Big-mouthed contrarian college professors ought to have the decency to sit down and shut up during these lovely days between Thanksgiving and New Year's.
This is a time for hopeful meditation and good cheer. Be happy. Quit bitching.
Just because some chronically disgruntled folks have decided Georgia's only salvation from an extended drought may be to duplicate desert-dry Nevada's conservation practices, that doesn't mean our leaders are too stupid to devise their own water-saving plan. It simply means that Nevadans may be smarter about water -- and air and land and business -- than we are.
Ah, but we drift. This essay is simply a friendly reminder that the time for a return to civility is now. Criticism and insults should be checked at the door, at least during December.
Here is an example of what not to do regarding holiday correspondence pertaining to political matters:
Dr. Ruth Green, who, I am certain, is a kind and generous lady on most days, recently dispatched a copy of an e-mail she had written to those hardworking folks over at the state Democratic Party. Shame on Dr. Green. The letter has a biting edge, certainly not what one would expect from a wise UGA professor in retirement.
Without even a friendly salutation, Dr. Green opened her note with these rude inquiries to her Democratic chieftains:
"1. Who constitutes Georgia's slate of Democratic leaders?
"2. What are they doing except saying ‘DONATE'?
"3. Why is there seemingly nobody with credibility opposing Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-GA?
"4. Why do we hear nothing from the Democratic Party of Georgia on the rubber-stamp Republican government we have?
"5. Why was there no uproar among Democrats when SR 3033 (2005) was passed by the General Assembly to urge Georgia lawmakers to support blindly all Bush nominees?
"6. Why is there seemingly no statewide Democratic organization even though Democrats have a good chance to elect the new president?
"7. Why was there no Democratic outcry regarding Sonny Perdue's land deals?
"I could not find a dazzling e-mail address for the Georgia Democratic Party, so I am sending this to others who may know how to get through.
"The Democrats of Georgia have tucked their heads for too long. Those of us who care can do very little without a very strong state party.
"People are waiting. People are tired of DONATE, DONATE! There's nothing happening. - E. Ruth Green, Ph.D."
Just so the GOP would not feel left out, Dr. Green turned her guns on the elephants. She asked Sen. Johnny Isakson via e-mail if he could identify the author of the volumes of "tandem messages" issued jointly by Sen. Isakson and Sen. Chambliss. She said received no response.
Despite her brusque approach, Dr. Green may have a point. It is astonishing to see that our two senators, who hail from opposite ends of the state and come from constituencies with much different agendas, agree word for word on every important issue to come before the Senate. Besides, when one senator changes his mind, the other one dittos -- within minutes or even seconds.
Perhaps Dr. Green is too harsh on Democrats in the midst of this ho-ho-ho season. Democrats are really not so bad, are they? Just a couple of weeks ago, I received a glowing note from the party informing me that donkey supporters have given a breathtaking $7,000 to construct a party Web site. The party wanted to know if I could donate a bit more.
I decided to wait. I want to see first what Mayor Mike Bloomberg and his gun-hating, immigrant-loving maverick supporters may offer as a possible third party. This two-party system is wearing a bit thin, especially when one party seems to have become the perpetually polite loser and excuse maker.
Bill Shipp's column on Georgia politics appears Wednesdays and on gainesvilletimes.com. You can contact him at P.O. Box 440755, Kennesaw, GA 30160. First published Nov. 28, 2007.