Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 46, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 16, 1995 Page: 2 of 17
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P&gC 2 Thursday, November 16,1995
Murray and Mary Judaon
Publishers
Mary Judson
Editor j
Opinion
Powell: political
parade passes by
The great New Yorker magazine editor, Harold Ross,
was famous for his ability to encompass great elegance
and low vulgarity in a single sentence. Once, when one
of his prize writers, John McNulty, took a job in Holly-
wood, Ross — who couldn’t imagine why anyone would
leave the New Yorker for any-
where, let alone Hollywood —
bade him farewell and said:
“God bless you, John
McNulty, goddamn you.”
It is with that mixture of af-
- V fection and reproof we greet
^ Colin Powell’s decision not to
run for president.
We can accept the fact that
be madc the right decision for
_ j. himself and his family and we
DONALD K.AUL wish him well, but we are sorry
©Tribune Media Service. 10 h,r" 80,.Hc « an,oma-
-ment on the political landscape*
that is not likely to be soon re-
placed.
I had not seen much of Colin Powell until his press con-
ference Wednesday. I hadn't watched him with Larry King
or Barbara Walters or Jay Leno. I like to take my presi-
dential candidates straight, without sweeteners.
To one unfamiliar with the man, his press conference
Wednesday was a stunning performance, made more so
because there didn’t seem to be any performance to iL
What it appeared to be was a real person doing a real
thing, declaring that he didn’t want to go through the com-
bination trial-by-firc/water torture/death-by-a-thousand-
cuts that we call a presidential campaign.
The game isn’t like it was in the days of Dwight
Eisenhower, the last general to occupy the country’s heart.
Back then, a few king makers could get together, anoint
their favorite, place him in a friendly primary or two and
he was in.
Today, becoming the nominee of a party, particularly
one out of office, is a year long war. It is a grueling year
spent on airplanes, in tacky motels, a year of giving the
same speech again and again until you can’t stand the
sound of it, a year of approaching the nch and powerful
with a tin cup, begging alms. You give up your freedom
of movement and put yourself in (he hands of consultants
who tell you they know what they’re doing, but may not.
Your opponents tell lies about you and the press tells truths
you’d prefer to forget. Your faults are exaggerated be-
yond recognition and your virtues are discounted.
The wonder is not that Powell, a man accustomed to
the orderliness of military life, did not choose to run; it’s
that anyone is willing to do it.
So I wasn't surprised that Powell, the author of the
Overwhelming Force doctrine, bowed out. His record is
of one who doesn’t get into a fight unless he’s sure of
winning and I made him a Ibngshot for the Republican
nomination, at best. The modem Republican Party (there’s
an oxymoron for you) is not into winning; it’s into being
right. To that crowd, Powell looks like a Bolshevik.
Which brings us to Newt Gingrich. 1 can’t imagine that
Gingrich will not get into the race. He’s looking at all of
the stiffs milling about in the Republican field and he’s
got to be saying; “I can beat those guys.”
And, really, he should be able to. If there is a Republi-
can Revolution, Gingrich is its Robespierre. It was he
who announced the coming Republicans takeover of Con-
gress years before there was any visible sign of it. It was
he who set up training courses for prospective candidates,
leaching them how to be Republicans and win. It was he
who established an unprecedented discipline among House
Republicans that allowed him to strangle President
Clinton’s- health care plan in its crib and later to embrace
the Contract With America.
If the Republican Party wants a candidate that embod-
ies its ideas, Gingrich is its man. And if it doesn’t, what’s
the point?
Newt would also be the best candidate from an enter-
tainment point of view. A Clinton-Gingrich race would
match two politicians who arc virtual twins, fallen from
the same womb and separated at birth — both intelligent,
full of ideas, bold and cowardly in equal measure,
duplicitous and manipulative, charming, articulate and
sleazy.
It would be a great race, so long as we can’t have Powell.
If you see him on the street, by the way, give him a mes-
sage for me:
“God bless you, Colin Powell...”
Port Aransas South Jetty
Msmbsr
South Taxas Proas Association
Tax as Gulf Coast Prass Association
Tsxas Prass Association
National Newspaper Association
Tidemarks
C.M. Henkel Jr.
Being involved makes a difference
A long time ago, when Libby was under three feet tall,
someone commented about how coverage of school news
in the South Jetty would improve as Libby became in-
volved. It was not meant as a com-
pliment and, of course, I didn’t hear
it first hand. (Always remember,
what goes around, comes around —
especially in a small town!)
My detractor was right, but not
absolutely right. The thought be-
hind the comment was that our cov-
erage would focus on Libby as she
became more involved. That was
the part that was not absolutely right.
I’m a newspaper brat, so by experi-
ence I can tell you that in practice,
the children of newspaper editors
and publishers get their names and
pictures in the paper less than any
South Jhtty Eomoit * olhcr kids in town — whether they
deserve it or not.
The part of the comment that was right was that our
coverage would improve as Libby became more involved.
That’s right because as Libby becomes more involved in
school and in sports, we become more involved. The more
involved we become, the more we learn. Through that, I
hope, our coverage will improve.
Spinoff
Mary Henkel
Judson
I’ll admit right up front that Libby is entering her first difference in a kid’s life.
Rabin, a warrior
turned statesman
ANOTHER Curmudgeon: - “The cankers of a calm
world and a long peace.” - Shakespeare
SCARCELY worth noting. 1 have been on a cerebral
high for more than a month, not alone because of my re-
cent return visit to
China.
THIS TUES-
DAY morning I
find myself pon-
dering whether to
go to the polls. On
Sunday past I spent
a not inconsider-
able amount of
time considering
the 14 amend-
ments to the Texas
Constitution. Will
it be necessary to
fight through a line
in order to get to the voting booth? 1 doubt it. Summed
up I find myself pondering what our legislators did or didn T
do in the past to necessitate those amendments. Necessi-
tate?
On CSPAN a few minutes ago, word that elections are
going on in two other states, New Hampshire and Vir-
ginia. Most interesting to me is a legislative race under-
way in my original home state. Most heated action is in
the Shenandoah Valley, that bastion of the Old South from
whence I come, it appears the region has in recent years
become strongly Republican. More, the extreme rightist,
Christian Coalition, is very powerful, even as it is in so
many other parts of the nation.
NOW TO OFFER a personal note. My number three
son has recently returned from a first visit to the Valley.
............... . In summary, he learned that a few old friends and their
year as a IitlJe Lady Marlm basketball player, and our children read this column, agreeing and disagreeing with
nephew Ian Henkel, has transferred from Corpus Chnstr ^ axitem Very pleasing, because it matches comment
and is also making h.s debut as a Marlin basketball player ^ corncs from South Texans, with this difference. Here
on the eighth grade team. We are having so much fun it s my detractors are most vehement in their contradictions,
hard to concentrate. Libby and Ian aren t the only reasons jhat I like
for the fun. We are now in a situation in which we know so TO ^ murder of Yitzhak Rabin Israel-s
very wcllmany of the players in both middle and high First off. Rabin was a rough and tough
school, and that adds a lot to the game. Also, as Libby has warrior in past defenses of his country. Following the Six
become more involved in basketball since tantoputon D w he ^ slatesman. Regretting the murder,
the blue and white, and since Murray has coached YMCA a wilh a]l civilizcd humans< it waf not until this mom-
basketball for three years, we ve learned more about the • /L. . was ^ly moved bv the last Saturday tracedv
r^ndballgamcihanwch^mourUfelim^fK^inmind M M inter^mdi
2“ “T/"? Leah Rabin, his wife, with a CSPAN reporter. A truly
Refugn, Bobcats arc futures in the football play-offs) and gracious lady who should be beid by all of her
■,L^tL^^,i"J^^^.l^.^:^'.^.MwLare«clewlyunrepenLofd«r
wnctncr irom tne t ictus or academic oratnjctic endeavor fanaticism As a consequence I am obliged to repeat per
— except to say that we re always looking for ways to MnalvtemofUlepas7‘lsrael, standingieographi^llVas
[S^ o^rLna^^lTSrSvn it^uxlay.isaSsequenceofntisWon^lAmerica,
the meantime, twice, unttmuna^y, man .Call dm »
iicadcmiocom^uhoiisarc mAspcctanir spttns. I'd like to o^. h Ztd ^
invite you to sit (if you can) in on a Lady Marlin or Marlin established in the Arab world desoile Jewish reli-
baskctball game. When you catch that Marlin basketball becn esta.b‘is, .in , c Ara?.wor^; ?cspJcw*n rcn
fever, it extends to ihc classroom and I guarantee you'll be ^ ond h,slorK Nor will Israel «er be more
cheering on you. special players to etcel in the chutsruom ^ a. *** °" Pa,“,m,a" “ Never trend good
as well as the basket bail miurt That can make a big '“"““S’ “If1u FfT'
Letters to the editor
I did not have duck season on my Port Aransas agenda.
I never considered that people hunt ducks here. However,
one of the first invitations I received here this fall was
from R.C. Nolte. He wanted me to go down Lydia Ann
Channel with him. So I took my rod and reel and he took
his hammer and saw. I know every fisherman has his own
technique but I’d never seen one go after them with car-
pentry tools. I then learned that the purpose of our trip
was to repair his duck blinds.
I later encountered other Port
Aransans who are duck hunters.
They’re easy to spot When you say
the word “duck” their nostrils flare
so they’ll suck the buttons off your
shirt
I learned long ago that creature
comfort and duck hunting do not
jibe. Nothing makes a duck hunter
happier than cold, cold weather with
Parti re Prvnr rainanda low cdlin8 ** getting up
L.actUS rryOi way before dawn. I put early morn-
ing awakeness in the same category
as spinach quiche and oak wilt The way I shoot, a bird
would have to have suicidal tendencies in order for me to
bring it down.
I train labrador retrievers and handle them in field tri-
als. I know the beauty of a trained dog doing his thing in
retrieving birds. They are wonderful conservationists in
th«t you don’t lore wounded h*rr^g U m»«t be to
watch a good dog on a real hunt.
I also have been amazed and thrilled by the sight of the
recently arrived flights of duck and geese. While fishing
the flats with Smokey Gaines we saw them rise and fill
the sky like the bats coming out from under Congress
Avenue Bridge in Austin. An incredible experience.
There seem to be more than enough ducks to go around.
So happy hunting, hunters. I’ll think of you as I turn over
at 4:30 a.m on a cold, rainy morning and go back to sleep.
Cactus Pryor can be heard twice daily on radio sta-
tions KLBJ-AM in Austin and KRYS-AM in Corpus Chrisd
No tax is a good tax
Thank you 35% of the voters, for standing by your con-
victions and voting against the tax increase. For making
your votes known to others that there is no such thing as a
“rubber stamped” tax increase. In spite of the overwhelm-
ing and continuous barrage of articles, fired at the read-
ers, from the South Jetty on why this tax increase was
good, you still said no. NO, of course, is always much
harder than saying yes.
If there was no opposition to tax increases, there would
be even more must do reasons for taking money from us
through taxation. We are beyond the stager of good tax
increases. There are none! Future generations will know
it and will continue to pay for our lack of fiscal control.
If anyone thinks that this “small” increase did not leave
the door open for future tax increases, from any of the
various taxing entities, best you think again and be wary,
because they are always for a good cause.
By now, all of us should have learned that all these
“small” tax increases, in virtually every area of our lives,
have added up tremendously and will cost us more than
we could ever hope to gain.
Jim Anderson
Port Aransas
Ham it up
This past election for both state and city issues had some
expected results, with the new half-cent “recreational tax”
being the most notable. A good many of the “old-timers”
of the island, including myself, have tried to do our best
to point out all the absurdities and inconsistencies of any
taxes that were proposed to be spent for what, in our view-
point, was money for a golf course in Charlie's Pasture,
which is a wetland salt flail
We went so far in the past to force an election to pre-
vent just that type of waste, but this time we were out-
numbered at the polls, apparently by a larger majority of
people who saw “swimming pool” above all else.
With all due respect for the ladies who were most in
ming pool will be forthcoming anytime in the near future.
The proposal itself is written in such broad language that
it could even include a bowling lane, and I can just as-
sume that the “golf driving range” will be first and fore-
most item on the agenda.
The worst aspect of the proposal is the lack of direc-
tion, notably location, street access, parking, building fa-
cilities, insurance, staffing and responsibility for the ac-
tivities, just to name a few items.
The better aspect is the fact that it is not an immediate,
multi-million dollar rip-off scheme that came about un-
dcrhandedly, so there is plenty of time for some logical
thinking.
May I propose that the city, in utilizing these tax funds,
join together with the school district in implementing a
very technical, but quite practical, and very educational
Amateur Radio (translated: Ham Radio) system? It could
be located in the old Nueces County building, or what-
ever location is best, and wouldn’t cost much,particularly
in comparison with the swimming pool, et all. There are
many more retired “radio enthusiasts” in our city now than
ever before, and they would probably be quite willing to
volunteer some time to help with labor, equipment, and
technical services for a station, which could be easily used
for emergency communications, too.
Of course, I will always be glad to lend a hand on this
idea, since there are 90 many avenues of interest, and have
the necessary license to get it going. Just a thought, and
may 1 also take this time to wish everyone a very happy
Thanksgiving. As we say on the radio, ’73s, 88’s, de
WA5YKK.
Gilbert Gibbs
Port Aransas
Letters To the Editor Policy
Tht South Jetty waleomM lonara U t» aditor regarding I mom.
opinion* or Mata and HmNad to approximately 900 worda LaOari
wiN b* adit ad tor clarity and bravtty aa waH aa apaWng and grammar
Limit olon* latter parparaon par 30 days. Latter* oMhanfcaatwuM
ba aubmittad to #» CwaaHlad Advertising Oapartmant.
Latter* muat contain a valid atgnatura. mailing addraaa. day and
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avanlng tatephon* numbara
m hmi m*
»,TX
poraona writing lattara will
not ba withhold tram publication Mail lattara to: P.OL Boa 111*,
ram or Pax: (112) 74*4137.
favor of this facility, particularly Mary Judson and Nancy
D’Herde, I feel the need to point out that they are a bit
naive to believe that their vision of a community swim- _[____^ _______
I WANT TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE SOUTH JETTY
*20 par year in Port Aransas, Nueces County, IngleskJe and Aransas Pass.
*23*° per year elsewhere In the continental U.S.
r i Visa __:___ ____— _ _________
Cart#.
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Expiration Date:
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Address:
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apL
Mail to: South Jetty, P.O. Box 1116, Port Aransas, TX 78373
Call: 1-512-749-5131 FAX: 1-512-749-5137
ably good will on each side of the long evident lasting
paradox. Despite Arab and Jew each being Semites of
Caucasian stock, I must doubt what they have themselves
known for centuries, that they will never learn to live as
neighbors. By comparison, the animosity that exists be-
tween the people of former Yugoslavia pales by compari-
son. How can that observation be expressed in more mild
terms?
Meanwhile, until last week's despicable murder I have
found myself obliged to confess that I had until then no
idea of the shameful, yes disgusting animosity that exists
between Jew and Jew in Israel. Here again I must ac-
knowledge how moved I was by this morning’s interview
with Leah Rabin.
Here then it must be acknowledged that Rabin was a
protege of his predecessor Menachen Begin, of whom the
less said the better, at least from this quarter.
At this point I find it necessary to offer a few words
with regard to Simon Peres, Rabin’s at least temporary
successor, a man I have always admired, at the same time
always aware of the disagreement that existed between
the two men.
It becomes obligatory to express an opinion that will
without doubt lead to criticism. The Tel Aviv murder re-
minds me for all the world of a young American, only
whose last name, Reed, comes to mind. The activist sub-
altern is a presumed Christian leader, Pat Robertson, I find
myself unable to forget a young German veteran of WWI
who rose to power more than 70 years ago. Beware.
SO NOW THEN, to China and my encounter with the
men in blue. The name of the airport is forgotten. I was
strolling along doing my usual when a man of no few years
approached and as best I could understand said “No
smoke.” Enter then our delightful Yang Li who squared
things away in seconds. However, grandson Sean dug
into his pocket and forfeited five yuan, about 60 cents,
U.S. For which he received an official receipt. Give me
a Chinese airport before any stateside, especially in Los
Angeles where treatment of smokers is not much short of
barbaric. In any case, I have come to classify U.S. ports
as dungeons which have made a sneak of me. China has
more respect for smokers. In every airport one finds a
cozy corner to accommodate the wayward, a comfortable
chair, tea and even stronger stuff for the finicky.
CM. Henkel Jr. is a retired newspaper publisher living
in Rockport. His column, which he has written for more
than 40 years, now appears in the Refugio County Advan-
tage Press and the South Jetty.
The South Jetty (946:020) pays Secono Class postage
at Pom Aransas TX. POSTMASTER: Seno address
changes to: P.O. Box 1116, Pom Aransas 78373
Just say
’Charge it*
at the South Jetty
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Judson, Mary. Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 25, No. 46, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 16, 1995, newspaper, November 16, 1995; Port Aransas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth623546/m1/2/?rotate=90: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Ellis Memorial Library.