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15 DEC 03: SEEKING CLOSURE
Several big events Sunday had the potential to close major wounds. Saddam Hussein was captured in Iraq. A community rally relating to the Kenneth Walker killing was held in Columbus. And the way the Falcons played in Indianapolis, they might as well close their season now.
I was driving around Columbus late Sunday morning when I heard the news about Saddam Hussein's arrest - but I didn't really grasp it. My radio was on "Ritmo Latino," where two announcers mentioned his name several times in Spanish. For all I could understand, some local holiday party had turned the Iraqi leader into a piñata.
Only when I got home and turned on public radio's "All Things Considered" at 5:00 p.m. did I realize what had happened near Tikrit. The pro football games didn't mention the capture between 4:00 and 5:00 -- and of course, NBC wouldn't dare interrupt a figure skating competition.
Area members of Congress were quick to issue statements praising the capture of Saddam Hussein. Yet for some reason, not one of them used the phrase "innocent until proven guilty...."
Even Alabama Governor Bob Riley issued a statement about the Saddam Hussein arrest. I guess this is because Alabama has a lot of reserve personnel deployed overseas - people who should be home spending money, helping the state fill that big budget gap.
Sunday evening brought a meeting at the Shirley Winston Recreation Center. It was promoted as an event for community healing, after the shooting of Kenneth Walker on I-185. From the looks of the crowd, hardly any white people in Columbus feel wounded at all.
A minister who organized Sunday night's healing event described it as a time for questions and answers. Trouble was, apparently no one from the Sheriff's Office attended - and the only people that office is answering to right now have G.B.I. badges.
Some people asked at the meeting what they could do to prevent a repeat of what happened to Kenneth Walker. I can hear some conservatives offering step one right now - when you're around a law officer, keep your hands open.
Another meeting of support for Kenneth Walker's family is planned today outside the Government Center. This one is organized by an alliance of ministers - so don't get them upset. They might walk around the building seven times, and shout loud enough to bring it all down.
(Instant Message to Miriam Tidwell: I'm waiting for you to announce plans for a "God Bless Deputy Sheriffs" rally. Or are you concerned about blowing someone's cover?)
I made my own attempt to promote "unity in the community" Sunday afternoon, by attending "customer appreciation day" at Millie's Corner on South Lumpkin Road. Nothing brings people together quite like someone handing out free food.
But there was one small problem: I showed up in the second hour of the free food giveaway - and all that remained was rice and sliced pork. Columbus is a small-scale version of the U.S. when it comes to this. The north side tends to be beef, while the south side is pork.
Millie's was one of the first big Hispanic business success stories in South Columbus. Her Caribbean food store in the Oakland Park Shopping Center has expanded to include a café, and for a while a meat market. I'm not sure why the meat market stopped - but maybe you should check Millie's big guard dog on the premises. [True!]
There now are two Hispanic food stores in the Oakland Park Shopping Center. When Millie's moved down the sidewalk a few years ago, Brito's Market opened. Brito's didn't have many customers when I walked by it Sunday - and didn't even try to compete by bringing in a mariachi band.
SONG OF THE DAY: Of course the capture of Iraq's former President deserves a song - one of celebration, as was sung when the Wicked Witch of the West died in "The Wizard of Oz":
They caught Saddam Hussein!
We think he is so insane.
Our troops have caught Saddam Hussein!
He spent months on the run,
Always moving with a gun.
Our troops have caught Saddam Hussein!
They found him down in a hole -
A HOLE! A hole, a hole!
It's called a "spider hole,"
But he's a rat who stole.
So now he will go on trial.
Mr. Bush can crack a smile.
Our troops have caught Saddam Hussein!
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© 2003 Richard Burkard, All Rights Reserved.