This is Viewpoints for Saturday, July 16, 2016

Another tax

Here we go again, politicians trying sell me something I don’t want, less money in my pocket. At the present time somebody spends more of my hard earned money than I do. Pretty much work the first six months of the year to pay taxes. There’s no way in hell I am voting to give more of my money to politicians who have not been good stewards of what I already give them. I can’t see where anyone in Macon-Bibb County has benefited from the last SPLOST they sold us on. One thing for sure, once a new tax gets on the books it never goes away. Somewhere it has to stop because we are about to get to the point were it’s not worth working.

Clinton Crony Club

There are many “liberals” who still think Hillary Clinton is the perfect example of an innocent political angel who worships America, and the populous that calls it home. Although accused of many judgmental failures (aka crimes) she has never been convicted of anything. She is the perfect choice for the office of president of the United States.

Looking back through history, reveals another individual that Hillary seems to be using as her model in her quest for power. This was a young man that, although born in Brooklyn, spent much of his life in Chicago. The president also seems to be influenced by this hero of the past. Today this man, Alphonse Gabriel Capone, is simply called Al Capone. Al was never convicted of anything until he was charged with tax evasion. Which is really a crime of theft of money legally due the country of America. Al did the proper and courageous thing and pled guilty. Bless his heart.

Except for the name and some minor technicalities this is very similar to the Clinton Foundation. One major difference is that a lot of the Clinton Foundation money was contributed by foreign nations for services rendered by the secretary of state, and as dues paid to the Clinton Crony Club of Chicago or where ever it is.

It will be interesting to see how many Americans will select Crooked Hillary and Slick Willy Clinton over Donald Trump. For the supporters of Crooked Hillary, Godspeed on your voyage to La-La land.

Compliments

A very good and truthful letter by John Wayne Dobson in Thursday’s Telegraph. He couldn’t have said it any better. Also to June O’Neal she is right in her feelings. When we cut the television on in the mornings I first ask myself, well I wonder who and where and how many have been shot or killed during the night. In the end, I tell myself that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ said these days would be coming .He said his coming would be as it was in the days of Noah (Genesis 6:11) Now the earth was corrupt and full of violence in God’s sight. Come Lord Jesus. You are our only hope.

Special encounter

After a very nice visit to the Dickey’s Peach Farm to sample their ice cream last Saturday morning we were about to drive home to Macon when we took a side road and encountered the beautiful Musella Baptist Church where a group of young people, led by Joe, were undertaking “free car washing.” Initially we drove past but then decided the car needed a wash and so drove back with the idea of just paying a donation to the church and not having a “free car wash.” However, what a great surprise it was to learn that these keen and enthusiastic and articulate young people were learning about giving their support to the public, without reward.

It truly was the highlight of my week meeting these young people especially on this particularly hot day. They did a great job on my car. In fact, I think it was better than any car wash I could have gone through. Thank you Joe for encouraging our young people to give to others without reward. You surely have a great group there and we hope we meet up with you all again.

Encroachment

The biggest issue facing a future BRAC — Base Realignment and Closure Commission —at Robins Air Force Base is “encroachment” but is it still a serious problem? The chairwoman of the Middle Georgia Regional Commission, Laura Mathis, told me over a year ago that encroachment would no longer exist “in a year or so.” Yet no public celebration over this momentous achievement has appeared in the media.

Chrissy Minor formerly with the 21th Century Partnership, and now the director of the Museum of Aviation, didn’t know the status or when encroachment would no longer be an issue at RAFB. She promised to call me back over a year or so- but never did. No surprise.

My question is what is being done to solve the issue of “encroachment” at our state’s biggest business — Robins Air Force Base? Have all the homes and businesses that were affected by encroachment been bought and no longer occupied by the former owners? Will somebody tell us what is the status? It is still important to know this.

Our community needs Bob Easter on the Bibb County Board of Education. Bob is a problem-solving, community-serving person. He has the will and skill to help our students get the quality education they deserve and need in order to succeed in life. I’m voting for Bob Easter. I urge you to do the same.

Something positive

Smyrna resident Amy Dunn opined in a recent Your Say letter that she and her husband became acquainted with condemned killer Joshua Daniel Bishop 13 years before he was executed by the State of Georgia for the brutal murder and robbery of an acquaintance. She expressed rage and anger at our justice system for inflicting such punishment on “Josh,” a flawed but kind soul, but she never ventured the facts on the case nor mentioned those that “Josh” hurt mightily. Dunn can only see her friend “Josh” as nothing but a young man full of natural artistic gifts and abundant love for many things but had meandered from the path of goodness.

According to news articles and public releases Leverett Lewis Morrison, a carpenter, had been working in Florida for a year and returned to his home in Baldwin County to visit his daughter where he joined “Josh” and an another for a long night of drinking and club hopping. About 2 a.m., “Josh” and his friend decided to steal Morrison’s jeep and the melee started with “Josh” striking Morrison in the head repeatedly with a heavy curtain rod until he was dead. Resourceful “Josh” and his friend then rolled Morrison’s body up in a bed spread and drove it to a local dumpster in the dead man’s jeep where it was left as trash for pick-up and burial in the landfill. During the subsequent investigation “Josh” admitted to helping with the murder of another local man in a similar gruesome manner a few months earlier, and took the county sheriff to that burial site.

Dunn and “Josh” were good friends for those 13 years and she and her husband visited him often on death row sharing many stories and small gifts. She witnessed his execution with anger toward our criminal justice system, not “Josh” for his legacy of evil and hurt. “Josh” had asked her to make something positive of his situation and Dunn has been pondering how to best honor that wish. Let me make a suggestion that Dunn and anyone else who finds themselves in a similar tragedy.

Almost every person at death leaves mournful relatives and descendants, and this especially true when a loved one is brutally murdered. According to his obituary, Morrison, left three children, a mother and father, a grandmother and five brothers and sisters. The second victim likely had a similar number of survivors.

Perhaps Dunn and her husband could use the next 13 years visiting and helping the relatives of the two families that were hurt by “Josh.” Maybe then she will begin to understand why our laws have to be enforced in order to prevent us from becoming a jungle-nation. Maybe she should begin to support the victims of criminals instead of crying out for leniency.

This story was originally published July 15, 2016 at 9:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Saturday, July 16, 2016."