My Morning Wooten

As we travel towards the end, I have shirked in my Wooten duties. Reasonable Jim showed up today and I nearly shirked past once again. But there are a couple of morsels today too tasty to resist.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorses, in principle, a Palestinian state next door — on the condition that it is demilitarized and that the Palestinians recognize Israel’s right to exist. Fat chance. Wake me when other states in the region accept, without some poision-pill condition, Israel’s right to exist unmolested.

Jim was apparently asleep in 1978 (Egypt) and 1994 (Jordan). Of course, given who was in power at the time of those two peace treaties, is it any wonder Jim's memory is a little fuzzy?

Ever notice how seldom somebody identified as “activist” has a real job, especially a real job in the private sector?

Off the top of my head, I can name a dozen "activists" I know personally who have jobs in the private sector - including two small business owners.

Once upon a time, thoughts of the Atlanta Constitution turned to Henry Grady's "New South" and Ralph McGill's snapping Gene's suspenders. I'm not here to conflate a single sentence blurb in a column of random thoughts with the downfall of a legendary newspaper. But, it is important to remember that there was a time when great men walked those halls and those great men recognized the power of their position and they grasped with fierce determination the unsheathed pen and used the magic of that instrument to promote the betterment of the city and the people they so loved.

It's only a single sentence, but there is more myth spun out of that single sentence than ever emerged from Joel Chandler Harris' house down in West End. Worse, it is a myth designed not to raise up our city - our people - our new south. Instead, it is a mealy mouthed myth of marginalization - of exclusion - of disdain.

You're better that this, Jim. And what's worse is you know it.

Carter and Hamas

There is much wailing and gnashing of teeth in Georgia these days over the latest actions of one of our native sons. President Jimmy Carter recently visited Hamas, the enigma which is the simultaneously a terrorist organization and the ruling party in the Palestinian Authority.

So why would Carter visit this group? To lavish them with hugs and kisses? To continue to prove to the world that he hates Israel?

Not really.

In his talks with Hamas leaders, Carter sought to persuade the group to declare a unilateral, 30-day cease fire in Gaza as a good-will gesture. But Hamas was having none of it. Early Monday, Carter said, he called Mashaal one last time to try and convince the Hamas leader to accept the idea. “I told them, ‘don’t wait for reciprocation,’” Carter later told reporters. “Just do it unilaterally. This will bring a lot of credit to you around the world, doing a humane thing.

Of course Hamas turned him down. So naturally Carter, named by Georgia blogger Erick Erickson as "history's greatest monster", flashed his famous grin and patted the misbehaving killers on the head.

Not really.

They turned me down. I think they’re wrong. I did the best I could on that. I don’t understand their rocket decision.

Another part of Carter's Hamas trip you may not hear from the Pharisees intent on dragging his heretical ass to the Sanhedrin was his attempt to attain the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

In this he was also unable to sway Hamas.

There will be those who dwell on these failures, but it is doubtful in their crowing on the lesser accomplished they will whisper their apparent wisdom on how to accomplish the greater good.