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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.