The Best Of The Drifts - The Baseball Series

Originally published May 8, 2007

Innocence Lost, Part III

Willie Harris and the immortal Jackie Robinson were both born in the same small town of Cairo, Ga. At the moment, Willie also has another commonality with Jackie. As Jackie was when he crossed the color barrier in 1947, Willie is the only African American player on his team, the Atlanta Braves.

Times are different but the similarity of the surface situations cause many to ask why.

Gone are the golden years of Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Frank Robinson and Bob Gibson. Following the pioneering times of Don Newcombe, Lou Campinella, Larry Doby and of course Jackie Robinson, African Americans not only excelled in baseball, they dominated. The success caused many to wonder the what ifs of Satchel Paige, Cool Papa Bell and Josh Gibson.

Then something happened. A mere 60 years after Jackie sacrificed for an entire people, they began leaving the game he loved so much.

Bethune-Cookman, a historically black college in Daytona Beach, Fla., has only two African American baseball players. The rest are hispanic or white. On a recent HBO Sports documentary, the head coach discussed attending summer camps and struggling to find African Americans to recruit. It is a struggle echoed by all baseball programs at HBCs.

Hall of Fame player Dave Winfield believes he has found the problem. He calls it the 3 Cs. Cost, continuity and competition.

"It didn't cost anything to play," he says. "Whether it was Little League or park and rec ball, you could play until you were drafted without having to pay. Now you might be able to play through Little League, but if you want to get better, you start paying to play. Then the continuity of being able to play for nothing every year stopped. The connection and the continuity of playing all the time and the ability to reach new heights stopped. And now the external competition has risen where 40 years ago you didn't have as many other sports competing. They thought the Super Bowl would fail and look at it now. How about basketball, soccer, extreme sports? Everybody has grabbed a piece of the sports and entertainment pie now."

In the 60's and 70's, baseball was the glamour sport for black America. Basketball was riddled with drugs and hardly ever shown on television. Football was the purview of white America, the lines so divisive a player in the following decade would describe it as a "plantation system". But in baseball, giant men named Mays, Aaron, Morgan and Flood walked the earth.

Then, basketball cleaned up its drug problem and found a man named Magic. Football cut loose its fetters, opening riches and the most coveted position of power, the quarterback, to men named Moon, Cunningham and Williams. Money and fame came quick and easy. In the age of MTV and video games, instant gratification ruled. Why slog through years in the minor leagues when you could sign for millions of dollars on draft day?

In the cities and even the small towns, the patches of dirt became abandoned. Young men moved to the asphalt courts where you only needed a leather ball and the ability to impress. A travelling team meant crossing over to the next series of courts to play in a different summer rec league.

But not all agree with this perspective.

Joe Beasley, Southern Regional Director of the Rainbow/PUSH coalition, believes there is no "diminished enthusiasm for African-Americans playing baseball". To him and his organization, the problem is major league organizations do not recruit enough African Americans. A statement that flies in the face of the fact that a Major League team does not recruit anybody. They sign players from lower levels. Lower levels like Bethune-Cookman where even though its student popluation is 90% African American, its baseball team is less than 10% African American.

When I first began this piece, I was angry. The passionate line of attacking my team for no apparent reason had been crossed. I also had witnessed the demagoguery of Jesse Jackson's organization in the past. I again began to wonder if these gulfs could ever be spanned when we continue to drive ourselves apart with meaningless passion plays as the things in life for which we truly care die.

Then, I remembered Travis and Dexter. How they both shaped a young boy from south Georgia and showed him that even in the awful hurts of our differences there was still hope. Their memories reminded me that hope does not come from a blind corporate behemoth of a major league franchise. Nor does it come from the demagogues clinging to relevance by latching on to high profile targets. Hope always comes from the smallest changes. The ones rarely noticed.

Hope will come from a baseball field. When, a child turns a double play. It will come from a classroom. When a child who has never had the opportunity to visit a museum opens an art book for the first time. Hope will come when we remember what we learned as children. Despite our difficulties and differences, innocence does not have to be lost.

Gonzo Lawmakers - Day 35

A daily recap of the Georgia Public Broadcasting show "Lawmakers". The show airs weekdays at 7:00pm with a replay at 5:30am the following weekday.

Day 35

Originally aired on April 13, 2010

* Moving closer to the present.

* Susan is back on the set.

* 2011 budget passes out of the the House Appropriations committee. $17.8 billion. That's $5 billion less than the peak from three years ago. The House still has a problem with the insurance premium tax cut over in the Senate. Beardless Ben Harbin is explaining why.

* Harbin raises the specter of special session.

* The Macon county delegation figured out a way to use Macon hotel tax to support the Music Hall of Fame. They amended the hotel tax that supports the Georgia Dome. Sen. Cecil Staton is saying they are just as important to Macon as the bigger things in Atlanta.

* Blue alert passed the House. When somebody shoots a copy, it will be activated.

*Scowling House Clerks! The streak continues! Although Scowly Red was hiding.

* Of course, Bobby Franklin is against it. He thinks cops wouldn't wanted to be distracted from saving lives. What? He's so weird.

* Camera switch stuck. We got a little extra time of Nwandi blankly smiling into the camera.

* Something about bonds in the House. This gives Wendell Willard an opportunity to use his superpower "droning monotone" to put everyone to sleep. Even Scowly Red appears groggy.

* The Senate has to have its say in Oxendine's statement that he won't implement the Federal healthcare. Nan Orrock, I think she's setting a record for getting on camera, Steve Thompson is going to get jealous, is saying be very careful about how we choose our leaders.

* John Douglas, who hasn't been nearly as crazy this session, compares it to buying car insurance after you've had a wreck. He calls it a hare-brained scheme. Welcome back, ol' John.

* Sen. David Shafer, who has been nearly invisible this session, although that will soon change, is talking about some regulatory bill involving the cable companies.

* Transportation! Do we get shots of the Downtown Connector? Cue the b-roll! No b-roll? I've noticed there are far fewer shots out and about this season. More budget tightening?

* Jesse Jackson visited the Senate. Casey said he was honored to introduce him. Wonder if he took a shot of castor oil before saying that. This is about C-TRAN being shut down. A chance for some cheap publicity and Jesse Jackson shows up? Imagine that.

* Earnest Dan Weber! He's in a committee about charter schools. And he's literally towering over the committe. Dan knows these education issues inside out. Dan looks tired. He's threatened to retire before. I wonder if he's on the verge again.

* Lawmakers Flashback! Its the floor fight on the flag. Then Governor Barnes went to the extraordinary measure of addressing the House before the debate began. I understand what Roy was trying to do, but gawd, that was an ugly flag. Tom Murphy looks like he's gearing up for a war. They had scowling house clerks back then too! Lord, Austin Scott was young. He defended the new flag. He's been a man of principle from the very beginning.

* Ricky Bevington continues to be absent. She's out looking for more DOOM. Here's John Nelson again. Lake Lanier is close to reaching full pool. John is awfully perky.

* Tomorrow, the 2011 budget on the House floor. But for now, that's a wrap!

Gonzo Lawmakers - Day 34

A daily recap of the Georgia Public Broadcasting show "Lawmakers". The show airs weekdays at 7:00pm with a replay at 5:30am the following weekday.

Day 34

Originally aired April 12, 2010

* We are rapidly approaching the present.

* Susan is live from the newsroom. Lawmakers has a newsroom?

* This is the first day back from the spring break recess.

* Three Senators were stripped of their committee chairs because of their votes on the hospital tax. And this caused Preston Smith to.....lose it.

* Preston Smith is in the well and he is letting loose.

* Wow! Casey just gaveled to interrupt the speech and ordered Smith to "tell the truth'! This is as ugly as the south end of a north bound mule.

* Jack Hill is defending the tax saying its the only way to balance the budget.

* Chip Rogers is pleading that there are tax cuts in the thing so it's okay.

* House leader Jerry Keen is saying the tax cuts haven't been vetted and may be ruled not germane. As people have previously said, this was the day the Republicans down at Hogwarts formed the circular firing squad.

* Jerry is explaining why they may have to pass the budget without solving the problem. It's about the timing and the slowness of the Senate. Either they pass it out Wednesday or the Senate won't be able to vote on it until Day 39.

* Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine is postuing that he may not execute the Federal healthcare plan. Says it might not be constitutional. Couldn't have anything to do with his running for Governor.

* Dubose Porter, also running for Governor, accuses Ox of grandstanding.

* Senate passed anti-gang legislation. It adds new punishment for those involved in gang activity. Dick Williams and the Georgia Gang had no comment.

* Some property transfer house cleaning. But there's something about leasing a prison in Baldwin County to a private company for $10.

* Scowling House Clerks! The streak continues!

* Ben Harbin found his razor. Make up your mind, Ben. Goatee or no goatee.

* Our service personnel are going to be able to vote using the internet. This is a pilot program.

* Susan is talking about some medical board thingie and I have no idea what she's talking about. I don't think she does either. It has something to do with procedures being done in offices instead of the hospital.

* Chip Rogers trying to explain that letting us vote on the new transportation bill in November would be "perilous". Foreshadowing.

* Project Tom Crawford! We're back in small town mortician mode. You know. I've seen Tom were some snazzy sweaters and such while swilling beer at Manuel's. I don't understand why the man feels compelled to dress like he's in a 50's sit-com while at Hogwarts.

* Sen. Don Thomas, precious little nanny stater, pick up seat belt bill finally passed out of House committee. The little old codger looks happier than a retiree at the Denny's early bird special.

* Lawmaker Flashback! The flag bill! Calvin Smyre looks like he's going to vomit as he anncounces the bill the committee is taking up. Denmark Groover made an appearance. He was one of the people who originally put the battle emblem on the state flag. He came out of retirement to beg it be changed. You could hear a pin drop in this committee. This was serious business back then.

* State troopers cars are going to change color? Jill Chambers wants to make them solid colors to save money. Sen. Bill Jaclson says there's nothing prettier than a GSP care. Wonder if he's married and what his wife thinks about that. Chambers says it would allow them to buy three or four more cars.

* Ricky Bevington is on assignment. Taking the BOOK OF DOOM is John Nelson. He normally hosts Prep Sports+ which is an awesome show. Outside monitors will observe the CRCT. Ben Roethlisbeger escapes rape charges. John says follow GPB on twitter with that "little @ sign". He waved his hand around to demonstrate the @ sign.

* Budget tomorrow. But for now, that's a wrap!

The Best Of The Drifts - The Baseball Series

Originally Publlished May 8, 2007

Innocence Lost, Part II

Baseball has been part of my life since I can remember. It was in third grade, some time after Travis and I finally finished that map of London when baseball became serious.

The small dirt patch behind the elementary school was our field, as poor as it was. We had a pillow for one base and a chunk of concrete for another. Sliding into second was a trepidous affair for fear of mother later looking at torn jeans or heads being cracked open if you were brave enough to go head first in the style of Pete Rose.

We had progressed from merely a wild herd of children running like mobs towards any ball to an organized gang who picked sides much to the chagrin of those always picked last. It is where I heard my first profanity uttered by a friend. A quick, "hot damn" when I accidentally slung my bat into the catcher's face. It was where I first felt that the strangeness of girls was not so strange after all.

She was the preachers kid, full of straight black hair and a tiny mole on her cheek. She came to watch the games with her small friends because they too were figuring out that boys were not so strange after all. One day, she caught a line drive off her forearm. Screams burst forth and of course we did what boys do in moments of panic involving girls - stood stock still. Fortunately for everyone, a nearby teacher came over and ushered her back to the school building. As she walked in the door, bravely choking back tears and clutching her arm, I muttered, "there goes my girl". Nearby, another boy overheard and the taunts began, leaving my mind reeling with the questions of what had I done and what would happen when she inevitably heard what I said?

A few days later, we were back on the patch of dirt playing baseball and shockingly the girls came back as well. The preachers daughter was there, now with a cast on her arm. And just once, she favored me with a smile.

On the field, baseball and I soon parted ways. Natural ability is a harsh evolutionary governor. But it never strayed far from my mind.

Lack of ability on the field morphed into passion of the mind and the mind's easy focus was the Atlanta Braves. Those miserable Braves of the late 70's. It didn't matter to me how horrible they were on the field; the roster was filled with such exotic names as Lum, Pocoroba and Naharodny. They also had a lanky Mormon kid at catcher with a tendency to throw the ball into center field. I had cousins who were Mormons and I had a tendency to throw ball wildly, so at ten years old, I figured I could relate.

A frequent debate in sports circle is which is your favorite sport. Baseball or Football? I once described the difference as marriage versus a one night stand. Football is hot, sweaty, full of action. It happens once a week for a few hours and you leave sated. Baseball goes on for nine months, day after day, only changing incrementally, and at the end, you just hope for a little extra love in the playoffs. But there is always the comfort of knowing spring training is just a few months away.

Not that there isn't passion in baseball. Much like marriage, it is passionate but most times it is a slow burn. Ask any Cubs, Red Sox, Yankees or Dodgers fan about their team and you will receive a mixture of grief, fondness, madness and frivolity. Sometimes anger, if you cross a line.

Ask me and you will hear tales of wonder at Phil Niekro signing a baseball, Dale Murphy hitting another homer, Dale Murphy striking out on another slider, the brief glory of the early eighties and the sustained ecstasy of the 90s.

Ask a young friend of mine about his team and he will imitate Chipper Jones swing, note that John Smoltz is pitching this week and Kelly Johnson is making us all forget the beloved Marcus Giles.

He will also tell you about Willie Harris.

Concluded tomorrow.

The Best Of The Drifts - The Baseball Series

Originally published May 8, 2007

Innocence Lost, Part I

Joe Beasley, Southern Regional Director Rainbow/PUSH Coalition:

I think it was a lack of diligence on the part of the Braves to recruit African-American players. There's not diminished enthusiasm for African-Americans playing baseball. It's simply the opportunity hasn't presented itself.

griftdrift in May 2006:

Bill Clinton didn't lose Jesse Jackson. He was lost every time someone witnessed his vampiric tendency to show up at a tragedy. He was lost every time someone witnessed his need to place pride before principle. For me, he was lost one hot day in Albany, Ga.

Being birthed and raised in a small town in the deepest part of a southern state, the question of race was always unavoidable.

I was born in an era when blacks still lived on their side of town. Where busing caused panic in white families. Where a sister would sob through the night from fear of going to the new black high school. Fear that she would be raped by the black boys or beat up by the black girls.

Up until the first grade, my only interaction with black people were the handy man who came around to help fix a fence or a maid when visiting a wealthier friend's house. Then I met Travis.

Travis was my first black friend. I was the next generation of desegregation - entering first grade a full decade following the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Attitudes had changed little but the gulf of racial understanding had begun to be spanned by the smallest of hands.

We both liked to draw. Every second grader likes to draw but it filled Travis and myself with a passion. While studying London of all things, Travis and I were chosen to draw a map of the city on a huge piece of butcher paper stretched taut across the whole bulletin board. We threw ourselves at the project as only small boys do. We worked every free moment, forgetting recess, baseball, bugs and all the other passions of 7-year old males.

In between staring at pictures in our textbook and gripping our "magic markers", Travis and I talked. We talked about our homes and what we liked to eat. He liked grits and I, already feeling the seeds of rebellion, did not. My mother worked for the government and his worked at a restaurant. I was raised on a farm and he was raised in "the quarters". He was bussed clear across town to attend a "white school". I was a 5 minute ride away from pastures filled with cows.

The moment a child considers asking permission to have a friend over for the night is a momentous one. It is the first tentative step in forming one's own community away from the family unit. Of course, I didn't realize this at the time - I simply wanted to ask Travis to come over and spend the night.

Then, I began to think odd thoughts. I looked at Travis with his mid-70s fro and considered my own bowl cut. My new clothes and his hand me downs. I considered my split level house in the country and what I knew was a' shotgun shack in the poorest section of town. I gripped my magic marker and silently went back to drawing. The gulf was still there. The differences were far too great for a child to cross.

I lost track of Travis, but I think of him now as I remember another young man I met many years later.

In summers of the past, small towns meant baseball. For a 16-year old boy on summer vacation it also meant a summer job.

I was lucky. I didn't have to work 'baccer or some other hideously gruesome job. I worked for the city recreation department. In the morning, I assisted with the 6-8 year olds in day camp. They played kickball, tag and red rover while I generally stood around making sure they didn't kill themselves. In the evening, I umpired farm league baseball.

Farm league was for the kids 8-10 years old who were not yet ready for the rigors of true little league. I had been a farm leaguer myself, usually positioned in right field at the end of a game, silently praying a fly ball wasn't hit my way. It was fairly obvious most boys didn't have the talent to progress beyond this level. A caught fly ball was a miracle. A pitcher who didn't walk the bases loaded was coveted. A catcher who could throw the ball on the fly to second was an MVP.

Every now and then, as I stood between the pitcher's mound and second, dodging another errant throw by a spaghetti armed catcher, I would spot a particular kid. One that I knew would make the progression to little league, then pony league and maybe beyond.

I spotted him early in one summer. He was shy, never smiled and wouldn't look you in the eye. But even at eight, he had the look of a baseball player - the confident lope of athleticism which set him apart from the other gangly messes of stumbling arms and legs. He could throw. He could catch. And lordy, could the child hit. The coach wisely placed him at shortstop in the vain hope the team might get some occasional outs at second and a few fly balls drifting into short center. His name was Dexter.

It happened off the bat of some monstrous catcher. One of those children whose glands ran wild, causing a minor panic among the local uniform supplier. With a man on first, the baby giant smacked a grounder hard past me. I swiveled expecting the ball to scoot into center field but understanding I needed to make sure the runner tagged second. Then, Dexter did something wonderful.

He scooped the ball in his oversized glove, ran to second, tagged the base and gunned it to first. The second minor miracle occurred when the tiny first baseman held onto the ball. Everything was silence. All was frozen, including myself. Mouth open, I slowly pointed at second and raised my fist then turned to first, pointed my finger and raised my fist. The crowd erupted. For many, it was probably the first true double play they had ever seen on this particular field.

Dexter trotted past me on his way to the dugout.

"Nice turn, Dexter", I said.

"Thanks", he replied, then turned to me, looked me in the eye and smiled.

I graduated a few years later. A decade later so did Dexter. I heard he received a baseball scholarship to Clemson and then toiled in the minor leagues. After that, as with Travis, I lost track of him. But I will never forget one evening as the sun set, a double play and the innocent smile of a child.

Part II will appear tomorrow.

Gonzo Lawmakers - Day 33

A daily recap of the Georgia Public Broadcasting show "Lawmakers". The show airs weekdays at 7:00pm with a replay at 5:30am the following weekday.

Day 33

Originally aired April 1, 2010

*April Fools! The journey through time continues and the present is starting to creep closer.

* Nwandi is already at Hogwarts. No Valarie again. I suppose it's time I let the cat out of the bag. Before the end of the session, Valarie was let go. I don't have any details because she didn't provide any in the lovely email she sent me.

* End of the week means Project Tom Crawford!

* Hospital tax is still on the floor. The Senate is the hotbed of action. Poor Preston Smith. But more on that later.

* First up. The man who always finds the teevee - Sen. Steve Thompson. He's blasting the thing for hurting the poor and the young. Want anyone think of the children!

* Sen. Ross Tolleson, a Republican, is actually saying it's not a tax. Jumping Jehosophat! He just said its the job of the U.S. Congress to stimulate the economy! Did someone loose an ether cloud in the chamber?

* Susan tells us Senate Bill 17 is the ethics bill to watch. It passed out of House committee today.

*Something called Common Cause, i.e. lobbyist for stronger ethics laws against lobbyists which is really funny in an insider kind of way, thinks it doesn't go far enough.

* Two of my favorites, Vincent Fort and Dan Weber, went toe to toe on waivers for class size. Fort wants it the waiver voted on every year. Weber wants it through 2012. Earnest Dan Weber says every school board under God's creation wants his version.

* The House only took up one bill on the day. Can you spell L-A-Z-Y. I knew you could.

* Ben Harbin's faux goatee is back. Grow it in Ben! Come to the dark side.

* Scowling House Clerks! The streak continues. It was a close one with only one House bill on the docket. But I saw Scowly Red peeking from behind one of the computers. I think she winked at me.

* Nwandi is joined by Negative Nellie Allan Essig of the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute. Apparently the hospital tax just passed. The jobs bill the Republicans were trying to tie to the tax bill passed separately.

* The jobs bill cuts the capital gains tax. Of course, Negative Nellie hates that! He just ran around like a chicken screaming "not fiscally responsible! not fiscally responsible!". Well. Not really. But that image is going to stick with you a while.

* State workers can't double dip. No Dairy Queen for you! Actually, it prevents recent retirees from being promptly rehired as a consultant. Trust me on this, it happens all the time and it's quite the grift.

* Increase in the sentence for harming officers of the court passed out of Senate committee. All the result of the heinous Brian Nichols killings from a few years ago.

* Susan got caught staring into space and had to explain what an "outtag" is.

* Project Tom Crawford! Does this man own anything that isn't earth tone? Come on, Tom! Snazz it up with a Jerry Garcia tie! Something! Anything! Even morticians are crying.

* More resolutions urging the Attorney General to challenge the Federal healthcare bill. They have way too much time on their hand.

* Lawmakers Flashback! First appearance of David Zelski! He's talking about silly laws on the books in honor of April Fools. If you've ever watched Georgia Traveller, Zelski is a total goof ball. He just called some dude on the street "stupid". Now, he has women with ice cream in their back pockets. But it's only illegal on Sunday so they are okay. Now, he has a dog dressed like a donkey in a bathtub. Now, rubber chickens. They must have cleaned out the prop closet. I wonder whose poor dog that was in the bathtub.

* Oh lord. This was blogger day at the Capitol. Rep. Steve Davis (R-Loves Pavement) sponsored a resolution honoring Georgia's bloggers. And there's our old friend Jason Pye! And there's Dustin Baker of galiberal. And of course, the blogger who shall not be named. The reason? He didn't pay me enough to mention him.

* Ricky Bevington and her BOOK OF DOOM! She's says she's not blogging because she's the real deal. Et tu, Ricky? No coverage for you!

* Busy episode. Good thing they have spring break to rest up. For now, that's a wrap.

Gonzo Lawmakers - Day 32

A daily recap of the Georgia Public Broadcasting show "Lawmakers". The show airs weekdays at 7:00pm with a replay at 5:30am the following weekday.

Day 32

Originally aired on March 31, 2010

* The pursuit of real time continues

* It's supposed to be a slow day, so expect a lot of filler.

* The bed tax will be up in the senate tomorrow. Three weeks ago. Whatever. Poor Preston Smith. But more about that later.

* Jerry Keen, who will later announce his retirement, is hoping they pass all the House tax goodies. Strange how through the prism of time travel those events seem conveniently related.

* Democrats are still fighting the combining of the bed tax and the jobs bill. It only takes a majority in the Senate to pass a tax increase? Given how many idiotic things require a super-majority how is this possible?

* More about the Race To The Top silliness. We finished third in the Federal program. Unfortunately, they only pay win and show.

* And there's a Republican defending the attempted sucking of the Federal teat. Imagine that! Charlie Crist did that down in Florida and now might as well be wearing the sackcloth of a leper.

* Scowling House Clerks! The streak continues. But where's Scowly Red? She may have flown off in a rage.

* They expanded the definition of textbook. As silly as it sounds, definitions are often the keys to understanding the silly laws they pass. This will allow school systems to use book funds to by digital reading devices.

* Sen. Don Thomas, the most precious nanny stater in the Senate, wants to make sure pharmacists tell us when they use a generic instead of a brand name. Why? I have no idea.

* Peddlers licenses? How antiquated! It's about the disabled people running the snack bars in government buildings. The one at the Department of Labor was quite a trip. Wonder if he's still around.

* Both House and Senate passed bills banning synthetic marijuana. And I type this on 4-20. The universe has a wicked sense of humor.

* Rep. Billy Mitchell is trying to commend AG Thurbert Baker for his independence. The hair had no comment.

* Lawmakers Flashback! It's early in this episode. 1998 again and we get to see a young, fresh Susan Hoffman. Nice hair-do! She liked to grill the scoundrels all the way back then. She's now talking to Democrat Sonny Perdue. Sonny is blasting the Republicans for being obstructionists. Good times. Good times.

* Susan is thanking the editor for cutting an apparent faux pas she made back in the day.

* Oh, we're getting another flashback later! Now that's filler I can get behind!

* Keocia at Hogwarts following up on her earlier zero tolerance stories. Where's Valerie? Two episode in a row without her. Hmmmm. More about that later.

* They are showing practically an entire committee meeting. Fill, baby, fill!

* Leadership series. It's the House Democratic Whip. They're running out of people to interview.

* Opt out of the Healthcare bill passed out of committee. Shots of people in white coats, of course. Of course if this thing passes, the courts are going to gut it. But don't tell the sponsor. He rates the chances of it standing the test as moderate or better. And these are the people who write your laws. No wonder we're so screwed up.

*Lawmaker Flashback number 2! A younger David Ralston leaving the Senate for his hopeless attempt at Attorney General. He hasn't changed much. Aged quite well. Must be all that mountain air. "Always maintain the Senate position". HAH! Funny now that he's over in the other chamber.

* Nwandi can't resist a jab about maintaining the Senate position.

* Democrats want to make Cesar Chavez birthday a national holiday. Roll out the liberal lions. There's Vincent Fort. And Nan Orrock. Stephanie Benefield must have been stuck in committee.

* Ricky Bevington and her BOOK OF DOOM! Mixed reaction to President Obama's decision to open drilling off the coast. Environmentalists are "sickened". I'm sure they were just vomitous. Savannah is getting its first black police chief. Ricky got a little choked up there. Must be the gag reflex to delivering good news.

* Tomorrow's day promises to be busier, but for now, that's a wrap!

The Best Of The Drifts - Earnest Dan Weber

Originally published April 19, 2007

The Lifeline Of Hope

For complete background on the Genarlow Wilson case please see this Atlanta Magazine article.

A few moons ago, my friend Wilson Smith asked me if I believed the issues taken up by the General Assembly were predetermined. I answered it is the nature of politics that those in power make the rules and there is little the minority can do. After seeing Wilson's face turn slightly ashen, I offered a lifeline of hope that there will be times when a brave legislator steps forward to do what is right instead of what is convenient..

As I followed the debate in the Senate on Amendments 1 and 1a to House Bill 197, I felt my own lifeline of optimism slipping away.

Sen. Emanuel Jones rose to present Amendment 1. The law would allow judicial review of any convictions within the last five years which would have been rendered moot if last year's change to Georgia's aggravated child molestation statue, the so called "Romeo and Juliet" provision, had been in effect. Although the name was not mentioned, the unspoken beneficiary of the amendment would be Genarlow Wilson, sentenced under the old law to the mandatory minimum of 1o years for having consensual oral sex with a 15 year old girl when he was 17. If the act had occured after July 1st, 2006, Wilson would have at most been charged with a misdemeanor.

Frustration was evident on Jones' face. He had worked diligently the entire session to tailor legislation which would provide justice for Wilson. Faced with waves of objection, including specious accusations of freeing hoardes of sexual predators, Jones finally presented an amendment constructed so narrowly it would affect only 91 convictions. All would require judicial review specifically defined to address the change in the statute. No amnesty for molestors. No free pass out of prison for predators. Simply, a chance for the original judge to review the case and determine if justice was truly done.

Jones' reward for his dogged work? First, Judiciary Chair Preston Smith rose to praise Jones for his hard work, receive reciprocal praise for his own assistance on the amendment, then matter of factly state despite all this hard work, the bill would not pass constitutional muster. Then, Erick Johnson rose to continue his tales of loosed predators, victims repeatedly traumatized and lawmakers interfering with the actions of juries and judges.

Democrats rose to defend the amendment. A second amendment was proffered to address the constitutional question. Attempts were made to part the lace of fear and deceit so carefully woven by their Republican opponents.

All political theater. All staged so the Republicans could act tough on crime and Democrats could be on record as trying to save a young man from a travesty of justice. It was apparent to all the Jones amendment was dead before it was born. Snuffed by a powerful committee chair, the President Pro Tem and their colleagues.

I felt the cautious optimism I offered Wilson seep away. I was actually witnessing the fait accompli I had warned was the norm. It mattered not that a life would remain in ruins; that a young man would rot in jail branded with the scarlet letter of "sexual offender" for the rest of his life. Despite the so-called stately manner of the Senate, this august body's continued claims of reason, on this day, only politics mattered.

Then another Senator rose to speak.

Sen. Dan Weber, Republican from Dekalb County.

Sen. Weber defended the constitutionality of the amendments. Politely, but mercilessly, he questioned members of his own party on the specific statutes and exclusions. In the tortuous manner of Senate debate, Weber expressed to his colleagues that he believed the amendment was passable. That it was good law.

Jones amendment failed 32-19. The fait accompli done. Genarlow Wilson still incarcerated with little further hope.

As the camera panned the Senate chamber, I noticed one rather lengthy arm raised in support of the amendment. It was the prodigious appendage of Sen. Dan Weber.

It was a small act, probably lost in the maelstrom of the last days of an overlong session. But as I told Wilson, it is on the smallest stands where we must latch our belief that all is not pre-ordained. Although I weep at the travesty which was executed in the Senate on April 17th, one man's vote forces me to once again grasp at the lifeline of hope.

Gonzo Lawmakers - Day 31

A daily recap of the Georgia Public Broadcasting show "Lawmakers". The show airs weekdays at 7:00pm with a replay at 5:30am the following weekday.

Day 31

Originally aired March 30, 2010

* The long journey continues. They only have four days left and I am six behind. Can I catch up before they finish?

* Hospital tax. So much has happened since that time it almost seems pointless to cover this now. Poor Preston Smith. But more about that later.

* Shot of both Tom Baxter and Tom Crawford frantically scribbling. It's a Tom quinella!

* The House is holding the budget up while they figure this mess out. They are trying to tie the jobs bill with the hospital tax to make it more "palatable".

* Rep. Mark Hatfield's resolution to impeach AG Thurbert Baker. This went nowhere but it should be entertaining. Not only does he want him impeached but believes it will prevent him from running for governor.

* Susan's challenging Rep. Butt-Up-His-Rear pretty hard.

* Thurbert's hair makes an appearance. The hair doesn't appeared worried. It shouldn't be.

* Transportation and that means shots of the Downtown Connector and Valarie at Hogwarts? No Valarie. Hmmmmm. Insterad we get more of the Senate Republican Press Conference.

* Chyron says "Stays Alive". Cue the BeeGees.

* Another shot of reporters frantically scribbling. It's the only excitement on this day.

* Scowling House Clerks! The streak continues!

* Clarify school bus behavior. Blah blah blah. Scowly Red looks particularly put off today. It's been a long session.

* Mike Jacobs tried to attach his bullying bill. Trying to end around the cross over day rule. He was successful! But now it has to go back to the Senate.

* We lost the Race to the Top federal education funding program. And Democrat Kathy Ashe ain't too happy about it.

* Oh lord, it's the English only Drivers License bill. Sen. Jack Murphy, he who doesn't understand traffic signs come in different shapes and colors, is making his usual arguments. Ain't flying with liberal lion Nan Orrock. She's saying being an international city, it sends the wrong message.

* Looks like the sucker is going to pass. Welcome to Georgia, furrerners! Yeehaw!

* Senate wants to pass a resolution saying the Feds shouldn't pass cap and trade due to "science that has been called into question". Damn the scientists and the furrerners! Let's bring back the old flag, too. YEEHAW!

* Of course none of it is binding. What a waste of time.

* Interior designers and home builders are fighting. Someone call Tim Gunn to referee!

* This is some ridiculous clean up bill. Which means Steve Thompson (D-Loves The Camera) feels the need to say something useless.

* Poor murdered Nancy Shafer was memorialized on the Senate floor. She's being remembered by Sen. John Douglas. And that's all I'm going to say about that.

* Project Tom Crawford! He has found a shade of gray not known to man. And he's covered himself in it. The Army should hire Tom to design camoflauge as he is very adept at blending into the marble background.

* Milton County creation failed in the House on crossover day. That got lost in the wash.

* Jennifer Nettles was honored in the House and she's taking up the cause for 4-H. She's quite entertaining. She's from Coffee County? Didn't know that. I always thought she had a south Georgia accent.

* Lawmaker Flashback! Sen. Abernathy's censure over possessing weed! WHOO BOY! He was returning from Jamaica and they found it in his underwear. You just can't make this stuff up. Lots of talk of forgiveness and God. Hunter S. Thompson once said, "when they come for me and I start talking about God, you'll know they've really got me".

* Sen. Tommie Williams just can't let the abortion bill passed by the Senate go. And of course, he's tying it socialism. As in "as we move towards socialism". Nope. Not crazy at all.

* It was 911 Appreciation Day. Lara Fawaz has the story. Some young ginger headed boy is getting a medal. Young'uns that used 911 to save somebody's life.

* Ricky Bevington and her BOOK OF DOOM! Nathan Deal ain't happy about the release of his ethics report. Where there's smoke there's fire. Or in this case where there's garbage, there's a smell. Barrow County has a gang problem. In case you didn't know, Barrow is not inside the falling apart inside the perimeter of Atlanta.

* Tomorrow is an abbreviated legislative day in the Senate which means more filler! But for now, that's a wrap!

The Best Of The Drifts - The NRA Comes To Georgia

Originally Published April 18, 2007

Thugs

Let me say first, in the end they did the right thing.

Where to begin? There are so many angles.

The politics? Certainly, good politics dictates avoiding a controversial issue where many of your own allies stand against you - especially on the day following a national tragedy which can be linked to the matter.

The new media? It's hard to imagine this story being reported on the same day it occurred in the old media world. It is easy to imagine a past where it would have been buried on the third page of the metro section - a practice which would allow it to be quickly forgotten. Godspeed, Tom Baxter. It makes one wonder if the AJC actually realizes what it is losing.

No, instead the focus should be on the viscera. The awful feeling that roils the gut when one can't quite believe what is happening. Surely in our modern world, filled with civility and post-modern idealism we are beyond Preston Brooks walking into the Senate to thrash Charles Sumner. Certainly, we must believe a gang cannot simply enter our houses of government and bend the representatives of the people to their will. But, yesterday, that is exactly what happened in the Georgia Senate.

There were no beatings. There were no scuffles. There was no literal blood on the floor. In this new political world, the thugs do not strike in the dark alleys. They march down the tiled halls of power, boldly into the very heart of Democracy and drag their shockingly docile victims into side rooms for the figurative beat down.

Instead of wielding guns astride charging horses, the Gucci wearing lobbyist of the National Rifle Association flew from Washington in private jets armed with letters threatening political horror on any who opposed their latest pet bill. So confident were these vigilantes, they refused to remove their heels from the chest of the prostrate victims even when the Senators begged to let the matter quietly fade away in arcane procedure.

We may never know what happened behind closed doors last night in the Georgia Senate but in the end Casey Cagle and his Republican caucus marched back into their chamber and adjourned the session without a vote on Senate Bill 89. There were no visible bruises but the deeper hurts will linger. Although unsuccessful in the end, for a brief moment, a gang brought a house of the people to its knees.

Somewhere in the darkened halls, the thugs remain. Patiently biding their time until the predator instinct once again urges them to seek blood.

The Best Of The Drifts - Elizabeth Edwards and Cancer

Originally published March 23, 2007

It's one of those of driving off a cliff moments. It's a statement you never expect so you never plan. Birth, marriage and even death carry stock responses stored in the brain for years in expectation they will one day be used. But even the most careful planner spends no time pondering what to say when a loved one tells you they have cancer.

It can come in the morning. It can come in the middle of the day. It can come at night. With no doubt, it will come when you are performing some mundane task which will suddenly have no significance. It can even come as you search for a particular restaurant that will satisfy a sudden craving for a particular type of pizza. Suddenly, the phone rings and you are hit with the most unexpected of utterances. Do you say good luck? Do you ask what you can do? Do you tamp down the sudden dread in order to say everything will be okay? If you are driving, do you pull to the side of the road? Do you stay strong because the person needs the support or do you simply begin to sob? As the surface areas of the brain struggle for the appropriate reaction, deep within, the internal voice whispers that no matter what you say, life has changed irrevocably.

Thoughts of a certain need for a specific type of pizza are immediately deleted from the queue and the most basic portions of the lizard brain sieze control of the body forcing it to attend to the need for sustenanace and nothing more. You find yourself robotically pulling into a drive through to order a pre-packaged meal of questionable value but infinite ease. The body knows food is a necessity but at this particular moment no longer a luxury to enjoy. It may have the taste of the cardboard of its packaging but it moves the body forward while the brain catches up.

Eventually, most people come around to one universal response. I'll be there as soon as I can.

Despite the cameras, the press gaggle, the harsh lights, the sputteringly inconsistent microphones, despite the differences in station of life, I was there with John and Elizabeth Edwards yesterday as they announced her cancer has returned. It is not hard for me to imagine the previous 24 hours. People often morbidly joke about the stages of grief but few understand cancer is the grief that arrives too early. There is despair. There is hope. There is the clinical analysis. There is the need to know exactly what is happening. There is the need to know exactly what is going to happen. Each on their own find the small corner of mind containing the mechanism of self-defense that allows the life to go on even when life seems impossible.

In the end all find hope. Even if it is the smallest whisper, we all put on the "brave face" and move forward. We face our family. We face our friends. In the case of public figures, we face the unwavering stare of the press.

I do not pray, but I do believe all souls are connected in ways we may never understand. Time and space hold no bounds to the power of human need.

I was not in Chapel Hill yesterday, but I was with John and Elizabeth Edwards.

Saturday Stupids

Pardon me, friend, but could you spare a stupid?

The Best Of The Drifts - Media Euthanasia

Originally Published March 18, 2007

Media Euthanasia

Reporting from PodCamp Atlanta

A difficult question. If an animal is wounded do you attempt to assist it or do you shoot it? Depending on region, background and culture, you may receive two equally passionate and two equally valid answers. Me? I would certainly attend a wounded animal yet the decision to put it out its misery would be quick and with no regret.

In my city of Atlanta and in many other cities across the land, we are witnessing the pained throes of animals on the edge of extinction. Television stations pay huge sums of money to talking hair-dos and nobody tunes in. Print media continues to huddle in the smallest corner of the online world, wringing ink stained hands over staggering drops in circulation. Money pours forth from the wounds of a thousand cuts. Some self-inflicted. Some not.

The situation presents a tortured dichotomy for "new media" warriors. The easy response is to engage in a form of schadenfreude reveling in glee at the misery of the dinosaurs. Yet, though many will vehemently deny the alternate emotion, the vanguard of this new culture desires acceptance by the brick and mortar establishment. The one chit old media clings to viciously is legitimacy. Like children free in the world for the first time, bloggers, vloggers and podcasters simultaneously take a rebellious stance while craving the parent's acceptance of their position as an equal.

At Podcamp Atlanta, Creative Loafing MIS Manager Murray Grevious may have revealed how wide the rift has grown and how little hope there is to save the dying beasts. He stated matter of factly that collaboration between traditional print and new media can never happen due to the constraints of the editorial process. In his opinion, the newsroom simply will not give up control of the filtration and vetting system to become more immediate, reactive and interactive.

It's a fair point and knotty problem. Legitimacy is garnered from the seeds of trust. Editorial control remains the greatest advantage and most onerous burden of the traditional media. Too many in the new media, bloggers in particular, practice shotgun methods of reporting where every bit of a story is thrown against the wall to see what sticks. They peddle in rumor, innuendo and would not admit the concept of retraction or correction exists. Traditional editorial process prevents most of these sins although a few do get through. When the process breaks down, most notably in the Jayson Blair saga, the reaction is instant and harsh.

The trade off for this comfort of accuracy is an insular world with little or no connection to the audience. A world where both a reporter and a blogger can spend three hours in a federal appeals court yet the reporter is limited to a few paragraphs on page three of the metro section while the blogger is free to write a feature length piece. A world where a story garnering national attention is ignored to discuss water buffalo. A world where a Sunday feature deals with such "cutting edge" technology as text messaging.

The question has to be asked, if a company as agile and forward thinking as Creative Loafing (please note none of the above linked stories were published by the Loaf) believes it cannot adjust to the new world, is there any hope at all for the true behemoths? I believe the answer is probably not. The only conclusion that can be reached is it is time to stop assisting the wounded animals and instead fetch the shotgun.

Photo courtesy of Mike Schinkel

The Best Of The Drifts - Peckerwoods

Originally Published March 16, 2007

Peckerwoods

Capt. Elijah Tillman. Army of Northern Virginia, 1862-1863. Wounded at Antietam. Georgia Militia Cavalry, 1863-1865. He was also my great-great-great-great-grandfather.

There. Now that the need to justify my credentials is out of the way, let the hate begin.

How should an ignorant stumpjumper respond to African American leaders calling for the state to apologize for slavery? Propose naming an entire month "Confederate Heritage Month". For those of you who don't dabble in good ol' fashioned southern racial politics, it's also a subtle swipe at February's "Black History Month". Don't believe me? Ask any of these "heritage" pukes what they think about Black History Month and you will get a response along the lines of "why do they get a special month and we git nuthin!"

Here's the bottom line. You lost. Not once but twice.

The first loss should be familiar. In a whirlwind of blood, over 500,000 Americans lost their lives. Entire regions were scourged for generations. The country penanced its sin of human bondage in a crucible of lead and fire.

The second loss is hardly reported. Despite the lingering taint of the conflict spawning lynchings and Jim Crow, both sides generally recognized the bravery of the individual combatants. Then, in the tumultuous back rooms of the 50s, not discussed in the Leave It To Beaver fantasyland of some, things changed.

Legislatures began adding the Confederate battle flag to state banners. "Heritage" groups began concerning themselves less with preserving cemeteries and battlefields and began meddling in racial politics. Organizations like the Sons of Confederate Veterans became hideouts for thinly veiled night riders who believed white sheets served purposes other than covering beds.

As the noted southern historian Shelby Foote once commented regarding his resigning from the Sons, "we had an opportunity to fight for the symbols of our past. The symbols we honor. But instead we stood by and did nothing as people filled with hate stole our most precious items. They no longer belong to us."

I do honor my ancestor. Although the prism of modern thinking allows me to embrace the guilt that he was definitely wrong, there is a part of me which understands his need to sacrifice for what he believed was right. A thousand miles from his south Georgia home, in the rolling hills of Maryland, he shed blood for that belief. Despite the sin of this cause, the giving should still be honored.

However, due to the tacit compliance of a prior generation of the "good people of the south" in allowing the race peddlers to overwhelm all else, a complicity continued by peckerwoods like Sen. Jeff Mullis, the honor seems distant and all I am left with is the taint.

The Best Of The Drifts - Valentines Day 2007

Originally Published February 14, 2007

Happy Valentines Day, Screw You

You stepped on my ass

You're breaking my glasses too

You won't drive my car, might be a star

I've had enough of you

There no one to blame, so f*ck you

Be my Valentine, Rep. Steve Davis. It warms the cockles of my heart to know there are still people in the world who believe the only image of family is Leave It To Beaver. Love obviously runs deep in your household and neighborhood where the "wifes" handle the chilluns, the gays keep their love that shall not be named in the closet and poor people are limited to cheery hobos who ride the rails and dream of the big rock candy mountain. Be my Valentine Rep. Davis, screw you.

Be my Valentine, John McCain. Now not only do you vaguely look like a Pander bear but you actually act like one. Your love holds no bounds as your give a big ol' expedient bear hug to religious nuts like Jerry Falwell and Jonathan Wells. My blood warms at the sight of brave politicians who will blatantly take the easy road to power. In an age of cowardly leaders chasing publicity whoredom by going against the grain, you are the epitome of the Hemingway hero, quietly showing true leadership by demonstrating good ol' fashioned pandering as the new radical. Be my Valentine Sen. McCain, screw you.

Be my Valentine, Glenn Reynolds. When I first read the Libertarian Party platform regarding war back in 1992, I was puzzled by its stance of defensive war only. My heart remained cold for over a decade until you and other "libertarians" explained it's a new world and we didn't really mean all that about defensive war. Pre-emptive war is the new libertarianism! Many called you stealth Republicans but you remained strong in your conviction to support President Bush even as the Iraq venture spiraled into doom. And when people accused you of being Republican shills, you quickly responded nuh-uh, I'm a libertarian! It makes me think of Valentine's Day back in elementary school when little boys were asked if they liked certain girls and they responded, nuh-uh, girls are icky! Be my Valentine Glen Reynolds, screw you.

Be my Valentine, Jim Wooten. Your proclivity to pass along rumors and straight out lies shows you are truly one of the libertine "new media" lotharios. You understand that fact checking, editorial filters and any possible validity of dissent are as stale as a 20 year old "Be Mine" candy heart. The love practically spews forth daily as you call out the unpatriotic, the anti-capitalist and all those dirty, smelly hippies who dare associate themselves with the Democratic Party. With so much affection pouring out of the Thinking Right column, it's surprising the AJC even needs Dear Abby! Be my Valentine Jim, screw you.

Be my Valentine, Christopher Horner. I was impressed with your appearance last night on The Daily Show. I was astounded at the quality of your jacket. I wonder if you have to shop at a special store to find pockets so big they can hold all that Exxon money. Your denial of global warming was not enough to cool the heat in my heart for your glib stories of attacking icebergs and thieving socialists. Since you are a lawyer, I immediately call to mind creationist Phillip Johnson who is also a lawyer that plays a scientist on tv. Then again, your sly manner and coy glances mostly reminded my of nutjob Kent Hovind. Be my Valentine Chris, screw you.

More Valentines to come as the love fills my heart. Feel free to add your own in the comments.

The Best Of The Drifts - The First Hate

Originally published January 25, 2007

In Which I Hate On Everyone

I have a terrible temper. I was talking with a friend about it just the other day. She also has a terrible temper. We both laughed as we discussed having to consciously control our urges to fly off the handle. The one thing we didn't talk about is the slow burn. You sort of snicker at a comment. Then you think about it later. Pretty soon the thought consumes all others. You only suffer the final blow up if the situation which lit the fuse continues.

When the Milton County / Vincent Fort kerfluffle began, I approached it with cold logic attempting to bypass the racial rhetoric to address what I believe to be the actual problem. I didn't know at the time but the fuse was lit. Now I'm madder than a baby with a loaded diaper. I pretty much want to drag all the combatants into a room and give everyone a swift kick in the ass.

So here we go...

To the Atlanta Legislative Caucus, Fulton County Commission, Atlanta City Council, etal:

Do you ever step back and ask yourself if what you are doing is actually serving the people? I would love to ask about serving the region, but hell let's start with the small steps. It is your history of not showing no willingness to come to the table that led to the formation of the city of Sandy Springs. We all now reap the fruit from that poison tree. Your mule headed intransigence has led every separatists group in the metro area to believe brinksmanship is the only tactic in discussing resource and revenue issues. Constituents questioning your wisdom on appropriating their tax dollars is not inherently racist. Even when the constituents are, God forbid, white. Blood on the walls? A chair race that could throw us back to the dark ages of fire hoses and police dogs? There is a proud history of leadership in this city, this county, this region. Somehow that leadership has lost its way in the past ten years. The current leaders better find that way again or someone will come along and show them the way out the door.

To North Fulton, Cobb, Gwinnett and all the other enclaves outside downtown:

Your whine is showing with your cheese. You bitch about lack of services and high taxes. Well, I have visited your shangra-la of the ways thing should be. What I didn't see were houses burning to the foundation because all the fire trucks are in south Fulton. What I didn't see was little old ladies dying in the gutter because all the defibrillators are in south Fulton. What I did see were plenty of sidewalks and fairly good roads (adding more lanes as we speak). What I did see was uncontrolled sprawl with strip malls devouring the remaining trees. What I did see were new cities, these havens of good service, immediately deciding to waste money trying to shut down porn kings and forcing businesses in good standing to reapply for licenses via new onerous bureaucratic processes.

It is your history, stretching from Cobb County's proposal to require residence identification before boarding the county transit system to Gwinnett County's stupid refusal to allow MARTA access while the DOT continues to slap down new lanes on I-85, which created the black eyes you now suffer. You want to enjoy all the benefits of Atlanta, from Grady's trauma center where your 16 year old is treated after wrapping the new SUV around a tree to Chastain where you can chatter your way through quiet acoustic melodies, but God knows don't actually associate yourself with being Atlanta. The only people in this world who still believe you can have all the chocolate without the bellyache are three year olds. Grow up.

To the national media, blogs, etal:

You don't know us. You think you do but you don't. Here's some things to help you. While adults were throwing rocks at children in Boston, Atlanta and surrounding counties were quietly using busing and minority to majority programs to peacefully integrate schools. While African-Americans in such citadels of enlightenment as Detroit continue to try to push a single toe into the pool of economic growth, Atlanta has one of the fastest growing African-American middle classes in the country. Yet, you will take the easy way out by painting us as a bunch of gun-totin', Confederate flag wavin', banjo pickin' stump jumpers who probably need another good burning by General Sherman. My grandma had a saying. Sweep around your own stoop before spitting snuff on someone else's. Well, y'all out there in the "cultured" part of the world just keep on with your preaching. My stoop is swept and my mouth is full of chaw.

2007 and we still have to go through this crap. Shame on us all.

The Best Of The Drifts - At The Forsyth County March

Originally published January 27, 2007

20 Years Ago

I don't remember where I got on the bus but I do remember getting on the bus. There were thousands of us. There were hundreds of buses. So many people I had to stand. Seats were given to the elders. I remember thinking at the time it was no big deal as we were only travelling a scant 40 miles. Standing for such a short time seemed a small sacrifice.

I remember the week before - watching the news. As a Georgian, I was horrified by the images of rocks and bottles being tossed at peaceful protesters. I remember thinking this could not be happening in my state. Not now. Growing up in a small south Georgia town, I was familiar with racism. Had witnessed it first hand. I remember hearing the stories from two decades earlier of gangs of men armed with rifles and shotguns. But this should be different. This was Atlanta. This was my new city. One filled with enlightenment, culture and understanding. Even though the images on my television were coming from just outside Atlanta, it seemed too close. Too real.

I remember the girl I was dating at the time. She was angry at first. Then she cried. She did not want me to go. She had seen the images. She had seen the young man dressed in a jean jacket and Confederate flag t-shirt with hate in his eyes. She was also from a small south Georgia town and knew the potential consequences. She begged, she screamed and she cried.

On the bus, I remember we were a strange melange. I stood next to a man much larger than me. A friendly guy with a New York accent. He had just moved to the area and like myself had been shocked by the images on the news. A transient man in a transient city confronted with images that should have never surfaced again.

Spread among us, usually sitting in seats, were the elders. They had marched when marching truly mattered. They shared stories. They sang songs. They led us in "We Shall Overcome", "I Shall Not Be Moved" and"Blowing In The Wind". They taught me songs most 18-year olds had never heard.

The ride was long. Much longer than any of us anticipated. The caravan of buses and vans stretched for miles. Back then Georgia 400 was still a rural highway, not the suburban autobahn it is today. The buses lurched and stopped, lurched and stopped. My new friend and I swayed back and forth, grasping the hand rails.

I remember snow on the ground. It had snowed a few days prior and the remnants still dotted the shoulders and the woods. Eventually people began leaving the buses and dashing for the woods. Relief being the only remaining sliver of thought in their mind. Next to me, my new friend chuckled and muttered, "Don't eat the yellow snow".

I remember arriving on the outskirts of Cumming. It was all too familiar. A few convenience stores. A fast food restaurant. And all too unfamiliar. For the first time, the people in Klan robes were not pictures in books. They were standing on the side of the road. Staring at us. Staring at me.

As we assembled I thought about the rumors we had all heard. The gun stores had been cleaned out. The liquor stores had been cleaned out. The FBI had snipers in the woods. I remember my idealism of the night before seeping away in the reality of seeing men and women and children standing behind a wall of National Guard. Men and women and children with hate in their eyes.

I remember a lone girl standing on the side of the road. She wore Klan robes but mostly I remember her shoes. Bright, white, new Reeboks. We all saw her. She could not have been more than 15 years old. We would later nervously laugh and call her "white frocks and Reeboks".

The organizers lined us up. We were instructed to lock arms. We were told to always look forward. We were told to never, ever respond. No matter what we heard, we were never to engage those with wont to turn non-violence to violence. I remember locking arms with my new friend from New York and moving forward.

I remember we never came close to the Cumming city square. We were simply too many. At one point, we topped a hill and I could see all those before us. I was near the back and had a clear view of almost everyone. Thousands of people. A large undulating mass of people, locked arm in arm, singing and chanting, stretching to the crown of the next hill and then disappearing.

We never heard the speeches. They were too far ahead. I remember being able to see the top of the court house and imagining John Lewis standing somewhere up there in the distance. Speaking of evils he had seen and evils that still lived.

Soon after we returned to the buses. Soon the buses returned to Georgia 400. Soon the buses returned to Atlanta. Soon I returned to campus.

I remember calling the girl I was seeing at the time and only hearing an answering machine. I remember her terrible temper. I remember later that night when she knocked on my door. We embraced and we both cried together.

Photo courtesy of the Atlanta Journal Constitution / Steve Deal

The Best Of The Drifts - The Porn King Goes To Court

Originally published 1-3-07

The Porn Wars: Love Shack Gets Little Love

It's all about paint. Attorneys for both Love Shack owner John Cornetta and Fulton County plumbed the depths of analogy in an effort to clarify District Court Judge James Thrash 12-20-06 contempt order. Analogies were necessary due to the wording of the order which commanded the Love Shack reduce its adult inventory to less than a "significant amount".

The crux of all arguments lay in those peculiar words.

Fulton County Attorney Steve Rosenberg stated that the Love Shack had not complied with the order and offered as evidence The Love Shacks own affidavit which stated the store still contained 2312 adult DVDs and 1647 sex toys. He compared this to his time in criminal prosecution where a police report stated a residence had a significant amount of drugs. For example, a significant amount could be "40 hits of crack". The argument The Love Shack put forward in its brief is the inventory had been reduced by a "significant portion" not a "significant amount". He pointed out Judge Thrash had not used this term and that in context, as with the crack in the drug arrest, a significant amount still existed.

Mr. Rosenberg stated, "It's as if you ordered them to paint a house black and they painted it deep charcoal gray and then we disagreed if it was black. In this case they painted the house pink".

Mr. Cornetta's attorney Louis Sirkin countered that if the judge had ordered his client to paint something a deep red this is what would have been done. However it is as if the judge ordered something painted red and now both sides were arguing if it is truly red. He argued that his client had made a good faith effort to comply with a vague court order. As evidence he presented county and city ordinances that ranged from the City of Atlanta requiring less than 25% of floor sales to Warner Robins requiring less than 50% of sales in a 90 day rolling period. Mr. Sirkin stated his client had chosen what he felt was the most restrictive parameters and attempted to comply.

In the end, Judge Thrash was not moved. Apparently, he saw pink where The Love Shack attorneys saw gray. He stated in his ruling that he had deliberately used the term "significant amount" in order to prevent Mr. Cornetta from manipulating his inventory in an effort to comply. He went on to say he could not see how "anybody would see compliance" given the amount of adult material remaining. He specified his intent was number of items, not percentage or portion.

He ruled The Love Shack in contempt and ordered compliance by 3:00pm tomorrow. The Love Shack could comply by reducing its inventory under a "significant amount" or closing its doors. Until that time the business would be fined $1000 per day retroactively to 12-21-06 . He also stated his ruling would terminate at 12:01am on 1-5-07 at which point Johns Creek would have jurisdiction. He added the ruling and fine would be suspended if The Love Shack complied by the deadline.

Mr. Sirkin asked for clarification of "significant amount" and Judge Thrash replied "anything more than a few".

Fulton Attorney Rosenberg claimed victory although his side did not reach the goal of closure. He concluded the ruling to mean The Love Shack was operating without a license. This would prevent any kind of "grandfathering" once Johns Creek ordinances began enforcement.

On 1-2-07, Johns Creek passed new ordinances including a highly restrictive adult ordinance that includes any business to wait 20 days for approval. The new ordinance goes into effect at 12:01am, 1-5-07.

Not surprisingly, Mr. Cornetta also claimed victory. He stated he was still in business and not in jail. When asked about the fine, Mr. Cornetta stated he was "ready to pay out of my pocket right now". When confronted about the amount of the fine which would have exceeded $10,000, Mr. Cornetta pulled out a roll of $100 bills and a black American Express card. He explained that a person had to "spend $300,000 a year" just to maintain such an item. He said $13,000 did not bother him as he had spent more on his wife on New Year's Eve. He was quick to clarify he did not want to make light of the money and his real purpose in this was to fight for what is right. He also claimed to have previously turned down a deal from the Fulton D.A. stating "let me go to jail".

Cornetta also plans to increase his inventory. Now that he is in contempt and with no hard limit on his inventory, his immediate plans are to increase inventory back to 25%. However, he stated he and his attorneys are discussing multiple strategies.

For now, The Love Shack remains open. D.A Rosenberg was unclear if Fulton County will attempt another closure tomorrow at 3:00pm but indicated something would happen. In the meantime, Johns Creek's new ordinance goes into effect in less than 30 hours. When asked if this new chapter in the saga would send everything back to square one, Rosenberg shrugged and smiled.

As for Cornetta, he says, "If Johns Creek comes an arrests me, where are they going to put me? (newly elected Johns Creek Mayor) Mike Bodker's apartment?"

Gonzo Lawmakers - Day 30

A daily recap of the Georgia Public Broadcasting show "Lawmakers". The show airs weekdays at 7:00pm with a replay at 5:30am the following weekday.

Day 30

*Originally aired on March 30.

* Crossover day! For the uninitiated, this is the last day a bill can pass one of the chambers and survive. It's a big day and a long night.

* The requisite live shot of the ongoing sausage making.

* Susan is live at Hogwarts! The hospital tax passed the House. Goes to the Senate now.

* Scowly House Clerks! The streak continues! They are extra scowly because they know the incessant drivel will not cease spewing for hours.

* Hot lobbyist walking in the background. Thought they got rid of all of those.

*And on cue, Nwandi talks about Glen Richardson and ethics reform.

* Valarie at Hogwarts talking about the House's ethics bill. They changed the name from the Ethics Commission to something about twelve words long. More evidence of Republicans believing in small government.

* Dubose talking about the all the Democrat amendments being shot down. He's talking about being shut out of the process. The irony meter just broke.

* House passed a bunch of fee increases. How many? Susan says 1800! Perhaps we have a few too many fees.

* Democrats railing against tax increases. Sky is yellow and the sun is blue.

* Seriously. 1800 fees. And they even found time to add a few more!

* I hope tonight's flashback features Denmark Groover climbing over the rail to keep the House clock from striking midnight.

* Sen Judson Hill is back with another weird healthcare bill. He's trying to do a Constitutional end around by requiring state agencies to report any new requirements to the General Assembly before they can be implemented. Surely this can't be Constitutional.

* Democrat Robert Brown is preachin'. "I wonder why President Obama is such a saint in the classroom and a sinner in the hospital room".

* Austin Scott, running for Governor and usually a reasonable guy, has a resolution requiring the Attorney General to file suit against federal healthcare. He's a really good guy, but he gets one of the crazy resolution hairs in an uncomfortable place every session.

* This gives Dubose Porter, also running for Governor, a chance to pounce again.

* Abortion bill in the Senate! This is the one where its illegal for a doctor to perform the operation if he or she has knowledge the woman was coerced. Or if its based on gender or race. You've heard all these arguments before. Safe. Rare. Costly lawsuits. Privacy. It passed.

* Chip Rogers says clearly coercion should be outlawed. Question. How are they defining coercion? And how the hell do you enforce this? Don't the cops already have enough to do?

* Larry O'Neal wants tax reform. So do I. But do you really think a state with 1800 fees is serious about tax reform?

* Steve Thompson is nattering on again. They are arguing over sales tax on internet sales. The Republicans are trying to offer a carrot of some sort to get them to voluntarily collect the tax. Um, okay.

* Susan has to issue a correction about her report about naming of parks. Apparently, private companies don't get to name parks. And I was looking forward to Amia-Coca-cola State Part.

* Project Tom Crawford! Lord have mercy, I didn't think it was possible to combine that many earth tones. He kind of looks like a mud puddle on a dirt road.

* Senate passed a needs based version of the HOPE grant. Of course, there's no funding for this good deed.

* Valarie again. With transportation as usual. It's the smack the DOT board bill. It allows a way to recall DOT board members. And here's Steve Thompson again. He's like a moth to a bug zapper.

* I see a blogger who I shall not name in the background of the shot.

* We're almost at 30 minutes and no flashback. There may be no time for such fancies on crossover day.

* Ricky Bevington and her BOOK OF DOOM! Beach High School in Savannah fired practically every teacher on the campus. And there's Nwandi's hand giving the classic hurry the hell up sign. Ricky flies through some mess about Thurbert Baker.

* Final shot is of the live House Session and Scowly Red is gazing over her domain with lazer eyes. What a way to end the week. Things will calm down again for a while, so for now, that's a wrap!

Gonzo Lawmakers - Day 29

A daily recap of the Georgia Public Broadcasting show "Lawmakers". The show airs weekdays at 7:00pm with a replay at 5:30am the following weekday.

Day 29

*Originally broadcast on March 24th. Crossover day approaches!

* We start with live shots of both chambers. They always work late as crossover day approaches

* The Guv is gittin' hisself a personal prosecutor to sue over Federal healthcare since AG Baker said he wouldn't do it.

* First time we've seen Thurbert and his "hair" this session. Repeating that the thing is not viable and costly.

* Speaker Ralston has some eager young aide behind furiously nodding as he says we're going to pursue other options.

* Guv mouthpiece Bert Brantley is wearing a tie! I was beginning to wonder if he owned one. He claims the suit won't cost the state anything as lawyers have volunteered to work for free.

* Dubose Porter slamming the Guv for trying to distract from all the problems. Need more thunder, Dubose.

* House Appropriations passed the hospital tax. This is the big issue of the day so we have Valarie at Hogwarts. And she's got an anonymous document! Juicy! Apparently it's the secret aggreement between the healtchcare lobbies and the General Assembly. No one would go on record however. Publishing the doc is an interesting ethical choice. Feel free to discuss.

* Gun bill passed the Senate. If it passes the House we can tote in bars, universities and the front part of the airport. City of Atlanta is challenging these types of laws in court. Mitch Seabaugh is explaining that if we let every municipality pass their own carry laws, we'd have chaos. He's right.

* Renee Unterman just said "it came to our acknowledgement". Poor thing must be tired. She was talking about multi-agency intergration of mental health services.

* Senate tabled the bill to allow us to buy health insurance from providers in other states. Tabling this close to crossover day means it's completely doomed.

* Steve Thompson (D-Land Of Never Changing Hair) is using the bill to take thinly veiled shots at Oxendine.

* Seatbelts in trucks! It passed the Senate for the fourth straight year. Sen. Don Thomas (R-Lovable Ol' Kook) thinks having a new Speaker will make a difference this time. He's just precious.

* Earnest Dan Weber wants to expand local school boards ability to create charter schools.

* Scowling House Clerks! The streak continues!

* Susan got a little flustered because she couldn't remember Rep. Roger Lane''s name. Not surprised. He's ain't one of the usual camera hogs. He wants to adjust some fees upward. And just the whiff of a tax increase leads it to the table of doom.

* Senate voted to increase the cap on the "rainy day" fund. Doesn't really matter at the moment since there practically ain't no "rainy day" fund.

* Sen. Jack Hill nearly choked talking about how the stimulating funds helped.

* Leadership series - Republican Whip Ed Lindsey. And of course, he's talking about the budget. Bottom line - we ain't got no money. He's okay with the hospital tax. How very Democrat of him! He giggled a little at the mention of the Guv strong arming the hospitals. They are all punchy.

* Shout out to my hometown of Moultrie! I smell a Hwy 133 deal.

* Lawmakers Flashback! Public initiatives, a California style thang, is being discussed in the Senate. And there's Steve Thompson. With the same hair. I swear. And there's the Guv! When he was the Senate Majority Leader and a Democrat. More importantly - he has hair! Lots of wavy hair. And there's Eric Johnson - also with hair! They were all so young and full of vinegar.

* Adam Bridges has some story about water and there's Earnest Dan Weber again. He's so tall, he's almost level with Casey even though he's three feet below.

* Ricky Bevington and her BOOK OF DOOM! Wait! Good news! A new biomass plant is opening in Waycross. Georgia Power ain't spending any more money upgrading its two oldest plants. It wants to see what the EPA will do. No tasers for School Resource Officers in Glynn County. They already carry handguns and pepper spray!

* We won't be back until March 26th. Crossover day! Until then, that's a wrap!

Daily Funny

Fox 5 recently announced a new 4:30am (rub your eyes, that's A.M.) newscast and Doug Richards at Live Apartment Fire came up with a hilarious Top Ten explaining why this idea is just faboo.

6. Legions of meth addicts in North Georgia need to know the five-day forecast before they go to bed

Read the whole thing here.

Can You Identify This Sign?

Can you identify the above traffic sign?

Hey, Sen. Jack Murphy. There's a reason our traffic signs come in so many wonderful shapes and colors. There's also a reason we test based on those shapes and colors.

Safety issue, my hind end. Pandering at its finest. As Tyler correctly notes, with the beast called the budget lurking in the bushes, we are wasting time with this nonsense. Shame.

Gonzo Lawmakers - Day 28

A daily recap of the Georgia Public Broadcasting show "Lawmakers". The show airs weekdays at 7:00pm with a replay at 5:30am the following weekday.

Day 28

* So far behind. But quitting is not an option.

* This episode is from 3-22. So let's do the time warp again.

* Susan's back! YAY!

* The House fails to pass the We Don't Want The Healthcare Thingie. It has to be a Constitutional Amendment and that means they need a few Democrats. We all know how this plays out.

* Scowling House clerks! The streak continues. They are extra scowly today.

* Calvin Smyre is in full bore preacher mode. "We got too much to do". "He actually slapped the lectern. I'm having a bad flashback to the Freewill Baptist Church of my youth.

* The Senate got in the act, too. Via their morning press conference. They are taking the money angle. In their own sober Senate way.

* The Beast Tape Machine is threatening to devour the piece. Even the demon possessed technology is sick of this argument.

* Bed Tax time. The Guv played hard and the hospital lobby crumpled. Susan is talking non-stop which means the tape machine is not cooperating again.

* Sen. Preston Smith is talking about how we need to do something with the providers of Medicaid. It's as if they want to talk about anything but the beast that lurks on the horizon - the budget.

* Pause for a moment. Seriously, the poor Lawmakers folks are covering unanimous bills on Day 28. Usually by this time we have some bonfire of controversy. But not this year. Everyone is avoiding anything heinous because they know the monetary beast lurks in the bushes. God bless the poor GPB folks. They do their best to make cardboard taste like fine cheese.

* Valarie at Hogwarts. Oh wait. She's not. It's just her voice over a tape. (There's foreshadowing here, but I can't talk about it now). The Republicans are at it again. Healthcare ain't enough, so they are trying to pass some probably unconstitutional thing to delay Cap and Trade. They even put a provision in demanding the Attorney General to sue if the Feds attempt to enforce it.

* Slow Poke Bill. There's a metaphor here somewhere. Or a homily. In a better writer's hand, there would be a skewering. In this lesser writer's hands, I prefer to continue to analyze the scowls of the House Clerks. They ain't happy.

* And to complete the anti-Fed trifecta, the Senate wants to compel unions to only use a secret ballot. Vincent Fort (D-Land of a Thousand Rants) is pointedly asking why the Republicans want to interfere with the actions of private business. Since we require a Constitutional Amendment, just like the others, the thing dies. What a useless minuet they dance.

* Some technical stuff about courts and contracts. Fascinating. Stick with me readers. We're going to get to crossover day soon. That's when the fireworks kind of fly. And that, my friends, is the lamest tease ever.

* Sen. David Shafer! He has been awfully quiet this session. He's talking about multi-year contracts for the DOT. Snooze.

* They want to codify some commission. The scowl of the clerks are no longer as fierce. Even they are defeated by the malaise of the day.

* They've moved over to the Supreme Court. The Robes took apart another part of the tort reform. This has upset Sen. Preston Smith (R-Claims To Know The Constitution). Republicans - for free markets, except when they're not.

* The Executive Director of Georgia Watch, a consumer advocate group, is Danny Orrock. Sen. Nan Orrock's son? Given the whole hippie groove, I'm guessin he's some relation.

* Preston Smith says he's read the opinion and believes it would require a Constitutional Amendment. Too bad the Chair of the Senate Judiciary couldn't figure that out TWO YEARS AGO. When they had a chance to actually pass it in that manner. Oh right. They didn't have the votes so they chose to play politics instead.

* Sen. David Adelman's last visit to the Senate well. He's just been confirmed as Ambassador to Singapore. Want to know how much I like Sen. Reasonable? Read this.

* More contractor mess. But this one involves illegal aliens, errr excuse me, undocumented workers. The DOL supports the bill but points out they ain't got no money to enfore it. Republicans don't seem to care.

* Oh, Adam Bridges. Young'un. Don't improvise. Nobody likes. God help me, I'm in a dreadful state. Now, I'm picking on the kids.

* Lawmakers Flashback! Oh it's the one they couldn't show the other night because of the demon tape machine. Speaker Murphy gittin it on with Earl Earhart. Speaker Murphy ruled his amendment not germane. The Speaker is saying even a first year law student should understand the difference between an excise tax and sales tax. SNAP! He's verbally smacking Earhart all around the chamber.

* Sen. Preston Smith again. He's the star of this very special episode of Lawmakers. He wants to use reserve funds, if available, to keep teachers from being furloughed. A Republican wanting to help teachers? Blow me down, I smell a little politicking.

* Ricky Bevington and her BOOK OF DOOM! The Supreme Court unanimously overturned the cap on damages. Nathan Deal resigns. Because he wants to run for governor. No mention of his scrap yard boondoogle. A spill on the Savannah River! That's your Revelation moment. They are trying to grow olives down in Pierce County. Now that's worth following up.

* Recess tomorrow night so no Lawmakers. And another chance for me to catch up. For now, that's a wrap!