This is Viewpoints for Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Memories of Thomas

Sad to see Rick Thomas has passed. He and I worked together in the WMAZ-TV news department. Rick was an easy going, kind person in a fast-paced business. Both of us were Pete Rose fans and subscribed to Pete’s on field work ethic of showing up every day and doing a lot more than anybody expected. That philosophy took Rick to the managing editor’s position at The Telegraph during what was considered one of the newspaper’s “golden eras.”

While at WMAZ, Rick and I went to Atlanta to cover President Richard Nixon’s visit to pay tribute to the late Sen. Richard Russell in the Capitol Rotunda. Gov. Jimmy Carter issued a ruling that no public statements would be allowed. Carter, the Democrat, met the presidential limo at the curb and escorted the Republican president inside. I had sent Rick inside to shoot cover video while I remained outside to catch the entry and departure of the president who was not given the opportunity to say anything just as the governor ordered. Getting his video, Rick came back to where I was stationed and awaited the president’s departure. As Nixon passed other news crews, there was nothing but silence. He was walking very close to us, so we called out to him, the president took two or three steps past, abruptly spun around and came back to our camera position to do an “ain’t no Jimmy Carter going to tell me what to do” interview with Rick and me.

Tax exempt?

The Telegraph’s cover page picture of The Rev. Al Sharpton speaking at the Macedonia Church in Macon was somewhat revealing. There was no Bible on the podium. In my Homiletic classes, we were taught that we needed a biblical reference for our sermons. After listening to his “sermon” to the congregation, it was easy to see why he needed no scripture, as this was a political rally rather than a church service. I wonder what crossing the line will do to Macedonia’s tax-exempt status?

New judge

On behalf of the State Bar of Georgia, I would like to express congratulations to Jeffery O. Monroe of Jones Cork LLP in Macon on his recent appointment by Gov. Nathan Deal to serve as a judge of the Bibb County State Court.

Judge Monroe will be well served in his new position by his 16 years of experience in the legal profession. He is a respected leader among his colleagues, serving as a current member of the Review Panel of the State Disciplinary Board and as a past president of the Macon Bar Association.

Judge Monroe’s acceptance of this appointment is evidence of his dedication to public service and upholding the rule of law. His fellow members of the State Bar of Georgia wish him well in this new capacity of judicial leadership.

Encouragement

I was reading the Georgia Family magazine and there was an article on children active in sports and how some parents are so negative toward their children. I observed the same thing when my children were involved in sports. In most cases, children are doing the best they can and should receive encouragement and praise and not negativity. Coaches don’t always make the best decisions, but they are the coaches and they are the ones spending time working with children, most of them without pay.

One of my sons was on a middle school football team. The games were played at a time that was not convenient for my husband or me to attend because of work. My husband took time from work one afternoon, about mid-season, to go to a home game. Until that day the coach had never played our son in a game. Still he had not put our son in and it was in the last quarter of the game. My husband spoke to the coach and the coach put our son in the game. Our son scored a touchdown, the only one in the game. After the touchdown, the coach took our son out of the game and never played him in any other game. It wasn’t fair to our son but he learned some valuable lessons while he was on that team, some lessons he has passed on to his four sons.

Another son was involved in a pinewood derby race. I was in charge of the race. A parent or other adult was to help the boys make their pinewood derby race car. My husband was involved in helping our son. We only had a coping saw to cut out the car. It was a crude cut and a lot of sanding was involved. Our son was to do the sanding. He sanded a little and decided it was too much work. We had no paint at home so my husband was to get some and bring it home. Our son couldn’t wait so he got a magic marker and colored the car. It obviously wasn’t the best looking in the race and sweaty hands caused the marker coloring to coat our son’s hands.

After the race was over my son came to me and said, “Mama, I didn’t win.” To this I replied, “I know, son, but someone has to come in last place.” He said, “I know Mama, but I wanted to win.” As I write this, tears come to my eyes, but I know my son learned some valuable lessons from that race — patience and good works. The following year he applied the things he had learned. He never won any of the pinewood derby races but he never came in last place again.

I’m all for parents who do not belittle their children. Those children who have been given good encouragement grow up to help others and have smiles on their faces because that is what they learned from their childhoods. Parents, teach by example. What kind of parent are you? I choose to be the parent offering good encouragement.

‘Be the Bear’

Come on man! The Telegraph continues to inundate us with coverage of Georgia football. Stories about current players, former players and those who hope to play for Georgia. Three large separate pieces constituting more than half of the sports section. Of course that’s not unusual, most everyday the same pattern is seen.

Mercer, our hometown college team, began workouts last week, and I believe has garnered one article. This is crazy especially with The Telegraph and Mercer have partnered with the Center for Collaborative Journalism, which is on the Mercer campus about length of a couple football fields from Five Star Stadium. Talk about an ideal situation for journalism students.

I would suggest that there are as many stories with as much, or perhaps greater appeal, as you have provided from Athens. It seems we have become the Bulldog Banner/Banter, or the Red and Black south. It’s OK to be a homer, but let’s “Be the Bear”…not the dog.

This story was originally published August 8, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Wednesday, August 9, 2017."