<font color="#FF0000">RANT & RAVE</font> - Sept. 25

Suwannee Countians, it's time to speak your mind! How? By calling the Suwannee Democrat Rant and Rave hotline. The hotline never closes and is your way to let it out. You can let everyone know how you feel -- as long as you express yourself in a respectful way.

Note: In written entries to Rant and Rave, errors in spelling, grammar or punctuation are those of the authors.

~~

Liquor ... blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah .... Quit talking about it and do something already. I for one, am tired of hearing about it. What if it does go to a vote and it gets voted down again? What are you gonna do then, keep whining about it here in the rant and rave? I don't care either way, but the ole "it will make our county a metropolis" doesn't hold water. Taylor Co is wet ... not a metropolis. Hamilton Co is wet ... nope, its not a metropolis either. I think that our county government is our biggest road block in the path of bigger and better things for Suwannee Co.

~~

Hi, I am calling in regards to the people who are complaining about Suwannee County. I moved here about 14 or 15 years ago and Suwannee County is the best. I am out of work and this man and woman came and mowed my lawn for nothing and they left without even letting me tell them thank you. If possible I would like for them to contact me so that I could at least thank them. Suwannee County is good, I don't care what anybody says. Thank you.

~~

Why is Councilman Stewart so opposed to appointing someone with "political aspirations" to the vacant council seat. At least we would have the opportunity to evaluate his abilities. Something we didn't have the opportunity to do with Mr. Stewart.

~~

TEACHERS: If you can't, or won't, grade your students' daily work-efforts, find another job!

~~

Wow, the race card was played shamelessly in last weeks rant and rave column. I hope people will grow up and realize that dissension doesn't always = racists motivations, when black men or women are the target of said dissension. Get over it already!!!

~~

To the person who said "As for the school presentation by the president, either your children are easily swayed and gullible, or you give Obama way too much credit to be able to 'brainwash' a child's mind in less than 15 minutes." You hit the nail on head. Children that are young in years ARE easily swayed and gullible. THAT'S the reason parents don't want the Prez giving speeches to them or pushing any part of his agenda in public schools. Let our teachers brainwash our kids with useful knowledge such as reading, writing, and arithmetic. If you want your kid listening to it, I have no problem with that, but don't push it on the rest of the kids. WE know what's best for our own children, not YOU or Obama!

~~

Why wasn't Henry Smart appointed to the vacant council seat? Mr Smart is the only person from the district who ran for the position. He literally lost by a handful of votes. Mr. Nobles shouldn't be able to hand pick his old districts councilman. He should go by the will of the people. Mr. Smart has always had an interest in his district and should be given the chance to govern. If he doesn't perform well we can vote him out next election.

~~

How can anyone complain about our road dep't? They did a great job widening, paving and striping 153rd Road. The only problem is it is 2/10 of a mile long, totally useless, & has exactly 2 houses on it! What kinda "representation" is this?!! These "Elected Representatives" are the same ones who petitioned to deny our property tax break then gave the money to the state troopers so they can write us tickets @ a 12% cut. Charter this county and get some of these people out of office, now.

~~

I was fully aware I was moving to a socially challenged dry county. Since unlike yourself, I do not drink distilled spirits, it is of little consequence. A moron is a person whose IQ is below 12 & an idiot is around 2. These very unfortunate people have mental capabilities of 3 to 7 yr. olds. The terms are no longer used in scientific format & are considered vile & offensive. In some religions these people are looked upon as blessed in their ignorance of human cruelty. I can assure you my own intelligence quotient is considerably higher than this and suggest you may consider shutting up and actually apologize for your uninformed tasteless comments. If you find you are incapable of such humility, perhaps you should pack up and move to Outer Mongolia, if they are willing to accept such a mean spirited narrow minded individual. Regardless, I will forgive your ignorance & pray God will also on your judgment day. That is provided you posses enough gray matter to comprehend my idiotic writings.

~~

Yes I'm calling about all these men or supposed to be men and boys going around with their britches hanging down past their rear end. A lot of people don't like that stuff! Why can't there be something done about it. Everybody needs to get together and do something. It is awful to see these people going around with their britches down past their rear ends. It is a disgrace, Thank you, please do something thank you again.

~~

I am laughing about the third to the last rant and rave in Friday's paper. where the author/speaker asked for another person to refer to their history books and this caller then gets his history wrong, especially about John C. Calhoun, who was not a Georgia senator. If you are going to make comments like that at least get your history correct.

~~

Why don't somebody buy that old Badcock's building and put in a walk-in theater or skating rink, it would help Live Oak's economy.

~~

Yes, I live in McAlpin, and the sign for the speed limit says 30 mph and I have kids and two other kids that have moved out here and my kids can't even go across the street to their grandmother's house or anything. By the time they get back over here you can see the cars speeding going 60 mph literally on 30 mph road. I wish they had an officer out here in this McAlpin area at all times. This is very dangerous, very dangerous. I wish they would do something about this.

~~

Yes, during school hours when you are dropping your kids off at the Suwannee Elementary School, there is a stop sign, the first stop sign when you go around that curve. We stop at that one, and then you go and then the people in front of us have a stop sign, but they don't ever stop and let you go by, they're always coming in front of us and they never stop at the stop sign. It is like the stop sign is invisible. They need to do something about that. They need an officer out there directing that part of traffic, so people can get their kids to school on time. Thank you.

~~

This is in response to the person who wrote the rant concerning President Obama, in the town hall meetings. You said that the town hallers are bigots, well I say bullcrap to you. Just because I believe the president is a Muslim and I do not want the government to tell me what kind of health care to have does not make me a bigot. As far as a black person being president, put Colin Powell or Condoleezza Rice on the ballot. I would vote for either one of them right now. And stop using race as a crutch. Just because someone does not agree with a person of the opposite race on a certain issue, it does not make them a racist. If you believe that it does, then you are racist, narrow-minded and bigoted also. Thank you.

~~

This is in response to the rant and rave for the person on 80th terrace, wanting to know about trying to get together with the county commissioners and the road department to help get their road upgraded or repaired or paved or whatever it may be. I can give you my point of information. I have been trying to work with my county commission for the past five years on my road, 29th Road, you remember the one that had the terrible accident on it Christmas Day last year. Even trying to get them to lay limerock or any kind of rock, or getting them to improve that road at all is basically falling on deaf ears. I don't think you are going to get anywhere with the county at all. The only way I think it would be paved is if you went ahead and won the lottery and then donated it to the county specifically for repairing the road, but otherwise, my county commissioner has told me basically, "tough luck," deal with it.

~~

Callers to 386-208-8314 may express their thoughts, good or bad, 24/7 about community issues and politics, but not about private individuals or businesses. If you prefer, you may email your comments to nf.editorial@gaflnews.com. You don't have to give your name, and please, keep submissions to less than 45 seconds (that's about 150 words). We want everybody to have a chance to be heard. Submissions that are overly long will be discarded. If 45 seconds isn't enough time, write a Letter to the Editor. (Guidelines for letters appear on Page 6A of our print edition.)