13 APR 07: COME OUT, WHATEVER YOU ARE

CAUTION: Today's entry again comes to you from a blogger who's battling a bug -- my second in three weeks. It's probably a good idea to keep disinfectant wipes near your computer at all times, for situations like this.

But a big local news story is taking priority over my health today. Two events were held Thursday, in the wake of the killing of two Hispanic Columbus residents in a home invasion. The first was an effort to get Hispanic parents involved in local schools. If police can find the attackers, perhaps their parents can be quizzed about this as well.

The meeting about Hispanic involvement in public schools was held at Martin Luther King Elementary. I was a bit surprised to learn one-sixth of the children at that school are Hispanic. If this trend continues, Spencer High School could be a baseball and soccer powerhouse in no time at all....

But some members of the "M.L.K. P.T.A." say Hispanic parents seem reluctant to take part in the organization. One woman encouraged them by saying, "Schools are open doors." OK, I guess so - but I'm not sure people need to hear that so close to the Columbine High School anniversary.

Another M.L.K. P.T.A. member suggested various cultures in Columbus need to come together, instead of being isolated. This is a good idea, and it's been tried in Columbus for years. But whatever happened to the International Festival during August? Did the fire marshal finally crack down on those Polynesian dancers with the burning sticks?

I can understand why some Hispanic Columbus residents would want to feel careful and be secluded, especially right now. They may be wondering if someone is making them targets for crimes such as home invasions -- especially on weekends. The criminals seem to be focusing on convenience stores and restaurants from Monday to Thursday right now.

Yet if Hispanic Columbus residents choose to remain in seclusion, it will raise questions among other people in the city - the people who suspect they're here illegally. If you're legal, they might argue, why are you hiding? Never mind the fact that recovering sex offenders might be in the same situation....

Given this quandary, it was good to see the second event at Martin Luther King Elementary Thursday - an evening candlelight vigil for the home invasion victims. Nearly 100 people attended, including city leaders and NAACP officials. And for you skeptics in Phenix City: I didn't see anyone being recruited to work at that new poultry processing plant.

Columbus Councilor Mimi Woodson said she's trying to organize classes, to help Hispanic residents assimilate into the community. Several agencies already offer classes, to teach them English - and I truly hope they haven't used old tapes of Don Imus's radio show to do that.

Georgia NAACP President Ed DuBose said it was good to see community togetherness at the candlelight vigil, as well as a desire for justice. This was a bit surprising, considering Columbus Police are seeking African-American suspects in last weekend's deadly home invasion. Hopefully police won't botch this case, by arresting the suspects with stun guns.

Yet I still suspect some people in Columbus are privately muttering about the fund-raising effort to bury the home invasion victims. It's not the $7,000 cost - it's the fact that the victims will be buried in Mexico. They came to this country to make a living and enjoy a bit of U.S. freedom, yet our cemeteries aren't good enough?

(This issue can work both ways, though. A caller wondered awhile back why Coretta Scott King went to Mexico last year for controversial treatments to prolong her life. "She died outside liberty's soil," the caller said - perhaps thinking the rejection of shady "cures" by the Food and Drug Administration shows freedom and liberty in action.)

Robbie Watson said on WRCG's "TalkLine" Thursday people should "do the right Christian thing," and donate to the burial fund for the home invasion victims. Yet I suspect some opponents of illegal immigration are reluctant to do that. They'd argue obeying U.S. law is the right thing. And they want to see a green card attached to the coroner's report....

Yet given all this, there's no reason to think the home invasion killing of two Hispanic residents was justified. And there's really no reason to single out Hispanic residents in the hunt for illegal immigrants, either. Canadians can sneak across the other border as well, you know.

BLOG UPDATE: Here's a special Hurtsboro update, that's weather-related. The National Weather Service confirmed Thursday a tornado from Macon County reached Highway 51 in Hurtsboro Wednesday evening. So far, no one has blamed this on either the Mayor or the Constable.

Now for some more news which was swirling about on Thursday....

+ Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue revealed he has "concerns" about a compromise midyear budget, which includes a one-time tax break for homeowners. He said the tax break was worked out in a "strange fashion." If Democrats can do it with the state flag, why can't Republicans do it with something they cherish -- namely money?

+ West Point showed off its new "Reverse 911" system, where the city government phones residents about emergency alerts. So shouldn't it be called the "119 System?"

+ The Atlanta Thrashers lost their first-ever playoff game, 4-3 to the New York Rangers. If you're new to playoff hockey, we should point out something - it's OK to root for the Thrashers, because none of the Rangers ever have trained at Fort Benning.

(What a nice surprise to hear the Thrashers playoff game on WRCG radio, instead of Atlanta baseball. For one thing, the Thrashers actually scored more points....)

+ Instant Message to WRBL meteorologist Bob Jeswald: Were those hail stones on the plate you showed on the air Thursday evening? Or were you promoting the most unappealing charity dinner I've ever seen?

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