You can just about count on it. About every week some new revelation extolling the stupidity of the Downtown Atlanta business community makes the news. This time it's one of the better known and more active "usual suspects," Georgia-Pacific.

According to news accounts, GP is having trouble marketing their products in Atlanta, their 'home town' of some twenty years. Their whining is not unlike some other carpetbagger companies we hear about.

They have several problems in getting the local gentry to buy their products. First, imagine the arrogance of expecting old time Atlantans and Georgians to rush to the store to buy anything with a label that says "Northern." Their marketing experts make another stupid mistake. They equate Atlanta and Georgia as the same market. It seems like they think Atlanta is Georgia.

Then there were the rumors when they acquired the company making Dixie Cups that they would change that name. Apparently some of their marketing gurus felt 'Dixie' is offensive. So far, they haven't gotten that arrogant but don't hold your breath. Remember GP is identified with those that are hellbent on changing historic Georgia names, symbols and traditions.

Never to be forgotten is the leadership Georgia-Pacific took in backroom deals to have the 1956 state flag removed from any consideration by the people. Their chairman boasted about it and the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce took special pains to recognize the contributions of GP in denying Georgians the right to choose their state flag. GP executives and lobbyists were in the forefront of passing out big bucks at the Georgia Capitol to persuade the legislature.

Sort of begs the question: Why should folks in Georgia buy GP products? It's fairly well established they want to alter Georgia history and tradition to suit a corporate mentality that is foreign to Georgia. No wonder they do so much better selling their goods in Philadelphia and New York.

Just think how much worse their sales in Georgia would be if the combined heritage groups had emphasized the same style boycott they have with Coca-Cola. That boycott now has over two million signed petitions from folks who won't buy Coke products. Likely millions more who haven't signed petitions have joined in as the sales of Coke products continue to decline and their stockholders are restless.

The real pity of this corporate foolishness is they could do so much better working with the home folks. Rather than dole out millions to race racketeers whose purpose is to divide and profit by it, GP could have put a little wise investment in Georgia heritage groups such as the Georgia Heritage Council. Together we could have developed a program to honor Georgia history and tradition and tie the GP support in the campaign.

Stay tuned for the never ending saga of stupidity in the Atlanta business community. Who and what will be next?

Jeff Davis is a retired radio-TV journalist living in Gainesville, GA. Active in civic and political affairs, he is past president of the Georgia Jaycees, former vice president of the US and the world Jaycees, former campaign chairman of the Georgia Republican party. He voluntarily serves as chairman of the Georgia Heritage Council. He is a collateral descendant of President Jefferson Davis.

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TRIBUTE TO A FRIEND, ADVERSARY AND FRIEND AGAIN, ERNEST VANDIVER