Rockdale Citizen

The Rockdale Citizen Poll is a compilation of opinions submitted by readers. These opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Citizen newspapers. If you agree or disagree with something you read here, you may respond by e-mailing poll@rockdalecitizen.com. Please remember that the Citizen Poll is not a forum for comments about candidates seeking elected office.

"If you want to know why your child isn't learning, look at the political cartoon in the Wednesday, May 11 Rockdale Citizen. Do you see yourself in this cartoon? If so, you are the problem, not the school or the teacher! Our public schools will not improve until all parents support their children's education. A large number of parents who care about their children and their education have moved their children to private schools. That leaves a our public schools with a huge majority of students with parents like those in the cartoon. As long as this continues, our schools can only deteriorate."

"The BOE should feel shame for considering another millage rate hike, times are hard for everyone, prices are going up on everything, it's especially difficult for seniors on fixed incomes, that have not seen a raise in their Social Security in 3 years, we just have to do without, to make ends meet, a few furlough days could benefit everyone since raises are coming your way, we as seniors can't say the same."

"Tuesday's Rockdale Citizen front page looked like the front page of an Atlanta, Chicago, New York or Los Angeles newspaper! There was nothing but crime and death headlines. What a sad commentary of life in our small county! One headline was a little misleading, "Police find body in woods". Upon reading the article, in fact a civilian found the body, not the police ... guess wording it that way shed a positive light on law enforcement, just not completely accurate though. Just glad no one was killed in the latest crime spree!"

"Fifty years ago, wrong headed, backward thinking, white bigots were ranting that if we preceded with integrating their lily white schools and neighborhoods, the quality of education would diminish, neighborhood crime would increase and property values would drop. I'm glad we have finally gotten past that kind of groundless thinking.

"President Obama is off his rocker with his backing of the Palestinians. He needs to understand that there will never be peace in that region. Arabs have hated Jews since Bible times and they always will. What needs to happen is we need to remove Arab economic influence by developing alternative fuel technology. We need something besides gas and we need it ASAP. Why can't we use the NASA engineers that will be out of work next year. I bet they could come up with something."

"Hey everyone. You need to know that your president just made a huge mistake. By saying what he said to the Israeli Prime Minister, he moved us from their "friend" list to their "not sure" list. I bet Israel is adjusting their foreign policies right now. I bet they are diverting and redirecting intelligence and military assets as we speak. Obama needs to shut his mouth and back out of that hornet's nest before he gets us all in trouble."

"The thieves, burglars, muggers, and violence mongers who have invaded our county should be afraid, very afraid. I am not the only "old guy" who has little to lose, a pistol I know how to use, and zero tolerance for being a victim. And I applaud the police for visiting violence on those who would do us harm."

"I guess the editor of the Citizen can not stand the truth I summit last week about the poor reporting on the BOE in both Rockdale and Newton Counties. The same reporter is not accurate and reports weeks after the event. There competitor reports timely and correctly. ok I bet you want post this week ether."

Editor's Note: Please feel free to contact me and discuss your concerns, Jay Jones, 770-483-7108, ext. 249, jay.jones@rockdalecitizen.com.

"I totally agree with the post from last Saturday May 21 about the food stamp program being advertised on a local station like it was something on sale. As a tax payer all my adult life is was very disturbing. I think it time for the government to stop encouraging people to be lazy and time for it to teach people how to learn to support themselves and their families. I know there are exceptions but the truly deserving people like senior citizens who worked and saved a little money are denied because the are not totally penniless. But those who choose to go out and have babies by dead-beat dads are entitled to everything the good old government can offer. They now have to advertise on some radio stations just to be sure every one can get their hand outs."

"Where are the Hollywood celebrities holding telethons asking for help in restoring Iowa and helping the folks affected by the floods? Where is good old Michael Moore? Why is the media not asking the tough questions about why the federal government hasn't solved this problem? ... Asking where the FEMA trucks and trailers and food services are? Why isn't the Federal government moving Iowa people into free hotels in Chicago and Minneapolis ? When will Spike Lee say that the Federal government blew up the levees that failed in Des Moines ? Where are Sean Penn, Bono, and the Dixie Chicks? Where are all the looters stealing high-end tennis shoes, cases of beer and television sets? When will we hear Gov. Chet Culver say that he wants to rebuild a 'vanilla' Iowa ... because that's what God wants? Where is the hysterical 24/7 media coverage complete with reports of shootings at rescuers, of rapes and murder? Where are all the people screaming that Barack Obama hates white, rural people? My God, where are Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Oprah, and Ray Coniff Jr? How come you will never hear about the Iowa flooding ever again? Where are the government bail out vouchers? The government debit cards? There must be one big difference between the value of the people of Iowa and value of the people of Louisiana. Where the heck are all the people that think the Haitians are more important than the good people of Iowa, for that matter?"

"Really? The BOE voted to increase the millage again? No concern for killing the golden goose? I suppose they'll get more tax auctions on the courthouse steps next year ... How insane."

"Google Oz Nesbitt Augusta Chronicle and you will see the report from 1998 where Oz was fired as a marshal in Richmond County for violating policy and not related to firing was facing felony charges for groping a teenager. When you see one roach bug there's thousands in the walls you don't see. I heard him speak at a gathering and I thought "What a buffoon, he loves to hear himself talk" He said, and I paraphrase, "I have worked as a promotional speaker and a police officer, and now I have a real job." Real job. Hopefully Oz, your real job will be gone soon and you can crawl back under the rock from where you came. And I agree with the May 21 poll contributor who said that white people are to blame for selling out/white flight. If they did not leave there would be no room. But also the city and county governments have searched out low income housing, etc. I know for a fact. And this was before Oden/Oz. Back in the 60s Aunt Belle had to move from Fayetteville Road in East Lake Decatur 'cause the blacks were moving in. Then in the 90s the gay people who did not care much about the schools started fixing up those old houses and Decatur is a lovely, clean, bustling city and very hip. Go there and see. Even though Decatur is in DeKalb county, it's still a jewel."

"I'm finding it more and more amusing (for lack of a better term) that so many people here bellyache about "those people" getting food stamps and government assistance, yet don't really seem to know (or want to know) that the majority of people who are on government assistance are poor white people. Damn those freeloading white people! Let's send them all back to wherever they came from. That will fix the problem. By the way I'm white, but I make a point to educate myself before speaking out in public so I don't look like an idiot, unlike the lily whites around here who long for 1951."

"Mr. Commissioner, I drove over to the Parker Road Facility Saturday with my child to attend the insect project. Every entrance had a sign that read "Tennis Patron parking only all others will be towed guaranteed". I parked anyway because the signs are obviously illegal because they violate the sign ordinance and no towing company signs were posted. I saw a lot of people asking if it was OK to park there in fear of being towed. It would seem the precious tennis courts have taken over all of the taxpayer parking lot. I am sure it effected the people that park there to use the new very expensive walking trail as well."

"Teachers getting pay raises? Where? Not here! I don't know where you got your information, but it is wrong. We haven't had raises in quite some time, plus the county is paying less into our retirement, and we are paying more for insurance. Don't get me wrong -- I am grateful for my job and the money I do make. Get your facts straight before throwing stones."

"Unfortunately, Conyers has made up its mind about a light rail line to Atlanta. It would've been nice to hop on a streetcar to go to a Braves game, or a Hawks/Thrashers game on a snowy or rainy night. Perhaps a Falcons game or the Fox -- no traffic or parking worries. Or if I had a job in the metro area, to cover the 20 miles or so in a nice 25 minutes, instead of infinity when car accidents occur! That penny we'll pay, if the tax is approved will go to other cities. Our leaders lack foresight. Too bad!

"Congrats to all of the Valedictorians and Salutatorians, I am sure they worked very hard. Noticed that they are all going to UGA, Auburn, GSU or similar schools what has happened to Harvard, Yale, Duke and Stanford aren't the best of Rockdale able to get into elite universities anymore? Maybe the "rising star" Dr. King would like to comment on this."

"Is the person who drives the Conyers Police black SUV free to drive at any speed without the blue lights flashing? Bad example to other drivers."

"Congratulations on the 13 awards from the GAPA."

"How is the young boy who's foot got ran over by a school bus and has been in the hospital. Are we keeping this hush hush?!"

"Millage rate will be going up, thanks to the votes of school board members Wales Barksdale, Darlene Hotchkiss, Brad Smith and Jean Yontz. I encourage all property owners in this county to vote against these people in the next election, and to not allow any of them to serve in any public office in our county again. They would rather tax us to death than make budget cuts."

"Why are there 13 teachers leaving Conyers Middle School and why have at least two teachers been forced to resign this past school year? Why is the current administration being left in place at that school? It's falling apart and nothing is being done about it by the county!"

"Today is the last Oprah (show), I guess she has nothing else to do now that she has ruined Rockdale County, thanks to that ... we have now become the armed robbery capital of the world."

"This relates to the vote concerning the Sheriff's Office grant application. Using a word old Oz should know by now, he should recuse himself due to a conflict of interest. After all he is one of the jail's favorite customers and with less officers they may not be able to get to his house the next time he breaks the law."

"My child has been playing at RYBA (Rockdale Youth Baseball Association) since he was 6. This park has gone downhill at the hands of its current board of directors. They are a joke and the laughing stock of parents who are leaving this league in droves. Woody and his crew have forgotten that is about the kids. It is all about making money. You pay a $135 registration fee when you sign up, but you do not get your moneys worth. All the boys on my son's team had holes in their knees in the first couple of weeks from the cheaply issued pants supplied by RYBA. The fee covers two umpires per game. You will only get one umpire in the Fall and you "might" get two in he Spring. You pay the same. Baseball teams at RYBA play second fiddle to tournaments that use the parks to generate revenue that is supposed to come back into the parks for improvement. Yeah right! Scoreboards don't work or the equipment to run them is missing. The fields are uneven and full of holes. And please make sure you pack your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer with you if you intend to use the facilities, because there is a 99 percent chance there will be nothing for you to use. And hold the doors tight, because a lot of them are broken. Kids play almost always on week days. Most of our games started at 7:30 and went late into the night on school nights. This is ridiculous because other fields remain empty when the kids could have played an earlier game. It is my understanding that the reasoning for this is that the powers that be do not want to pay additional umpires, o keeping a 9 year old child at the park until 9:30 is not a problem. Playoff games that included a back to championship game were recently played in two days on a school night. I am guessing so umpires do not have to be paid to come back another night. The little boys had to play back to back games in the heat with a just a short amount of time between games where they took a minute to eat and get and try and rest between games. . I was told from a friend of mine at the games that they had about 30 minutes between games and the boys were absolutely over heated and exhausted and at about 10:00 p.m., some asked to go home. They had been playing since 6:00 p.m. I think the umpire called the game when it was clear the kids were suffering from exhaustion. Apparently one child who was playing in a back to back game dropped from heat stroke and was rushed by ambulance to the hospital. Now a fun-filled game at the ballpark becomes dangerous. And guess what? It is going to happen again. Wake up Woody!! These are little boys! Improve the park and more importantly, use your brain and keep our children safe."

"Does The Citizen have a way to find if and when Rockdale will have an Amnesty day at the Recycle Center? Where they take otherwise prohibited items. Looking to get rid of very old and foul smelling gasoline. It came as an annoying bonus in an antique car I purchased to restore. This gas is too old for a mower or to dilute with new gas -- it smells awful!"