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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
November 11, 2021     Shelton Mason County Journal
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November 11, 2021
 
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GUEST Thursday, Nov. ’1 1, 2021 Shelton-Mason County Journal Page A-5 Remember the parents that—sentmtheir children to War By Ardean Anvik y maternal grandmother loved Edgar MGuest poetry. My Uncle Dave, her old- est son, was a tail gunner on a B-29 when President Harry S. Truman authorized dropping the atomic bomb on Japan. When he returned ’ from combat, Grandma gave him a book of poetry by Guest. Twenty years ago, I visited my Uncle Dave in Bozeman, Montana, arriving on Sept. 10, 2001. The next day, as I was leaving, the TV showed shots of planes hitting the World Trade Center’s twin towers. I watched-as the second plane hit one of the towers. Then it was time to take off, heading to Billings. As I was leaving, Uncle Dave gave me this book of poetry. I think he thought it appropriate due to the circumstances. I was also collecting genealogy information on the family and had interviewed him the night before. That gene- alogy was published in 2012. As an aside, I had two uncles on my dad’s side in World War II. One jumped out of perfectly good airplanes with the 82nd Airborne and landed behind the lines to set up a second front on June 5, 1944 - the day before D-Day. My dad’s other brother was an ace in WW II and came back to Arizona to train new pilots in the skill of airborne combat. Dad also had two brothers— in-law who met at the Elbe River with the Rus— sians. The two armies entered Germany. That was early 1945. All my uncles came home from combat unscathed, which was remarkable considering the dangers they faced. I can never understand how my two grandmothers and grandfathers were able to continue daily life with their children in great dan- ger of dying. On Veterans Day we honor our veterans but we must also honor the mothers and fathers who , sent their sons and daughters to war. Edgar Guest (1881—1959), wrote the book Poems of Patriotism in 1942. . The Mother on the Sidewalk The mother on the sidewalk as the troops are marching by Is the mother of Old Glory that is waving in the sky. Men have fought to keep it splendid, men .have died to keep it bright, But that flag was born of woman and her suffer— ings day and night; ‘Tis her sacrifice has made it, and once more we ought to pray For the brave and loyal mother of the boy that ’ goes away. There are days of grief before her, there are hours that she will weep, There are nights of anxious waiting when her fear will banish sleep; She has heard her country calling and has risen to the test, And has placed upon the altar of the nation’s need, her best. And no man shall ever suffer in the turmoil of the . ’ fray The anguish of the mother of the boy who goes ' away. You may boast men’s deeds of glory, you may tell their courage great, But to die is easier service than alone to sit and wait, And I hail the little mother, with the tearstained face and grave, Who has given the flagla soldier — she’s the brav— est of the brave. And "that banner we are proud of, with its red and blue and white Is a lasting tribute holy to all mothers’ love of right. A Father’s Tribute I don’t know what they’ll put him at, or what his post may be; ' cannot guess the task that waits for him across the sea, But I have known him through the years, and when there’s work to do, ‘ I know he’ll meet his duty well, 1’ ll swear that he’ll be true. I sometimes fear that he may die, but never that he’ll shirk’; If death shall want him, death must go and take him at his work; . This splendid Sacrifice he makes is filled with ter- rors grim, , ' And I have many thoughts of fear, but not one fear of him. The foe may rob my life of joy, the foe may take my all, And desolate my days shall be if he shall have to fall, , But this I know, whate’er may be the grief that I must face, Upon his record there will be no blemish of disgrace. His days have all been splendid days, there lies no broken trust ' ’ Along the pathway of his youth to molder in the . dust; ' Honor and truth have marked his ways, in him I can be glad; He is as fine and true a son as ever a father had. ’ — Edgar A. Guest I Ardean Anvik is a resident of Shelton LEITERS TO THE EDITOR A q uestion Editor, the Journal, Newly retired after years of teaching, I have a lot more free time and enjoy reading the various letters to the editor, well, except for the oc— casional name—calling. It appears that some people have running conversa— ‘tions with others. So, I have a ques— tion I will ask at the end. First a side story. In there was a lull during the fall parent-teacher conferences letter, email editor@masoncoun WA 98584. ; . .. Journal Letter - The Jaurnal encourages original letters ,to the edits of lanai intereSt.“DiVerse and‘Varied oplri welcomed. We will not publish letters that are deemed libelous or scurrilous in nature. All letters’mus f be signed and include the/writer’s name, address and daytime phone numben‘which will ber'isect to verification purposes Only. All letters are subject to. editing for length, grammar and-clarity. “resubmit a. tycom, drop it off at 227 W. Cote St, or mail it to R0. Box 430,23Shel ’fi“ and I had a memorable discussion with a fellow teacher about the presi- dential election. I listened as she’logi— cally explained her reasoning in vot— ing for Donald Trump. It was a great, quiet discussion. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic and a changed con— ference routine, we did not get to talk about last year’s election. In the primaries, Joe Biden was not the first pick for almost all Democrats, but he was the bestcandidate to de- feat Trump, which he did. Now. as the events before, during and after Jan. come to light, here is my question. I How cap one still support Trump who staged a failed coup to try to stay in power?'I am curious and look for- ward to listening to others’ thinking and reasoning. John Vernon Shelton The sky isfalling! 1 Editor, the Journal, Mr. AA’s Oct. 28 comments in the Journal refer to a very bleak fu- ture in a very the sky is falling like manner, and to prove his point tells readers novels like “1984,” “Animal , Farm, “Atlas Shrugged” and “The Fountainhead” all show where we are all headed. Perhaps someone should inform Mr. that those are works of fiction, not historical refer- ences. Mr. A, might I suggest an— other great work of fiction, “Chicken Little.” Patricia Hawley Shelton Old Virginia Editor, the Journal, , I don’t remember the last time I was so happy about being wrong. In a let- ter to the editor last week, I predicted that Terry McAulifle’s Democratic ma- chine would defeat Republican Glenn Youngkin in the Virginia governor’s race. Despite that, Republicans not only won the governorship, but the ofi‘ices of Lt. governor and attorney gen- ; eral as well. I’m not just happy, I’m ecstatic! I I attribute my bad call here first to PTSDfiOm the election. I just don’t trust Democrats taking part in much of anything ofiicial — especially an election —- where victory would not garner them more power. Second, I’ve served on a college faculty for many years and know liberals well. They look on conserva- tives like me — just as Terry McAulijfe looked on Glenn Youngkin and his sup— porters — with arrogance, condescen- sion and disdain. They hid their scorn with faux smiles every day. ' Education was a significant ele— , ment in the Democrats’demise. While traversing the cow pastures of elec- tive politics in the Old Dominion, Mr. McAuliffe managed to step in it ’ twice. The first time was in a debate with Youngkin in late September. He said then that parents should have no role in their children’s education. (Ev- eryone please read that last sentence again.) While sqrapirg ofi his shoe after that one, he stepped yet again deep into another meadow mufi‘in, this time saying that we have too many white teachers. (Read that sentence again, too.) ' Something is very disturbing about these “pasture comments” by McAu- lifie. This race was close, and a great number of Democrats voted for him. The question is, how could so many parents, no matter how partisan, ever support such abhorrent — and politi— cally suicidal —beliefs? Hints: 1. What were these Dem parents not told? 2.) rnrursmune new menu ' Who should have told them? , Oh yes, the mental sickness known as TDS (Trump derangement syn- drome) played a bit part, but its im- pact on the race was probably luke- warm at best. It was reported that McAulijfe used the word “Trump” 24 times in just one speech at a rally. Someone needed to tell the poor man ‘ — and many others - that Donald Trump is no longer president. McAu- lilfe tried to nationalize the election, but in the process, overlooked any real concerns of Virginians. ' I expect 3n avalanche of wouldas, 'couldas an shouldas now, especially from the McAulifie camp, or rather ' former camp. Future historians and grad students will be picking the bones of this election for years to come. For now though, we can give a rousing cheer for Glenn Youngkin and . the good people of Virginia for turning a deep blue state red. Hopefully, this huge Republican victory marks the be- ginning of a change in the sorry course On which our country is currently be- ing taken. The Democratic machine is starting to rust. Robert E. Graham ‘ Union The Nov. 25 edition oi the Journal will haveen early deadline at noon on Monday, lieu.