OUR VIEWS

Foundation for reform

With that history, it might seem that the newly created Foundation for Constitutional Reform is simply another quixotic undertaking by people whose dreams of a government that actually acts in the public interest overshadow their perception of political reality.

Yet, this just beginning crusade has things going for it that previous reform efforts have lacked. The foundation's initial board members include the academic and good government types who are frequently found in such organizations. The chairman comes from such a background, Samford University President Thomas Corts.

The board also has one current elected official — Mobile County Commission Chairman Sam Jones — and two distinguished former elected officials — former Gov. Albert Brewer and former U.S. Rep. Jack Edwards — to provide some practical political advice.

But the most important ingredient may be the three members from local chambers of commerce — Sid McAnnally, chairman of the Decatur chamber, Mason Davis Jr. chairman of the Birmingham area chamber and Johnnie Aycock, president of The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama. Not only do they bring a business perspective to the crusade, but the broad business membership of their organizations brings a political clout to the campaign that cannot be matched by the other members of the coaltion.

Adding even more hope for success is the fact that it was the West Alabama chamber that started this latest constitutional effort. Politicians tend to listen to the business community much more closely than to other participants in the public arena.

The foundation intends to enlarge and broaden its board membership in the months ahead. As it does so, the state's current politicians — who largely stayed away from last week's kickoff rally for constitutional reform — may begin to listen. There is no guarantee that this latest attempt to replace the Alabama Constitution with a document that actually serves the people of this state will succeed. But without the attempt, we will never do it.

The West Alabama chamber and its allies have provided the foundation. But they can't build a proper structure of government for Alabama without help from the rest of us.

Where Cold War still burns

Whether the summit is a one-shot event or the first of a series of positive steps depends on North Korea, which has a sorry record of meeting peace overtures with belligerence, bellicosity and blackmail.

Undaunted, South Korean President Kim Dae Jung took office in 1998 vowing a "sunshine policy" of economic and diplomatic engagement with North Korea. He was rewarded with increased infiltration of North Korean spies. North Korea responded to other overtures by test-firing ballistic missiles.

North Korea has been ruled for the last six years by Kim Jong Il, the son of its founding dictator. The decision-making process in the hermetic, Stalinist state is an enigma to outsiders, but lately and for whatever reason, North Korea has sent out tentative diplomatic feelers — to Japan and several Western nations.

An obvious reason — to outsiders — is that North Korea's economy has ground to a halt and the country is in the grips of a famine that has killed perhaps 2 million or more of its people. But Pyongyang has never seemed particularly worried about the welfare of its people. Recently, a fourth humanitarian organization pulled out of North Korea because 90 percent of outside food and medical aid was being diverted to the military and Communist Party officials.

And Kim Dae Jung's motives have been questioned, too. His conservative opponents say the summit announcement was intended to improve his party's fortunes in parliamentary elections Thursday. But Kim has been consistent in his "sunshine policy" and has actually succeeded in some token investment and tourism in North Korea.

Even though the history of that peninsula cautions pessimism, it is better that the two nations are talking than not talking. And they have much to talk about: trade, travel, investment, reuniting families and, most of all, a military stand-down along the most heavily fortified, most hair-trigger border on the globe, the 38th parallel.

YOUR VIEWS

Truckers saved some lives that night

THE MAIL

To my horror I realized why. An elderly woman by the name of Miss Judy was traveling south in the north-bound lanes and she was trying to "pass" the truck in the left hand lane by going into my center lane. If the truck in front of me had not stopped! Well I shudder to think of what could have happened.

I drove around to the front of the trucks and stopped. Miss Judy was still trying to get past the trucks and had wedged her car between them. I offered assistance and drove Miss Judy to her brother's house. Miss Judy was quite agitated with me that I woke her brother up. I told Miss Judy it was her brother or the state troopers. None the less, I explained the gravity of the incident to her brother Jim and left her with him.

As I drove away, I reflected on the event and realized that I had failed to say thank you to the truckers that had saved my life. As I had told Jim, it was the truckers who had been the heroes by blocking in Miss Judy and placing their rigs between the speeding traffic and us. The truckers had taken great risk to stop Miss Judy from causing harm to others or me. For that I am eternally grateful. If anyone out there happens to know these truckers, please pass on my thanks to them.

Einar J. Norton

715 Sandhurst Drive

Montgomery

Paved way

It's discouraging to discover that Chinese Communists enjoyed a greater influence in the election of our president (Impeached) than many of the citizenry. Equally disturbing is the resultant threat that this self-serving sell-out places on our country's security. Enough already, of these treasonous times!

Armond ''Si" Simmons

104 Wadsworth Lane

Pell City

Both is best

HB 621 also specifically provides that the parent who is relocating bears the burden of proof to show that the relocation is in the best interests of the child. The bill states that a proposed relocation is to be deemed a material change in circumstances sufficient to change custody of the child. The parent who is not relocating may object to the proposed relocation by filing a petition with the court, and may request a change in custody.

The children and parents of Alabama deserve legislation that protects the rights of children to maintain a meaningful, positive relationship with both parents. I believe the best parent is both parents.

Paul McCain

3522 Rocky Ridge Road

Oxford

Ostriches

A recent incident where a child shot another child with a gun obtained from a home where the parents dealt in drugs was played up by the president and liberal media. This child would be able to get that gun regardless of any laws passed.

There have been hundreds of gun incidents at schools but again the liberals make excuses for the young criminal and do not punish them. Knowing this only causes the young criminal to become more brave.

The gun control lobby like those in the prohibition era should use the ostrich as their symbol. When confronted with the fact that current laws are not enforced, they stick their head in the ground or somewhere. Liberal politicians see them as easily controlled voters. They don't think, so the politicians know they will believe any lie if they hear it enough.

Donald Dunlap

1335 Montevallo Road

Irondale

LOOK BACK

50 years ago, April 12, 1950:

Sweden protests when American search planes, looking for 10-man crew of a Navy Privateer aircraft that was reported to have been fired on by Soviet fighters, fly over Sweden's largest naval base.

25 years ago, April 12, 1975:

U.S. helicopters airlift Americans out of Cambodian capital Phnom Penh as Communist-led Khmer Rouge takes over city.

Top of page