Jan. 18, 2004

By Staff
Supervisors' travel indefensible
To the editor:
I cannot believe District 4 Supervisor and now board president Joe Norwood has the audacity to defend his indefensible decision to take so many trips at taxpayers' expense. It appears he and District 2 Supervisor Jimmie Smith get their kicks from rubbing our noses in the dirt.
It wasn't a week after the two got re-elected that they smirked and raised their hands "I want to go too" as the board was about to vote to send newly elected District 1 Supervisor Eddie Harper to the "Newly Elected Supervisors Workshop" held in Jackson on Dec. 9. That was a direct slap in the face for taxpayers who see their property taxes hiked substantially every time there is a state mandated reappraisal.
As to Mr. Norwood's "looking" at the possibility of pursuing a $5 million line of credit, you ain't seen nothin' yet. I know I am not alone in saying I will work just as hard as I did before to see that your idea will never see the light of day.
Carol Perkins
Meridian
Championships should be decided on the field
To the editor:
This is in response to the Jan. 5 column by Stan Torgerson, "Current bowl system is good for football." I must disagree with Mr. Torgerson.
Even though the bowl system has produced a number of great matchups, it has also continued to be a source of inequality. It is a great system for schools in big conferences like LSU, USC and even Ole Miss, but what Miami of Ohio, Northern Illinois, Bowling Green and TCU? The BCS is still too closed to the lower and middle profile programs in the country.
In 1998, Tulane went undefeated and yet had no chance at the BCS. Until USM knocked off TCU, they only had an outside shot at the BCS. What would Mr. Torgerson say if it had been Southern Miss that had been rebuffed like that after an undefeated season, or if it should happen to Ole Miss.
Wouldn't a playoff system involving the conference champs make sense? It would make those titles even more important rather than less as Mr. Torgerson implies. Every season, every team would have a shot at the national title. Every conference game would count even more. Throw in a few at-large bids and you add even more excitement.
The BCS is not about football. It is about money. The national title should be decided on the field based on how a team plays, not who they are.
Daniel Roberts
Meridian
Cotton Bowl congratulates Ole Miss
To the editor:
The SBC Cotton Bowl would like to congratulate the University of Mississippi for a tremendous win at the 68th classic. We wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Ole Miss fans who followed the Rebels to Texas, and helped to make the entire week preceding the game a rousing success for the city of Dallas. The excitement and enthusiasm that surrounded the Rebel program made this year particularly special.
Ole Miss fans can take pride in their players, Coach David Cutcliffe, Chancellor Robert Khayat and Athletic Director Pete Boone. These gentlemen
represented the University of Mississippi and the SEC with the utmost of professionalism and in a first-class manner. We enjoyed every minute with them in Big D.
Congratulations on a successful season, and thanks again for helping make this year's SBC Cotton Bowl a true "classic." We hope to see Ole Miss back in Dallas very soon.
Rick Baker
President
Cotton Bowl Athletic Association
Dallas
Tribute to Howard Lamar
To the editor:
I moved to Meridian to coach football and basketball in 1979. During my six years there, Howard Lamar became a friend and a mentor. Also, since my father had just died, I adopted Howard as a father figure.
Many times in the last 20 years I have quoted Howard or used his advice in raising multiple children. In 1986 I took one of my football players, Billy Stockdale, to Furman on Howard's advice. Billy signed with Furman and won a national championship. Furman did not recruit in Alabama at the time, but has since signed several players out of the Birmingham area. Bill now has a great life in the Carolinas.
During my years in Alabama, Howard had the great timing of calling me after key wins and losses. He always knew when to call and what to say. Becky and I have used family names for our children except in 1990 when we named Jacob Lamar Carkuff in honor of the Lamar family.
Howard was a great influence on my career and my life. Meridian has lost a great citizen, but he will live on through his children and the lives he touched.
Maurice Carkuff
Shelbyville, Tenn.
Mental illness a serious issue
To the editor:
In these exceedingly troubled times when the word "madman" is tossed about so liberally, I find it excruciatingly distressing that sensitivity toward bona fide mental illness is so lacking and is, in fact, superseded by incredible cruelty.
Following the horror of the Lockheed tragedy here, I asked a member of a renown national educational organization whether its members were concerned about the issue of mental illness. The reply was "We didn't know what to do." If not they, then who?
John Hinckley has been institutionalized for decades because of an attempted presidential assassination. Recently his physicians recommended an unsupervised visit to his parents' home. There were immediately outcries from Nancy Reagan (a proponent of astrology) and wife of victim James Brady. Mrs. Brady was an avid sponsor of anti-handgun legislation in a society which encourages its citizens to own them. And there was an extremely insensitive political cartoon buffooning Hinckley's home visit as "impressing Jodie Foster."
A young man in our own state was recently elected to the position of district attorney. Subsequent to his victory, there was a petition filed citing the man's "inability to handle the stress of the office" because of his current treatment for depression.
Individuals diagnosed with emotional disorders and receiving treatment with medication and or therapy, are more likely to be stable than most. Mental illnesses detract nothing from one's intellect, education or moral fiber. Brain disorders are not character flaws; nor are they the impetus for the fear, rage and hatred rampant in this diseased world.
The abiding truth is that each man seeks to control his corner of the world because of greed and willful pride. May God help us learn true compassion and forgiveness for our fellow man.
We should pray for time. It's running out.
Brenda Pennington
Meridian