The Clarion Issue

War with Iraq ended with a success for American arms. Saddam Hussein was disarmed and his regime was ousted. While the cost of the war in terms of lost American lives and material was extensive, the real question now facing the American public and our political leaders is, "Can we win the peace?"

World public opinion was critical of the war. Massive antiwar (pro-peace to be politically correct) and anti-American protests were held from Egypt to Australia. In France, mobs attacked and sacked a McDonald's (a perceived American icon) to protest the war, and a British Military Cemetery was defaced at Etaples. President Bush was burned in effigy in Pakistan, even though the US forgave the Pakistani government of one billion dollars of debt owed to the American government. Meanwhile, in Cairo, Egypt, 7,000 men signed on for the "Jihad" in Iraq at the bequest of the lead cleric of this Arab nation supposed to be one of our "allies."

The United States began the political reconstruction of Iraq even before the war was over. President Bush tapped Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, a longtime advocate of regime change in Iraq, to administer the rebuilding of Iraq. While most of Wolfowitz's responsibilities will center on awarding top US companies (most of whom are major contributors to the Republican party) with lucrative contracts in Iraq, he did appoint retired US Army General Jay Gardner to lead the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA) in Iraq. General Gardner will be responsible for the development of a representative government in Iraq. Another task assigned to ORHA is the restoration of Iraqi oil production.

As Wolfowitz and the Bush administration were awarding major companies like Bechtel, a private corporation whose board includes former Secretary of State George Shultz, with contracts that will be worth billions of dollars, the first meeting to form an interim government in Iraq took place on April 15, 2003. Over 100 hand picked representatives of several Iraqi factions met at the ancient city of Ur to confer with American members of ORHA concerning the interim government. The man the Americans would like to see at the helm of the interim government is Iraqi exile Ahmed Chalabi. Although he did not attend the first meeting at Ur, Chalabi, the head of the American backed Iraqi National Congress, sent several members to the conference. Chalabi did attend a second meeting held by ORHA in Baghdad on April 28th.
There is a lot of internal opposition to America's choice of Chalabi, who has been out of Iraq since 1956. The internal opposition to Chalabi will come from Sunni and Shiite Arabs, the conservative Iraqi clergy, and the Kurds in the north. Chalabi especially wants to establish a constitution in Iraq that will exclude the Islamic clergy from any role in the government. This move will cause major dissention from men like Mohammed Bakr Nasri, leader of the outlawed Dawa party. The Dawa party is made up of influential clergy and conservative Moslems who want to see women fully covered and an end to the nightclubs, and singing and dancing in Iraq. To establish a true democracy in Iraq, the interim government must include all factions, conservative and liberal, and the leadership should come from established internal leaders like the Kurdish leaders Hoshyar Zebari, Jalal Talibani, and Abdul Rahman. None of these major Kurdish leaders was at the Baghdad meeting held on April 28th.

In Europe, what former Ambassador Marc Ginsburg referred to as the "Axis of Losers," has realized that the United States can and will act to protect ourselves against rogue nations that persist on developing and maintaining weapons of mass destruction. Germany is already coming around and seems to indicate a willingness to come to peace with the US over the war in Iraq. Russia had a lot invested in the Iraqi infrastructure, much of which is still intact. Russia wants to see Iraq back on its feet in order to collect the tremendous debt owed by Iraq to the Russian government and companies who invested in Iraq. Problems with the Russian economy make it unlikely that Russia will forgive any of the Iraqi debt, but the Russian government seems to indicate that the US will have a major role in the political and economic reconstruction of Iraq. France still hopes to build the European Union as a military and economic counter to United States influences in the world. France sees the recent entry of ten new EU members as a major step in creating this European counter to US influence in Europe and around the world. However, most experts believe France will be undercut by cooler heads in the EU.

The United States must also navigate the recent UN minefield created by the debate preceding the war. The UN Security Council opposition to the US, now led by France alone, initially balked at ending the Oil for Food program shortly after the end of the war, even though the offensive regime of Saddam Hussein had been ousted. The UN insists that it be allowed to supervise the rebuilding of Iraq, even though the UN has failed to successfully rebuild Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, the infrastructure has not been rebuilt, even though the war has been over for almost a year. While millions of dollars have been funneled to the Afghan nation, the roads have not been rebuilt, many schools remain closed, governmental officials are threatened and killed, and the position of women has not improved. The Afghan tribal warlords continue to control the countryside, and the Taliban is making a comeback. It could even launch a summer offensive later in the year. If there is a to be a successful reconstruction of Iraq, the US may be the best choice for the endeavor.

The rest of the Arab world feels that the war was part of the United States "new imperialism" that will eventually expand into Iran, Syria, and even Egypt. The US has begun to put pressure on Syria. It is believed that Syria, a nation thought to possess nuclear weapons, has hidden Baath party officials escaping Iraq. Syria has actively supported terrorist activities, including Hezbola and Hamas attacks into Israel. The Arab nations are encouraging the US to leave Iraq as soon as possible. Many of the Arab nations and Iran do not wish to see a true western style democracy develop in the area because most of the area's governments are either monarchies or dictatorships. However, the war has elevated the respect of America in the area. The Arab culture understands and respects a winner. By finishing the war and ousting Saddam Hussein the US elevated itself to a much higher position in the Arab World than in 1991 when America yielded to the pressure of our Allies and the UN and stopped short of regime change in Iraq.

However, the elephant in the room of any earnest search for a lasting peace in the region is the Israeli-Palestinian problem. The Palestinian Parliament approved a cabinet proposed by Palestine's new Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas (a.k.a. Abu Mazen) on April 29, 2003. The cabinet includes several moderates and may prove to be an effective buffer to the Palestinian hard-liners and Yasser Arafat. On May 1st, President Bush's Administration unveiled a road map to peace that included a Palestinian state. Hard line Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has gone on record as being willing to give up some of the West Bank settlements if the Palestinians prove willing to drop their demand for the return of Palestinian refugees to lands taken in the 1950s and 1960s. The Bush road map, which parallels much of the Oslo Accords, includes an end to the violence in the area. However, both the Israeli military and the PLO terrorist groups stepped up their violent campaigns that very same week. While the world hopes that a suitable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be reached, it has to wonder if these two hostile peoples will ever be able to put aside over 50 years of hatred and killing in order to make a true peace.

The Arab nations and Palestinians also point out that the US may not prove to be a good faith broker in the Israeli-Palestinian talks. Many Arabs are quick to point out that the US provides Israel with over $3 billion in aid; $2 billion of which is used by Israel for American weapons. The Bush administration faces a major task in implementing its road map for peace.

America can win the peace, but the game plan and its execution will be complex and complicated. America must physically reconstruct Iraq quickly and efficiently. Iraq's oil production must come on line as soon as possible and oil profits and wealth must be distributed fairly throughout the nation. Iraq's economic infrastructure must be reestablished and entrepreneurship, a quality lacking in most Arab or oil rich nations, must be encouraged and aided. A new constitutional government, with representation for all groups and limits for the role of the Islamic clergy must be formed to prevent Iraq from fragmenting into three or more religious and ethnic entities. Reasonable experts estimate that it will take at least five years to establish a real democracy in Iraq.

Finally, the key to real peace in the area can only be achieved with the settlement of the Palestinian issue along the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Israel must withdraw from most of the area and allow the Palestinians to create a state with at least East Jerusalem as its capital. President Bush's road map for peace will be just as difficult to implement as the rebuilding of Iraq. To build a lasting peace in the Middle East, America must successfully politically and economically reconstruct Iraq and settle the Palestinian issue.

We at the Clarion Issue would like to express a BIG THANK YOU and a hearty JOB WELL DONE to America's military men and women and to President Bush and his administration for their quick and decisive victory over the regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. We are thankful that the loss of life on both sides was minimal, and we are most thankful for the safe return of the American POWs. May God speed their safe and full recovery and return to their normal everyday lives.

There was a lot said about the war and that was and is important. For example, there were reporters and commentators that used the word "quagmire" in their descriptions one week into the war. There was Peter Arnett's abrasive interview and other treasonous comments during the war. There was even a college professor who wanted "more Mogadishus."

The Clarion Issue did not hide, ignore, suppress, or overlook any information of Iraqi people being tortured, maimed, killed, or otherwise suffering under Saddam Hussein and his thugs. Other news outlets like CNN did conduct itself in such a manner and later admitted to doing so. Yet people still watch CNN and obtain a lot of their news and opinions from that admittedly biased media outlet. This is another example of that well-worn Clinton cliché, "Character doesn't matter." Perhaps we should now add "credibility doesn't matter" to that adage.

There were a tremendous amount of anti-war (pro-peace to be politically correct) protests and demonstrations led by the "Hollywood Left." The spokespeople often deplored how evil President Bush and the United States was and spoke of Saddam Hussein's kind and gentle benevolence. Several movie and music stars went on record opposing the war, making anti-war appearances at anti-war rallies and a few made anti-war TV commercials. While the Clarion Issue did not support what The Dixie Chicks' Naomi Maines, Tim Robbins and his main squeeze Susan Sarandon (of "Rocky Horror Picture Show" fame) or others said in their anti-war and anti-President Bush statements, we do support their right to say it. Our Constitution does guarantee the right of free speech, and an open dialogue is necessary in a free and open country. However, the Clarion Issue also supports the right of individuals, both governmental and private citizens, to disagree. The Hollywood Left vehemently objected when radio stations cut back the number of Dixie Chicks songs they aired and when individuals voiced their disapproval of the performers anti-war stances.

Now some of the Hollywood Left are being faced with the consequences of their words and actions. People are boycotting their movies or CDs and are choosing not to support those who conducted themselves in such a manner. Open public debate on issues is guaranteed by free speech; however, individuals who engage it these debates must be willing to accept the criticisms of those on the other side of the issues.

It seems the lefties are all for free speech as long as it is them doing the talking. They seem to feel as though they have more freedom of speech than the average American citizen. They can be heard loud and clear whining about how they are being treated for speaking out against President Bush and the war. They whine when normal everyday Americans choose to use their right of free speech by not going see the latest movie or buying the latest CD. The public's "voting with their purse and feet," along with reasonable responses from government officials caused the Hollywood Left to claim that these responses were literally shades of McCarthyism.

While the McCarthy hearings of the 1950's were a political witch hunt used by Senator Joe McCarthy to seek out communists, the American public's and the Bush Administration's response had absolutely no parallel to the McCarthy era hearings and to compare the American response to McCarthyism was totally insipid. After the start of the war, polls indicated that 70% of Americans supported the war. There were many music and movie stars that supported the war or at least supported the men and women who left their homes and fought it. By comparing the public's response to the events of the McCarthy era, the Hollywood Left deserved the term "wienies" given to them by Charlie Daniels.

Several artists have gained this editor's attention and respect by releasing songs that are tributes to our troops. Clint Black's "Iraq and Roll," Darryl Worley's "Have You Forgotten," and Dustin Evans and the Good Times Band's "If I Die Before You Wake" are a few of the patriotic songs and singers that make an individual proud to be an American . Please note you can go to Clint Black's web site and Dustin Evans' web site and download their songs for free. The sites web are www.clintblack.com and www.dustinevans.com . Give them a listen, they are certainly more pleasant to listen to, than the whining of any egotistical elitist Hollywood Leftist wienies.

In Hollywood, Nashville, and across America artists on both sides of the issue are still making movies, recording songs, and expressing ideas. People are continuing to support the artist of their choice and exercising their right of free speech with their movie attendance, wallets and their words. The sad thing is that too many people are apathetic and will not take a stand on this issue.

Many Americans spent countless hours watching the war against Saddam Hussein on TV. America watched as surgical air strikes took out military and governmental targets while avoiding civilian targets, and while US and British troops put themselves in harm's way to prevent unnecessary civilian casualties. Americans also witnessed allied forces trying to avoid damage to Moslem Holy sites, mosques, schools and hospitals. War viewers saw the horrors of Baath Party leaders and Iraqi military using schools, hospitals and mosques as bases for warlike operations against allied forces. America witnessed the useless and pointless looting and sometimes burning of hospitals, museums, and libraries by the Iraqi people who are supposed to be the most educated people in the Arab world. But perhaps the most disgusting event of the entire conflict was the murder of Shiite cleric Abdul Majid Al-Khoei, an exiled Iraqi Ayatollah, inside the shrine of Imam Ali in Najaf.

The shrine of Iman Ali in Najaf is one of the major Islamic Holy sites in Iraq. It is thought that the site contains the final resting-place of Ali, the Prophet Mohammed's nephew and son-in-law, who was elected Caliph in 656 CE and became a martyr for the Shiite faction of Islam during the First Religious War between the Shiite and Sunni Islamic factions around 661 CE. American forces in the area had refrained from firing into the Iman Ali Mosque for several days, even though it was being held by the Fedayeen Saddam, Saddam Hussein's personal militia. America respected the Iraqi and Moslem cultural centers, the Iraqis did not.

The murder at the mosque involved two Islamic clerics. One of the clerics, Haider al-Kadar was a despised loyalist of the Saddam Hussein regime in the region. The other cleric was Al-Khoei who urged cooperation with the US and Britain.

Ayatollah Al-Khoei had just returned from exile in Britain and was on a good will tour of the holy site when the mob attacked and hacked the two men to pieces with knives. Al- Khoei was the son of another famous Shiite Ayatollah, Abul-Qassim al- Khoei. Abdul al-Khoei was a leading Shiite cleric at the time of the 1991 uprising against Saddam Hussein following the First Gulf War. It is uncertain which cleric the mob was incensed against.

The problem is that while the US and Britain went out of their way to protect the Iman Ali Mosque, the Shiite Moslems themselves disrespected it by murdering, not one, but two clerics in the site. It was reported that a third man with the clerics and some of the mob were also killed in the incident. A local mullah had insisted that US troops be held at least 500 yards from the area; therefore, US troops were unable to aid the clerics being killed by the mob.

The murder of Al-Khoel in the Iman Ali Mosque is an event unparalleled in the West since the Murder of Thomas 'a Becket by Henry II's knights praying at the alter in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170 CE. The Islamic and Arab world is still stuck in the 12th century educationally, culturally and spiritually. If they really want to join the twenty-first century, they need to put their clan and religious blood feuds in the 12th century where they belong. Social reconstruction of Iraq may take a very long time.

LIPSTICK
According to a news report, a certain private school in Victoria recently was faced with a unique problem. A number of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press their lips to the mirror, leaving dozens of little lip prints. Every night the maintenance man would remove them and the next day, the girls would put them back. Finally the principal decided that something had to be done.

She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night. To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required. He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the
mirror with it. Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror.

Three dead bodies turn up at the mortuary, all with very big smiles on their faces. The coroner calls the police to tell them what has happened.

"First body: Frenchman, 60, died of heart failure whilst making love to his mistress. Hence the enormous smile, Inspector", says the Coroner.

"Second body: "Scotsman, 25, won a thousand pounds on the lottery, spent it all on whisky. Died of alcohol poisoning, hence the smile."

"Ah," says the coroner, "this is the most unusual one. Billy-Bob, the redneck from Alabama, 30, struck by lightning."

A perspective new teacher arrived at Gerald Ford Middle School to interview with the principal about an opening in the school for the next term. As she entered the school, she noticed all the students were wearing surgical masks and a few students had on white gloves. As she entered the office and was waiting for the interview, she noticed that the office staff were also wearing surgical masks and white gloves.

When the principal arrived she noticed he had on the same style of mask and gloves along with a uniform that looked as if it should be worn by the Admiral of the Turkish Fleet.

When she was finally ushered into the principal's office she had to ask about the strange attire at the school. "Are you experiencing an outbreak of SARS in the area? Is there a case in town? Are you in the reserves and expecting to be called up at any time?" she asked.

"Oh, heavens no!" replied the principle with a chuckle. "It's just Michael Jackson Day here at Gerald Ford Middle School."

"Unfortunately we don't get a second chance. We've already played them twice."
Trevor Brooking, sports commentator

We are all familiar with Yogi Berra's famous "Yogisms," but our President G. W. Bush has also made some verbal faux pas. Below are several quotes by either Yogi or Pres. Bush. Can you guess who said it? Remember that Yogi got his honestly by hanging around Casey Stengel. We have yet to hear Pres. Bush's excuse.

Who said it, Yogi or President Bush?

1) "I would have to ask the questioner. I haven't had the chance to ask the questioners
the question they've been questioning."

3) "Cut my pizza into four slices. I don't think I can eat eight slices of pizza."

11) "I have made good judgements in the past. I have made good judgements in the
future."

Pres. Bush: "A low voter turn out is an indication that fewer people are going to the polls."

Yogi: "If people don't want to come out to the ballpark, nobody's gonna stop 'em."

QUIZ ANSWERS
1) Pres. Bush 5) Pres. Bush 9) Yogi
2) Pres. Bush 6) Yogi 10) Yogi
3) Yogi 7) Yogi 11) Pres. Bush
4) Pres. Bush 8) Pres. Bush 12) Pres. Bush

SPEAKIN' SOUTHERN, ADDITIONS TO YOUR SOUTHERN VOCABULARY
SOUTHERN PHRASES PART I

"Stuck in the fields and a spinnin' his wheels."- He ain't gettin' nutin' done.
"You're as cute as a sack full of puppies."- A true southern compliment saying, "You
sure are cute."
"Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit."- A typical southern exclamation
expressing surprise.
"I'll slap you so hard, when you wake up, yo' clothes will be outta style."- A very
serious threat.
"Gooder than grits."- A southern compliment, often used to compliment a good meal.
"I'll put a warrant in yo' hands so fast you'll think you were born with one."- If you
do that, I'll sue you.
"That's about as useless as an editorial page in the Clarion Issue."- That is pretty
useless.
"He's like a bugger ya can't thump off."- A Southern expression used to describe a
bothersome person, usually a local politician.

Charlene: "Lookey 'ere Bubba. Yo cousin Skeeter flew in all the way from Nawth Calinah (North Carolina) to see ya on yo buthday, and even brung ya a present."
Bubba (opening the gift): "Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit. It's'a fif of Wild Turkey. Thank ya, Bubba. We'll drink this here tonight an' cellebrate."
Skeeter: "Ya better watch out now Bubba. That thar Wild Turkey 'ill make ya go to roost late."

Thelma Lou: "Billy Bob, did ya see what that thar crazy Mayor has planed for the Watermelon Festival. He wants to sell liquor spiked melons at the Methodist Ladies Front Lawn Yard Sale. It's rat cheer (right here) in the local paper."
Billy Bob: Yea, Thelma Lou. The mayor is crazy. He's 'bout like a bugger ya can't thump off."

Debbie May: "Alice, how's Cooter a coming on fixin' up that ol' Ford Mustang?"
Alice: "Lord Debbie May, Cooter's a stuck in the fields and a spinnin' his wheels."

John Boy: "Hey Boo! I've got this here new solution for preserving frozen Cotaba wu'ms (cataba worms)."
Boo: "Yea John Boy, what in it."
John Boy: "Its got Ol' Grand Dad, Worcestershire sauce, some of Linda Lou's fingernail polish remover, and a little chewing tobacco juice to flavor it."
Boo: "Good God Boo, that's as useless as an editorial page in the Clarion Issue."

A Southern tobacco farmer, described by the Washington Post reporter Barbara Eastman as "some yahoo," held Washington, DC, law enforcement at bay for two days in protest of government tobacco and farm policies.

A 50 year-old North Carolina tobacco farmer, Dwight W. Watson, drove his tractor into a pond on the Capital Mall on Monday, March 19th and claimed he had fertilizer based explosives on the tractor. Police and other law enforcement officials quickly surrounded Watson, the tractor, and the pond. Watson was able to hold the Washington, DC, police and FBI at bay for two days, tying up traffic and shutting down some government offices during the incident.

Watson indicated that he was protesting the federal government's policies on tobacco, and the effect they had on tobacco farmers in North Carolina and other states. His protest was also seen as an attempt to call attention to the plight of farmers all across America who have been suffering major economic difficulties over the last 30 years. Watson is believed to be heavily in debt. Watson, a Vietnam War veteran, also indicated that he was protesting the treatment of veterans of the first Gulf War and their treatment after their exposure to chemicals in 1991.

Watson did not make his goal of a three-day stand off. At 11:35 a.m. on March 20th, Watson moved his John Deere tractor out of the pond to a designated area and surrendered.

Watson faces up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the incident. His efforts came as the Second Gulf War was beginning and went unnoticed by most of the American people and government officials.

Retired Marine Colonel Mitch Paige received his long overdue Eagle Scout Award on March 24, 2003 in a ceremony at the monthly meeting of the Rotary Club of Jacksonville, Florida. Paige had completed the requirements for the award, the highest award given by the Boy Scouts of America, in 1936, shortly before he enlisted in the US Marines. Due to lost paperwork, the award was delayed 67 years.

During World War II, Mitch Paige, then a Sergeant, took place in the bloody fighting for Guadalcanal. Paige helped defend the strategic airfield, Henderson Field, on October 26, 1942. At one point in the battle, Paige and his under-strength platoon held a major ridge against an estimated 2,500 man Japanese assault. For his actions in the battle, Sgt. Paige received the Congressional Medal of Honor, an award he wore to his overdue Eagle ceremony.

Paige, who retired from the Marine Corps as a Colonel, now lives in California with his wife Marilyn. He grew up in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. His award was presented after an investigation involving the North Florida Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America verified that Paige had completed the requirements for the award in 1936.

A San Antonio woman was found chained with a 25-foot dog chain that was secured around her neck with a padlock. Firefighters used bolt cutters to remove the chain freeing the woman on the afternoon of April 4, 2003. The woman's husband of 15 years, Jerry Wayne Thompson, 41, was arrested and taken to the Bexar County Jail. He was charged with aggravated assault and unlawful restraint and held in lieu of posting a $53,000 bond.

The incident was reported to the police when a concerned individual observed the couple dropping off their two children, aged 11 and 14, at a local school. The police responded to the call and found the Thompsons in the driveway of their home. It was in the driveway where Mrs. Thompson was cut free of the chain and Mr. Thompson was taken into custody.

When the witnesses who called in the report were asked about the restraint, they said they observed Mr. Thompson jerk on the chain when they questioned Mr. Thompson about it.
Further inquires by law enforcement found one witness that said Mr. Thompson had indicated he kept his wife in a cage at night, although that report was not verified at the time of the arrest.

Mrs. Thompson was taken to a hospital, treated, and released. She was sheltered at a local women's shelter, and the children were placed with their maternal grandmother.

An Ethiopian man living in the metro Atlanta area has been arrested for performing female circumcision on his two-year-old daughter. Khalid Adem was arrested in early April after his wife took their daughter, now four, to a doctor and the doctor's examination revealed the mutilation. Adem's wife, who is American, was unaware of the actions of her husband who allegedly preformed the operation with a pair of scissors.

Adem has been charged with cruelty to children and aggravated battery. Female circumcision is illegal in the United States.

Recent evidence indicates that there are a number of men in the Atlanta area who perform the procedure. Atlanta attorney Zenobia Arnold indicates that at least two other women have indicated that their husbands were pressuring them to have the procedures done on their daughters and reported that at least one circumcision had already occurred. The women involved were unwilling to come forward publicly due to fear of their husbands.

Female circumcision, called female mutilation by opponents of the procedure, is the removal of the clitoris and external female genitalia. It is painful, medically unnecessary and unsafe. The operation is designed to prevent the female from enjoying sex so the female will stay loyal to her husband. The United Nations has condemned the act; however, it is still practiced all over Africa, the Arab World and in other Third World Countries.

Female circumcision has followed immigrant groups from all over the world into the Unites States. In most areas of the world where female circumcision is practiced, the procedure is performed in unsanitary conditions, often without anesthesia, and can even be part of a "coming of age" ceremony for a village's girls as they enter puberty.

The Nation Back to Top

NUDE, WITH A VIEW; WASHINGTON STATE NUDIST TO TAKE IT PUBLIC

A new nudist activist group in the Seattle, Washington, area is planning to bring nudism out of the shelter of nudist camps and clubs and into the open, according to spokesmen for the nudist group Body Freedom Cooperative. The group plans to expose (pardon the pun) the Seattle area to the freedoms of nudism through the use of what it describes as "guerrilla pranksterism."

The main concept behind the "guerrilla pranksterism" is to openly flaunt the anti-nudity laws and press for the creation of clothing-optional beaches and parks. "We're pushing the envelope in what I think is a good way," said Mark Storey, a founding member of Body Freedom.

The group has already staged one prank. Several Body Freedom Cooperative members went skinny-dipping at Luther Burbank Park on Mercer Island. The group also plans to hold a mass nude photo shoot at the Washington Park Arboretum this spring and various nude neighborhood cleanups around the Seattle area in the summer. They plan to put on a trilogy of nude plays complete with nude actors, ticket takers, and ushers at Seattle's Fringe Festival this fall.

The Body Freedom Cooperative is affiliated with national nudist organizations such as the American Association for Nude Recreation and The Naturalist Society. The organization is trying to get Washington to modernize its nudity laws and to provide for clothing-optional parks and beaches like Oregon and British Columbia. However, the state's legislature has recently rejected proposals for clothing-optional beaches. This action by the legislature has initiated the Body Freedom Cooperative's "guerrilla pranksterism."

The US Supreme Court has upheld state nudity laws as long as they are not targeted at any particular group or individual. The Body Freedom Cooperative may find themselves in legal trouble if they take their "guerrilla prankserism" too far.

At this time, the Clarion Issue wishes to dispel the rumor that the Body Freedom Cooperative is trying to bring the All Nude Beach Volleyball Championship Tournament to the Seattle, Washington, area. Their plans to open "clothing-optional" parks and beaches in the area are totally for non-profit purposes.

Rodney King, the individual whose videotaped police beating caused the 1992 Los Angeles riots, was injured in a crash of his 2003 Ford Expedition in the early hours of April 15, 2003. According to the Rialto, California, police, King was traveling at least 100 mph, slammed into a power pole, ran through a chain-link fence and then hit a home. Only King was injured in the crash, and he was sent to the hospital and treated for a broken pelvis. King was not placed under arrest; however police believe he was intoxicated. The case was turned over to the district attorney pending the outcome of blood tests for alcohol and controlled substances.

Rodney King was the African American arrested and beaten by police on videotape in 1991. When the officers accused of the beating were acquitted, LA erupted in four days of riots in 1992. 55 people were killed, 2000 people were injured, and over $1 billion worth of property was destroyed in the riots. Four of the officers involved in the incident were later tried and two were convicted in Federal Court for violating King's civil rights. King was later awarded $3.8 million in civil damages from the city of Los Angeles.

Rodney King has had several brushes with the law since the 1991 incident. He was convicted of spousal abuse in 1999, and he was arrested twice in 2001 for being under the influence of the drug PCP. King was sent to a drug rehabilitation center for a year in October 2001, although the prosecutor indicated the sentence should be served in the county jail.

Clarion Issue sources inside the Rialto Police Department and the California Highway Patrol indicate that the accident was not caused by any defective tires or roll over defects in the Expedition's design. Ford officials can be privately thankful that no videotapes of the accident have come to light.

The Clarion Issue plans a more detailed follow up to this newest Rodney King saga as soon as our roving California reporter can tear herself away from the Frogs Are People Too (FAPT) protests at the Calaveras County Jumping Frog Contest scheduled for later in May.

On April 18, 2003, police in Miami, Florida, offered a $5.000 reward for a 5-gallon bucket of gold dust stolen from Miami International Airport in mid-March. The 73 pound bucket of gold dust is reported to be worth around $347,000.

The gold dust was mined from countries in Central America and shipped by air to Miami to be melted into gold bars or processed into jewelry. The bucket of gold was part of a shipment of six buckets. It was discovered missing after the baggage handling crew left the cart holding the gold to deal with other cargo. Police consider the theft an inside job.

After a month of investigation, the theft has left the police and other law enforcement authorities stymied, and they went public with the theft and reward. Authorities hope the thieves will find the cash easier to handle than 73 pounds of gold dust. The $5,000 reward is a no questions asked reward, according to police spokesmen.

Clarion Issue reporters in the Miami area indicate that they had witnessed police officials questioning midgets dressed in green, evidently believing them to be leprechauns, about the missing bucket of gold. The police were extremely active on March 17th, but had a difficult time with their inquiries due to the large amount of green beer consumed by the little people. The Clarion Issue reminds all Americans of their constitutional right to remain silent if questioned about the missing pot of gold. However, if you find yourself pressured by a persistent detective, Clarion Issue sources inside the MPD indicate an off key rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" will expiate the unwelcome interview.

In early April British archaeologists announced the discovery of over 3,000 ancient silver and gold British coins as well as other treasures near Market Harborough in south Leicestershire. The site is inside the military frontier zone established by the Roman invaders in the first four years of the occupation, beginning around 43 AD (or CE to be politically correct). Preliminary examinations of the material revealed it was most likely buried as a pagan religious offering at around the time of the Roman invasion. The find is believed to be the most significant find in recent British archaeological history.

The coins are believed to have belonged to the Corieltauvi, a pro-Roman tribe, whose capital Laicester was a few miles away from the site of the find. The Corieltauvi swore allegiance to the Roman Emperor Claudius at Colchester in 43 AD. The coins were worth about £200,000 at the time of the Roman conquest and date from the first four decades of the first century AD.

The find also included a silver Roman cavalry helmet. The Roman helmet had an iron core covered with sheet silver, decorated with textile drapery motifs, and stylized hair topped by a laurel wreath and the image of a lion. Archaeologists speculate that it may have been a diplomatic gift from the Romans to the Corielatuvi tribal chieftain.

The find and the site were kept secret due to fear of theft and looters. However, since flights out of Baghdad International Airport (formally Saddam Hussein Airport) have been limited, we can believe Baghdad Bob, Saddam Hussein's minister of misinformation, when he assures us that the site in the Midlands of England has been safe from individuals looting historic treasures.

SARS EPIDEMIC CAUSING MAJOR PROBLEMS IN ASIA-ROLLING STONES' CHINA CONCERT CANCELED

On April 24, China announced a sweeping quarantine of individuals who may have had contact with SARS. An entire city block of the capital city of Beijing was cordoned off, and many schools, restaurants, and theatres were closed in an effort to stop the spread of the disease.

Chinese officials also canceled, or at least postponed, the Hong Kong leg of the Rolling Stones' 2003 spring tour. Chinese officials failed to speculate if the SARS epidemic would effect the plans for the Asian Summit on Toilets, scheduled for 2004.

Other concerts have been canceled all over Asia. Santana's Asian tour was canceled and rescheduled for November.

The SARS epidemic has also caused problems with shows scheduled for Toronto. The Billy Joel-Elton John concert was canceled and a spokesperson for the Air Canada Center in Toronto, Toronto's major concert venue, indicated that the Matchbox Twenty concert, scheduled for May 7th, could also be in jeopardy.

THE 2003 SESSION: HISTORIC CHANGES DEFINE A NEW GEORGIA
BY SEN. ERIC JOHNSON, PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE GEORGIA SENATE

On Inauguration Day in January, the first Republican Governor in 130 years was sworn into office. In the House of Representatives, the first new Speaker was elected in 29 years and, in the Senate, Republicans took the majority for the first time ever. A two-party system had finally arrived in Georgia. In the midst of this historic shift in political power, we faced a war and the worst recession since the Great Depression.

This was Georgia's first exposure to the benefits of a two-party system. It was bound to be awkward and uncomfortable. But open debate and transparent government is like a family fight. Sir Winston Churchill said, "Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those others that have been tried from time to time."

In spite of a session that was forced to deal with tough choices and a learning curve for leaders and members and staff, we faced the process in a bi-partisan manner that reflected the demands of the people of Georgia. In a dramatic finish to the longest session in 114 years, we dealt with the budget, the economy, indigent defense, education, the protection of our "invisible" children, and civil justice reform. And I believe we put the divisive flag issue behind us forever.

ECONOMIC STIMULUS & TAX POLICY

With Georgia facing the worst economic situation since the Great Depression in the 1930s, Governor Perdue called for a balanced approach to dealing with the crisis he inherited. With his leadership, we cut more than $1 billion from the budget. We reduced the number of state employees by 800 and held more than 7,000 positions vacant and unfilled.

Our first priority was to reduce the size and breadth of government. Mission accomplished!

We dipped into the State's "rainy day" fund and used some accounting procedures to close the deficit to $180 million which, by law, we must balance.

In a bi-partisan process, we created an economic stimulus package that included tax incentives for an auto plant in Savannah and a new corporate headquarters in Atlanta. More than 4,000 well-paying jobs will be created. In a trade-off for an agreement to increase the excise taxes on tobacco products to help cover the growing health care costs of Georgia's citizens, we got a great deal. As promised in the campaign, we will begin to phase out the state income taxes on our seniors' retirement income beginning in 2006. Studies indicate that this will attract wealth and create jobs in rural Georgia. We also got income tax breaks for teachers and our soldiers fighting in Iraq. The popular Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday was revived. Finally, we made the $380 million property tax relief program permanent, which raises the statewide homestead exemption value to $10,000. This will result in no county and school property tax liability for the first $25,000 of the fair market value on your home. It is a net tax DECREASE that will improve the economy and allow taxpayers to keep more of their earnings. I am proud of the budget that Sonny Perdue and the Republican Senate crafted!

You should know that the budget deal solves the problem for this year only. Deficits of $400 - $600 million are predicted for the next three years - even with an improving economy. Structural changes to state spending remain necessary. Conservative fiscal policies and targeted cuts and reforms are ahead. Our task will not be easy or popular. It is job for all of Georgia to tackle together.

The Senate passed a constitutional amendment to freeze residential property taxes until the home is sold. We must keep the pressure on the House to pass this next year!

THE STATE FLAG

Starting with the surprise attack to change to the present flag of our State, Georgians were divided by race and heritage. They felt left out of the decision on our state's most prominent symbol and angry at the process and the design. Governor Perdue kept his campaign promise to revisit the flag design and involve the people of Georgia in an open and inclusive process. His proposal was that we vote up or down on the present blue flag
and, if it was rejected, to select between the pre-1956 flag and the controversial post-1956 flag in a follow-up referendum.

The House amended the bill to actually change the blue flag to a new flag that was similar to the pre-1956 flag. There would be a March 2, 2004, referendum to approve the proposed new flag and the second referendum to pick an alternative if the first flag failed at the ballot box. The Senate made minor changes to the design of the proposed new flag and returned the bill to the House.

On the final night of the session, the House decided to omit the controversial second referendum and let the new flag face the present blue flag in a head-to-head match up on the 2004 Presidential Preference Primary ballot. The Senate agreed and the Governor is expected to sign the bill. When he does, Georgia will have a pretty new flag that the voters can confirm or reject at the ballot box. If the new flag design is rejected, we will return to the blue flag. The people, through their representatives in an open legislative process, were involved in the new design. I believe this fulfills the promise of the Governor and will ultimately put the flag issue to bed once and for all.

EDUCATION

Former Governor Roy Barnes built a huge, expensive bureaucracy in Atlanta to tell our schools what to teach and how to teach it. This session, we began to rebuild the Department of Education and return local control to teachers, parents and taxpayers. The legislature restored due process (fair dismissal) for Georgia teachers which former Governor Barnes falsely claimed was "tenure". We delayed state mandated class size requirements in Grades 4 - 12 for one year to prevent sharp increases in local property taxes.

We also allowed more flexibility to meet accountability requirements by loosening some expenditure controls at the local School Board level. The same bill required local school systems to conduct performance audits on all building projects funded with sales tax proceeds.

We defunded the liberal Clinton "America's Choice" program and gave Superintendent Kathy Cox the funds to build a phonics-based reading program to help in troubled schools.

After the House stripped all funding for teacher training, the Governor and Senate led the fight to restore this money. If we are going to make our schools better, we must start with staff development.

BUSINESS

The Republican Senate (Johnson & Price) made Civil Justice Reform its top priority. And, while we were not successful in getting the dramatic relief from rising liability insurance rates and health care costs that we expected, a late compromise got some significant changes that are a good first step. Among the benefits include adopting the Federal rules for class action procedures with a discretionary appeal for certifying class actions. It reduced the number of dismissals from 2 in current law to 1. This legislation will allow a plaintiff to dismiss a case one time all the way up until the first witness is sworn. Judgements will have an annual interest rate equal to prime plus 3 percent with no cap. It limits the number of out-of-state lawsuits being filed in Georgia. It adopted language that includes an arbitrator's manifest disregard of the law among the list to determine whether or not an award in arbitration shall be vacated. And it provides protections for consumers who are awarded a structured settlement from being taken advantage of by companies that purchase structured settlements.

Georgia will be the first state in the nation to give small businesses and individuals the opportunity to create consumer driven health plans similar to the options available for large industry. Under SB 329 (Seabaugh), businesses and individuals may provide for the reimbursement of health care services and make available to enrolled individuals information on health care and the pricing of healthcare services by particular providers. In addition, such a plan may include a spending account feature that provides for first-dollar payments for health care services up to a designated amount. For individual plans, such amount shall not exceed $10,000.00 annually. For group plans, the designated amount may provide for a uniform spending account limit. This will result in less expensive health care insurance and, therefore, fewer uninsured Georgians.

To prevent a $200 million tax increase on business, SB 167 (Lamutt) reduces the unemployment tax due from every employer in the state for 2004 by suspending the increase in contribution required to the State-wide Reserve Ratio until December 31, 2004. Total savings to businesses in this state will range from $170 million to $400 million.

Former Governor Barnes and the trial lawyers rammed a so-called anti-predatory lending law through before leaving office. By transferring liability for "predatory" loans to the deep pockets of New York bond firms, Georgia's $1 billion per month mortgage industry was at risk with threats of mortgage underwriters pulling out of the Georgia market. Even federal loan programs such as Farmers Home Administration that provides poor citizens with low interest mortgages ceased operation. The legislature repealed the obnoxious portions of the law while maintaining the toughest consumer protections in the nation. Georgians can now buy and sell their homes without risk.

SB 104 and SB 105 (Tanksley) will help small businesses deal with bad checks. In addition to raising the penalty from $25 to $30, it allows the business to send a notice via first class mail rather than certified mail.

CRIME & HOMELAND DEFENSE

There was growing pressure from the courts to deal with how Georgia provides legal representation for poor defendants. Facing the real possibility of an expensive court-ordered solution, we created a new public defender system to be up and running by 2005. Start-up funding was provided, but long term funding is expected to be covered by court fees, not tax dollars. There will be an oversight Board to monitor the costs and make the appointments.

The Senate passed a bill that gave equal jury strikes to prosecutors and criminal defense lawyers. This would help level the playing field for victims, but it died in the House.

We passed a new law to crack down on Methamphetamine (speed) that stiffens penalties for those who choose to produce the illegal drug. It makes the theft of anhydrous ammonia (a key component in the production of meth), in any amount, a felony. It will criminalize the possession of any product that contains ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or phenylpropanolamine, in an amount which exceeds 300 pills, tablets, gel caps, capsules, or other individual units of more than 9 grams. The new law makes the minimum penalty for trafficking of methamphetamine 10 years in prison and a fine of $200,000. In trafficking cases where the total amount is over 400 grams, the minimum jail term will be raised to 25 years, with a minimum $1 million fine.

To protect Georgia's military bases from closure under the next round of BRAC, we passed SB 261 (Harp) to give each base commander a seat at the table on local land use decision around the base that could threaten its mission.

ETHICS & GOVERNMENT REFORM

By an Executive Order, Governor Perdue established Georgia's first Inspector General to look into corruption and ethical issues. The legislature, at Governor Perdue's request, increased funding for the State Ethics Commission for the first time in a long time.

The Senate, in a strong bi-partisan manner, passed Perdue's ethics reform package, which included ending the use of campaign accounts to help other candidates and strengthen Georgia's weak conflict-of-interest laws. However, the House killed any effort to deal with significant ethics reform.

The Senate also passed a new Principles of Redistricting bill designed to prevent gerrymandering in Georgia and putting into law the principles of one-person-one-vote. This would assure that future reapportionment would be less partisan and maintain Georgia's communities. The Senate also passed a proposed new Senate map that put our counties back together and made the districts more compact. Fair redistricting strengthens our republic by giving voters a voice. The House killed both bills.

FAMILIES

One of Governor Perdue's main issues is improving care for Georgia's "invisible children" - those who are in state custody either in the Juvenile Justice system or in foster care. We passed a bill to encourage foster parents' participation in all reviews and hearings regarding children in their care. It will also require that the search for relatives be accomplished in the first 90 days after the child comes into foster care to prevent a later disruption in the child's bonded relationship. Finally, it clarifies the courts' options for permanent placement of a child to meet the child's best interests and to provide greater stability for children from broken homes. We increased funding for Child Protective Services and the Department of Juvenile Justice, including the education being provided to children in custody.

A bi-partisan effort succeeded in passing tougher laws to protect children from sexual predators. By increasing the penalty for the offense of obscene Internet contact with a child and broadening the definition of sexual exploitation of children to include the possession of any material that contains sexually explicit material involving a minor. In addition, individuals who are required to register as sexual offenders must also report in person to the appropriate sheriff's office in any jurisdiction in which that individual is working, living or attending school.

The Senate passed legislation (A Woman's Right to Know Act) which would give women complete information concerning abortion procedures, including the health risks, and require a 24-hour waiting period. This common sense "informed consent" language is required for all other forms of surgery, but it was killed in the House by the pro-abortion left.

CLOSING

If you think that the election of Sonny Perdue and a Republican Senate did not make a difference, you are wrong. Our conservative principles helped us get through the toughest session in history. Real reforms were begun. Even more are under way.

Did we solve all of the kitchen table issues that face our citizens? No. But we learned how to govern and work together to tackle the tough ones. We will get stronger and smarter. As the economy improves and as we gather the best ideas that Georgians like you have to offer, our best days lie ahead.

It was an honor to serve you. If we can answer any questions on specific bills or help you with constituent matters, please contact my Senate office at 404-656-5109.

Editor's note: Ga. Senator Eric Johnson is from Savannah, Georgia, and represents many areas of coastal Georgia. His district includes parts of Camden and Glynn Counties.

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Late May Winefest in Helen,Ga
A celebration of great wine in the Georgia Alpine village. www.helenga.org

TO PLACE YOUR TOWN’S EVENT ON THE SOUTHERN CALENDAR
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