GwinnettForum | Number 25.21 | March 14, 2025
SPEAKER ON THURSDAY MORNING at the Southwest Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce was Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in an event held at the Atlanta Hilton at Peachtree Corners. He spoke of how Georgia was efficient in registering businesses and professional people, and how it went about holding elections, and reporting the results in quick time.
TODAY’S FOCUS: View on USA from French Parliament member
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Callous harshness of Trump Administration worries us
SPOTLIGHT: Gwinnett County Public Library
FEEDBACK: Those old DayTimers held worthy truths
UPCOMING: Gwinnett students eligible for leadership program
NOTABLE: Jackson EMC recognized Right Choice home builders
RECOMMENDED: Beyond Checks and Halos by Cynthia Eads Currence
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Bacote was leader among Georgia Black community
MYSTERY PHOTO: Waterway and mountains make a stunning photo
CALENDAR: Johns Creek Symphony performs next on March 15
View on USA from French Parliament member
By Howard Hoffman
BERKELEY LAKE, Ga. | This comment is edited from a recent speech by Claude Malhuret, a member of the French Parliament. Malhuret is a physician, lawyer and head of France’s centre-right party since 2014.
You can find his entire speech via Google. Here are portions which many might learn about the feelings of some French people.
“…Never in history has a president of the United States capitulated to the enemy. Never has anyone supported an aggressor against an ally. Never has anyone trampled on the American Constitution, issued so many illegal decrees, dismissed judges who could have prevented him from doing so, dismissed the military general staff in one fell swoop, weakened all checks and balances, and taken control of social media.
“This is not an illiberal drift, it is the beginning of confiscation of democracy.
“I have faith in the strength of the American democracy, and the country is already protesting. But in one month, Trump has done more harm to America than in four years of his last presidency.
“Eight days ago, the United States voted at the United Nations with Russia and North Korea against the Europeans demanding the withdrawal of troops (from Ukraine).
“Two days later, in the Oval Office, the military service shirker was giving war hero Zelensky lessons in morality and strategy before dismissing him, ordering him to submit or resign.
“Tonight , he took another step into infamy by stopping the delivery of weapons that had been promised.
“Let’s not be mistaken, the defeat of Ukraine would be the defeat of Europe. The Baltic States, Georgia, Moldova are already on the list.
“What Putin wants is the end of the order put in place by the United States and its allies 80 years ago with its first order the prohibition of acquiring territory by force.
“The talk that Putin cannot be resisted is false. Russia is in bad shape. In three years, the so- called second largest army in the world has managed only to grab crumbs from a country (Ukraine) three times less populated.
“Interest rates are 25 percent, the collapse of foreign exchange and gold reserves, the demographic collapse show that is on the brink of the abyss.
“The American helping hand is the biggest strategic mistake ever made in a war.”
Note: You may read more of this speech on Google. And also note that this is from a parliamentary member in France who is a member of the center-right party.
One more item: Polls are falling. Republican lawmakers are being greeted by hostile crowds. Even FOX NEWS is becoming critical.
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Callous harshness of Trump Administration worries us
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
MARCH 14, 2025 | The very callousness of the Trump Administration is what worries us.
What hit home to us this week was when more than 80,000 federal workers in the Health and Human Services Department were emailed—yes emailed – a demanding offer to quit their job and take a $25,000 one time payment and be employed by the government no more. Recognize that these were people responsible for researching diseases, inspecting food and administering Medicare and Medicaid care.
Not only were they losing their job, but these technical employees of a vital department were being paid a paltry $25,000 to quit their job. Yes, in effect, their livelihood was being swept from under them, making their future grim indeed. There was no mention of additional benefits to them, not any word given about a pension for their years of services to this country.
Workers could not start opting in until Monday and then had only until 5 p.m. on Friday to submit a response for the so-called voluntary separation offer. Did you understand that? They were given five days to make a lifetime decision about their very job? Note that the Federal Government was offering no counseling about their future, or about transferring to other departments of the government. It was an open-and-shut deal, take it or not. And there was no thanks for their previous employment.
That’s not what we think of as a reasonable way to treat people.
The email was sent to staff across the department, which includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and the National Institutes of Health as well as the Food and Drug Administration, both in Maryland.
What’s this to say for these individuals and their families? Why were they being so obviously not regarded as vital human beings by the government?
How about the work that these people were providing our nation? Who’s to do this now? Won’t we still need meat inspectors, or people assisting retirees seeking medical care, or keeping people safe from future diseases, such as the recent Covid outbreak? And how about the measles outbreak in Texas? Who is left to monitor that?
What’s this to say for the economy in general, eliminating jobs, and thereby reducing the amount of money in circulation? Does firing these people strengthen the economy? Where will they find work, particularly with other government workers being fired? Are we going to see long lines of people lining up for hand-outs, hawking back to scenes of the Depression?
Think back to January 1 of this year.
Before Donald Trump came into office, the nation was going through an unusually solid period, with the economy humming along nicely, the number employed high, and the outlook solid. Not trying to laud the Biden Administration, but the measures it had introduced in the previous years had worked, and most of the captains of industry were smiling. The Democratic proposals in force spreading the wealth was working. And the stock market? It was churning along nicely, making shareholders happy.
Then enter Donald Trump and his many unqualified henchmen. So began the downturn we are in now. The prospects don’t look good.
These days we try to stay calm and not let the continual antics of our new president vex us. After all, we keep thinking that more sound minds will eventually curtail some of the excesses of this new administration and return our nation to a solid future. Yet it is hard to stay positive. The harshness and callousness of this new administration is not what we have known as the American way.
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Those old DayTimers held worthy truths
Editor, the Forum:
Recently, I was cleaning out a box which had lived at the back of a closet for far too long. In it, I found a full size leather-bound DayTimers three-ring binder. Remember those? The last calendar pages dated to 1997. The experience was a walk down memory lane.
As I leafed through the pages, I came across a copy of a copy of ten business truisms. They remain as true today as they were almost 30 years ago. So thought I’d share them with you.
- Business will continue to go where invited and remain where appreciated.
- Reputations will continue to be made by many acts and lost by one.
- People will go right on preferring to do business with their friends.
- Go-givers will become the best go-getters.
- The extra mile will have no traffic jams.
- Performance will continue to outsell promises.
- Enthusiasm will remain as contagious as ever.
- Know-how will surpass guess-how.
- Trust, not tricks, will keep customers loyal.
- Quality will be prized as a precious possession.
Thank you for letting me share this bit from the past. We appreciate you and look forward to seeing you very soon.
– Randy Paulson, Suwanee
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: ebrack2@gmail.com.
Gwinnett students eligible for leadership program
Five Gwinnett County students recently graduated from the Model Atlanta Regional Commission (MARC) youth leadership program along with 45 other high school students from across the region.
The Gwinnett graduates are:
- Demilayo Akinmade, Peachtree Ridge High School;
- Maisha Labiba, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology;
- Emily Lee, Parkview High School;
- Yusuf Naviwala, Parkview High School; and
- Cydni Walker, South Gwinnett High School.
MARC students explored real-world issues such as housing affordability, responsible water usage, and the impact of limited transportation options as part of the six-month program. They spoke with local changemakers about equity and resilience and offered their own reflections on ways we as a region can better serve our diverse population. Along the way, they heard from regional leaders on various topics and visited The Water Tower and F. Wayne Hill Water Reclamation Facility, Chamblee City Hall, Atlanta Community Food Bank, and the Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners.
Wrapping up its 25th year, the MARC program is accepting applications for next school year’s class through May 2.
For the 2024-25 MARC program, students currently in 9th and 10th grades who reside or attend school in the 11-county Atlanta region may apply. The class meets once a month on Saturdays for six months, beginning in August 2024. There is no cost to participants. Applications are due by May 3.
Jackson EMC recognized Right Choice home builders
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Jackson EMC’s Right Choice homes program recently honored local home builders who have long championed building energy efficient new homes.
Right Choice homes are built exclusively within Jackson EMC’s service area and meet rigorous energy-efficiency standards. To earn the Right Choice designation, homebuilders must follow advanced building practices that enhance comfort and reduce energy costs for homeowners.
The following list of winners includes the location where they are currently building Right Choice homes.
Builder of the Year winners include:
- Chafin Communities (Barrow, Jackson, Gwinnett and Hall counties), diamond class;
- Oxford Properties (Gwinnett County), multi-family class.
The Leadership Award recognizes a builder’s or superintendent’s individual efforts. The Leadership Awards included:
- Allen Cooper, Richardson Housing Group (Gwinnett County), diamond class;
- Brian Simmons, MB Endeavors, LLC (Gwinnett and Jackson counties), platinum class; and
- Matthew Gresham, Oxford Properties, LLC (Gwinnett County), multi-family class.
Retire Wise LLC moves office to Lawrenceville
Retire Wise, LLC is now open at the company’s new location at 344 Scenic Highway, Lawrenceville. The five year old company was previously located in Snellville.
Shawn Maloney, founder and CEO, who has over 20 years experience in the field, says: “Our company chose Gwinnett because of its business- friendly environment and great residents and we are honored to be celebrating our ribbon cutting with the Gwinnett Chamber. We look forward to serving the Gwinnett community and helping residents prepare for retirement using our Retire Happy Framework.” The online address of the firm is www.retirewisepro.com.
Maloney, born in Ohio, has lived in Georgia since 1981, when his family was transferred here. He is a resident of Monroe, and his wife, Debbie, works at Graystone Church in Loganville.
Beyond Checks and Halos, by Cynthia Eads Currence
From Paige Havens, Hoschton: As a community relations consultant for more than 20 years, I’ve guided many nonprofit and corporate executives in relationship building and am always on the lookout for great books to stimulate conversation and new ways of thinking. Cynthia Eads Currence’s book, Beyond Checks and Halos, is now on my must-read list! Currence explains how the best partnerships provide a business win-win for all sides. She talks through valuation, currency, trust, vulnerability, follow-through and negotiation skills and stresses the importance of data, contracts, benchmarks, and internal buy-in. This is foreign speak to many nonprofit executives and boards, but it shouldn’t be. I encourage those looking to take corporate relationships to a whole new level to read this book. Currence’s tips, checklists, examples, and reflections offer much to ponder and act upon. It’s no longer enough to pitch your mission. Large-scale partnerships must be relevant to business needs.”
- 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. Click here to send an email.
Bacote was leader among Georgia Black community
Clarence A. Bacote was a distinguished historian, scholar, and political activist who dedicated his life to educating Black voters in Atlanta. An authority on Georgia political history, he studied extensively the barriers to Black political participation in the state. As a political activist he was responsible for helping to register thousands of African American voters in the mid-1940s and for organizing them into a political force in the city.
The only son and the oldest of three children, Bacote was born February 24, 1906, to Lucy Bledsoe and Samuel William Bacote in Kansas City, Mo. He attended the Kansas City public schools and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas (1926). He earned both master’s (1929) and doctoral (1955) degrees in history from the University of Chicago. He married Lucia Moore of Atlanta in 1931. They had two children, Lucia Jean and Samuel William II.
In 1930 Bacote joined the history faculty of Atlanta University (later Clark Atlanta University), where he spent the next 47 years. In 1963 he became the department chair. He was the first person appointed to the school’s graduate faculty. Bacote was a specialist in Reconstruction history and was the university’s official historian. A brilliant scholar, he published numerous articles in the Journal of Negro History, Journal of Southern History, and Phylon.
In 1933 Bacote became the first director of the citizenship schools created by the Atlanta branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to better acquaint Blacks with the operation of their government. After the U.S. Supreme Court declared the white primary in Georgia unconstitutional in 1946, Atlanta Blacks decided to take a grassroots approach to increase the number of qualified Black voters. They established the Atlanta All-Citizens Registration Committee (ACRC) to consolidate the various voter registration groups in the African American community under one organization and to register qualified Black voters. Bacote served as chair of the committee. As a result of their efforts, the number of Black registered voters increased from 6,976 to 21,244 in less than five months.
In 1952 Bacote managed the successful Atlanta School Board campaign of Rufus Clement, Atlanta University’s president. That same year Bacote was elected vice president of the Fulton County Democratic Club. In September 1958 Bacote and Atlanta attorney J. C. Daugherty were the first Blacks elected to the Fulton County Democratic Executive Committee from the Third Ward.
In 1962 he was appointed to the Georgia State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and three years later he was appointed to a seat on the Fulton County Jury Commission. He served as a political consultant for local television, analyzing city, state, and national elections.
After retiring from Atlanta University in 1977, Bacote was hired to teach in the history department at Morehouse College. He remained in that position until his death on May 1, 1981.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org
Waterway and mountains make a stunning photo
Check out today’s gorgeous photograph. It’s breathtaking in its beauty, with the water and the mountains so well defined. Don’t you know the people in the small boat are enjoying its beauty and charm. Your job is to tell us where you think this photograph was made. Send your answers to ebrack2@gmail.com, and include your hometown.
Last week’s Mystery Photograph was from one of our favorite towns, Camden, Maine, taken at a time we have never been in Camden, during the winter. The charming harbor looks mighty cold. The photo came from Charles Anderson of Hartwell.
Recognizing it were George Graf, Palmyra, Va.; Ruthy Lachman Paul, Norcross; Dr. Luann Hammami, Dacula; and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Texas, who wrote: “This is one of your favorite places to eat lobster rolls …Camden Harbor, Maine. The photo was shot facing south from Harbor Park, just above the Megunticook Falls. The large, gray building with two turret caps on the roofline (in the top-right of the photo) is the Grand Harbor Inn.
“Camden is often called the ‘Jewel of the Maine Coast’ because of its stunning harbor, picturesque town, and proximity to both mountains and the ocean. This photo demonstrates that the area is gorgeous, no matter what the season! In the dead of winter, parts of the harbor can freeze over, enticing people to actually ice skate in the harbor. But there is an even more popular, unique experience that visitors can experience when visiting Camden in the winter. Just four miles from where the photo was taken is the Camden Snow Bowl, a small, town-owned ski area located on the eastern slope of Ragged Mountain. While the mountain is only 1,080-feet high, what makes this unique is that it is the only ski area in the contiguous United States to have a clear view of the ocean from the summit.”
- 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!) Click here to send an email and please mark it as a photo submission. Thanks.
Johns Creek Symphony performs next on March 15
Hear local author Dan Leonard at the Robert D. Fowler Family YMCA in Peachtree Corners on March 14 at 12:15 p.m. He will have a QandA session and book signing of his memoir.
Day of Play at Lillian Webb Park in Norcross, will be Friday, March 14, from 5-6 p.m. It’s totally free. Run, jump, laugh and play your heart out with fun games and activities for everyone. Just make sure to wear closed-toe shoes, your toes will thank you! Grab your friends, bring your energy and let’s turn the park into the ultimate play zone! For more information, visit aplacetoimagine.com
Hear Author Colleen Oakley at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library in conversation with Mary Kay Andrews. This will be March 15 at 6 p.m., as they discuss Oakley’s newest book, Jane and Dan at the End of the World. Books will be available for purchase and signing.
The Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra will perform From Screen to Stage on March 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Mount Pisgah Church in Johns Creek. Music Director finalist Howard Hsu will conduct this concert, which will feature music from Star Wars, Harry Potter, Mission: Impossible, and others. For audience members who would like to come dressed as their favorite movie character, there will be a costume competition at intermission, with prizes.
Shamrocks, Carts and Clues: join the Paddy’s Day Pathfest, which will be March 15 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. in downtown Braselton. Get ready for the wackiest parade in town! Join the festive lineup of decorated golf carts and strut your stuff along the Braselton LifePath. Spectators, bring your cheers and enjoy the spectacle! After the parade, the quest begins—teams will search for clues and complete challenges for a chance to win prizes. Register early for extra points!
Gwinnett Historical Society will meet Monday, March 17, at 6:30 pm. at Rhodes Jordan Park Community Center. Speaking will be two trailblazing women, former Gwinnett Chairwoman Charlotte Nash and the current chairwoman, Nicole Love Hendrickson. will share their stories about leading Georgia’s most dynamic county. The meeting will also feature a “pop-up” exhibit highlighting a few artifacts from the Lillian Webb collection. Lillian Webb was the first female to lead the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners.
Nutrition for a Healthy Life is to be held on March 19 at 10:30 a.m. at the Suwanee Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library. Another session will be March 25 at the Centerville Branch at 11 a. m. This nutritional program series will help participants enhance knowledge and facilitate healthy behavior change across the lifespan.
PDC In Norcross meets at 8:15-9 a.m. each Wednesday in Norcross at the 45 South Café. On March 19 the PDC (People Drinking Coffee) will hear Eric Johnson, city manager of Norcross. All are welcome. There are no attendance or dues requirements.
Author Talk with Vanessa Miller will be March 20 at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County. She will be discussing her latest book, The Filling Station, a story of two sisters during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Books will be available for purchase and signing.
Bloom into Spring by hearing author and garden expert Teresa Speight in conversation with horticulturalist Abra Lee as they discuss Black Flora, which celebrates the vibrant legacy and future of Black floral artists and entrepreneurs. This will be March 22 at 11 a.m. at the Duluth Branch of Gwinnett County Public Library.
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