Time for some serious stuff

In my time as a columnist, I have tried to be down-home, folksy and gently good-humored for the readers. I have worked hard to give you all a little smile — a smirk, perhaps — to take with you through your life’s travails.
Bu I am the editor of the paper, after all. It is incumbent upon me to use this column as a bullypulpit, to provide insight to those needing a new point of view, or to stand up for the little man.
So I will set Mark Twain aside for now, and step towards being Edward R. Murrow (kids, ask your grandparents who he is, they might know). It’s time to discuss the hard-hitting issues that grasp the good citizens who read our chronicled endeavor each week.
Time for some serious stuff, folks.
What are the issues? What deeply gripping quandaries do we as a society find ourselves grappling with?
Let’s start with the basics. Everyone fed? Clothed? Warm and dry? Staying someplace that will keep the rain off your head?
No, we are not all in that state. But nearly all of us are, and those that are not have agencies and opportunities to remedy that, at least for the short term.
OK, now what? How about the government? Is the government getting into your wallets and pocketbooks too much? Are you paying all kinds of taxes that go up and up?
Well, some taxes are a bit high. But in general, most of what the government gets, they put to some good use somewhere. We all need roads, schools, police departments, people who pick up our trash and send our sewer stuff away and bring good, clean water in. We have to look after our elderly, our sick, those who are without and those who are on hard times.
Need a job? According to statistics, only one in 20 working folks are not working in these parts. The papers are full of help wanted ads, and while some jobs are not ideal, it is not a difficult thing to find something to do and get a paycheck for in today’s economy. Jobs that require specific training are out there, too, but the college and technical schools nearby are offering classes every day to retrain folks who want a job like that.
Not happy with the war? Who is? Young men and women die every day in a foreign land. But no one out there is holding up signs that proclaim, “Yay, War!” No one likes seeing soldiers fight and die. And it is not as though we can bring them home tomorrow — not even President Bush can end the war in a snap of his fingers. So we keep on praying for their safe return and hope we can get our people out of harm’s way soon.
How about here in the state? There’s a lot to get riled up about within our own borders. Do you like the lottery? How about that Dan Black guy? What’s his deal? And who is running for governor next election? Can we grow any crop under the sun now that we don’t grow all that much tobacco? Since when did every farmer east of I-95 decide to start his own winery?
Why does this column now sound like a Jerry Seinfield stand-up act?
Schools — there’s a biggie. Someone, somewhere is always going on an on about getting something done about the schools. We need new buildings. We need new curriculum. We need new leadership.
OK, Let’s see. New buildings — Wayne County is finally working on it after trying to talk it to death for the last 10 years. Johnston County is brewing up another bond referendum — the fourth in about 10 years — and this one will get a Princeton Elementary School, with doors open for the 2008 school year, we are told.
New curriculum — both Johnston County and Wayne County are being innovative and trying to address their ABC’s of Education and No Child Left Behind issues. A lot of new programs are out there to increase graduation rate and make our kids better prepared for the world past school.
New leadership? Five guys ran for four seats on the Wayne County Board of Education during the last election, and the voters put in just one new one. If you wanted new leadership, more people would have challenged three incumbents who ran unopposed. In Johnston County, several people ran for three seats, and two of the three that won were incumbents.
Wayne County’s board has elected a chairman and vice-chairman who are African-American women — and eminently qualified to lead. And the Wayne County Board of Commissioners has a new chairman, another African-American. I’d say there is new leadership busting out all over —and if no one was run out of office, it appears folks wanted it that way.
In general, I think that there are thorny issues out there, but most folks are not letting it become a sore under their saddle blankets. Everyone is reasonably happy with the way things are going — Not everything, but most things.
And as we get into the annual Christmas holiday season — the season of good feeling and happiness — that is not a bad state of mind to be in.
I might as well hang out the washing on my bullypulpit for now. And maybe I can get back to writing about those Mark-Twain kinds of things again.