Encroachment into a 25’ stream buffer, land disturbance outside the Georgia Power easement, and a muddy mess running down the hill toward Yahoola Creek Reservoir were results of a clear cutting operation for Georgia Power transmission lines. Continue reading »
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18Sep
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17Sep
The Constitution of the United States of America was signed on September 17th, 1787. Announcement of this momentous 222nd birthday brought a round of applause during the Lumpkin Couny Commission Meeting on September17.
A 1952 joint resolution of Congress designated September 17th of each year as CITIZENSHIP DAY. In 1956, Congress set aside the week of September 17th through the 23rd each year to be proclaimed CONSTITUTION WEEK.
The Constitution of the United States “…its only keepers, the people,” George Washington
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14Sep
North Georgia College & State University is hosting the second annual River Rendezvous, Saturday, October 3rd. Continue reading »
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13Sep
Lumpkin County Commissioners (BOC) do not seem to understand or appreciate the Constitutional right being violated by their attempt to control petitions. Any limitation on the right to petition must be justified by a compelling public interest. Only an emergency could justify restriction of that right.
During the July meeting of the BOC, commissioners voted to require their own exclusive design for any petition submitted to them. It would require a notarized affidavit from the collector on the back of each page verifying the identity and address of each signer. As I see it, picture ID would be required to protect collectors from liabilty for false swearing on the affidavit. Then Chairman Raber stated in his The Dahlonega Nugget column on September 2 that the action had been taken to protect those who sign from fines and incarceration.
Petition restrictions and threats can only be interpreted as an attempt to make citizens afraid to sign petitions and collectors afraid to collect. The right to petition has been recognized by courts and historians as the cornerstone of the First Amendment. The original draft of the First Amendment contained only assembly and petition, not speech, press or religion. Petition is the right to ask government at any level to right a wrong or correct a problem.
“Petitioning” has come to signify any nonviolent, legal means of encouraging or disapproving government action, whether directed to the judicial, executive or legislative branch. Lobbying, letter-writing, e-mail campaigns, testifying before tribunals, filing lawsuits, supporting referenda, collecting signatures for ballot initiatives, peaceful protests and picketing: all public articulation of issues, complaints and interests designed to spur government action qualifies under the petition clause, even if the activities partake of other First Amendment freedoms.
Tags: Blackburn Park, petitions
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04Sep
Bully tactics used by John Raber in his The Dahlonega Nugget column on September 2 ought to be an embarrassment to all members of the Lumpkin County BOC.
Chairman Raber says, “The BOC, at the advice of legal counsel, took the necessary steps to protect every citizen who wants to, and has a constitutional right to, sign a petition. The BOC made certain that those who sign a petition were doing so without exposing themselves to a fine or imprisonment.”
The only one exposing himself is John Raber. He has clearly shown himself to be nothing more than a small time, playground bully spewing false statements in an attempt to make people afraid to sign a petition. Fear is the weapon of a bully who does not have truth on his side. Continue reading »
Tags: petitions
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