing such tragedies from ever happening again.

Among the tenets of quantum physics is the observation that although we may be able to predict the behavior of groups with reasonable accuracy, say that 70 percent of all blue-eyed people eat anchovies, we cannot predict which blue-eyed individuals are in the 30 percent who won't. And so, if we attempt to prevent anchovy-eating altogether, we must check the lunches of all blue-eyed people to ensure there are no anchovies.

But the conundrum of America is this - the Constitution says we all have the right not to have our lunches gone through if we have not eaten anchovies before. We don't even treat our dogs that way - if a dog has never bitten anyone and then does, the dog's owner isn't held as negligent. Only the second bite counts.

The incident of Rachel Boim's journal at Roswell High is not about freedom of speech as much as it is about freedom, period. For most of us, there's a large gulf between writing something down and doing it. Otherwise, someone needs to arrest Stephen King. An English teacher by profession, he may just decide to kidnap a writer and torture her.

The only rule broken by Rachel Boim was sharing something other than an assignment in class. It is the only rule that should have been enforced.

Then there's the drug-raid at Stratford High School in Goose Creek, S.C. Using "scared straight" tactics on all of the kids in the hall was not acceptable. The same security cameras that showed drug transactions happening also showed the student perpetrators as well. Yet, some 80 other students were traumatized by guns in their faces, experiences that will never be completely wiped from their memories.

The greatest tragedy of Columbine and 9/11 is that by focusing on civil-liberty restricting measures that cannot work, we have failed to focus on finding real solutions. In zero tolerance schemes, we end up creating the very reality we set out to defend against, and in so doing, become the monsters ourselves.

By the time this appears in print, Rachel Boim's future may well have been decided. But no matter the result for Rachel, the future for the rest of us is still up in the air. We can stop this trend, but if we continue to respond with ill-advised, knee-jerk reactions to fear, turning back will become harder and harder to do. And if we don't, we may wake up one day soon to find that George Orwell's fantasy is no longer fiction.

ELLIOTT BRACK
Sugarloaf opens soon; Northquest wins in Dahlonega
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher
GwinnettForum.com

Three public servants from Gwinnett are among the first winners in the Excellence in Public Service Awards, sponsored by the Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia, and GeorgiaTrend magazine.

* Gwinnett Administrator Charlotte Nash is among the five top public servants winners in the state.

* County Commission Wayne Hill was one of two county-elected officials recognized.

* Frank Stephens, deputy director of public utilities, was one of two county-appointed persons selected. Information on these awards can be found in the November issue of GeorgiaTrend.

Sugarloaf Parkway will eventually be four-laned all the way to Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in the western portion of Gwinnett. Currently the parkway has its westward end at Buford Highway. Work in the last few months has been on extending the road only about a half mile to Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, but under the Norfolk-Southern Railroad.

Look at that project now and it appears about completed. Gwinnett DOT officials tell us that the short new portion will be open by the end of 2003. The key portion yet undone involves traffic signal timing, and of course, painting stripes, and other odds and ends. So, look for the under-the-railroad part to be open soon!

Remember former Gwinnett Elections Supervisor and County Administrator Bill Northquest? He was one of four candidates, three of them incumbents, vying for three seats on the Dahlonega City Council. Bill won his election to become a councilman, and not only that, but got more votes than any of the incumbents.

Apparently in Dahlonega, one tradition when you win political office is to cut off one pant leg about a foot above the hem. That's why you see Bill Northquest grinning his victory smile...though short-panted!

All the rough and tumble in football may be unnecessary, if you take the philosophy of the winningest coach ever, John Gagliardi of St. Johns University (Minn.). The coach (who wants players to call him simply "John") won his 409th victory in his 55 years of coaching over the weekend, more than any other football coach ever. He surpassed Grambling's legendary Eddie Robinson who retired in 1997 and won 407 football games as a coach.

We know little about "John," an apparently-unassuming coach. But we know this: he uses a set of guidelines, which he calls "No's", that he posts, and expects the team to follow. Among them:

… No traditional captains. All seniors share the honor.
… No special diet or training table for his players.
… No playbooks.
… No newspaper clippings posted.
… No long practices.
… No spring practice.
… No practice in extreme heat, cold or rain. (Wonder how he missed cold weather practice in Minnesota?)
… No practice if mosquitoes or gnats are bad.
… No Gatorade celebrations.
… No trash talk tolerated.
… No cheerleaders.

Makes you want to go out and play for a guy like that. Now if our politicos would adopt a similar stance, well, we all might really back them!

Here are some statistics from Tax Commissioner Katherine Sherrington, who is also the county tag agent.

In 2002 Gwinnett had 465,555 auto tag renewals, with three percent (15,590) completed via the Internet.

For the first two quarters of 2993, there were 235,650 renewals and 5.76 percent (13,565) was on the web. As you can see it has almost doubled. Most of the renewals are by private citizens, not auto dealers.

And as a side note, Gwinnett is now the top county in Georgia in vehicle registrations. There is a whole lot of information about registration at the tax commission Internet site. And remember that a few people over 65, who drive less than 5,000 miles a year with older automobiles, don't have to have them inspected. For more on that the emissions program, take a look at www.cleanairforce.com.

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Editor, the Forum:

In response to your article dated November 11, 2003 (Extraction of U.S. Forces from Iraq), I don't understand the view of some people in our country that are so consumed with the death of a soldier. Do people not join the military to defend our country? Yes.

Does a person that joins the military understand that if there is a war that their life may be in jeopardy? Yes. On another token, when someone becomes a police officer, do they understand that their life may be in jeopardy while defending someone else? Yes! Then why do people not complain when an officer is killed?

I am so tired of hearing the media and the general public complain about the number of soldiers that are killed in Iraq. When you join the military, you are joining to defend your country, and yes, maybe die for your country. Let's compare the number of people that die on our roads everyday across America to the number of soldiers killed in Iraq. Let's compare the number of people that die of cancer everyday across America to the number of soldiers killed in Iraq defending our country.

Where is the media attention there? Why don't we get a DAILY death toll of the number of people killed in wrecks or of cancer? Well, the people that die in car wrecks or of cancer have no choice, you say? I say, the people that join the military do have a choice. They choose to defend our country.

-- Kathy Thompson, Bethlehem, Ga.

CALENDAR
Gwinnett retired teachers becoming puppeteers

To promote "safe places to learn and grow,", Gwinnett County Retired Educators are lending hands as puppeteers to the Gwinnett Solicitor's office "Hands Are Not For Hitting" puppet program.

This is an interactive puppet show for children aged 6 to 9 designed to help teach children non-violent conflict resolution skills. This program is offered by the Gwinnett County Solicitor's office. To date, GCREA volunteers along with Program Coordinator Ann-Marie Serafin and other business and community volunteers, have been "behind the curtain" providing voices and hands for the puppet show to approximately 2,000 Gwinnett elementary school children.

Ralph Greene, past president of Gwinnett County Retired Educator's Association, was one of those volunteers and stated "I believe it was almost more fun for me to be a puppeteer than for the children to watch the show."

Win cash with your best ideas for Clean and Beautiful

Tell Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful where to spring-clean, and win some holiday cash.

Next April hundreds of volunteers will descend on sites across Gwinnett County as part of the Great American Cleanup. Your ideas are needed to help decide where they could make the greatest impact on the community.

By convincing Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful to choose your site you could win up to $400. But you will also help create a healthier, safer, and more livable community.
Prizes will be awarded the first week of December. Fax suggestions to 770-822-5179 or email to gwinnettcb@gwinnettcb.org

Make a suggestion...and make a difference in your corner of the community.

Suwanee soiree set for Nov. 21 for help in funding park

Get away from it all and enjoy a few days in the sun. Find a unique holiday gift for someone special.

Indulge yourself.

Hundreds of great items that will allow you to accomplish all of the above will be available at the Suwanee Soiree live/silent auction on November 21. The evening promises to be a lot of fun and proceeds will help fund an interactive fountain at Town Center Park. Tickets are $45 each. Check the City of Suwanee website, http://www.suwanee.com, for the just-updated list of available auction items. Contact City Hall at 770/945-8996 to get your tickets.

You'll not want to miss out either on taking a look at the preliminary design for Suwanee's one-of-a-kind playground, to be constructed next spring. That, too, is available at the Suwanee website. Finally, the City has garnered another award and, yes, you can find out all about it as well as check out the November issue of CrossRoads at http://www.suwanee.com.