FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15,2008 EDITORIAL News-Leader Modern life and its malcontents NEWS LEADER FlIORID A'S OLDEST WEEKLY NEiWSPAPER ES TABI.ISHED IN 1854 The News-Leader is published with pride weekly for the people of Nassau County by Community Newspapers, Inc., Athens, Georgia. We believe that strong newspapers build strong communities - "Newspapers get things done!" Our primary goal is to publish distinguished and profitable community- oriented newspapers. This mission will be accomplished through the teamwork of professionals dedicated to the truth, integrity, quality and hard work. FoY R. MALOY JR.. PUBLISHER MICHAEL PARNELL. EDITOR MIKE HANKINS, ADVERTISING DIRECTOR ROBERT FIEGE, PRODUCTION DIRECTOR BOB TIMPE. CIRCULATION DIRECTOR TOM WOOD CHAIRMAN DINK NESMITH PRESIDENT Community Newspapers, C N Incorporated Views expressed by the columnists andletterwriters on thispage are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper. its owners or employees I recently read a letter to the editor that was real- ly critical of teenagers. Typically, the letter writer pretty much lumped all teens together as rude miscreants. Which is also pretty typical in a state where the kind of behavior that'll get a teen vilified is completely overlooked if the perp has blue hair and drives a Buick. Or if he's a snotty baby boomer with a trophy wife and an Escalade. Case in point. My family and I went to the movies here recently to see the new Jack Nicholson/ Morgan Freeman film, "'The Bucket List". I heard it was a great flick but I wouldn't know. I think there was a Moose convention being held in the hallway outside. Either that or Soccer Mommies United was having a fundraising rally. I've never heard such a racket in my life, at a movie theater. We made the mistake of sitting near the rear and it was almost impossible to hear what was said the last half of the film because of the peo- ple lined up in the outside hallway to see Hannah Montana. The adults actually made way more noise than the kids in tow. The theater management was powerless to stop them. The pretty boy cop assigned to keep the peace did a superb imitation of a potted plant. My wife, who's usually the one urging me to exercise restraint, finally went out and complained, to no avail. The dumb cows and steers mooing in the hallway wouldn't stop. I finally went to the desk and told management that if they didn't do some- thing, I wanted a refund immediately. I can't fault S ,. them for trying but it didn't .. '" do much good. The potted plant was somewhere on Venus during all this commo- tion. I'm sure the crowded sit- nation in the hall came-close to being a safety issue but he .?" couldn't be bothered about such mundane matters. The theater showing Hannah Montana finally opened its doors and let the Joe Palmer livestock in and things quiet- -- ... ed down. Thank God, I thought. At least we'll be able CUP OF to hear and see the end of the JOE movie in peace and quiet. And then the back of the theater was suddenly invaded by a small but vocal army of radical Gray Panthers. Their movie hadn't started either and rather than sit quietly and watch what was left of ours, they lined up against the back wall and offered loud commentary on the movie, the actors, the other movie and the merits of prune juice versus Ex-Lax. They were standing so close I could've tossed my Coke on them. It crossed my mind.. My wife turned around and shushed them and got dirty glares for her trouble. And more loud yakking. I finally turned around and asked them to please just shut up and let us watch the movie. More dirty glares and more loud talking. Some dweeb once criticized me for being too. harsh in my commentary about uncouth behavior in public. Something about me having trouble adjust- ing to the complexities of urban life. I plead guilty as charged. Some of us still remember what good manners were and mourn their passing. The only thing that infuriates me more than an ill-mannered person spoiling my outing is the too-cool-for-school pacifist who's afraid to rock the boat in a sea full of jackass- es. This kind of person would just sit there and grind his teeth till they break rather than say some- thing. There are unruly kids. But there's hope for them when they grow up. Unlike the case of arrested development who drove them to the movies, or the ones in Sansabelt pants and white loafers. I bet if you counted, the boorish adults would approximate or surpass the number of bratty kids who act up in public. The theater management did the right thing by those of us who protested the conditions and gave us all free passes. There would've been no need for that had a bunch of adults shown their fellow movie- goers a little respect and consideration. I guess that's one of those complexities of urban life the guy meant. If you're not OK with it, does it mean that you're maladjdsted or just not a wimp? Joe Palmer ofFernandina Beach writes regularly for the News-Leader E-mail him at treysurf@com cast.net. VOICE OF THE PEOPLE Crossroads I attended the "Get Good Growth: a Forum for a Sustainable Nassau" on Saturday at City Hall. The forum was organized by Randy Rice of Rice .Architecture and the chamber of commerce. Mr..Rice brought in an impressive team of speakers from around the country to talk about how Nassau County can grow in a positive direction. Nassau County is predicted to have massive population growth in the coming years. Techniques to avoid the urban sprawl, blight and traffic congestion of towns like Orlando and Atlanta -were discussed. Nassau County is at a crossroads where it can become a model for sustainable growth for the state or become just another mirage of strip malls and track homes. Experts from cutting edge green communities like Prairie Crossing, Ill., and Watershed spoke on how to develop green communities that are walka- Sble, livable and use their resources wisely. Alternative "energy from solar and wind are viable sources that are being used now in communities around the county. Topics discussed included: Future Land Use Map; water quality and water conservation; vital tidal estu- ary protection; implementing wind and solar power in our homes; next-generation recycling techniques that are currently in'place in Boulder, Colo.; how to protect the valuable natural and cultural resources of Amelia Island and Fernandina that are both cherished, and taken for granted; how to change and modify zoning to attain the vibrant, walkable communities that are so vital to make Nassau County a place that will be appre- ciated for generations. I was surprised and disappointed to realize that -therewere very few public officials in attendance at this: most important event Wally Sears Jacksonville Greenway slaughter For those of you who have witnessed the continued daily slaughter of Egans Creek Greenway habitat 'south of Jasmine Street and wondered with frustration why it is taking so long to fix the mess, the answer rests 'with one resident and his petition for an administrative 'hearing to St Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD). Clinch Kavanaugh, a resident and local attorney, has 'single-handedly brought the whole process to a halt by submitting a petition which objects to SJRWMD issu- 'ing a permit that would allow the Florida Department ,of Transportation (FDOT) to correct its original 'botched design. Your next question is probably :why. What could possibly be his motivation? Counter to the almost unanimous, publicly expressed demands ;of the community for freshwater habitat south of Jasmine? Who knows? The only thing we do know for sure 'is that while Mr. Kavanaugh thumbs his nose at an ,entire community, the loss of precious freshwater 'habitat will continue as his petition slowly winds its way ,through a long bureaucratic process at SJRWMD. ,Although probably too much to wish for, Mr. :Kavanaugh could, if for a moment he reached beyond his own personal agenda, remove his petition. This then would remove SJRWMD's last remaining excuse for not issuing a permit so FDOT could begin con- struction of a weir to halt the flow of saltwater south of Jasmine. If you sense that I am angered by all of this, you're right. You should be too. Amelia Island is blessed with over 300 acres of conservation land in the form of Egans Creek Greenway. This community resource is too precious to let one individual's personal agenda threaten its well being. This topic will be discussed at the city commis- sion meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Attend this important meeting and let the city commissioners know how important the Greenway is to you personally and the community as a whole. Bob Wells, president Our Greenway www.ourgreenway.org No more studies Please be advised that we do not support any fur- ther waste of tax money to study the Greenway situ- ation. The city commissioners do not even need to con- sider wasting our tax dollars on further studies but need to continue to put pressure on FDOT and St. Johns River Water Management District to get this ridiculously delayed job done. The commissioners may recall, because several commissioners were in attendance at the FDOT Greenway meeting back in' October, it was unani- mously decided by more than 150 taxpaying residents that the Greenway should be returned and restored to freshwater habitat at FDOTs expense. We do not support or need any further study of the problem at the Greenway as a previous study has sup- ported that the southern greenway should be fresh water. In fact, it could now be easily argued, as was said at the FDOT meeting, that the entire Greenway should be returned to a freshwater habitat. We should either construct a weir at Jasmine or seal the salt water gates at Atlan tic Avenug.before anyfur; their damage of flora and fauna occurs.on our island. ' ; To reaffirm: The taxpaying residents of Fernandina- Beach want freshwater habitat at the Greenway which we have paid for with our tax dollars. The city commissioners do not even need to con- sider wasting our tax dollars on further studies but need to continue to put pressure on FDOT and St. Johns River Water Management to get this ridicu- lously delayed job done. Let the Fernandina Beach City Commissioners display their resolve by supporting their citizens in see- ing that our Greenway is restored and returned to freshwater habitat. Tom Cote-Merow Fernandina Beach Mutation It's quite ironic that the proponents of the theory of evolution accusing those who disagree as being ignorant are themselves lacking the facts. Joe Palmer's Feb. 8 column makes the same mistake as many of my former university students when they confused the the- ory of evolution with random mutation. Like many who were indoctrinated by evolutionary propagandists during their formative years, way too many students become bewildered in college when simply asked to supply just one piece of scientific evi- dence showing one species evolving into another. More importantly, they come to realize that the theo- ry of evolution is based totally on faith, not on fact or the scientific record. After 100 years of analyzing over a quarter of a million fossil records, there is still not one shred of evi- dence of one species mutating into another. Instead of ridiculing Dr. John Ruis and the school board, Joe should be thanking them for having the courage to point out the real fact that the "evolutionary" king has no clothes and until he does, our students deserve to know the truth. Dennis Todd, Ph.D. licensed school psychologist Amelia Island iio"CoIpyrgihted Ma1teria 6 S, yndtd Cont, ent Ai from Cmmercm a alNe Prbwder Evolution We are writing to comment positively on Joe Palmer's column Feb. 8 concerning the school board's resolution to teach creationism and/or its code word intelligent design. Said article will no doubt unleash a torrent of com- plaints and probably vitriol to you and Joe. We com- mend you for publishing the article. We totally agree with Joe and hope his forthright presentation of this issue will prompt at least some of your readers to think seriously about what he has written. We know this is a tough sell in this part of the country but if it opens at least a few minds, the flak will be worth it. John and Diane Pasieka Amelia Island Amendment 1 In response to your editorial "It's time for govern- ments to do business" (Feb. 1), you correctly pointed out that in passing Amendment 1 the voters in Florida and here in Nassau County sent a message to their elected leaders that they want government to be more efficient with public tax dollars. While the road ahead is filled with challenge and uncertainty, it is not with- out opportunity for improvement. The current budget shortfall in Tallahassee stem- ming from the decline in Florida's housing and build-' ing trades has created real pressure to find smarter ways to do more with less. I understand the impact that our slowing economy is having on our local small businesses. It is critical that governments do their part to cut costs and manage with smaller budgets so that our small businesses and homeowners can stay afloat. I believe that we must look at the big picture and think more strategically and long-term. By taxing more, we put our small businesses at greater risk of not being able to sustain themselves and going out of business. Each time this happens our tax base is erod- ed and there is less revenue to support our essential services. Nassau County is one of Florida's top-rated school districts and our teachers and support staff have worked hard to make our schools the envy of other communities. Great schools are not only important to attracting new growth and business development but perhaps more importantly, great schools are essential if we are to create a workforce capable of sustaining our economy. The impact of Amendment 1 on public schools in Nassau County is estimated to be approximately $678,000 in the first year and is projected to increase annually by about $375,000. In the first year, this rep- resents roughly 1 percent of our operational budget. I am confident that we can respond successfully if we plan in a fiscally responsible manner. The Office of Program Policy and Governmental Accountability (OPPAGA), the investigative arm of the Florida Legislature, has developed best financial management practices for school districts. Just like our local small businesses, government must periodical- ly review our practices to ensure each tax dollar is spent wisely. These practices can be viewed at www.oppaga.state.fl.us/schooLdistricts/bestprac/prac tices/practices.html. I support the call for government to "sharpen the pencil" and I will work with my fellow board members and the superintendent to ensure we do so in a man- ner that preserves our academic success. You can help by making sure your local leaders have the ben- efit of your views. I invite your comments as we work to keep education our top priority. I am committed to building a brighter future for our children in Nassau County. You can reach me at janethadkins@bell south.net or 261-2213. Janet Adkins School Board Member, District 1 'Surrender' to reality, common sense in Iraq As I have struggled to understand the war in Iraq, and for that matter, the "War on Terror," I found myself thinking about, of all things, fire ants. To me there is a curious similarity to the battles, and the objects of the battles. It seems to me that we wage battles against both using far superior weaponry, utilized by a far superior force, and for a :time make progress against them. But in time, they come back. I realize, of course, that we have to fight them, especially when they bring their fight to us. It is a fact of life. What I don't understand, in the lesson of the fire ants, is why we are trying to eradicate them in some other land far from our own. In Iraq, it seems like we ran off the nasty property owner from his land and now we are over therb killing his ants each time they build a new nest, because, we are told, they will eventually come over to our property. But there are fire ants and terrorists all over the world. There are terrible people in the world com- munity that would love to see terrorists build nests in our land, yet we are not pouring death and destruction in those locations. The reality is that we removed a terrible dictator and left a void that created one of the biggest fire I ant colonies in the,world. It makes me wonder which is 'i worst, and are we now just pouring blood and money into X -something that, like the fire ants, will never end? John McCain said we might n: be in the Iraq fight for 100 years. A hundred years! And in the end of those 100 years, will the fire ants be extinct? Or will Coleman they still be moving around, from location to location, Langshaw until we finally decide that we - *.. will stop pouring the pesticide thousands of miles away and OPINIONS use it wisely at home where it FROM THE will do the most good protect- GOLDFISH ing our own family and friends? In Afghanistan, we have a somewhat different mission right now. We have the right and obligation to capture and kill Osama bin Laden, and anyone else we can get our hands on who had anything to do with the attacks of September 11. That is a mis- sion with a clear and present purpose. Once that has been accomplished, then we pull out. No 100 year war, no chasing fire ants because we think we can wipe them of the earth. We come home, and protect our land. And protecting our land does not just mean with a strong homeland security and defense, it also means with a strong economy (where our dollar is not burned up by the billions by the war), where our education, health care, infrastructure, environment and civil liberties all need protection and enhance- ment. It also means having a strong, wise and inclu- sive foreign policy that forges alliances and coopera- tion, not a "with us or agin us" unilateralism. It will take "winning the hearts and souls" of those who perceive us as the enemy, and regaining the faith of our allies who we have shunned and scorned for daring to have a differing opinion. America has a clear choice ahead of us. Continue a program that has no end in sight, no reasonable ability make the impossible happen, and a program that has, and will cost, hundreds of billions of your tax dollars (imagine: $100,000,000,000 over and over again). Or we can keep that money here, cut taxes and afford it, while still enhancing the safety and well-being of our own country, and most important- ly, save the lives and limbs of our young men and IL women who have been so bravely bearing the brunt of the war of futility that is Iraq. Some like to call this concept "surrender." I agree, we are surrendering to the reality that even the greatest military in the world cannot occupy another land forever, that it cannot use its greatest strengths to decisively win the war, and that it makes no sense to continue to delude ourselves oth- erwise. It took decades after America "surrendered" in Vietnam (again surrendering to reality) to realize that "peace with honor," as Nixon stated, was as absurd as the "domino theory." We can only look back now, and understand that by withdrawing from that mistake it was a victory. Today, we have normalized relations with Vietnam and commerce (capitalism) is beginning to take root in the very place where we once never dreamed that possible. The same could hold true for Iraq in time, if we have the wisdom to "surrender" to reality and com- mon sense and not succumb to the domino theorists of today. Coleman Langshaw of Fernandina Beach writes regularly for the NewseLeader E-mail him at cclang shaw@aol.com.