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22 JAN 04: HOLD 'EM OR FOLD 'EM

The Columbus NAACP stepped away Wednesday evening from a potential showdown with Muscogee County Sheriff Ralph Johnson. This group may have learned a lesson from the Kenneth Walker case - if the deputies don't shoot you down, public opinion might.

NAACP President Edward DuBose threatened last week to reveal his source of information about the Kenneth Walker shooting, if Sheriff Ralph Johnson didn't reveal all he knew. The Sheriff's news conference last Friday didn't satisfy DuBose then - but apparently it does now. Either that, or someone reminded DuBose reporters never reveal sources.

Edward DuBose explained Wednesday evening his goal was for Sheriff Ralph Johnson to acknowledge Deputy David Glisson shot Kenneth Walker six weeks ago. That's a bit strange, because it was DuBose who used the word "alleged" at his own Friday news conference to describe the deputy....

Last November the NAACP filed suit to challenge the school sales tax vote - then it settled the matter privately on the day of the hearing. Now the NAACP has threatened to name names in the Kenneth Walker case, only to back off at the deadline. If you ever play poker with Edward DuBose, always assume he's bluffing.

The NAACP hosted a public hearing at the Liberty Theater Wednesday night on reports of police misconduct in Columbus. Police Chief Willie Dozier and Marshal Ken Suddeth attended - proving again hardly anyone of importance pays attention to Al Fleming's commentaries.

About a dozen people at the hearing brought up cases where they felt law officers treated them improperly. Dozens of others could have said the same things - but they're all serving time in jail, denying they're guilty of crimes.

An old issue resurfaced at the NAACP hearing - a visit by a sheriff's deputy to Spirit-Filled Church on a Sunday morning to serve an arrest warrant. One member claimed the deputy had to be restrained by church deacons. So this must not be a "so spirit-filled, you run up and down the aisles" church.

Members of Spirit-Filled Church revealed Muscogee County Sheriff Ralph Johnson attends First Presbyterian - and they claimed if a deputy had tried to serve an arrest warrant there, "he would have been run out of town." I somehow doubt the downtown church would do this. Columbus State University might have, as it did with a restaurant....

(Maybe Spirit-Filled Church should do what First Presbyterian does -- and have its Sunday service televised live, so TV cameras can show us everything.)

The NAACP took notes on the public hearing, and will send a transcript to the Justice Department in Washington. Once Attorney General John Ashcroft reads that, he may take action - by hiring some of the accused deputies, and sending them to Cuba to "guard" suspected terrorists.

By the way, it's now ten days since a CNN reporter visited the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition's picket lines to look at the Kenneth Walker case - and the network has yet to air the story. We've read it's been delayed due to "legal issues." So maybe CNN is waiting for the NAACP to threaten a lawsuit against it, too.

Here's what else caught our eye on a mild midweek day....

+ Col. Richard Downie revealed he's leaving the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, to take a position with a defense center in Washington. If his WHINSEC farewell party isn't at Miriam's Café, it will be the biggest shock to hit Columbus this year.

(Did you see the TV report comparing where Presidential candidates stand on WHINSEC? Former School of the Americas Commander Wesley Clark is for it. Congressman Dennis Kucinich is against it. And Howard Dean may be practicing how to make each word in WHINSEC into a cheer.)

+ The manager of the Mildred Terry Branch Library received an award from the New York Times. Sylvia Bunn was honored for her work in improving library usage -- and apparently not for having the current day's Times in the newspaper rack, because it's never there.

+ A hearing-impaired student competed in the Midland Middle School spelling bee. How do you help a youngster like this become a top speller? Does anyone make a game called "Hooked on Sign Language?"

+ Jean-Francois Plourde of the Columbus Cottonmouths had an assist at the East Coast Hockey League All-Star Game. When he skates alongside players from Las Vegas, San Diego and Alaska, it may be about time for this league to change its name.

+ Auburn's men's basketball team came from 19 points down to beat Arkansas 70-63. If the losing streak had continued much longer, some fans might have turned from "Cliff-Dwellers" to "Cliff-Hangers."

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