GwinnettForum | Number 22.37 | May 23, 2023
NEIGHBORING COUNTIES to Gwinnett are beginning to experience more growth in population. Some residents of these areas would like to see that growth slowed or stopped, and point to Gwinnett as the poster child for growth. This is a sign that appeared recently in Oconee County, near Athens. Thanks to one of our readers for sending it. (Oconee Enterprise photo.)
TODAY’S FOCUS: U.S. House members are interfering with local schools
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Debt crisis: 14th Amendment could come into play
SPOTLIGHT: The Gwinnett Stripers
FEEDBACK: Check out 60 Minutes television on grandparent scams
UPCOMING: Ceremonies at Andersonville site will start May 27
NOTABLE: Former Nigerian is among 650 graduates of GGC
RECOMMENDED: A Long and Fatal Love Chase by Louisa May Alcott
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Resaca battle proves Atlanta campaign would be hard fought
MYSTERY PHOTO: Here’s a nighttime Mystery Photo for you to identify
LAGNIAPPE: Suwanee Artist will show her work in June in Ellijay
CALENDAR: Tribute ceremony to President Carter is today at 10 a.m. in Norcross
U.S. House members are interfering with local schools
“For too long, left-wing politicians and school administrators have kept parents in the dark about what’s being taught to their kids” — U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, March 3, 2023.
By Jack Bernard, contributing columnist
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga., May 23, 2023 | U.S. Rep. Mike Collins represents the gerrymandered Georgia 10th Congressional district, including parts of eastern Gwinnett. Collins and his GOP House cohorts do not believe that our school teachers are dedicated professionals… or that states and local governments are fully capable of managing their own schools.
So, he and his over-the-top conservative buddies in the U.S. House have voted to enact a revolutionary national “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” making parents, rather than schoolteachers and administrators, the ones who decide what to teach and set policy.
Collins, et al, believe that our teachers are all unionized radicals trying to brainwash our poor little kids. Yes, his statement is incredulous, but that is typical of what we are seeing from the MAGA Republicans nowadays.
I’m not sure exactly who Rep. Collins is slamming, but all of my friends and relatives that are teachers are working in the field to help kids…not brainwash them. I know them as underpaid folks with the best of intentions, not radical leftists pushing some sort of extremist agenda.
Collins
In addition, every county in Georgia has a Board of Education that is elected. If we (the voters) do not like the way that our school administrators are acting, the board can and certainly will make its wishes known and possibly adjust policy. The county or city school superintendent works directly for each local board.
This uncalled-for national Parents Bill of Rights legislation, which passed the House on a party line vote, is an obvious attempt to politicize what is taught to our children. Do not teach them facts about the Civil War and slavery. The truth might upset them! So, just say that the Southern states wanted to destroy the Union on a whim. State’s Rights have no underlying cause, even though succeeding states clearly indicated in writing that they were leaving to protect slavery.
These GOP House representatives also do not want to let our school kids know that Rosa Parks was not able to sit in the front of the bus because she was black. That would be so disturbing! Just say that she was some malcontent who simply wanted to kick someone out of a better seat to get a better view.
Do not let the kids know that there are people in our nation who are gay, bi or trans sexual. That might make our children suddenly turn into awful deviants! God forbid! Just say “boys are boys” and “girls are girls”, OK?
Right wing politicians need to get out of the way of such shenanigans in school matters. Simply allow our professional educators to accurately educate our children, based on history and facts, rather than what someone wants or wishes were true.
There are currently 181 school districts, large and small, across Georgia, containing over 2,200 schools that employ over 114,800 teachers. Let these Boards of Education and administrations of each district allow its teachers to do professional work in instructing our children, with no interference from outside sources. We do not need to supplant our elected BOE and educational experts by trying to manage the process via direct parental administration as seen by these radical Republican measures as passed by the U.S. House.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Debt crisis: 14th Amendment could come into play
U.S. Treasury Building, Washington, D.C. Via Wikipedia.
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
May 23, 2023 | Much of the talk in Washington these days is about whether the Democrats and Republicans can come together with an agreement to raise the national debt limit. If that doesn’t happen, it could mean that our nation will default on its debt. That’s never happened in the 227 years of our country.
In the past, both our major parties have realized that defaulting would bring calamity not only to the United States and its financial markets, but to world financial markets, too.
It could throw stock markets into a major downward spin, hurt economies all over the world, and send nations into recessions. The time our nation could run out of money to cover our present debt, says Yellen, chairman of the Federal Reserve System, is only eight days away (June 1) at the most.
In the current crisis, President Joe Biden is working to get Republicans on board to raise the debt limit so that the country will remain financially stable. But House Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy, perhaps the weakest House leader in years, can’t seem to muster enough members of his own party to guarantee the president that the country will not default.
There may be a way that the debt limit problem can be solved, though it is an unconventional way. It could come through the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.
The 14th Amendment touches on many aspects of citizens’ rights and is commonly known for its “equal protection of the laws.” The Amendment has appeared in cases such as Brown v. Board of Education, Roe v. Wade, Bush v. Gore and more.
Many legal scholars suggest a clause in the 14th Amendment that says the “validity of the public debt, authorized by law … shall not be questioned” could apply to the debt limit.
Legal experts argue that Section 4 of the 14th Amendment allows the Treasury Department to keep borrowing money past the debt limit and that it would be unconstitutional for the U.S. to fail to make payments. The exact wording is:
“Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned…..”
Now comes a really intricate possible maneuver. If the president and Mr. McCarthy cannot agree, and this seems more possible each day, the Republicans are hoping that Mr. Biden will invoke the 14th Amendment, so that they can attack him for taking a “back door” approach to avoid the debt crisis.
But we feel that is exactly what President Biden wants, that is, if compromise with the Republicans is not possible, for the GOP leaders to attack him for invoking No. 14. President Biden can then point to the Republicans and say “You made me do it, that is, save the country from default, because your party is too weak to guide our nation and keep us from default!”
Stranger moments have happened in politics. In the next few days, you’ll be watching the eventual outcome of the debt crisis, whatever it may be.
UPDATE: Remember the story of the Lanier High School girls underwater robotics team, the Sea Cows, seeking to raise funds to go to the championship in Colorado? There’s good news, as one of the team members reported: “We have raised enough to fund travel to the world competition through the GoFundMe and direct donations, so we will compete in Longmont, Colorado from June 21-25!”
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
The Gwinnett Stripers
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Check out 60 Minutes television on grandparent scams
Editor, the Forum:
I have just about given up on television news, but insofar as 60 Minutes is concerned, I will stay with that. On May 21, there was a segment on computer and telephone scams. It was interesting to me since I am old enough to be a kid’s grandfather but I have gotten calls telling me that my grandson is in jail and needs bail. But I do not have a grandson!
The 60 Minutes audience now is pretty well dedicated to the elderly and their segment on scams hopefully hit a bunch of geriatrics. You can go to 60 Minutes on line and find the segment on scams and do your mother and grandmother a big favor by sending this segment to them. The computer address for that is here.
– Raleigh Perry, Buford
Suggests establishment of mental health courts
Editor, the Forum:
Every day I read about the multitude of gun crimes in the news. Some argue that we need gun control. Others say that the issue is mental health. They argue it’s people not guns that are the problem. Well, okay. Although I believe reasonable gun safety laws would be helpful I offer the following solutions.
I suggest that we establish mental health courts with jurisdiction to restrict gun access and require comprehensive treatment for those who are a potential danger to themselves or others. I also suggest that we expand and clarify the requirement to report anyone in danger of harm.
We need to legally require parents, family, clergy, and law enforcement to report dangerous people in the same way teachers and therapists are legally obligated to report any one who may harm themselves or others.
In order to provide availability of mental health treatment, I suggest that all hospitals establish in-patient and out-patient treatment programs funded by both the insurance industry and government. Also I suggest that we require social media to be legally responsible for any potential harmful content.
Gun crimes are at a crisis level. We need to act now.
– Alan Schneiberg, Sugar Hill
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, and include your hometown. The views of letters are the opinion of the contributor. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Send feedback and letters to: elliott@brack.net.
Ceremonies at Andersonville site will start May 27
Andersonville National Historic Site will commemorate Memorial Day with events that are free and open to the public, beginning on Saturday, May 27 and concluding on Tuesday, May 30.
Memorial Day service activities at the park begin on Saturday, May 27, when hundreds of scouts and other volunteers will place small American flags on more than 20,000 gravesites in Andersonville National Cemetery. The dramatic and moving display of thousands of veterans’ graves decorated with American flags, along with the Avenue of Flags placed by volunteers of Rolling Thunder Chapter Three, will create a powerful and patriotic setting for visitors.
On Sunday, May 28, the Memorial Day Observance Ceremony will be held in Andersonville National Cemetery. The U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence band will perform at 1:30 p.m. followed by the formal program at 2 p.m. The ceremony will feature keynote speaker retired US Army Col. Rob Choppa, and wreath presentations will be conducted by several military, civic and patriotic organizations.
On Monday, May 29, the public are invited to attend two events. The Knights of Columbus will hold a special mass in the cemetery at 11 a.m. At 2 p.m., the public is invited to attend a reinterment ceremony with full military honors for Corporal Luther Story. Corporal Story was a Korean War Medal of Honor recipient whose remains had been unidentified until recently.
Following Memorial Day weekend, park staff are seeking volunteers to help clean up the cemetery on Tuesday, May 30, including the careful removal of the small flags that were placed for the events. For more information, please call Caitlyn Price, volunteer coordinator, at 229-924-0343.
Former Nigerian among 650 graduates of GGC
When she was a young girl growing up in Nigeria, Chenanniah Mac-Cephas wanted to be one of the youngest lawyers ever to pass the bar exam. “That’s what my dad and I would talk about, and that was what I thought at the time would bring me financial freedom,” says Mac-Cephas.
Mac-Cephas
She was on the right track to accomplishing that through much of her youth. Her parents enrolled her in Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) school, and she exceeded the expected goals so much that she was able to skip the third grade.“I was ecstatic,” recalls Mac-Cephas. “I was only seven or eight at the time, but even though I was young, I had so many plans and aspirations. But I soon realized that plans don’t stand up when change pays a visit.”
When she was 10, her family moved from Nigeria to Maryland, and then to Georgia a year later. Despite the challenges of moving to a new country and assimilating into a new culture, she never lost her ambitious work ethic, working at home while the transition was happening.
When starting classes in Maryland, she was told that the extra work she’d done to skip another grade didn’t count in the American system. She would have to stay in sixth grade instead of jumping to seventh.
“This news was devastating. How was I supposed to graduate early? How was I supposed to be the youngest lawyer ever? How was I supposed to achieve my dreams?” says Mac-Cephas. “A year later, my family was packing up and moving to Georgia, and I took this as my opportunity to take summer classes so that I could skip eighth grade and jump right into ninth. I was determined.” She started high school when she was 12 and graduated at 16.
Her goal was to become a patent law attorney, which, much to her dismay, required a background in science. She chose computer science. That seemingly innocuous decision would alter her life path dramatically. After only a few classes, she was hooked on information technology (IT).
Suddenly, becoming a lawyer wasn’t her number-one goal anymore. Mac-Cephas credits her professors at GGC for inspiring her to pursue a career in IT.
Mac-Cephas was among 650 students who graduated in May from GGC. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in IT with a concentration in software development and a minor in film.
“Change is not your enemy or a villain,” she says. “You will end up right where you belong despite any uncertainty you may feel. It is okay for plans to change because on the other side of change is opportunity.” Mac-Cephas is now working as a software developer. She still intends to pursue a law degree and hopes to produce short films.
Jones re-elected to Georgia Transmission board
Jones
Otis P. Jones of Lawrenceville has been re-elected as a director and as secretary-treasurer of the Georgia Transmission Corp. Board of Directors. In addition, he is a Gwinnett member and chairman of the board for Jackson Electric Membership Corp. (EMC). During Jones’ most recent three-year term as a director, Georgia Transmission has invested $568.8 million in infrastructure, completing 299 capital projects, which includes the addition of more than 75.23 miles of transmission lines and the construction of 22 new substations. In addition, the company set a new all-time peak of 10,787 MW used on Dec. 24, 2022. And in 2022, Georgia Transmission incurred no environmental violations and no lost-time incidents for the ninth consecutive year.
A Long and Fatal Love Chase by Louisa May Alcott
From Susan J. Harris, Stone Mountain: When Rosamond Vivian exclaims with passion that she would sell her soul to the devil for one year of freedom, she has no idea how powerful words can be. Almost immediately, a colleague of her grandfather appears and urgently begins to court Rosamond. Thinking a marriage will free her from her stifling life, she quickly agrees and her life does an 180 degree turn. Learning that her husband is charming but dangerous, she tries to escape her life with him through any means possible. The chase begins as Rosamond seeks refuge in France, Germany, a monastery, and a mental asylum. This love chase continues for years and characters weave in and out of this tapestry of shocking events until the final resolution. Louisa May Alcott demonstrates her gifts for writing page turning thrillers in this story that is one of several in this genre. Not to be missed.
- 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
Resaca battle proves Atlanta campaign would be hard fought
(From previous edition)
On Saturday, May 14, the fighting at Resaca escalated into a full-scale battle. Beginning at dawn, Union forces engaged the Confederates along the entire four-mile front. In the early afternoon Schofield’s Army of the Ohio attacked the sharply angled center of the Confederate line. The assault was badly managed and disorganized, in part because one of Schofield’s division commanders was drunk. As the Union attack unraveled and became a fiasco, Johnston launched a counterattack on Sherman’s left flank. The counterattack collapsed, however, in the face of a determined stand by a Union artillery battery. In the evening Union forces pushed forward and seized the high ground west of Resaca, which placed the bridges leading south from the town within artillery range and threatened Johnston’s line of retreat.
The following day Sherman renewed his assault on the Confederate center. In order to fire on the advancing Union troops, Captain Max Van Den Corput’s artillery battery assumed an advanced position some 80 yards in front of the main Confederate line. The four-gun Confederate battery, protected behind an earthen parapet, became the center of a furious struggle. Union troops massed in a ravine directly in front of the battery, and the 70th Indiana Regiment, led by Colonel Benjamin Harrison (the future U.S. president), swarmed over the parapet and overwhelmed the Confederate gunners. However, Harrison’s men were exposed to withering fire from the main Confederate line and had to take cover. For the rest of the day the abandoned guns sat in a deadly no man’s land. After the sunset, Union soldiers dug through the parapet, slipped ropes around the four cannons, and dragged them back to the Union lines.
As the fighting raged on May 15, Johnston learned that a division of Union troops had crossed the Oostanaula River southwest of Resaca. Sherman had once again taken advantage of his numeric superiority to outflank the entrenched Confederates. Johnston’s position had thus become untenable, and during the night his troops abandoned their defenses and retreated farther south. The Battle of Resaca demonstrated that the Atlanta Campaign would be hard fought and bloody. Johnston’s army had suffered some 2,800 casualties, and Union losses were at least as high. But Sherman, with his superior forces, could continue pressing and outflanking the Confederate army, driving it farther south and ever closer to Atlanta.
State Historic Site
Beginning in 1994 the Friends of Resaca Battlefield—a nonprofit organization dedicated to battlefield preservation—began lobbying the state of Georgia to purchase and protect the remaining portions of the battlefield. In 2000 the Georgia Civil War Commission helped facilitate the state’s purchase of a tract of farmland containing more than 500 acres, which included remnants of original entrenchments, in Gordon and Whitfield counties. In 2008 the Georgia Department of Natural Resources broke ground on the Resaca Battlefield State Historic Site, which is scheduled to include a museum, a welcome center, a theater showing an interpretive film, and marked trails.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Here’s a nighttime Mystery Photo for you to identify
Clues abound in this nighttime Mystery Photo. See if you can put together enough clues to identify this issue’s photograph. Send your thoughts to elliott@brack.net, and include your hometown.
George Graf of Palmyra, Va,. did it. He submitted a photograph that stumped all our readers. As regular reader Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex. put it: “When I first saw this mystery photo, I thought, well this won’t take long. WRONG! This one has me calling ‘Uncle; after several hours chasing false assumptions and guesses.”
Then another person also threw up hands on the photo. She later realized “That dang cupola is behind that building and not on the building.” We hope all of you who tried to identify the mystery at least realized you were put to a difficult test.
SHARE A MYSTERY PHOTO: If you have a photo that you believe will stump readers, send it along (but make sure to tell us what it is because it may stump us too!) Send to: elliott@brack.net and mark it as a photo submission. Thanks.
Suwanee artist will show her work in June in Ellijay
Suwanee artist Anita Stewart will have a one man show at Gilmer Fine Arts in Ellijay from June 2 to June 26. There will be an opening reception on June 4 from 3-5 p.m., and a closing reception on June 23 from 3-5 p.m., when art lovers can meet the artist.
There will be 40-45 works on display from the artist travels in 11 different counties. That includes seeing South Africa, Cuba, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, Spain, Italy, and Swaziland. She has also been the artist in residence in Australia, New Zealand and Mexico. Stewart is the owner of Anita’s ArtsCool in Buford. This work is entitled The Sangorma Trio, from a Shaman Induction the artist watched on the shores of Cape Town South Africa.
A tribute to President Jimmy Carter will be held May 23 at 10 a.m. at Global Mall, 5765 Jimmy Carter Boulevard in Norcross. It is being produced by the Gateway85 Community Improvement District. Speakers include former Ambassador Andy Young; Jason Carter, grandson of the president and head of the Carter Center; and others who will speak of the naming of the road for the president. The public is invited to come, and to stay for lunch at restaurants of Global Mall.
Ribbon cutting for Kirchhoff Automotive, 1555 Hurricane Shoals Road in Dacula, will be at 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. on May 23 (today). Kirchoff, from Isesrlohn, Germany, will employ 30 people at this 101,337 square foot plant, one of seven in the United States. The firm offers body solutions that make tomorrow’s mobility safe. Innovative and economical lightweight products ensure that people are optimally protected in the event of an accident. A lunch will follow the ceremonies.
Meet Author Daniel Black, award-winning author, and African American Studies professor, on Thursday, June 1, at 7 p.m. at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. He will discuss his new book, Black on Black. In his debut essay collection, Dr. Black tackles topics ranging from police brutality to the AIDS crisis. Books will be available for sale and signing.
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