Viewpoints

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that there is a single panel cartoon which appears in daily papers called “Pluggers.”

I appreciate it because I relate to it. Mostly, it features an old guy who relates to things of his youth much better than to anything modern.

I thought about that when a famous actress and her famous actress daughter died within a few days of each other recently.

“Mom” was a year or so older than I am and so was at her peak of popularity when I was of an age to appreciate her song and dance and blonde beauty. I saw most of her movies.

by Dick Schiling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that there were frequently repeated television commercials during the holiday season by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. They featured photos and stories about animals which had been abandoned or mistreated by their owners. I am certain the response was “how could anyone treat an animal that way?”

Weirdly, those commercials coincided with debate in many nations, including the United States, about treatment of Muslim immigrants.

And in my own case, with two books I was reading that described in great detail the mistreatment of groups of people because of their race.

China Dolls was written by Lisa See, and published by Random House in 2014.

The Invention of Wings was written by Sue Monk Kidd, and published by the Penguin Group at Random House, also in 2014.

Happy New Year!

This is an exciting time of year! We look forward with great anticipation wondering what the year ahead will bring. We make resolutions that we fully expect to carry out but usually don’t. Most of these resolutions focus on our health (eating right, more exercise, losing weight, running marathons), attitudes (being happier, friendlier), relationships, giving up bad habits or vices, etc. One person’s New Year’s resolution was that they were going to stop making resolutions!

“Peace on Earth, God’s Will  to Men”

There is an interesting story behind  the poem by Henry Wadsworth-Longfellow composed on Christmas day in 1863 during the American Civil War. The poem, “Christmas Bells,”  tells of his own despair upon hearing the ringing of Christmas church bells. Two years prior, Longfellow’s personal peace was shaken when his second wife of eighteen years, to whom he was very devoted, was tragically burned in a fire. 

To the Editor:

In four to five hours a month, you can be a positive influence in the life of a child. The Youth Mentoring program for Helping Services allows area youth to connect with caring adults who help them to develop to their fullest potential. In Allamakee County, this mentoring program was established in 1998 and continues to provide mentoring services for area children.

Currently, the Youth Mentoring program is in search of mentors and will be conducting a mentorship drive in January. As a mentor, you are able to give a little help and show attention to an area youth. It may be a chat on the phone, watching a movie, or playing a board game. It could be bowling, hiking, baking, or visiting museums - whatever the activity, mentoring is a connection of one child to a responsible adult.

To the Editor:

To the community:

Christmas and New Years are wonderful occasions to celebrate. However, it is also a time for over indulging on food and beverage.

Too many cookies and too much fudge, pie and punch? Too much sitting at gatherings or watching bowl games? Need to get out of the house and beat the winter blues?

The solution lies at the Waukon Wellness Center. It is a wonderful facility to help us get moving again. One can pedal a bike, walk on a treadmill, or bring a friend to walk the track with you.

There is something for everyone!  When you have completed your exercise you can take advantage of the coffee corner and socialize.

The Wellness Center not only offers a chance to exercise but also come together for socialization.

Waukon is so fortunate to have this wonderful facility so I hope you give it a try.

Suzanne Hahn
Waukon
 

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that sometimes, placing a question in an entirely different context seems to help understanding.

As I am writing this early the afternoon of Monday, Dec. 19, television stations are breathlessly covering the on-going casting of votes by members of the Electoral College. All of them are assuring us that President-elect Donald Tmmp will get almost all of the votes he won in the various states, and thus officially be elected president.

But the role of the Electoral College still seems to be widely misunderstood, or if understood, resented by a number of persons. Some of the protestors apparently are young and so lack a frame of reference. Others are rabid supporters who feel robbed by the defeat of the election’s early odds-on favorite Hillary Clinton. And others are confirmed leftists for whom the entire United States election method is suspect.

Luke 2 – …to you is born this day in the city of David, a savior who is Christ the Lord…

There are no monuments to mark the place where Jesus was born. No plaques in Nazareth where Jesus was raised! By the river Jordan and on the hillside where he taught, there are no historical markers to note the events. Jesus would not even allow a marker to be placed where he was transfigured before Elijah and Moses and his close friends. There is no permanent cross that marks the hill of Golgatha, there is no tombstone anywhere.

To the Editor:

I am responding to the editorial of November 30 written by Benjamin Ross of Waukon.

Mr. Ross started his editorial suggesting that we should accept the results of the presidential election and move on. Then he launches a diatribe that has little basis in fact, but is long on opinion.

To the Editor:

In response to Mr. Quandahl’s letter entitled “Pray with great concern for our country” (The Standard December 14, 2016), I would like to start by expressing my appreciation for your insightful letters. I read regularly and find your values very important to our great community, state and nation.

I would like you to rethink the one position I respectfully disagree with, that of the felon’s right to vote. Being of strong belief of the Word of God, I ask for forgiveness each day and look to repent for all my shortcomings. I may be unable to gain citizens’ rights in the state of Iowa; I do pray, however, that God has seen my heart and repentance is acceptable to him.

Thank you and Blessed Holidays to all.

Josh Burke
West Union