Viewpoints

RAGBRAI, the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, is coming to northeast Iowa in just a few weeks. Approximately 15,000 bicyclists from around the world will be pedaling through Waukon and ending up in Lansing on July 30. It will be a very exciting summer!

As a clergy, I have been volunteering on the Lansing RAGBRAI team. I’ve written some of the press releases you’ve been reading and worked designing the logo. I think it is important the ministers and members of our congregations serve the community and this is a fun and convenient way to do so. The entire event will bring a lot of revenue and future tourism to our communities.

To the Editor:

So many things to write about: the passing of Baxter Black from the U.S. Farm Report, the beauty of the corn crop rows as we travelled to the waffle breakfast at the Northeast Iowa Community College Campus in Calmar last week, noticing the weedless corn rows. Seeing a stalk of corn in a bean field is a weed, a weed is a plant out of place. Corn is beautiful but not in a bean field.

On the same note, an old truck or trailer gracing the city plaza for weeks at a time, is a weed in what is supposed to be a beautiful plaza, no doubt to be replaced in the distant future, by a dumpster next to a thriving business in the old J.C. Penney store, which may by that time need another new roof.

Independence Day – Freedom to follow the Lord

On the Fourth of July we celebrate the birth of our country. As Americans I hope you took a few moments during this holiday to give thanks to the Lord for our liberty, justice and precious gift of freedom. Our nation recognizes that all are equal regardless of race, political affiliation, gender, age, health, whether born or yet to be born. We are free to follow the Lord or some other god.

I think that whenever we seek freedom it can be found easiest by following the Lord’s way – Jesus’ new commandment: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.” John 13:34

Through Christ Jesus we are given love that is unending; in addition, we receive freedom, mercy, peace and hope. “For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.” Gal 5:1

To the Editor:

1. According to the U.S. government, there is no historical evidence that Betsy Ross made the first Stars and Stripes. The story of Mrs. Ross and the first Stars and Stripes is based on Ross family oral history from 1870 - nearly a century after the War for Independence. Although Mrs. Ross made flags for 50 years, she made flags for Pennsylvania’s Navy during the War. (Source: “Our Flag.” Joint Committee on Printing. United States Congress. H. Doc. 100-247. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1989. p. 2.)

2. The so-called “Betsy Ross Flag” dates from the early 1790s - not from the War for Independence. (Source: “Our Flag.” p. 2.)

To the Editor:

June 24, history was made. Roe vs. Wade, a mainstay of the law of the land for over half a century, was overturned.

I was born in 1957, six years before Roe vs. Wade was enacted. My mother chose not to abort me, and even if she wanted to, it may not have been easy at that time. But, what if?

What if I were about to be born in 1963 and my mother wanted to use the Roe vs. Wade law to its fullest benefit? I would now be up in heaven talking to my mom, asking, “Why, Mom? Why did you choose to abort me? God’s plan for me was to live 60-plus years on earth, but now because of your choice I have missed out.”

Thankfully, in real life, that has not been the case. It was never an option for my dear mother to ever even consider abortion, either for me or my seven other siblings. My mom was smart, but she was never quite able to learn to say the words, “my body, my choice.” Thank you, Mom.

To the Editor:

Although this letter started as a friendly tiff with our editor, I decided to go in a different direction and think of things that used to be and maybe could be again.   As an octogenarian (look it up on your phone), how many people remember the Downs Feed Yard, with the billboard-size Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus ad, or the VanGorder Junk Yard?

This, of course, was before the time of flat sidewalks and parking meters, where a penny bought 12 minutes and a nickel bought a whole hour. A ticket for overtime parking was 10 cents. The City was in the chips - proceeds reported weekly or monthly in the Republican Standard and Waukon Democrat - when the town filled up with shoppers every Saturday night, until the time was changed to Friday night shopping to accommodate store employees.

To the Editor:

Right now, Congress has a real kangaroo court going on regarding January 6 that is as crazy as the Russian hoax - totally disgusting and a waste of time and money. I have attended four Trump rallies in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque and La Crosse, and the crowds were all very peaceful and concerned people. Big bucks were spent trying to keep Trump out.

When the true history of Trump is printed, he will go down as the greatest President ever, and we need him back. So, please, Trump, run again. You will get over 100 million votes.

This I hate to say, but we are going downhill so fast in our country, we could go bankrupt and Social Security checks could bounce.

Kindest regards and God bless,
Osmund “Ozzie” Quandahl
Waukon

To the Editor:

Drinking and using drugs to change your moods, face your fears, or deal with painful emotions? Self-medicating may offer some relief in the short-term, but over time it only exacerbates the issues that you are dealing with.

Signs that you may be self-medicating include:

You turn to drugs or alcohol when you’re feeling anxious, stressed or depressed. If you are regularly drinking or using drugs to cope with stress, relieve boredom or improve how you feel, there is a strong possibility you’re self-medicating.

Your problems are multiplying. You started drinking to cope with stress, but now you’ve got health, relationship and financial problems to cope with as well. And the stress is even worse. The more you self-medicate, the more problems it creates in your life.

An Unchanging Savior in a Changing World

It seems like this world is always changing. As I was visiting my brother’s farm in northern Minnesota, which was my Grandpa’s farm two generations ago, I couldn’t help but think of the rapid changes in technology. My Grandpa started farming with a horse and plow, but by the end of his farming career he was driving tractors with GPS capabilities. What a remarkable change!

Recently, we have been witnessing more than just our technology changing. Some good and some bad. With all these changes, there seems to be an additional question—“What is truth?” With differing opinions, news reporting, and beliefs, there is much disagreement. We have a hard time deciphering between fact and fiction, truth and falsehood, right and wrong. It can be a difficult and frustrating task determining the truth.

To the Editor:

Thank you to all involved for the fitting tribute to local veterans as seen in the newly-established Allamakee County Veterans Museum.  I was very impressed with many aspects of it, including the Roll of Honor Wall, the Vietnam War discussion, and the tribute to the most recent area boy to lose his life while serving, Mr. Russell Robinson.

We we can have a sense of pride going forward, remembering the sacrifice of the past.

Matt Brandt
Cedar Rapids