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OPINION THE ITEM
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2013 To submit a letter to the editor, e-mail letters@theitem.com
To submit a letter to the editor, e-mail letters@theitem.com
A friendly FOIA reminder for an elected official
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rom time to time The Item, as a public service, likes to refresh elected officials on a state law they’re required to abide by. In this state, the law in question is known as the Freedom of Information Act. Here is its purpose, as described by the S.C. General Assembly: “The General Assembly finds that it is vital in a democratic society that public business be performed in an open and public manner so that citizens shall be advised of the performance of public officials and of the decisions that are reached in public activity and in the formulation of
EDITORIAL
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public policy. Toward this end, provisions of this chapter (of the law) must be construed so as to make it possible for citizens or their representatives (Our italics) , to learn and report fully the activities of their public officials at a minimum cost or delay to the persons seeking access to public documents or meetings.” Apparently the purpose of the law has been forgotten or ignored by the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office. In recent weeks The Item’s Clarendon reporter has been stiffed by Sheriff Randy Gar-
COMMENTARY
rett while he was attempting to secure copies of incident reports and other documents. Apparently the sheriff doesn’t believe the law applies to him and his office. In the city of Sumter, Sumter County and Lee County law enforcement officials have always been consistently forthcoming in making available their incident reports. Not so in Clarendon County. Here’s what the law says so there can be no misunderstanding by the sheriff and his deputies about their responsibilities under the law, with our emphasis: Any per-
son has a right to inspect or copy any public record of a public body, except when it involves trade secrets or information of a personal nature that would constitute an invasion of privacy, plus disclosure of the identity of a law enforcement informant and other information that could hamper a law enforcement investigation or other commonsense restrictions. Most recently, The Item sought information from the Sheriff’s Office regarding the shooting of a 2-year-old child. The newspaper obtained the information about the shooting from another source in spite of the lack of
cooperation from the Sheriff’s Office. The public has a right to know about how public bodies carry out their taxpayersupported duties. The FOIA is a law that applies to all, not only to newspapers. There is nothing in the law that restricts any person from inspecting public records, and that includes incident reports filed by law enforcement authorities. We appreciate Sheriff Garrett’s efforts in Clarendon County to enforce criminal laws. Unfortunately he seems to have forgotten to obey a law that applies to him and anyone in public office.
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The hills are alive with the sound of my voice
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After midnight, we’re or someone who loves music as much gonna let it all hang out After midnight, we’re as I do, you’d think gonna chug-a-lug and shout I’d be able to sing. We’re gonna cause talk But I can’t. Not even a and suspicion little. Give an exhibition Once upon a time on a Find out what it is all newspaper trip to Housabout ton, Texas, I was the next After midnight, we’re contestant in line to sing karaoke at a rowdy cowboy gonna let it all hang out After midnight, bar. My wife looked gonna shake your at me and said tambourine these words: “If you After midnight, do this, I swear I it’s gonna be peachwill leave you.” es and cream I didn’t do it. That We’re gonna was probably 25 cause talk and susyears ago, and we’ve Graham picion been married 31 OSTEEN Give an exhibition years, so discretion Find out what it that night obviously bought me some more time. is all about After midnight, we’re Last weekend we were gonna let it all hang out out with another couple in After midnight, we’re beautiful historic downtown gonna let it all hang out Georgetown, and the failed Texas karaoke story came So the music begins and up. The wife is a rabble-rousthe lyrics pop up on the big er from the hills of North monitor, and I start doing Carolina. She’s from Wilkes my thing. My wife and my County, where legendary buddy were trying to crawl race car driver and moonunder the table, but my shiner Junior Johnson is buddy’s rowdy wife was from, so she gets it honestly. standing on her chair, She said it was a shame I hadn’t realized my dream whistling and screaming encouragement. It all hapof singing in public, and pened so fast that I’ve althat I should be brave and follow my dreams. ready blocked it out. Turns out it was karaoke I was so naturally exhilnight at a local bar, so the arated that I made up for four of us set out to see my horrible singing/yelling what was going on. with pure, unbridled enThere was a small thusiasm. The crowd crowd, and when we arseemed appreciative of the rived there was a black guy efforts, and the DJ kept me singing Stevie Wonder’s up there for a couple more “Happy Birthday” to a numbers with some other group of women, one of would-be singers. Like a whom was clearly the real musical group. birthday girl. He was so My wife didn’t leave me, bad that it actually gave me I realized my dream of confidence to try out my singing in public, and now pipes in public. Plus I I should be cured. It didn’t see anyone I knew. should never happen Since the great musician again, and pity the total and songwriter J.J. Cale died strangers who were subrecently, I decided to perjected to such a torturous form a song that he wrote spectacle. and Eric Clapton made faDespite knowing all that mous — “After Midnight.” in my logical mind, I simThe lyrics, as all musiply can’t guarantee it. cal aficionados know, are The truth is — it was fun. pretty straightforward, Graham Osteen is Ediand there are long instrutor-At-Large of The Item. mental stretches where He can be reached at grayou can just stalk around ham@theitem.com. Follow the stage like a serious him on Twitter @Grahamrock ’n roll front man. It Osteen, or visit www.grahagoes like this: mosteen.com.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Moving forward key to better race relations In response to Mr. Ferdinand Burns’ letter about equal justice for all and the promises he made to his parents, I certainly agree that all people should be treated equally. My question to Mr. Burns is, do you really think that blacks are the only ones who have been oppressed? What about the Jews and especially the Indians? I am white and my grandfather died when my mom and her brother were 9 and 11 years old. They, along with my grandmother, planted and harvested cotton to survive that year. They had to walk three miles to school each day with nothing but a cold biscuit in their lunch pail. I’m sure they would have liked a piece of butt meat to go with the biscuit. They grew up, never complained, worked hard, were very thankful, and were the sweetest, kindest people you would ever meet. I memorized the beatitudes as a child and they also are one of my favorite scriptures, but they are also given by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount as to the steps we take upon ourselves to become more like Jesus. Mr. Burns, if you have been beating the same drum since you were 17, maybe it’s time to start a new tune and do like Paul who describes the Christian life as a race and the goal of the runner is a complete knowledge of Christ and Eternal Salvation. Phillipians 3:13
(b) says forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forward to the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. If you shall not be moved, I guess you want to beat the same tune! You could really be used to help race relations if you would choose to move forward. PATRICIA JONES Sumter
Work to keep residents in Sumter The economics of a city or county includes disposable income from its residents. One of the easiest is how do people spend their time off and more importantly, where do they spend their income? Sumter has a lot of school activities that attract the families of Sumter with small children. It also has nice parks throughout the city which are family oriented. What do single individuals do? They do the normal bar scene, bowling alleys, movie theater and mall. However, there is a group of people that don’t have children because the children have moved away or never had any. Their family is now of the four-legged variety because the companionship of the four-legged kind is more suitable to their current way of life. With that opportunity and responsibility to give back to their furry friends, they want to make their life as enjoyable as possible, not simply to exist to be locked behind a fence or cooped up in a pen, to receive affection on an intermittent basis, but to be-
N.G. OSTEEN 1843-1936 The Watchman and Southron
H.G. OSTEEN 1870-1955 Founder, The Item
H.D. OSTEEN 1904-1987 The Item
come a true family member. As a new resident of South Carolina, I’ve taken the time to enjoy some of the great outdoor opportunities that South Carolina has to offer. So, my coon hound and I load up in the truck and go to a dog park to enjoy the day...yes, we use the leash for an extended walk, but it’s also time for her to play off the leash and get her “free time” in. It’s also time for me to talk to other folks that are there and share similar interests. My most memorable was a man who was videoing my dog playing with his dog, and he explained that his wife had cancer and could not come to the park to enjoy their family time, so he was under strict orders to do the video. There were mixed emotions to his comments, sad yet overjoyed to be part of this couples love of their pet. Then we top off the day grabbing a supper through the drive through --.she loves French fries, and sometimes stopping at the local pet store because she enjoys the staff the smells and watching the birdies. These weekends (and that revenue) are spent in Columbia or Charleston because I haven’t found a suitable place to allow us to enjoy our time here in Sumter. The 1 to 2 hour drive for the fun with one of my best friends is worth it to ensure we have the quality of life that I think we deserve. We can have that here, don’t you think? MIMI DILL Sumter
HUBERT D. OSTEEN JR. | EDITOR AND CHAIRMAN
Founded October 15, 1894 20 N. Magnolia St. Sumter, SC 29150
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MARGARET W. OSTEEN 1908-1996 The Item
H. GRAHAM OSTEEN II Co-President
KYLE BROWN OSTEEN Co-President
JOHN DUVALL OSTEEN Vice President and Publisher
LARRY MILLER CEO