The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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One reason Wilcox County stays broke is because people steal. That is not in any way meant to take away from the gross mismanagement we’ve come to call normal, but theft happens too often and audits are too few. The latest sin to slither out of the courthouse emerged when the bank called retiring Probate Judge Jerry Boggan and informed him that funds were not sufficient for the checks that were being presented. Now I don’t know, but I would think that in that very moment, the Honorable and kin...
With each news cycle describing incidents reflecting the increasing political and cultural divide that exists in our nation, the more the following Scripture repeats in my mind. Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. - Matthew 12:25 The mainstream media is on a daily mission to exploit every possible area of division in an effort to ramp up envy and hostility between the races, genders, and economic groupings of Ame...
It has been almost 40 years since I spent my last summer with Fannie. She would not believe the lives we live now. Even in the 70’s she lived somewhere far back in time. It was partly, I suppose, because she was in rural Marengo County. We lived only minutes away from one another, but we were worlds apart…minus the weekdays we would spend together. I would often arrive at her house early enough the fog would still be rising over the farm fields. It would slowly lift, surrendering to the golden b...
To all the boys who don’t feel smart on paper. I call them the lost boys, these young people who seem in one way or another to be left behind or forgotten by what we tend to consider as traditional school standards. Of course this includes a certain number of girls too. I overheard one of my son’s friends talking last week. He was talking about his own self saying, “I am so dumb.” I couldn’t help but interrupt and tell him that he most certainly was not dumb, and to not say that. He told me t...
Like so many of the Alabama Gazette readers, I strongly believe in the power of prayer, and I’m so very thankful to live in a nation where citizens can still gather for times of corporate prayer. Such an event will take place in our city on Thursday, May 3rd at the Alabama Activity Center on Dexter Avenue, 7am, at the annual Montgomery Prayer Breakfast. Since 2004, and in conjunction with the National Day of Prayer, the Montgomery Prayer Breakfast has been a time of praise for our Lord and p...
Facebook is fabulous at providing us with fun ways to waste time. The latest is a link that lets you submit a picture of yourself and it shows you what you would look like on the cover of a fashion magazine. We all look pretty in the pictures they design. We also all look very much alike. It’s as if they stamped us all with the same pretty stamp. A lot of us will probably be wearing more make-up this week after seeing their pictures, but that may not be what real beauty looks like. I met a w...
I can't write about politics this month. My heart just isn't in it right now, and I honestly don't know when it will be again. Almost all of the current “debate” involves anger and accusations lobbied back and forth, and nothing is resolved in that atmosphere. I recently described myself to a group as a "recovering political junkie," and little did I know at that time just how irrelevant politics would soon become. Those readers who know me are aware that our family recently lost one of our you...
It took me a long time in life to learn evil is a real thing that actually exists. Some people are evil. Some people have evil tendencies or evil ways about themselves. It is difficult to accept evil when you are genuinely not. Evil hides well and is easily camouflaged, but you best trust it is there. It is probably not a far drive from where you currently are. I don’t know if it started in the ‘80s or if that was just when I came of age enough to be aware of it. There seemed to be this soc...
The news alert came across my phone that Tuesday morning as I was preparing to leave home for my new discipleship class, an extremely timely one titled God of Order. Another school shooting, this time in Kentucky. Two more innocent teenagers killed, 16 others shot, and 7 more injured as they fled for their lives. I remember thinking, “Not again, Father God…please, not again.” Yes, and yet again, while the families and loved ones grieve the loss of these children, another senseless tragedy become...
There are two types of people in Alabama this week – those who have the flu, and the handful of running scared fearful ones who don’t. Bless their hearts. I was one of them until a few short days ago. I had gone out of my way to try and not catch it. I had upped the Vitamin C, was getting plenty of rest, cleaning with Clorox, washing my hands like I had a compulsive disorder, and avoiding people in general. I had all but taken to wearing a surgical mask and carrying a can of Lysol around wit...
Because I love to read, I'm always searching for new books of interest, especially from authors I've enjoyed in the past. So after learning of a new book written by local author and friend Jeff Barganier, I knew it would be added to my reading list. I'm still weary of the political landscape of the past year, so instead of my normal commentary on politics, I want to share with you my thoughts and impressions of this book, How Prayer Helped Me Escape the Corporate Rat Race...and Live Life by...
I hope everyone had a safe and pleasant holiday season. I certainly did. I’m not even sure exactly what day of the week it is at this point. It feels like there were three Sundays in last week. Three Sundays, and a wedding. We have had five Christmas dinners over the past eight days, with one more coming up this weekend. I’m excited about it because I get to spend time with my in-laws, and many of my readers know the fine history there. I’m sure a lot of you have similar stories you could share...
Entering the month of December, all I really want is to focus on the celebration of God's gift of the birth of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Not politics. And certainly not an incredibly nasty U.S. Senate race that is bringing unwanted attention to our beloved state. Yet, here we are and we have a decision to make - one that will have a tremendous impact on our state and nation, and speculation of all manner is rampant about the message that will be sent with the election of either...
Very early in the morning on November 6, child in Etowah County notified Hokes Bluff police that a murder/suicide had taken place at her home. On November 1, in the middle of an ordinary day, a Vestavia Hills police officer stepped behind the Metro Diner, located next to the Vintage Barber Shop, and took his own life. Sunday, November 5, a group of about 1500 people participated in the Birmingham Out of the Darkness Walk at Heardmont Park in Hoover. Everyone participating walked in honor of a...
For months now, we’ve heard the term “fake news” batted around and attached to news organizations across the political spectrum. The term has been increasingly applied by President Trump as it relates to the coverage of his administration by liberal news outlets, and while conservatives have long known that the dominant mainstream media outlets were skewed to the left, are they truly culpable in an agenda of pushing propaganda under the guise of news? James O’Keefe, conservative activis...
Just to be clear, I am writing about the banana spiders found in the southeastern region of the United States. They live as far north as North Carolina and as far west as Texas. I am not referring to the banana spider of Central and South America that is venomous and will chase people. There are those who believe the banana spider arrived to our area aboard banana boats as they docked at the port of Mobile years ago. But experts claim Mobile had banana spiders long before the banana boats...
More often than not, I’m experiencing days in which I don’t want to hear a single news story or read yet another sensational headline. One would think with the abundance of news that it should be easy for me to find a topic each month on which to express my opinion, but it’s actually quite the opposite because of the information overload every way I turn. It’s enough to make me wonder if I’m only “beating a dead horse” with words and that it might be time to take a break from everything an...
One of the most confusing days of the year in Wilcox County can be Father’s Day. Mother’s Day is not as complicated. This year the Mayor of Camden, Phil Creswell, is giving area residents another day to celebrate. In connection with the national movement intended to raise awareness about the importance of parental involvement, Mayor Creswell has proclaimed Monday, September 25, as Family Day. He is encouraging everyone to take time out to do something family oriented. Family Day in Alabama has...
Maybe, it's the increased humidity and hot temperatures that have made me a bit cranky of late. Maybe, I'm so weary of the recent news events and escalation of anger consuming our nation that more than ever I'm ready for college football and the diversion it brings. Or maybe, it's the special U.S. Senate election and my disgust with the nasty campaign ads generated from the power structure in DC wanting to select our next senator that has irritated me more than normal in the last few weeks. I...
How to live in a county that is dying Prior to reading the interview with respected historian Wayne Flynt on Al.com, I knew that the Black Belt has its challenges. I knew, because I started writing about them when it became clear years ago that many of the most challenging issues were never making it across the Wilcox County line. The poverty level and unemployment rate are well-reported, but political corruption, poor leadership, and candidates winning elections through illegal absentee voting...
In our fallen world, there is certainly no shortage of heartbreaking stories, yet the one that will not leave my mind right now is one from the United Kingdom pertaining to the medical and legal issues facing the 11-month old infant Charlie Gard and his parents. As a parent and a grandparent, I grieve with these parents for the shattered dreams for their child due to the diagnosis of his very rare genetic condition and apparent terminal prognosis for his life. Based on all I have read,...
As you celebrate this Independence Day with family, friends, and all the commercialized activities that this day has come to represent in our culture, perhaps you’ll reflect a few minutes on this question: How much independence do we really have from our government? Since our government controls our education system, our health care system, and numerous other industries owing their profits or even existence to government bailouts and subsidies, it appears that the American government of today i...
It is supposed to be easy and serve as a transition into writing about others in second person, but there are always those who seem to draw a blank. They stare into space like they have been asked to describe a stranger. This is sad to me. One of the many responsibilities we are charged with as parents – and teachers too to some extent – is to help our children to know who they are as individuals. This is not the same as teaching them. You can’t teach them who they are the same way you can t...
Have you been offended today? No? Well, you’ve likely not checked social media or various news outlets to learn what is trending as the offense of the day. It seems that there is a long list of things that are supposed to offend me, but in many ways it’s just becoming tiresome chatter. As I read and learn about these issues that are now serving as “triggers” for insult, I realized that our culture seemingly exists in a state of perpetual offense and outrage at any thought, speech, or person...
The title of a recent Christian podcast that I follow intrigued me with the title “Pedestal People,” and while neither participant in the discussion lives anywhere close to our beautiful state, I had to wonder if perhaps they had been peeking into the political intrigue of the last few years. I imagine that the overwhelming majority of Alabamians join me in being vastly disappointed or even disgusted by the current politics of our state. Granted, there are always those who will delight in the...
