Opinion Talk

By Ron Palmich

March 24, 2006 10:45 AM | Link to this

The package is good for Kia, the Governor and a few folks where the plant will be built. The folks extolling the value don’t seem to understand that the location was desired because the site was close to the Hundai plant in Alabama. In my opinion Georgia could have gotten the plant for far less. It is also a joke when the Economic Development Director mentions that some of the dollars will be spent for infrastructure and be picked up by the “Federal Gov’t” and not impact the tax payers of Ga. Who does he think pays the Federal Tax? I would like to see the Business Case for justifying these incentives published in the AJC. Put it in a real Balance sheet format over a 5 year period.

By candide

March 25, 2006 10:35 AM | Link to this

Charlie Wilson in the Eisenhower days said that what was good for GM was good for America. That sounds pretty funny now, doesn’t it? What is good for capitalism is good for Americans? Maybe, maybe not.

By Van

March 26, 2006 11:16 AM | Link to this

candide, I do not understand you. What is wrong with earning a living? What is wrong with having a job?

Where do you think jobs come from? Do you think businesses just happen and exist without profits?

They did try it the other way. The government managed all work, people produced whatever the bureaucrats decided. Profits were minor, it was said to be a workers paradise. Everyone worked and everyone had all the benefits one could imagine.

And it failed after 70 years. The old Soviet Union could not sustain itself and self destroyed.

I’ll take capitalisim anyday. It has a longer history, with better results than anything else. Marx and Engels were semi crazy fools that had to many bad ideas.

By candide

March 26, 2006 11:35 AM | Link to this

The media refuses to print the good news from Nazi Germany. Why are we not hearing about the end of unemployment, the building of new autoroutes, the placing of the youth in physically desirable corps, the end of immoral literature, movies, and art? The liberal press refuses to print any good news.

By Clay

March 26, 2006 06:58 PM | Link to this

This is a wonderful deal for Georgia! Over 2700 jobs at the Kia plant alone. Add to that thousands of jobs at the 5-6 suppliers that must locate to Georgia per the contract with Kia. Add to that the jobs and businesses created in the West Point area from hotels, restaurants, video rental stores, clothes stores, etc. that will open to fill the void in place now and you have an even better deal. Georgia cities from Columbus to Newnan will benefit—and that makes the Kia deal a great deal for Georgians.

By Clay

March 26, 2006 06:59 PM | Link to this

This is a wonderful deal for Georgia! Over 2700 jobs at the Kia plant alone. Add to that thousands of jobs at the 5-6 suppliers that must locate to Georgia per the contract with Kia. Add to that the jobs and businesses created in the West Point area from hotels, restaurants, video rental stores, clothes stores, etc. that will open to fill the void in place now and you have an even better deal. Georgia cities from Columbus to Newnan will benefit—and that makes the Kia deal a great deal for Georgians.

By tripp

April 4, 2006 09:58 AM | Link to this

Alabama should send Gov. Perdue a thank you card. They’re going to get somewhere between 10 to 15 % of these jobs at the Kia Plant.

I’d like to know why our Gov. refused to go to Detroit and offer these kinds of incentives to keep Ford here, but was willing to go to Soeul, South Korea. And I’d like to know why we didn’t put together this kind of package for the other companies that have passed GA by.

The next time I see Sonny, I hope he’s driving a Kia.

By Laura Ciocia

April 6, 2006 12:33 PM | Link to this

21st Century Feminist

For some reason the word feminist continues to be equated with images of incensed, man hating, bra burning, superdykes out to rid the world of all things phallic. Most women I come across would sooner affiliate themselves with the KKK than the feminist movement. “I’m not like a feminist or anything”. I hear it time and time again from women who are otherwise smart, successful and independent. It’s becoming as cliché and meaningless as the classic “Some of my best friends are black”. You’re not a feminist? Why??? Arent you a woman? Grow up and act like one then!” Feminism is simply the “advocacy of the social equality of the sexes”. Or more specifically, “a political, social, and cultural movement dedicated to promoting equal rights for women in all aspects of life.” What’s become so radical about that? And if it werent for all those bra burning maniacs, where is it that you think you’d be these days?”

In the age of “Girls Gone Wild” and “Get Low”, I think we need feminism now more than ever. Women, particularly young girls, are being sexualized and commodified in a way that even “liberal-minded” women like myself find appalling. Some might argue that this freedom of sexuality is simply phase two of the feminist revolution. That women are owning their sexuality and in turn, owning their lives. But the reality is that in most cases, men are still pulling the strings. And too many women still find their worth and validation in what men think of them, physically and sexually. And that dynamic affords men all of the power in the world.

Author/activist Alice Walker coined the term “womanist”, originally meant for the African-American feminist, but eventually a term identified with by women from all backgrounds. For me, it resonates as a “kinder, gentler” version of feminism. Something that maybe the less radical minded can be comfortable with. Something that maybe even men can be comfortable with. And perhaps, a symbol of the new movement. Here’s how she defines it:

“A Womanist is to feminist as purple is to lavender. A Womanist desires healing and wholeness for entire communities, male and female. A Womanist is not heterosexist but loves men and women sexually and non-sexually. She loves food, the moon and roundness. She loves the spirit. A Womanist is connected to creation and her own body, loving the folk and herself, regardless.”

However you call it, that fact remains that equality for women is still a long way coming. And in some ways, young women are in what I consider a state of emergency like never before. Turn on MTV/BET at any time of the day and just try to make it thru the Top 10 without a gang of “b*** and hoes”. Or explain to me how “Girls Gone Wild” is a multi billion dollar empire? All this while reported rape cases are up an estimated 88% in the last 2 decades. I’m just asking that we think about this. Women are so much more that t** and a*. Let’s stop teaching them that the key to success is thru a man, be it in his eyes or his wallet. Let’s remind young women what beautiful, amazing and powerful beings they are. Let’s replace the Paris Hiltons and the Lil’ Kim’s with real role models who embody strength, courage, intelligence and self sufficiency.

I’m not in anyway an expert on feminist theory. And I’m in no way claiming to have never fallen victim to the demands that popular culture imposes upon us as women. I wear make-up, I shave my armpits, I wish my abs looked like Jessica Alba’s and sometimes I really do care what a man thinks – even if I might never admit it to him.

What scares me most is that I feel women are losing their fight. That as we sat back and got comfortable with how far we’ve come, we’ve steadily let ourselves go. We have every right to be angry. Every right to protest the policies that continue to victimize us. And every right to resist the blatantly pornographic and one sided depictions that mainstream media beats us down with every day. The consequences to complacency are far too severe to ignore any longer.

Call me ambitious, but I want to be a part of the re-evolution of feminism. The joining of womanists and feminists, black and white, rich and poor, in a powerful and cohesive re-declaration of what is rightly ours. Because feminism is really about humanism. So lets do what we have to do. Lets make feminism “sexy” again if that’s what it comes down to. There’s simply too much at stake to do otherwise.

Note: The Georgia Walk for Women’s Lives will take place this Sunday, April 9 at the Georgia State Capital beginning at 2:00 pm. For more info log onto: www.walkforwomengeorgia.org.

By Van

April 7, 2006 09:05 AM | Link to this

Laura Ciocia, what the heck does this have to do with Kia incentives. Sounds like you want to be called a dirty name, but with your definition, sorry, doesn’t work that way.

For example, I want to be called an Aryan Brother, this is the brotherhood of all ethinic european males, and not a nazi white supremist puppet group.

Get the drift. A feminist is a feminist, regardless of what you define it as.