The Mid-South Philosopher

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Saying Good-bye to Jim Wooten....sort of!

© Dr. Gary D. Lemmons, June 28, 2009

It is my understanding that my friend, Jim Wooten, associate editor of The Atlanta Journal- Constitution is retiring today.  Today will be his final Sunday column in the paper.  To be honest, he will continue to blog on the AJC website and he will do a Friday, “Thinking Right” column.

I began communicating with Jim a number of years ago, via email.  Initially, he thought I was a “nut”…an appraisal with which I have often been blessed.  He ignored me for a while, but I goaded him into responding, and we became friends…at a distance.  We met once at a Wild Hog Supper, an event held by the “Friends of Georgia Agriculture”, just before the start of a legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly some years ago.  We realized that neither of us had two heads or horns!

His conservative views complimented mine, but, too often, he strayed into corporatist and reformist waters.

Corporatism is a form of capitalistic communism holding that everything that is good for the corporation, the firm, the profit, is good for the American people.  It is capitalism to the unfettered level…greed…ad infinitum.

Reformistism is the belief that public schools in this country should be for the poorest elements in our society.  All other children should be allowed to go to private institutions at taxpayer expense.  Of course, there would be some token minorities and poor included in the private institutions, but the preponderance of the “bubbas” and “brothers” would be relegated to the dump of “public schools.

Jim and I argued over the years, and I am not sure that either of us ever really changed each other’s opinions.

He and I disagreed on George W. Bush.  Jim loved him as President.  I think he was the worst in history with the possible exceptions of Franklin Pierce and Jimmy Carter.

Yet, both Jim and I are very distrustful of Barrack Obama.  I was willing to give “Barry” a chance…but not, by the “Eternal”, forever!

The one overwhelming commonality about Jim Wooten and me is that we love these United States of America and we love the State of Georgia.  Either of us would die to defend the country or the state if the need were to arise.

So Jim is retiring…sort of…and I wish him well.

Since I have become involved in supporting the Bush/Obama debacle we call “the economy”, I have had to work more, so, I have not had the opportunity to contribute to Jim’s daily blog as much as I would like.  I shall now do my very best to contribute something to “Thinking Right” each Friday.

And, Jim, my friend, I hope that before too long, you and I can share a bit of my favorite beverage…a "medicinal portion" of sour mash and branch water.  I promise…I will not bring up one political subject…at least at that meeting.

GOD bless you, my Internet friend.