GwinnettForum | Number 20.75 | Oct. 16, 2020
LONG LINES: Early voters were stretched around the Elections Office in Lawrenceville on the first day of 2020 voting on Monday. Similar lines were seen at other early voting locations. Roving Photographer Frank Sharp snapped this photograph.
TODAY’S FOCUS: Raises questions, including is the United States a just nation?
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Readers suggest why so many people are voting early already
ANOTHER VIEW: A question in his mind: did the president ever really have COVID-19
SPOTLIGHT: The 1818 Club
FEEDBACK: Wildlife Association urges passage of Amendment 1 on Ballot
UPCOMING: City of Norcross picks Eric Johnson as its new city manager
NOTABLE: Snellville Police Department gets $209,816 grant for traffic safety
RECOMMENDED: Mythos: The Greek Myths Reimagined by Stephen Fry
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Indian town of Coweta located below Columbus on Chattahoochee
MYSTERY PHOTO: Iconic image asks for your solving for today’s Mystery Photo
LAGNIAPPE: Libraries going up!
CALENDAR: Water Resources offers virtual info session through October
Raises questions, including is the U.S. a just nation?
By Gregg Stopher, contributing columnist
PEACHTREE CORNERS, Ga. | Is America a “just nation?” What exactly does it mean to be considered a “just nation?” One dictionary defines it thusly: acting or being in conformity with what is morally upright or good. But who decides what is “morally right or good?” If, as some would argue, there are no moral absolutes, then who gets to decide?
Stopher
Practicing Christians defer to the wisdom found in the Bible, but even amongst Christians, there is a great deal of variation with respect to interpretations of what the Bible is telling us.
Even with differing views as to how the world works, there are things that any sane individual would agree are wrong: murder, theft, and any form of sexual or physical assault all come to mind. Mis-treating the elderly, disabled and/or children are others (one would hope). But beyond the obvious, where are the boundaries in a civilized society?
As we approach the final stretch of this presidential campaign in this—the very strangest of years—I posit that these questions will be answered by this upcoming election.
Is America wholly defined by its past, which contains the great sin of slavery, even while simultaneously stating in its founding documents that “all men are created equal?” Or will a majority decide that America, while clearly flawed, both in its founding and even continuing to present times, is on a path set forth by its founders some 244 years ago, that of opportunity for all of its citizens (i.e., life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness)? Are we a nation of human beings, with individual rights as endowed by our Creator, or are we a nation that is defined by which “group” we belong to?
Are these United States completely incapable of redemption for its past sins? Or, despite its obvious flaws, is America an overall force for good in this world?
Is the U.S. Constitution a “living, breathing” document, as one former Supreme Court Justice suggested, or should we view it as unalterable and attempt to interpret it as best we can given the intent of the founders? Societies do change over time, and technology continues its inevitable march forward, so how can a 233-year-old document possibly address all of our current issues? (Quick hint: the amendment process).
In an attempt to mold a utopian society, do we tilt towards a redistributionist economic system, which tends to value equality of outcome over the traditionally defined equality of opportunity? Given the fact that “all men have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” is a utopian society even possible?
Do most people vote on the issues they care most about, or do they simply vote for the letter next to the person’s name? Does the person’s perceived “character” or “mental acuity” even matter?
Presidential elections, for the most part, offer a binary choice. Yes, there are Third Party “spoilers” from time-to-time (most notably Ross Perot in 1992). But this year, we are clearly offered the ultimate fork in the road.
May you choose wisely, America!
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Readers suggest why so many people are voting early
A man votes on an electronic machine.
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
OCT. 16, 2020 | It puzzles me why people are standing in line for hours in record numbers to vote on the first two days of early voting. After all, they have all of three weeks to vote early. “Why was it?” I asked some people, just to try to figure this out. We were also trying to determine who would benefit from heavy voting.
What follows are some of the 22 answers we got. Some answered similarly. We’ll use no names; we’re just seeking to understand this voting phenomenon.
A retiree thought: “They got the day off to vote, so they were sticking with it.”
An insurance man: “The heavy turn-out benefits Joe Biden, as does mail-in voting.”
An office manager: “People want to avoid the long lines on the actual day of voting. And if the lines were too long, they could return multiple times until they voted.”
Another retiree: “What is happening now at the polls is that a lot of people are afraid of mail-in ballots. The heavy turnout will favor Democrats.”
A political observer: “Passions are the highest in my life. Hatred is raw. It isn’t just one side. Republicans similarly feel this election is the most important in their lives and everything is on the line.”
A journalist: “Makes more sense to me to vote early after about two weeks when not as many people are all lathered up. Democrats are really energized. Republicans are going to buy more of the argument that they need to show up on election day.”
A key manager: “Frustration, COVID, anger, Black Lives Matter movement, defunding of police, violent riots, destruction of properties….all these are bringing out the voters.”
A female business owner: “I am willing to stand in line because I see our basic governmental structure threatened by abuse of power. On top of which, I trust science and I believe humans are harming the climate and that positive measures CAN be taken away. Many are standing in line because they are misinformed, via Fox and believe conspiracy theories.”
A former business owner: “ I think the heavy turnout spells doom for Trump! It will be interesting to see, and I really hope that he goes peacefully. I wanted him to survive the virus, but not the election!”
An attorney: “I think it is good for Biden/Harris. I also feel that way about early mail-in votes. Trump’s troops are too busy watching his photo ops and attending his mask-less rallies. Mind boggling!”
A relatively demure lady: “I can only hope it means that a lot of folks are prompted to vote this year out of sheer exasperation with Captain Chaos. But maybe his supporters are turning out in higher numbers because they fear exactly that.”
An elected official: “People on both sides are fired up and want to go ahead and vote.”
A keen observer: “The early long lines show how incredibly passionate people are about their Presidential choices this year.”
A Floridian who watches Georgia: “In 2016, Democrats stayed away from polls in bigger numbers, so stronger motivation this year is helping Democrats more.”
A former Gwinnettian: “It is good for the country to get people involved, then it is up to leaders to do what Dr. King, Dr. Lawson and others did in the 50s and 60s.”
From an adjacent county: “A lot of the voters these first two days are people who see voting in person as the patriotic thing to do, COVID or no COVID. The long lines are helping the challengers, most notably Joe Biden.”
Thanks to all who responded.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
A question: Did the president ever really have COVID-19
By Raleigh Perry
BUFORD, Ga. | Now, this is only my opinion, and that I recognize. I am having a serious time congealing in my mind that President Trump even has, or had, COVID-19. He is an actor. There are just too many things that do not jive with the reality of the virus. He enters into the hospital on Friday, October 2 and departs on Monday, October 5. That time line is totally unrealistic. It is also announced on Friday, October 9, that he is no longer contagious. There are too many problems with the picture.
Perry
Interestingly, one of the things that he wanted to do when he left the hospital was to rip his shirt open, exposing a Superman shirt. Regeneron happens to be made by a company led by a good family friend. This is, of course, not the first time that he has pushed a product made, or suggested, by a friend. Actually, the man who produces Hydrochloroquine, according to a recent story in The New York Times, is made by a company which the president of that company spends tons of money at Trump resorts. And then we have the pillow man.
COVID-19 is a virus, albeit a different one, and the rule of thumb that doctors will give you about the flu is it will last ten days or a week and a half, whichever comes first.
Trump had all of the doctors sign a Nondisclosure Agreement, but that, in reality, is not necessary when it comes to medical treatment. Patients are protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Even with that, what the doctors can say, and have said, has been garbled mishmash and I think that there is a reason for that, Trump was never sick in the first place!
We have not heard a word about Melania!
We have to take into consideration that Trump is a showman and if he is second to anyone, it would be P.T. Barnum, but I think he has Barnum beaten hands down. He is an avid liar. As often as not, his speeches have more lies in them than truth. He has this need to project himself as a superman. It is simply part of being narcissistic.
We know that he dictates to doctors what he wants them to say. Bone Spurs are one thing and one thing only. Another was that he was in the best health that a president could be in. The doctors who saw him in 2019 at Walter Reed also had to sign a Nondisclosure Agreement. He went in the night for a physical. BS! There is more to do with it than that. We will never know.
I could go on ad infinitum on this matter, there is a lot of evidence that the probability is that he was not sick at all. His actions remind me of a hymn we sang in church in the 1950s:
Up from the grave he arose
With a mighty triumph o’er his foes.
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
And he lives for ever with his saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah!
Trump arose!
Well, I did a little adaptation.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
The 1818 Club
The public spiritedness of our sponsors allows us to bring GwinnettForum.com to you at no cost to readers. Today’s underwriter is The 1818 Club, named for the year that Gwinnett County received its charter. The 1818 Club is a member-owned, private dining experience providing the best in food, service and meeting accommodations for its members. Whatever your business or social dining needs, the 1818 Club has the proper facilities, recently renovated, to gracefully host your gatherings.
- 100-seat formal dining room open for breakfast and lunch.
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- 220 seat Virgil Williams Grand Ballroom, divides into three sections, all with AV.
- Gwinnett Room for upscale dining, with Frankie’s menu available.
Our top-notch service team enhances your experience by providing a sophisticated social atmosphere, engaging events and a full serving of dining and entertainment opportunities. If you want an urbane and central site to entertain people, consider joining the 1818 Club. For more details, visit https://www.the1818club.org/Home.
- For a list of other sponsors of this forum, click here.
Wildlife group urges passage of Amendment 1 on ballot
Editor, the Forum:
I urge you to reconsider your recommendation on Constitutional Amendment 1 on this year’s ballot.
The Georgia Wildlife Federation is Georgia’s oldest conservation organization. GWF has been working at Keeping Georgia Wild since 1936. GWF owns and operates the Mill Creek Nature Center across from the Mall of Georgia, providing outdoor recreation and education for thousands of Gwinnett’s, and Georgia’s, residents. The General Assembly authorized the placement of Constitutional Amendment 1 on the ballot this year as the best solution.
I agree with your basic premise that the legislature should be ashamed at the redirection of trust fund money; not just from the solid waste trust fund that you identified, but all the trust funds not protected by our State constitution. However, Georgia’s constitution unquestionably allows that reallocation and it cannot be prevented without amending our Constitution. And as you suggested, the legislature should fix the problem.
Constitutional Amendment 1 is exactly that fix. The legislature approved putting this amendment on the ballot and approved the enabling legislation that will correct the issue. Upon passage of Amendment 1 the legislature will be required to allocate funds collected by any of Georgia’s trust funds for their intended purpose. The enabling legislation does allow for reallocation of those funds in the event of dire economic conditions in the state, providing a thoughtful and practical safety valve in the event of fiscal emergencies.
A constitutional amendment is the only sure fix for the shameful problem you identified. No solution to this problem can assure protection of these trust funds without ultimately coming before the citizens of Georgia for their approval. Constitutional Amendment 1 is that fix.
— Mike Worley, president and CEO, Georgia Wildlife Federation, Covington, Ga.
Hiaasen understands what is at stake in fragile ecosystems
Editor, the Forum:
Gosh darn it! You beat me to the review of Carl Hiaasen’s latest book, Squeeze Me. It is hilarious with a serious bent to what is happening today, especially in Florida. I thoroughly enjoyed the way Mr. Hiaasen develops his characters, both the good guys and the bad guys. Not to give anything away, but I’m so glad he brought back a favorite character of mine, the Governor.
I’m glad Mr. Hiaasen talks about the python snake problem in Florida because they are migrating up the state and are becoming a nuisance in South Georgia to date. I hate seeing creatures killed because of no fault of their own, but careless pet owners caused this situation and unfortunately, the only humane solution is to euthanize them. Otherwise, they will kill off all native species that belong in Florida and soon Georgia. Through his writing, Carl Hiaasen understands what is at stake to the fragile ecosystem like the Everglades, if it isn’t already doomed.
— Sara Rawlins, Lawrenceville
Here are some thoughts from Mr. Tyre on tires
Editor, the Forum:
I agree with you on the amendments we have to vote on this election. Thanks for the heads up! I buy my tires from a dealer here that sells their used tires to a recycler, as most others do. One use of recycled tires is for driveway material. We are charged a fee that the state should get, the dealer sells the old tires for a profit! Pretty good deal, huh?
— David Earl Tyre, Jesup.
Send us your thoughts: We encourage you to send us your letters and thoughts on issues raised in GwinnettForum. Please limit comments to 300 words. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Send feedback and letters to: elliott@brack.net
City of Norcross picks Johnson as its new city manager
The City of Norcross has a new city manager, as Eric Johnson of Cumming was named to the post this week. Johnson succeeds long-time city manager Rudolph Smith, who retired this September after over 20 years in service to the city.
Johnson
Johnson brings with him 26 years of experience in local government management, and most recently was county manager in Forsyth County for three years. Forsyth County has a population of 254,000 and over 1,000 employees, and is the municipal service provider for 97 percent of county residents, with a General Fund budget of $121 million.
The City of Norcross has 124 employees and a population of 16,854, which includes the operation of a MEAG electric utility and a budget of $36 million.
Johnson is a native of Peeksville, N.Y., but spent years in Huntsville, Ala., where he graduated from high school. He and his wife have one adult daughter who lives in upstate New York.
In addition to working with Forsyth County, Johnson spent a nearly 30-year career with Hillsborough County in Tampa, Fla He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Florida, and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of South Florida.
Johnson says: “I am at the stage of my career where I look for opportunities to have an impact—and quickly. The opportunities for Norcross are endless: building a tax base to ensure the quality and sustainability of services the community deserves, redevelopment on key corridors, ensuring the long-term viability of the downtown, providing infrastructure and greenspace to address needs that aren’t the same in each character area, and collaborating with the county and schools to ensure the city’s efforts work as seamlessly with those other entities as possible. The city’s Imagination Proclamation presents even more of an opportunity for the community to effect change and emerge stronger and united.”
Gwinnettians can pay property tax online without fee
Gwinnett property owners now have the opportunity to pay property taxes online using debit or credit cards without incurring added convenience fees, Tax Commissioner Richard Steele says.
“This makes it as easy as possible for people to pay their property taxes safely,” Steele adds. “Obtaining a grant helps us do that, and our citizens can take advantage of it during the pandemic to pay online from the safety of home.”
The Gwinnett County Office of the Tax Commissioner got a CARES Act grant to cover the cost of convenience fees for online property taxes. Taxpayers who have already paid their 2020 taxes and incurred a convenience fee, will automatically receive a refund of the fees via the card they used from payment processing vendor Value Payment Systems LLC.
Online payments can be made at GwinnettTaxCommissioner.com/pay and include these options:
- E-check, debit or credit card with no added convenience fees.
- Scheduling payments in advance, as long as the total is paid by the December 1 due date.
Property owners who have questions or need assistance may contact the Tax Commissioner’s Office 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays via email toTax@GwinnettCounty.com, by phone at (770) 822-8800 or initiate a chat on any device from www.GwinnettTaxCommissioner.com.
Snellville police get $209,816 grant for traffic safety
The Snellville Police Department has been awarded $209,816.76 in a traffic enforcement grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS). It is one of 21 law enforcement agencies in Georgia to receive a Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic (HEAT) grant for the 2021 grant season.
The goal of the HEAT program is to combat crashes, injuries and fatalities caused by impaired driving and speeding, while also increasing seatbelt use and educating the public about traffic safety and the dangers of DUI. It will also use the grant to develop and implement strategies to reduce local traffic crashes due to aggressive and dangerous driving behaviors.
The Department will also conduct mobilizations throughout the year in coordination with GOHS’s year-round waves of high visibility patrols, concentrated patrols, and multi-jurisdictional sobriety checkpoints. The grant will continue through September of 2021.
Jackson EMC releases 70 contractors to help in Louisiana
Jackson EMC has released 70 contractors to help with power restoration efforts in Louisiana because of damage caused by Hurricane Delta.
The contractors are assisting Cleco Power, located in Pineville, La. Cleco serves approximately 288,000 customers in 24 parishes. Hurricane Delta was the second hurricane of 2020 to hit Cleco’s service territory. Jackson EMC regularly uses contractors for construction, maintenance and vegetation management. The contractors released to assist with restoration efforts in Louisiana are overhead line construction crews.
Mythos: The Greek Myths Reimagined by Stephen Fry
From Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill: British actor, author and intellectual Stephen Fry has taken the complicated world of the Greek gods and presented these stories in a charming and entertaining way. Using humor and a folksy narrative, Fry writes a book I would describe as ‘Greek gods light.’ He hits the high spots and explains things in a modern, straightforward manner, focusing on what he believes to be the most important stories. He begins with Chaos. Then he takes us through the primordials, the Titans, the Olympian gods, and finally mankind. These stories could be tricky because of the plethora of characters and tales, but Fry untangles some of the confusion giving us the big picture as well as choice stories, and he does this in an easily readable way. This is a great book for getting an overview of the Greek god world, not to mention the origin of many words we use today.
- An invitation: what books, restaurants, movies or web sites have you enjoyed recently? Send us your recent selection, along with a short paragraph (150 words) as to why you liked this, plus what you plan to visit or read next. Send to: elliott@brack.net
Coweta located below Columbus on Chattahoochee
As the forceful ruler of the Creek town of Coweta, on the Chattahoochee River 15 miles south of Columbus, Brims was the first of a line of strong Lower Creek leaders during the 18th century and set the standard for their diplomatic policy of neutrality. His stance of regular interaction with all European empires—Spanish, French, and British—earned him mixed evaluations among foreigners and natives, who applauded his clever schemes or condemned his crafty fluctuations.
His date of birth and the place of his birth and death remain unknown, but Brims operated in Georgia during the early 18th century. He filled the positions of mico (ruler) and warrior for the town of Coweta, and his multiple skills gained him the title emperor. He began a powerful lineage, including Chigelli (brother), Malatchi (son), and Togulki (grandson), all of whom upheld his political strategy, and he was probably uncle to Mary Musgrove, although her exact claims of kinship are unclear.
Brims’s greatest moments occurred during the Yamasee War of 1715 and the subsequent decade. Brims originally supported the Yamasee, who were distantly related to the Creeks, in their quest for revenge for abuses by South Carolinians. When circumstances changed, Brims began talks with several European and Indian nations to determine the best course of action for Coweta. He eventually negotiated peace and trading privileges with the British, but he remained open to the possibility of future opportunities elsewhere and refused to pledge unconditional support to Charleston, S.C. Brims spent the decade of the 1720s establishing this neutral attitude and earning a reputation as a shrewd bargainer who always acted in the interests of his fellow Lower Creeks.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to http://georgiaencyclopedia.org
Iconic image asks for your solving for today’s mystery
Today’s Mystery Photo is an iconic image like no other. You don’t see photographs like this every day. Yes, it is somewhat famous, and you can expect lots of people should be able to identify it. But now try to do that by sending your answer to elliott@brack.net and include your hometown.
A feature of the Atlanta Botanical Gardens was the most recent Mystery Photo, sent in by two readers, Lou Camiero of Lilburn and Bob Foreman of Grayson.
Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill reported it this way: “This is the mermaid statue next to the Howell Fountain in the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Although it appears to be stone, it’s made of an empty steel frame that is stuffed with soil and covered with a mesh fabric. The fabric is also covered in soil and planted with sphagnum moss and annuals. The frame was custom made by International Mosaiculture of Montreal, Canada in the winter of 2018 and shipped to Atlanta where Botanical Garden staff assembled it in sections inside a greenhouse and began planting there.
“In the spring, the pieces were brought to the Gardens and assembled on site. There is an irrigation system beneath the surface of the sculpture that helps plants thrive during the summer heat. This is one of a number of such steel sculptures erected for an exhibit called Imaginary World and is designed to be a permanent exhibit. Here’s a photo taken by Nelson Hicks from WSB-TV that shows how large it is in comparison with people.”
Several people recognized it. They include Tim Sullivan of Buford; Jim Cofer, Snellville; Kay Montgomery, Duluth; Margo Ashley, Lilburn; Jim Savadelis, Duluth: Joseph Hopkins, Norcross; and George Graf, Palmyra, Va.
Sara Rawlins of Lawrenceville adds: “Earth Goddess was part of 19 Topiary Displays back in 2013-2014 for the gardens ‘Imaginary Worlds: Plants Larger Than Life’ exhibit. You can find this display at one of the many water features in the garden. She is located at the Cascades which features four levels of water fountains. She measures 30 feet wide and 25 feet tall and that’s just the upper portion of her torso, one can only imagine if she were to stand up to her full height. During winter when they put lights in her ‘hair,’ she becomes the Ice Goddess.”
Allan Peel, San Antonio, Tex. also chips in with: “This exhibit was a group of elaborate and massive green structures that create mystical and fantastic worlds that are lush with beautiful flowers and plants throughout the entire year. The Earth Goddess is just one example of ‘mosaiculture’, which is defined as ‘the horticultural art of creating giant sculptures using thousands of annual bedding plants to carpet steel armature forms.’ Since the Imaginary Worlds exhibit was always intended to be a temporary display at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, not all of the original mosaiculture cultures are still on display there.”
Libraries going up! Two new Gwinnett libraries are being constructed. In the top photo, you can see the way the Duluth Library is shaping up, at its location directly across from the old Duluth Cemetery, and near the City Hall. In the bottom photograph, signs along Buford Highway tell of the coming of a new location for the Norcross Library, down the hill from Lillian Webb Park. You can barely see the swinging chain of a crane as materials are put in place. Library Director Charles Pace says that the Duluth Library may open as early as March, 2021, while the Norcross Library should open in the fall of 2021.
Virtual water festival: Through the end of October, Gwinnett Water Resources is hosting the Sewer and Science Spectacular, an online experience exploring the County’s top-ranked wastewater treatment process. The online program features virtual tours of the Yellow River Reclamation Facility, activities and crafts for kids and virtual panel discussions. This comes in lieu of a fall festival, not held this year because of COVID. Gwinnett residents are invited to take part in the Sewer and Science Spectacular by visiting gcga.us/SewerScienceSpectacular.
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