Chattanooga's mayor says a truckload of bottled water he sent to Georgia lawmakers Wednesday morning, along with a declaration offering a "cool wet kiss of friendship," is intended to be humorous.
Mayor Ron Littlefield said he considers the region's extended drought to be a serious situation but he has never taken seriously a move to change the states' boundaries to get access to the Tennessee River.
The mayor said he hopes his "Give Our Georgia Friends a Drink Day" proclamation and delivery Wednesday in Atlanta are accepted in the humorous way he intended.
PROCLAMATION: WHEREAS, it has come to pass that the heavens are shut up and a drought of Biblical proportions has been visited upon the Southern United States, and
WHEREAS, the parched and dry conditions have weighed heavily upon the State of Georgia and sorely afflicted those who inhabit the Great City of Atlanta, and
WHEREAS, the leaders of Georgia have assembled like the Children of Israel in the desert, grumbled among themselves and have begun to cast longing eyes toward the north, coveting their neighbor's assets, and
WHEREAS, the lack of water has led some misguided souls to seek more potent refreshment or for other reasons has resulted in irrational and outrageous actions seeking to move a long established and peaceful boundary, and
WHEREAS, it is deemed better to light a candle than curse the darkness, and better to offer a cool, wet kiss of friendship rather than face a hot and angry legislator gone mad from thirst, and Whereas, it is feared that if today they come for our river, tomorrow they might come for our Jack Daniels or George Dickel,
NOW THEREFORE, In the interest of brotherly love, peace, friendship, mutual prosperity, citywide self promotion, political grandstanding and all that I Ron Littlefield, Mayor of the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Do hereby Proclaim that Wednesday, February 27, 2008 shall be known as "Give Our Georgia Friends a Drink Day"
The proclamation compares Georgia leaders to "Children of Israel in the desert" and says "tomorrow they might come for our Jack Daniel's or George Dickel" -- both brands of Tennessee whiskey.
Georgia Sen. David Shafer called the move "posturing" and said he would prefer a meeting of a boundary commission to resolve Georgia's claim.
Labels: Georgia boundries, state lines, Tennessee River, water
# posted by
Brian Vanderhoff @ 1:10 PM
