17 NOV 05: GATHERING OF THE CLANS

A man I know called openly the other night for a visit to the Georgia Baptist Convention meeting. "We've got 2,500 Baptists in town," he said. I should have told this man he could see that at Cascade Hills Church some Sunday mornings.

Today might be called an "off day" between big gatherings in Columbus. The Georgia Baptist Convention was at the Civic Center for two days. The conclave of Roman Catholics arrives Friday -- otherwise known as SOA Watch.

I know, I know - the protesters of Fort Benning's Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation probably aren't all Catholic. But a priest has overseen the demonstrations for years. Plenty of nuns and Catholic college students attend.
And I've never seen a Pentecostal person there, trying to convert military police.

Organizers of the SOA Watch protest told WRBL Wednesday they expect more than 15,000 people for this weekend's rally outside Fort Benning. As long as they form a single line at the Fort Benning Road checkpoint for searching, all should be fine.

I haven't heard of any famous names joining the SOA Watch protest this year. There's one obvious celebrity who could bring the demonstration national attention - but I read Cindy Sheehan plans to protest in Texas instead.

Wouldn't it be interesting if the SOA Watch protesters and the Georgia Baptist Convention gathered in Columbus at the same time? One group comes preaching peace, while the other always seems ready for a fight - even if it's with a university it's supposed to support....

That was the big news at the Georgia Baptist Convention this year - a vote to cut off connections with Macon's Mercer University. The decision will NOT become final until another vote occurs next year. Talk about giving people time to repent.

The last straw for the Georgia Baptist Convention apparently came when a homosexual support group held a meeting at Mercer University. Campus officials shut it down this week - so perhaps the United Methodists at nearby Wesleyan College won't mind providing room for it.

As the Georgia Baptist Convention left Columbus Wednesday, a group called "Georgia Equality" showed up at a local church. That group calls the Baptists "closed-minded" for opposing Mercer's homosexual support groups. So Georgia Equality is open-minded enough to accept homosexuality as a choice, right?

One member of Georgia Equality says his group's main point is that homosexual people are a part of society, just like everyone else. Of course, so are car thieves - but Columbus police still want them behind bars....

Do you think Georgia Equality members will stay in Columbus, and join the SOA Watch protest? After all, I doubt mean Latin American generals would tolerate homosexual members of their armies. For them, it's "don't ask, don't tell - and don't die."

Then again, maybe the visitors from Georgia Equality will attend this weekend's "God Bless Fort Benning" event in South Commons. Last November that event attracted nearly as many people as the SOA Watch protest - and I don't think you have to register your sexuality at the entrance.

God Bless Fort Benning suddenly became a big gathering last year. But this year organizers Jack and Eve Tidwell are taking a big chance, with an added attraction which could reduce the turnout. Who knows how many men are afraid to get their prostates tested for cancer?

Between God Bless Fort Benning, SOA Watch and the "Iron Bowl" football game at Auburn, the total number of people involved in big weekend events in our area could top 100,000. I suggest AFLAC seize the moment here - and fill all 2,000 new positions for the next five years now.

By the way, I'm really not surprised that the Georgia Baptist Convention and the SOA Watch protest are separated by several days. After all, when was the last time Notre Dame played Baylor in football?

BLOG UPDATE: It turns out Sumter County isn't the only place reviewing school dress codes. Muscogee County's School Board is preparing to set a new district-wide clothing policy, starting next term. Students will be thrilled to know they will NOT all have to wear preppy plaid....

Right now school principals in Muscogee County have some discretion on dress codes. Some schools have uniforms, while others have budding hip-hip performers.

While the new dress code will be district-wide, Muscogee County school advisory councils are being allowed to offer input about what they'd like to see. So far, no grade school councils are demanding the right to wear fuzzy pink slippers in the morning.

Unlike the "tuck rule" in Americus-Sumter County, Muscogee County might allow students to wear untucked shirts - but with some limits. For instance, if they only go down as far as some of Britney Spears's outfits....

Speaking of schools: WRBL reported Wednesday a Georgia state review has concluded Muscogee County should let teen mothers attend regular schools, if they wish. I thought Republicans were running the state government - yet here's a decision that's pro-choice.

E-MAIL UPDATE: Let's borrow from an old soul tune, and play "Who's That Lady?"

Dear Richard,

About once a week, I go through your blog entries and I really enjoy reading it. I noticed that last week [10 Nov] you posted an email you received about a woman at Houlihans celebrating with a military officer and a lady with a camera. The beautiful woman with long legs is a relative of mine and the lady with the camera is too! I knew they were planning to eat there.

She doesn't live here in Columbus, but is planning to move back and was in town to look at a house she is thinking of buying. The emailer was right she is beautiful, both inside and out. She's always looked like a real live Barbie doll to me and just the sweetest lady you'd ever meet. But to my knowledge she doesn't know Judge Peters, so the emailer must have her confused with someone else. What a small world, wait until I tell her about this!

Elizabeth W.

Thanks for clarifying, Elizabeth - but there are three unsettled questions here. What is this mysterious woman's name? Is she married? And if she's not, can I meet her before Judge Bobby Peters does?

BLOG CORRECTION: A CB&T commercial Wednesday night reminded us that the name of the bank's president actually is Steve Melton. Our apologies for the mistake - which should prove I do my banking somewhere else.

Now for other news and notes, from a Wednesday when I brought in my plant for the winter:

+ Legendary Columbus TV weatherman Doug Wallace died at age 90. Our sympathies to WRBL, Wallace's family and friends - and I wish I could give him a truly fitting tribute. But I don't know how to write an online blog with chalk.

+ The Columbus Trade Center hosted a statewide conference for law officers on respecting civil rights. Sheriff Ralph Johnson attended the conference - and you have to give him some credit. He brought this to town so quietly that Kenneth Walker's family couldn't organize a picket line.

+ The aunt of Natalee Holloway said it's time for yellow ribbons to come down in Mountain Brook, Alabama. I'm not sure why. The teenager has been missing less than six months - and some Fort Benning troops have been in Iraq a lot longer than that.

+ "Duke and the Doctor" on WCGT TV-16 discussed losing weight with a product called hoodia. I admit I'm skeptical about things like this - so I presume it's a bunch of hooey-a.

+ Columbus Catfish executives confirmed the baseball team could move to Columbia, South Carolina after next season. It depends on officials in Columbia approving a new stadium, the Los Angeles Dodgers cutting its agreement with the team - and whether local baseball fans keep caring more about Columbus High School.

(The talk of moving comes only weeks after the Catfish signed a three-year lease to play at Golden Park. Apparently there's an escape clause involving an affiliation with the Dodgers. Don't Columbus city officials know better than to let fish wriggle off the hook?)

+ Instant Message to the driver of a van I saw on Wynnton Road for "Invisible Records": How can anyone buy your records if they're invisible? People can see my CD in stores....

BURKARD'S BEST BETS: Gas for $2.03 a gallon at Spectrum, Wynnton Road and Brown Avenue.... Publix sandwich cookies for $1.67 a 20-ounce package.... and FREE breathing for smokers, if they take advantage of Great American Smoke-Out Day....

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