GwinnettForum | Number 22.86 | Dec. 1, 2023
FOR ANOTHER YEAR, Carolyn and Wayne Hill of Suwanee hosted a lighting of a star on the Hill’s barn recently. More than 300 people attended. The star was constructed and given to the Hills 11 years ago by Johnny Blan. Participants reported a “wonderful cold night, with rain starting just as the group started singing We wish you a Merry Christmas.”
TODAY’S FOCUS: Returns from Israel with new understanding of war
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Commission takes unusual action of reprimanding a member
SPOTLIGHT: Georgia Banking Company
ANOTHER VIEW: In the last decade we have gone backward on race
FEEDBACK: Send us your thoughts
UPCOMING: Multiple activities going on at Norcross Gallery
OBITUARY: Willard Francis Goodwin
RECOMMENDED: The Owl Was a Baker’s Daughter by Marion Woodman
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Rosalynn Carter and husband get nation’s highest honor
MYSTERY PHOTO: Wow! Talk about an isolated lighthouse mystery!
CALENDAR: Winter Wonderland craft and art fair in Snellville Saturday
Returns from Israel with new understanding of war
Photo of a home in Kfar Aza displaying gunshot marks in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack. Photo by Kobi Gideon / GPO via Wikipedia
By Mack W. Parnell,
Executive Director, Georgia Faith & Freedom Coalition
DULUTH, Ga. | Over the past month, I helped lead a delegation of elected officials and policy leaders on a solidarity mission to Israel. It’s nearly impossible to put into words all that we have seen, heard, and experienced.
Parnell
Wearing body armor, we visited Kfar Aza, one of the villages hit hardest on October 7 with 58 of 400 residents murdered. We stood in the rubble of a house where a family of five was trapped and burned alive by radical jihadist terrorists. The smell of burnt tires and death still permeates the town. House after house were the same. We met with the nonprofit working to give every family the closure they deserve by gathering the remains of those lost. We heard and felt artillery and mortars as the Israeli Defense Force works to destroy Hamas.
In Tel Aviv, we met with families of those held hostage by Hamas, some 238 lives. We joined with them in their call to “BRING THEM HOME NOW.” Captives include newborns and women in their 80s. We mourned with Arab Israeli families from the Druze community, who lost soldiers in this fight against evil. They are proud to be a part of Israel and their courage and sacrifice is inspiring.
We stood on the Syrian and Lebanese borders with Israel to learn about the ongoing threat from Iran and their proxies. Israel must defend herself and America must stand with her.
We prayed with psychologists and social workers who are trying to bring peace and comfort to families. We met with survivors of October 7 both civilian and military as they rehabilitate from their injuries.
We received briefings from senior leadership of the Israel Defense Forces, and met with top diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They will not rest until the threat is eliminated.
We prayed at the Western Wall for Israel and the Jewish people. We saw the everlasting connection between the Jewish people and the land of Israel that so many seek to deny.
Everyone we met in Israel thanked us for American support with one person saying, “We always knew Americans were our friends; We didn’t know that America is our family.”
Coming home, it’s our responsibility to stand with Israel. We will share what we saw and speak the truth. Hamas hides behind schools, hospitals, and civilians, but they will be brought to justice. Israel is strong and our bond is unbreakable. This is a fight between good and evil. Good will triumph, but silence is not an option. Use your voice and stand with Israel.
Here’s what we ask:
- Pray for Israel and the Jewish people;
- Urge your elected officials to publicly stand with Israel and support legislation strengthening Israel and deterring those that want to do her harm;
- Encourage our local Jewish community and show them they are loved; and
- Speak truth on social media, college campuses, and in the media,
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Commission takes unusual action of reprimanding a member
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
DEC. 1, 2023 | Gwinnett County Commission took an unusual move at its November 14 meeting. It reprimanded one of its own members, County Commissioner Kirkland Carden. Even more interestingly, the commission voted 4-0 on the reprimand in spite of an Ethics Panel recommendation that the commission take no action on the complaint against Carden.
Ordinary citizens need some explanation. We’ll try, though it is complicated.
It all started in 2019 when Property Owner Om Duggal sought to get a rezoning on Meadow Church Road. Brand Properties proposed building a senior citizens facility there, if the property was rezoned from R-100 (single houses) to Office and Industrial, for the senior facility. Nearby homeowners opposed the rezoning.
Then on May 24, 2022, Duggal and Brand Properties came back, wanting to build not a senior facility, but apartments on the land, which nearby homeowners opposed again. Carden had met previously with the homeowners about this rezoning. The rezoning request was denied. Carden had moved to table the rezoning for another month, hoping to work out a compromise. But he did not get a second on his motion. Carden then moved to deny the request for the rezoning, which the board did.
Carden
Back in March of 2023, Lauri McClain, who ran against Carden previously for the commission seat, filed an ethics complaint against Carden, saying he had not disclosed that he had worked for Duggal as a political consultant when he had business before the commission. She said she stumbled on the information that Carden was a political consultant for Duggal, who had a rezoning with the county, when checking out details of financial filings as part of her work as the county Republican Party vice chairman.
Carden and McClain were quoted in news stories about the rezoning before the county.
With McClain filing an ethics complaint, the County Commission was required to form an ethics panel to investigate the claim, and a hearing was held. During the hearing, Carden acknowledged that he was wrong in not disclosing his relationship with Duggal. The upshot was that the panel recommended to the commission that no action be taken.
Now move to the November 14 meeting when the Commission finally took up the Ethics Panel recommendation. Since he was the subject, Carden left his commission seat and was in the audience when the required hearing was held. Only one citizen spoke to the Ethics Panel recommendation for the commission to take no action. That was Richard West of Duluth, a nearby property owner, who was among those who had met previously with Carden to discuss the rezoning. He thought the citizens opposing the rezoning “deserved better.”
Hearing from no one else, the commission then took up the ethics question. Commissioner Jasper Watkins moved to reprimand Carden, and the vote was 4-0 for the reprimand.
That was dicey for the commission, and it took this unusual move. You seldom see sitting commissions in any jurisdiction taking action against one of its members, no matter what political district it is. The move wasn’t of a party action, either, as all three of Carden’s fellow Democrats voted for the reprimand, along with Republican Matthew Holtkamp.
What this action may be saying is that governments may be taking ethics questions more seriously these days. We certainly hope so.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Georgia Banking Company
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In the last decade, we have gone backward on race
By Jack Bernard, contributing columnist
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. | I want us all to be safe from brutality. So, when I see a black boat captain attacked by white thugs, I expect the thugs to be prosecuted.
In this recent case, several white guys felt that it was OK to harass and beat on an innocent black man (a city of Montgomery river boat captain) just trying to do his job. And a bunch of white guys joined the fray. Three of the assailants have been charged.
It is hard to face the truth, but our nation is still racist. Maybe not as bad as in the 50s but moving the wrong way once again. A black man asking white men to please move their boat was just not acceptable in Montgomery, Ala. Yes, this in 2023.
Meanwhile, our Supreme Court has decided that discrimination and racism have suddenly disappeared over the last 20 years or so. It’s a color-blind society where everyone is treated equally and has the same opportunities. So, no need for civil rights legislation, right?
Surveys have shown time and again that there are built-in racist tendencies in the U.S. public. Only a third of Black Americans believe that they are never treated with less respect than whites; they are never provided poorer service at restaurants and stores; and white people act as though blacks are as bright as others.
Black Americans were prevented in various ways from owning homes for many years. And even when they did get loans, the homes were not in the “up and coming” areas. They were segregated into the slums in the “colored” part of town. Therefore, inherited wealth is not something inherent in the minority community, simply because of historic racism.
In addition, there is the educational deficit. I went to segregated Georgia public schools. Separate but unequal. Not a soul that went to high school with me believed that the black kids were getting as good an education. Because they clearly were not.
You can’t have a fair race when one contestant has his feet tied together until the mid-point of the racecourse. And that is exactly what we have done to black Americans. We have told them that they are free, finally, after hundreds of years of oppression. So, now you are on your own. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Just work harder to catch up. Baloney! White privilege combined with white grievance is distorting the truth.
Repeatedly, it is shown that America has mistreated people of color. These same people then deny the facts before them.
Am I optimistic that things will change in the near future? No. Fox, OAN and Newsmax media outlets reinforce the “alternate facts” (i.e., lies) that are repeated by right-wing politicos. And at least one third of our population, the MAGA, is thoroughly brainwashed and appears to be unable to see matters in any other way.
As a society, we must acknowledge that in the last decade we have gone backward on race. We must vote for positive change…or stay uninformed (the opposite of woke).
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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.
Multiple activities going on at Norcross gallery
Norcross Gallery and Studios has multiple activities going on in December. It is offering a silent auction of new artworks, all in a square format, by Norcross Gallery members. It is a fundraiser to benefit the gallery and support many community outreach events including Norcross high school student exhibit, Annandale Village, People Making Progress, and a popular citywide photography exhibit. Bids are accepted all month long with final bids due December 9 from 2–4 p.m.
Artist of the Month: Traci Dickson, fine art photographer, will show her work at 45 South Café from December 1 – 26. Her exuberant photos reflect her awe of nature.
Paint with Fabric Workshop led by Gail Lenahan teaches her unique fabric collage techniques.
Small Works exhibit: During December and January will feature affordable small original art suitable for gift giving.
Kettlebrock Brewery is displaying art works by Lucy Brady during December. The paintings are of locations in our National Parks, our peaceful retreats from the chaos of the world today.
Afghan doctor starts new life as GGC nursing school grad
By Ken Scar
To hear Said Pasoon describe it, where he grew up was like paradise. “Nangarhar is one of the greenest provinces in Afghanistan,” he says. “It has four seasons, tall mountains, freshwater rivers and is popular for its olive and sweet orange produce.”
Pasoon. Photo provided.
His father worked as a construction manager for a canal system that fed orange and olive farms, and his mother was a teacher and later director of Farm Hada High School. When the Taliban took over the country in 1996, both were fired from their jobs.
Threats to their security, coupled with the lack of proper education and restriction of females from school, forced Pasoon’s parents to leave their home. With his three brothers and three sisters, they moved over the Hindu Kush mountains into Peshawar, Pakistan.
After U.S. and NATO troops took control of Afghanistan in 2002, Pasoon returned to his home country to attend Paktia University in Gardez and earn a medical degree. In the meantime, his older sister Naheeda married and moved to Atlanta. The rest of the family followed her to the United States, but Pasoon’s visa was delayed because he was older than 21. He followed his dream of becoming a doctor, getting his doctor of medicine degree in 2014. Pasoon served as a doctor of internal medicine focusing on infectious diseases at a government hospital for more than two years.
After seven years of waiting, Pasoon was granted a visa to join his family in the U.S. in 2016. “My sister, Naheeda,had lived in Georgia since 1996, and brought my parents here, so this is where I came. Georgia gives me internal happiness with its green nature since it reminds me of Nangarhar.”
Soon after he and his family were safely settled into their new home in Snellville, he realized that the knowledge and experience he had attained through years of dedicated work in Afghanistan did not all translate to the medical field in America.
“Many variations exist between the medical practice of Afghanistan and that of the United States,” he says. “In addition, language and cultural barriers added to my challenges. I researched options and eventually found my way to Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC).”
It was soon apparent that to continue practicing medicine, he would have to step out of the role of doctor and become a nurse. Pasoon entered GGC’s nursing program in January 2019. After a year of delays due to COVID-19, during which he lost his father to the virus, he is set to graduate with his first U.S. degree, a Bachelor of Science in nursing.
“Getting my nursing degree from Georgia Gwinnett College will allow me to become a culturally competent and caring nurse. I believe that if I can save one life, it’s as if I have saved the whole of mankind.”
Pasoon and his wife, Behishta, have two children, ages 6 and 18 months. She is training to become a medical assistant. They enjoy hiking and exploring in Georgia, and plan to celebrate Pasoon’s graduation by visiting national parks in other states.
After receiving his degree, Pasoon will be a registered nurse in the emergency department of Northside Hospital and complete six months of residency, working toward his long-term goal of earning a master’s degree in adult critical care. He also hopes to be a teacher of human anatomy, physiology and pathology.
Willard “Bill” Goodwin
Willard “Bill” Francis Goodwin of Atlanta, died on November 5, 2023. He was born on March 20, 1942, in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Patchogue, N.Y. He graduated with a B.A. from Adelphi University in 1966 and following his graduation he went on to pursue his passion for teaching in Bennington, Vt.
In 1969, he moved to Atlanta to pursue a law degree from Atlanta Law School. He became an attorney in the state of Georgia in 1974 and went on to start up a real estate law firm. He was elected a member of the Georgia Legislature representing the Peachtree Corners area for seven terms.
An avid sports fan and always a Yankees fan at heart, he loved the Braves and the game of baseball. He also had a love for basketball and the Atlanta Hawks. Bill was a devoted and loving father, and a dog lover, who was proud of his children. In his later years, he enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents, Willard Francis and Anita Goodwin; and his sister, Joyce Jackson.
He is survived by his two children, Robert Wesley Goodwin of New York City; his daughter, Jennifer G. Tuohy and son-in-law, Jake Tuohy of Darien, Conn.; and three grandchildren, Wyatt (10), Sawyer (8) and Tinsley (4). He is also survived by his two sisters, Anita Martin of Bohemia, N.Y., and Carol Hannon and brother-in-law, Tom Hannon of Ronkonkoma, N.Y.
In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to the Dementia Society of America or Peachtree Road United Methodist Church.
The Owl Was a Baker’s Daughter, by Marion Woodman
From Susan J. Harris, Stone Mountain: This book, whose full title is The Owl was a Baker’s Daughter: Obesity, Anorexia Nervosa and the Repressed Feminine; studies by Jungian Analysts, is a groundbreaking study about the individuation process in women. Through case studies she outlines how women become stuck at stages of the developmental process. Being stuck at a stage manifests itself in a preoccupation with looks and feminine self-worth with food or lack of food being the external expression. Through case studies she outlines how some become cathected with a Father Complex, a Mother Complex or sexuality, religion complexes. The intriguing theories presented in the case studies can deepen understanding of the problems with eating disorders that are prevalent in modern times.
- 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
Rosalynn Carter and husband get nation’s highest honor
(From previous edition)
After the Carters left the White House in 1981, they pursued careers as writers and professors and in 1982 founded the Carter Center in Atlanta. A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, the center works to advance peace and health worldwide and has helped to improve the quality of life for people in more than sixty-five countries. In 1999 Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter, along with the Carter Center, received the inaugural Delta Prize for Global Understanding, an award administered by the University of Georgia.
Carter
As emissaries for the center, the Carters traveled throughout the world, leading campaigns to eradicate Guinea worm disease and increase agricultural production in Africa, monitoring elections in new democracies, promoting human rights, and helping to resolve conflicts. Rosalynn Carter accompanied the former president and served as his advisor on high-profile peace negotiations in Bosnia, Sudan, Ethiopia, and North Korea.
She also oversaw the center’s mental health program, which combats the stigma against mental illness and promotes improved mental health care, chaired the Carter Center Mental Health Task Force of eminent persons in the field, and convened annual meetings where national mental health organizations fostered consensus on pivotal issues.
Lending her voice to many important causes, Rosalynn Carter also promoted early childhood immunization through the nationwide “Every Child by Two” campaign; assisted family and professional caregivers through the Rosalynn Carter Institute at Georgia Southwestern State University; and advocated for compassionate end-of-life care through the campaign “Last Acts: Care and Caring at the End of Life.” As a Distinguished Fellow of the Emory University Institute for Women’s Studies, she encouraged young women to reach their full potential, and helped build housing for the poor as a volunteer one week a year with Habitat for Humanity.
After leaving the White House, Carter published five books: her autobiography, First Lady from Plains (1984); with Jimmy Carter, Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life (1987); with Susan K. Golant, Helping Yourself Help Others: A Book for Caregivers (1994); Helping Someone with Mental Illness: A Compassionate Guide for Family, Friends, and Caregivers (1998); and with Golant and Kathryn E. Kade, Within our Reach: Ending the Mental Health Crisis (2010).
In 1989 she received a Governor’s Award in the Humanities. A decade later she and her husband together received the highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2001, a year before Jimmy Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize, Rosalynn Carter became the third first lady named to the National Women’s Hall of Fame, joining the company of such women of achievement at the time as Abigail Adams and Eleanor Roosevelt.
In May 2023 the Carter Center announced that the former first lady had dementia. Rosalynn Carter died in Plains on November 19, 2023.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Wow! Talk about an isolated lighthouse mystery!
Check out today’s Mystery Photo, a mighty stark lighthouse. Think of the consternation of forgetting to purchase a certain needed item for the shelf. The trip back to the mainland would be a long one! See if you can determine where this distinctive lighthouse might be located. Send your answer to elliott@brack.net and include your hometown.
It appears that the last mystery man showed up in several places. Cindy Evans of Duluth took the photograph at the Bass Pro shop in Duluth. Several contributors said a similar statue was at other Bass Pro shops across the nation.
Allan Peel of San Antonio, Texas, wrote: “It is a life-sized statue of John H. Willey (1899–1964), whom Johnny Morris, who founded Bass Pro Shop, referred to as his ‘Uncle Buck,’ and credits for getting him interested in hunting and fishing when he was a boy. Did Uncle Buck actually catch that large bass? Well, nobody knows for sure but when you consider that every Bass Pro Shop has a welcoming sign that reads ‘Welcome Fishermen, Hunters and Other Liars’, we can only guess that the fish may not have been caught by the infamous Uncle Buck.”
Readers recognizing the statue include Raleigh Perry, Buford; David Will, Lilburn; Mike Montgomery, Duluth; Stew Ogilvie, Lawrenceivlle; Jay Altman, Columbia, S.C.; George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; Sarah Davis, Lawrenceville; Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill; Lou Camerio, Lilburn; and Dee Weaver, Duluth.
- 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.
Winter Wonderland craft and art fair in Snellville Saturday
Small Business Awards of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce will be presented today (December 1) at 10 a.m. at 12Stone Church in Lawrenceville. Ten winners from more than 100 finalists will be announced in real time at the event. Speaker will be former EO Atlanta President Ethan King, a bestselling author, TEDx speaker, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Zeus’ Closet.
Reception by the Braselton Arts Council will be Friday (today), December 1 at 6 p.m. The reception honors the works of Sarina Rowley Roth of Never the Rock Photography, the current feature artist. The gallery is located at 9924 Davis Street on the second floor.
Join New York Times bestselling author Denene Millner as she discusses her newest novel, One Blood at the Snellville Branch Library on December 1 at 7 p.m. Her book is about three women who are tied together by blood, love, and family secrets. Books will be available for sale and signing.
Winter Wonderland at the Snellville Plaza, 2485 Main Street East. This craft fair and art market will be on Saturday, December 2, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. to benefit Snellville performing arts.
Meet award-winning author Zoe Fishman as she discusses her novel, The Fun Widow’s Book Tour, a funny, moving story of friendship and resilience. The talk will be at noon on December 2 at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Books will be available for sale and signing.
The 2023 Neighborhood Christmas Train will be the next three December weekends in Norcross at 3135 Reps Miller Road. The 2023 Experience expands and includes multiple model trains whisking past snow villages and cities with an interactive twist: Kids will enjoy the Choo-Choo Challenge uncovering clues to take a prize home; and be eligible to win a Lionel Ready-To-Run Train. Saturday nights create the perfect atmosphere with shimmering villages, rolling trains and festive drinks. Open on weekends in December: 2-3; 9-10,; 16-17. Hours: Saturday 5-9 p.m.; Sunday 1-5 p.m. Tickets: $5 per person for all over three years; Maximum $20 per family. Proceeds benefit the Neighborhood Cooperative Health Ministry.
Snellville Commerce Club’s annual Christmas luncheon will be at noon on December 5 at Fratelli’s Restaurant, 1711 Athens Highway. The group is collecting cash, canned goods and non-perishable food for the Southeast Gwinnett Co-op. Reservations are required, and may be made here.
Parents of Gwinnett students receiving special education are invited to a workshop entitled “Behavior strategies to support your child.” It will be presented by Katherine Eisner and Jessica Phillips, behavior specialists with Gwinnett Public Schools. There will be two sessions, on Tuesday, December 5, at 10 a.m. and by Zoom that same day at 6 p.m. For more details contact Dawn Albanese at 678 301 7212, or by email at dawn.albanese@gcpsk12.org.
Opioid overdose intervention training will be held on December 6 from 4-6 p.m. at the Mountain Park Activity Building. State Representative Jasmine Clark of Lilburn, in partnership with the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Public Health Department, will host the overdose intervention training.
Those wanting to attend Braselton’s fourth annual Cravin’ Bacon Walk should order their tickets now. The event will be December 7 from 5 to 9 a.m. in downtown Braselton. There are two levels of tickets: the $35 Squealer ticket, and the $65 VIP ticket, for those over age 21. For tickets, go here.
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