5 JAN 06: FIGHTING PLAQUE
Uh-oh - Taylor County is in segregation trouble again. This time it's because of two plaques hanging inside the county courthouse. And in a refreshing change, they are NOT the two tablets showing the Ten Commandments.
Georgia NAACP President Ed DuBose announced Wednesday he wants the Taylor County Commission to remove two plaques from the courthouse wall, because they show lists of names divided by race. But look on the bright side - at least all the names are written in black ink.
Two plaques were placed inside the Taylor County Courthouse in 1944 to remember the personnel who died in World War II. One plaque lists the African-American GI's. The other lists the Euro-American GI's. But the adjectives were different then, because hyphens were still being rationed.
Ed DuBose argues this is 2006, and the era of segregation is over - so it's time to combine the Taylor County war memorial plaques. But he needs to remember something. This is Taylor County - where they segregated the high school student awards until a couple of years ago.
Ed DuBose says the World War II dead of Taylor County should all be honored together. But wait a minute - aren't they honored together now? The two plaques are side by side. Maybe we can put one on top of the other, on alternate days.
Ed DuBose says he'll go before the Taylor County Commission next Tuesday, and ask for the World War II plaques to come down. He could make things a lot easier, of course - by making a combined plaque himself, and bringing it as a donation....
The proposal to bring down the two plaques has its critics in Taylor County. One resident noted Wednesday the African-American and Euro-American soldiers served in different units. No one then asked why there aren't separate plaques for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps.
Other residents noted a similar two-plaque memorial is posted inside the Upson County Courthouse in Thomaston. And come to think of it, the high school is called Upson-Lee - not Lee-King, or even Upson-Down-daughter.
Ed DuBose's proposal to combine plaques in Taylor County raises a number of questions, which perhaps he'll answer in coming days....
+ Should federal funding be revoked for Moton Field? It's turning into a tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen -- but maybe a statue of a white World War II pilot like Benny Goodman should stand there as well.
+ Is Ed DuBose agreeing with what Morgan Freeman said on "60 Minutes" a few weeks ago, that Black History Month is silly? We could have one "History Month," and require everyone to watch the History Channel twice a day.
+ Should the eternal flame outside the Government Center be made more inclusive - and have an electric light burning next to it?
THE BIG BLOG QUESTION is asking for your opinion of Ed DuBose's proposal. Should the Taylor County war plaques be brought down and combined? Are they acceptable as they are? And should MoveOn.org send a group to Butler, and demand a plaque for peace go up as well?
By the way, the Columbus NAACP holds its annual banquet Friday night at the Trade Center. TV Judge Greg Mathis is returning to town, after giving what some considered a controversial speech last year. Maybe this year that honor will go to local President Bill Madison, talking about Port Columbus.
E-MAIL UPDATE: We may have found a candidate for that blog "research staff" a writer thought we had. While we didn't have time to follow up Wednesday on the Fortson rock quarry expansion, someone else did:
Interesting response from Historic Columbus foundation when asked if it was true they accepted $25k for approving the quarry expansion. (see below)
I replied to her asking how a gift that was a contingency for approval is different from a bribe. She has not responded as quickly to this question.
*****
Mr. Moshell:
Florida Rock has offered to lease the Getzen House (once they purchase it) and Fortson Post Office to a non-profit organization along with contributing $25,000 to that 501(C)(3) organization to aid in the restoration of those two buildings. This non-profit has not been named and is not Historic Columbus Foundation.
Elizabeth Barker
Director of Preservation Services
Historic Columbus Foundation, Inc.
We thank Mr. Moshell for updating this. First of all, I didn't realize the Fortson Post Office was such a historic place. Too bad the city of Columbus didn't get a federal Homeland Security grant, to put concrete barriers around it. That could have stopped both terrorists and rock blasters.
So if the Historic Columbus Foundation isn't getting the $25,000 contribution, which charity will? It's some group which will restore the buildings - and you probably could turn that Post Office into a nice Habitat for Humanity duplex....
Now for other items from a wonderful Wednesday - and not only because of the weather (I'll explain why another day):
+ The TV weather experts warned snow flurries are possible in Columbus Friday morning. We suggest you go to the supermarket and buy two weeks' worth of bread and milk early in the day, before the crowd arrives.
+ Gas prices took another jump across Columbus, to a low price of $2.19 a gallon (Summit, 15th and Veterans Parkway). Maybe I'm missing something here - but I don't recall hearing about grass fires destroying any Texas oil refineries.
+ The evening news visited Pitts Enterprises in Pittsview, where welders work four ten-hour days a week. If you scoff at this sort of schedule, consider this -- many of you are in the middle of three Monday holidays in four weeks. If you can't handle that, maybe you need a hobby outside the office.
+ An Opelika man began an online contest, where you can win $100,000. All you have to do is register at his website loaded with ads - or as they call this at the Ledger-Enquirer's web department, heaven on earth.
+ Alabama Lieutenant Governor Lucy Baxley held a rally in Montgomery, launching her campaign for Governor. She says it's time for a female governor again, after 40 years of men. Some men wouldn't object to this, if an Auburn cheerleader was running....
+ Auburn slammed Southern Mississippi 80-57 in men's college basketball. The game was played at 5:00 p.m. in Auburn - which may show how cocky the athletic department was about playing in the Rose Bowl for the football championship.
+ Instant Message to WRBL: Who was that guest you had at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday - the one who told viewers they could pick up tickets for an event next Thursday at WTVM? You need to be like attorneys, and coach the witnesses a little better than that....
COMING SOON: Our first beggar of the new year (wow, that didn't take long)....
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