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This page will hold some of my thoughts and
comments regarding certain things. They represent only my opinion. It will be
updated and changed as my mood hits, or events lead me to express my opinion.
America, NASA and the world was dealt another great
loss on February 1, 2003. They say that each generation has a defining moment -
that one time of great joy, or great sadness. Sometimes you seem to have more
than one. For many of our grandparents it was, as FDR put it "a date that will
live in infamy", December 7, 1941. For our parents it a beautiful morning in
Dallas TX on November 22, 1963, as JFK was assassinated. For my generation it
was January 28, 1986. We were home from school because of unusually cold weather
that caused heating systems at my junior high school (yes, they were called
junior highs then , not "middle schools") and one of the county elementary
schools. Being a big science geek even then, I dutifully watched as the Shuttle
Challenger took off with the first teacher in space. Oh the excitement! That
excitement quickly turned to sadness as I (along with millions of others)
watched it explode into a ball of fire and smoke. Four years later, as our
junior "American Studies" class went to Washington, DC - the two things I
remember most fondly were the Vietnam veterans memorial and the memorial to the
Challenger crew at Arlington National Cemetery.
Of course, we all (regardless of generation) were marked by September 11,
2001. There really are no words to describe the feeling of being alone in a room
full of people. I think Alan Jackson put it into words best: "Where were you
when the world stopped turning?"
The loss of the Columbia is made even more tragic because other
nations lost "heroes" that day.
HIGH FLIGHT
by
John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
Oh, I have slipped the surly bounds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a thousand things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hovering there,
I've chased the shouting wind along , and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark or even eagle flew.
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.
Words can really never describe
the effect of September 11th on any of us. I am just glad that rather than
tearing us apart, it has brought us closer together as a nation. One
Nation Under God, Indivisible has never held more meaning than it does
right now. My hope is that we will not lose this feeling, and can apply it to
our everyday life.
I recently saw something on MTV that conveys my feelings
about how some people are behaving:
Islam is not the enemy,
Muslims are not the enemy...
...hatred is the enemy.
Click here to view the page that replaced my website for a month after this
tragedy.
I am happy to say that after a
couple of years in Nashville, John Berry has returned "home" to Athens, GA! All
of his local fans are happy that he is back, and wish him the best!
" If I ever do get famous, If I ever make it good.
I won't move out to Houston, and for sure not to Hollywood.
I'll just stay right here with the rednecks, in the deep red Georgia clay,
'cause Georgia is my home and Georgia's where I'll stay..." **
If you are a John Berry fan, I'm sure you have heard the news that
John is leaving Athens (GA) for Nashville. As a long-time fan of John's, I know that he
has struggled against the "music establishment" if you will, that has wanted him
to move to Nashville to be a part of the "scene". In a way, I feel this is one
reason that he has had such a difficult time finding another recording contract. As most
music fans know, Nashville is considered the place to be, if you want to be
a Country Music "Star". Most of the recording studios, publishers, record
companies and such are located there, and like for all their artists to be there (under
their watchful eye). This creates a social circle that scoffs at outsiders.
John struggled for many years in Athens, and had developed a loyal following of fans
from the surrounding area. He released numerous albums independently, selling them at his
shows at the local clubs (he was the house band at O’Malley’s in
Athens for many years). He wrote most of his own material and his voice made even covers
sound like they were new.
I remember the first John Berry song I heard. It was about 15 years ago, and I was
riding in the car with my parents, when WNGC (95.5) in Athens, played "If I Ever
Do Get Famous" from his Things are Not the Same album. The chorus
of the song immediately caught my attention. Since then I have thought of that song
whenever a singer from Georgia makes it good in country music and almost invariably moves
away from Georgia to Nashville (often never to return). I had always taken pride in the
fact that at least two Georgians had chosen to rebel against that trend and stay here in
Georgia: John and Travis Tritt. John’s recent announcement that he and his
family would leave Ila, GA for Franklin, TN punched a rather large hole in that pride. I
had mentioned to many people, that I was very happy to see that John was actually living
out his song, and staying "here with the rednecks" in Georgia. I guess deep down
I knew that he would probably have to move to Nashville – but I was hoping that it
would be a more part-time arrangement, and that John would choose to still call Georgia
"home".
Does his recent announcement mean that I will no longer consider myself a John Berry
fan? Of course not! He is still one of the best singer/songwriters country music has, and
I feel that his stardom is still yet to come. What it does mean is that, at least for a
while, my enthusiasm has waned and that I may have to think about what the country music
industry forces people to choose to do. It seems as though they give you a choice: you
either live here so you can be under our "protective wing", or you can forget
about becoming anything more than a regional/local act. I really wish that the industry
didn’t force people, like John, who try and remain at home and still be a great
recording artist to choose to give up at least part of their dreams, so that the other
part can come true.
Do I blame John for moving? No, not really. He has struggled against many odds,
including a motorcycle accident that almost left him unable to walk, brain surgery that
could have easily cost him his life, and not to forget: the long struggle to get a
recording contract in the first place. Will I miss John, living a few miles away, knowing
that one of country music’s greatest was a "neighbor"? Definitely! Is it
going to leave a void in the lives of those around here? Most definitely. Will we still
wish John the best in this upcoming contract with the new Disney label? As much as ever
— we miss his music. But it does mean that at least a small
part of lives will be a little less rich, and a little emptier because of it.
My hope for John, now that he is moving, is that he doesn’t forget where he came
from, who his true fans are, and who will love his music when others decide his time on
this ride is up. When this gig is up, remember John, that "Georgia is [your] home and
that is where [you’ll] stay" (in our minds at least).
** -- "If I Ever Do Get Famous" by John Berry
The recent events in Littleton, Colorado have left
most (if not all) of America in a complete state of shock. While it has not been that
many years since I was in high school, things certainly have changed in that time. The
incidents in Colorado, Arkansas and Kentucky have taken from us, the last place that truly
felt safe -- our schools.
When I was in high school, the most violence we ever saw was a fist fight
that left a pool of blood outside the bandroom. The head of the math department (a woman
almost a foot shorter than the two boys involved in the brawl), grabbed the two by the ear
and dragged them to the office. That was the talk of the school
for the rest of the year. Once a person was found with a rifle in his gun rack of his
truck -- where he had forgotten to take it out after deer hunting over the week-end. No
one feared for their lives, and the assistant principal just took it from him - and his
father came got it later that week. We did not worry about shootings, and bomb threats
(1-2 each year) usually just meant a 30 minute break from an exam. Only once did we
actually get sent home -- only then because it took so long that the lunch staff could not
fix lunch in time. As for the "trench coat mafia", we had several people that
would have fit that description -- long hair, earring, black boots and trenchcoat. No one
fear them, they never threatened anyone, and just pretty well stayed to themselves. I see
one of them periodically around town. He is married, has a child and still wears
the trenchcoat.
As for the insinuation that the internet, music, movies and video games
made these teenagers more violent -- I think NOT! Until I see hard proof -- scientific
studies, replicated many times -- I will not believe that these are major contributing
factors to more violent behavior - if anything is to blame it, is continous 24-hour news
coverage of events in other parts of the world (my opinion, no scientific proof). People
have known how to make bombs for centuries -- since gunpowder and TNT were invented. In
high school, most kids knew of books like The Anarchist's Cookbook
-- many bookstores in the local malls even carried it. Sure it is easier to find with the
advent of the WWW -- but so are the Bible, classics such as Dickens and Shakespeare, and
new, unknown writers that maybe would not be seen otherwise. The web is a mirror of the
world around us. There are freaks and kooks living in every community in this nation. Even
here in the buckle of the "Bible Belt" -- sorry to burst your bubble folks, but
we are not all "normal" here.
There have been several cases of "idiocracy" around the nation
(even around here -- I know it is hard to believe, but we have idiots too) related to this
situation. People who say "I'll pull a Colorado" or people who start wearing
trenchcoats to class. This as resulted in numerous suspensions, expulsions, arrests and
dress code amendments. Aside from being idiots (i.e.: to make a comment, or to wear the coat at
this time), most of these people are simply seeking attention -- and getting it. They get
shown on TV, their photos are in the paper, and they become the "talk of the
town". Most are not, nor have they shown tendencies toward violent behavior. While I
am not condoning their actions -- they should be punished (for being dumb). Arresting
someone because of stupidity would fill our prisons overnight. The Chicago Tribune refused
to print the Colorado incident on Page One. Instead, they gave a comment to the effect:
"Giving incidents of this nature high priority gives a sense of prominence to them,
and perpetuates additional incidents of a similar nature." They did the same for the
Oklahoma bombing in 1995. At first, I thought "How insensitive!" - then I
realized they may be right. Continiously giving them coverage will ensure that they live
forever -- in the history books. While I have to admit I have watched MSNBC and FoxNews Channel
for several hours related to this tragedy, bought TIME, Newsweek
and USNews because of it, and spent a couple of hours
looking at the websites discussing it, I dwell less on why Harris and Klebold did it --
likely we will never know WHY? -- and more on
thinking about what it costs the 15 families that lost loved ones because of it. You may
say wait! -- only 12 students and one teacher died -- I say remember that
both the Harris' and Klebold's lost their son's too. I don't condone what they did, how
they did it or even that the parent's didn't see something was
going on -- but I saw a poster (on TV) at the memorial in the park beside Columbine High
that should make everyone stop and think:
"Don't hate them for what they did.
If we hate them, we become them.
Pray for them and for Peace."
Will we ever get over this senseless and tragic act? Yes, in time. Will we
forget? No. Should we forgive? Yes, harboring hatred only perpetuates the problem. Hatred
is what caused this. A little bit of all of us died that day -- we all feel less safe. We
all need to pray that someday we will all be able to get along. Until then, let us pray
for understanding.
The school tragedies hit closer to home, as a student in Conyers
(GA) opened fire on his classmates. This student obviously was seeking attention in a way
that he felt he would be sure to get it. He was known to be an excellent marksman -- so
his aim was to injure not kill. Stress levels in teens have hit levels that were once
reserved for the heads of major companies. School has become so competitive, people so set
to out do each other, and to get ahead that people are ready to break under the strain. We
can only hope that people will take the summer break ahead to look ahead and see what can
be done to assist people, before more tragedies like these happen.
More gun control is not the answer -- there are enough guns on the streets now, that if
they stopped production of all guns, they are still enough to keep people supplied for
decades. Metal detectors and video cameras in schools and buses may help in the
short-term, but major changes in the way people think and behave
have to be undertaken before long-term change can be accomplished.
The CMA (Country Music Association) has announced this years Hall of Fame
inductees. After many years, two of country music's greatest have been selected. Both
Dolly Parton and Conway Twitty are to be inducted during the CMA awards broadcast in late
September (Editoral Note:
these are comments from 1999).
Conway had one of the best voices in country music history. He could sing a song like
no other person could. He made the women swoon, and men feel as though he was saying what
they wanted to say. His songs told of real life, not stereotypical "hillbilly" people. When
he sang about "Lying Here with Linda on My Mind" people understood.
Fathers will forever be immortalized in "That's My Job" and everyone
will remember those haunting words... "Helllllloooo Darlin'.... Nice to see
ya..." I personally will always feel that "Who Did They Think He
Was" will be among his best. Conway deserved all of his awards, and this is
long overdue.
While most will remember Dolly for a couple of attributes, other than her
voice or songwriting, it is her songwriting and personal endeavors that warrant
her for induction in my opinion, as much as her singing. Dolly's command of the
pen through such songs as "Coat of Many Colors" or "I Will Always
Love You" is unrivaled in music today. But one of her biggest
accomplishments has been her service to her home state of Tennessee and more
importantly to her home of Sevier County. She has done much for the area through
her Dollywood Foundation. She provides books to every child in the county, she
provides scholarships to those who might not otherwise go to college, and she is
the areas biggest attraction (through her Dollywood theme park), bringing in tourist
dollars to an area that, despite being one of the most beautiful on earth, might
be left behind in the ever-changing economic world. Dolly has often been
alienated because of her down-home beliefs and convictions. The fact that she is
not afraid to speak openly and honestly about herself and her beliefs, often to
the chagrin (and often ulcers) of the music industry execs. Keep standing up for
what is right, and we will keep standing beside you. Congratulations on a well
deserved honor.
 
Last Update:
July 05, 2003
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