It makes me angry when people lambast our teachers. Likening their “intrinsic value” to that of ditch-diggers is ignorant… and frankly crass.
What is the “intrinsic value” of a firefighter who runs into a burning building, or a soldier who dies on a battlefield, or a Coast Guard swimmer who jumps into icy water to rescue a drowning man? What is the value of a person who devotes their entire life so that others can succeed? What “dollar amount” do you place on that?
The Libertarian movement will never succeed because it falls back on prehistoric thinking. The “an eye for an eye, a dollar for a dollar” mentality was somewhat successful in the days of Hammurabi, but ever since the teachings of the Carpenter, the Western world has found “value” in people no matter what their station. When Nicodemus spoke to the Carpenter, he referred to him as “teacher.” In the short chronology that was written about him, he was given that title more than 90 times. If the son of God was happy to be called “teacher,” I think the profession might have just a little bit of “intrinsic value.”

To the Editor:

This letter of request is being sent to you regarding a local family in Madison. On June 2, 2012, Bubba Peek passed away after a battle with pancreatic cancer. His death was sudden and rather unexpected, as he was diagnosed only in April of 2012.
Bubba was a life-long resident of Morgan County. He has left behind a wife of 22 years, Alice, and two children, Dustin (21 years) and Dixie (18 years).
Family, friends and loved ones will be holding a benefit barbecue and raffle on October 13, 2012 at the Bostwick Mason Lodge in downtown Bostwick from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The family has encountered unexpected medical and funeral expenses, as Bubba did not have life insurance. This benefit is being organized to help alleviate some of those expenses.
Bubba’s Benefit will include a pork barbecue along with a raffle/silent auction. The barbecue plates will include barbecue, stew, slaw, bread, dessert and tea along with an opportunity to purchase barbecue and stew by the pound or quart. At this time, we are still in need of the following items:
• 18 green hams
• 120 lbs. chicken (leg quarters)
• 90 lbs. chuck roast
• Four gallons mayonaise (Blue Plate)
• 50 long loaves of bread (Sunbeam)
• 500 barbecue sauce cups (2 oz.)
• One or two boxes of plastic to-go bags
• One case hot-cold containers (quart-sized)
• One case hot-cold containers (pint-sized)
• One case hot-cold containers (half-pint sized)
• 150 servings desserts
• Any items we can use in a raffle
For more information, please contact Jamie Pritchett (706) 818-3524 or Patricia Ross (706)342-0798. Also, you may visit our Facebook page, "Bubba’s Benefit," at www.facebook.com/bubbasbenefit or e-mail bubbasbenefit@att.net.

Patricia Ross and Jamie Pritchett

To the Editor:

If I were reading your paper and saw the headline, "Surgical or chemical–pills–birth control is not God's will," I'd think, "Who is this nut, and who does she think she is?  Abortion, surgical or chemical, is not God's will."
Birth control is between a husband and wife, as long as it doesn't potentially  end human life after conception. Christians (those who believe Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God, that He died on the cross for the sins of the whole world, and was raised from the dead) live by the Spirit of the Law and not the letter of the Law.  We don't just do what's right in our own eyes, but we search the Scriptures to find God's will, His principles, and His precepts to live by.  So does He have anything to say about birth control?  "Be fruitful and multiply;" a woman is unclean (meaning not to have sexual intercourse) until the 15th day after her period (a woman's most fertile days according to Biology classes); cursed is the man that spills his seed (sperm) on the ground; and concerning conjugal duty–or due benevolence as the King James version states it–I Corinthians 6:5, "Defraud (deprive) ye not one another except with consent for a time (set time) that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency (want of self restraint)."  That's natural family planning–abstinence for a set time, i.e. around the 15th day after a woman's period!
But this is still a personal matter. The taking of innocent life–which Christians would never knowingly do–is totally outside of God's will... good, acceptable or perfect.

 Jeanette Dantice
Bostwick
Via e-mail

Printed in the September 27, 2012 edition

To the Editor:

On behalf of the State Bar of Georgia, I am writing to congratulate E. Trenton “Trent” Brown III of Eatonton on his appointment by Gov. Nathan Deal as a Superior Court Judge in the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit.
The citizens of Baldwin, Greene, Hancock, Jasper, Jones, Morgan, Putnam and Wilkinson counties will benefit from Judge Brown’s 13 years of experience in the legal profession, including his judicial leadership on the State Court bench.
Judge Brown’s acceptance of this appointment demonstrates his continued commitment to public service, which in turn serves to promote the cause of justice, uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of all citizens. We wish him well in his new position.

Robin Frazer Clark
President,
State Bar of Georgia
Faxed

Printed in the September 20, 2012 edition

To the Editor:

The RNC was all a wash extolling the value of the middle class. Talking about how much they cared about the middle class. This from a political party of union busters. Remember Michigan from the mid-terms? Not very middle class-friendly was it? If they value the middle class so much, then why do Republicans insist on only making budget cuts that affect the middle class and the working poor and the elderly and students while rejecting any proposals affecting corporations and the wealthy?
Romney talks about getting the country back to work. This from a man who is personally responsible for shipping tens of thousands of American jobs over seas. And Ryan’s budget proposal goes after the middle class like sharks on a feeding frenzy! Republicans have made it very clear whom they valve and who they care so much about and it’s not the middle class. I know a lot of you want Obama out, but at what cost? Would you sell your soul to the devil? Will you sacrifice your parent’s Medicaid and Medicare and sacrifice your children’s education and ship your own jobs overseas to do it? Because if you plan on voting for Romney and Ryan that’s exactly what you’re doing. You’re slitting our own throat to spite Obama. And who gets hurt in the end, Obama or you? He loses his job, you loose everything! What good are your conspiracy theories and conservative values gonna do you then?

Chris Murray
Madison
Hand-delivered

Printed in the September 20, 2012 edition

To the Editor:

Faye Craft
Chop House Grille Employees
Pat and Natalie Reams
NuArt Printers–Dean and Debbie Tillery
Morgan County Citizen–Patrick and Dianne Yost
Radio Station WYTH 1250–Craig Baker
Thank you all for your part in making Morgan County United Way’s second annual Celebrity Waiter and Waitress dinner a huge success!  We collected just over $2,200 in tips and donations to give us a good start on our annual fund-raising campaign.
We appreciate your willingness to sponsor the event and help us get the word out! The event was a sell out once again. We plan to make this an annual event to kick off the fundraising campaign and hope you will want to participate again.  We learn something new each time and hope to make it even better next year. 
Again, thank you for the part you played in making the event successful.  We appreciate all you do to make a difference in the lives of others in our community!
Sincerely,

Morgan County United Way Advisory Board
Joe Houston, Judy Malcom, Ann Huff, Cindy England, Jewel Hatcher, Linda Gantt, Lucas Dukes, Brad Rice, Patrick Yost
Via e-mail

Printed in the September 20, 2012 edition