13 JAN 05: MOVING BACK AND FORTH

The Urban League of Columbus officially changed its mind Wednesday. Now President Reginald Pugh WILL support Saturday's Rainbow/PUSH civil rights march. Maybe they worked out an "equal opportunity" agreement -- for marchers to join whichever organization they wish.

The Urban League apparently changed its mind because Jesse Jackson changed his language. You'll recall he called in December for a partial economic boycott of Columbus -- then this week agreed with local officials that it's only a "last resort." I keep waiting for the Visitors Bureau to seize on this, and proclaim Columbus finally is considered a "resort" town.

Reginald Pugh of the Urban League explained his group could not support any boycott which might put Columbus residents out of work. But would that necessarily have to happen? Pugh could join the Chamber of Commerce on business recruiting trips, and make companies so confused that they'll move here anyway.

The change of position by the Urban League also means the Omega Psi Phi fraternity will back Saturday's march as well. Our apologies for connecting this frat with Jesse Jackson the other day; it's actually the house of Kenneth Walker. I couldn't tell most fraternities apart during college, either - they all had wild keg parties.

But Reginald Pugh and Jesse Jackson may not be completely united. WRBL showed a memo from the Urban League President Wednesday night, claiming Rainbow/PUSH is asking groups for around $4,000 to be part of Saturday's march. What's going on here? Does Jesse Jackson HAVE to fly to Columbus in the first-class section?

"Maybe they're going to serve steak and caviar," Reginald Pugh joked about the Rainbow/PUSH request for thousands of dollars to be part of Saturday's march. I have another theory about this - after the game, marchers will head for Atlanta and buy scalpers' tickets to the Falcons playoff game.

(By the way, this never occurred to me before Wednesday night - but why doesn't the Urban League have a branch for African-American farmers? Is the name "Rural League" already taken?)

So Jesse Jackson called for a financial boycott of Columbus, then changed his mind. Now the Urban League has declared its opposition to the Saturday, only to change ITS mind. It's obviously too warm in Columbus - because "flip-flops" are showing up all over the place.

(This may only prove what many women have said all along - about men who can't stay committed.)

In fact, the way all these groups are going back and forth in recent days, by Saturday afternoon the civil rights march downtown will include David Glisson's family....

Did you see the march for David Glisson on Tuesday outside the Government Center? The F.O.G. ("Friends of David Glisson") web site estimates 150 people showed up - and many of them seemed to be Glisson's relatives. I'm more used to family reunions occurring in city parks, with horseshoes and a cookout.

One man standing downtown dared to challenge the signs and demonstrations supporting David Glisson. In fact, at one point Columbus Police discussed whether that man was within his rights to stand on a public sidewalk. They didn't dare take him down with weapons drawn at a time like that....

Tim Delbridge of "Friends of David Glisson" declared Tuesday's protest a success, and his web site claims another one is planned soon. I'm still wondering why they didn't stage one last October - say on Oates Avenue, after Adam Johnson had that collision.

By the way, you'll soon be able to buy a Friends of David Glisson T-shirt for ten dollars. But we can't guarantee it will get you out of a speeding ticket, if you're pulled over on I-185.

One thing all these groups could use, but I'm not sure any would accept, is an essay someone brought to the church congregation I attend last weekend. It's by T.D. Jakes, and urges people to "let go" of past hurts and anger. But that's not how lawyers tend to make big money, is it?

Amidst all this, the "One Columbus" organization will hold a dinner at the Trade Center tonight. It will present honors to people promoting "unity in the community." If attorney Richard Hagler or Rainbow/PUSH's William Howell receives one of these awards, it may be time to move....

If none of the marches in Columbus this week thrill you, we found out Wednesday that Auburn will host a Sugar Bowl victory parade for the football team Saturday afternoon. So the Auburn basketball team isn't shown up, no one will be allowed to throw toilet paper higher than six-and-a-half feet.

For some reason the Ledger-Enquirer hasn't done this, but the Eufaula and Valley newspapers have declared Auburn the 2004 national college football champion. Why those papers failed to do this for John Kerry last November, I have no idea.

Now let's quiet the marching drum beat for some other notes from the last few days:

+ Rep. Mike Rogers visited Phenix City Hall. Mayor Jeff Hardin said he'd ask for money for a new post office, exit ramps from U.S. 80 to the new hospital, grants to develop the riverfront - hey, there's no better way to be responsible with city tax money than have federal tax money pay for everything.

+ Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue presented his "State of the State" address, and mentioned his trip to Fort Benning last week to honor the Third Brigade. So why did he have a guest in the gallery from Fort McPherson? Does he already have enough Muscogee County votes to win reelection next year?

+ The Broadway musical "Miss Saigon" finished a two-night stand at the RiverCenter. If the cast of this show set in 1970's Vietnam didn't do a thing to rebuild the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, Lonnie Jackson may have them banned.

+ Which area blogger (not me) went to a hospital for a medical procedure - but forgot he took his concealed weapon inside with him? If this were 1905 instead of 2005, it would have been no problem. Doctors would have considered it merely one extra surgical tool.

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