Viewpoints

For many, a “good Christmas” means just getting through the holidays with minimal conflict. Clenched teeth make it hard to sing most holiday carols, so now is no time for confrontation.

Yet, John the Baptist stands as the Gospel’s necessary Advent precursor - God’s go-to man whose precise charge confronts us and bring us into conflict with ourselves.

“By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace,” declares John’s father, Zechariah.

His lyric song in Luke 1 provides a kind of pause, an interruption, in the narrative flow. Turn the page, and what’s next is the most-famous version of the Christmas story! That’s what we’re all so eager to get to this month. Who doesn’t want to jump straight into Luke 2 and once again see that manger, that baby, those exhausted young parents, those angels dancing in the night sky?

To the Editor:

As a connoisseur of music of all genres, I can easily equate music titles to what’s happening in downtown Waukon. According to a favorite song by Cher, “If I Could Turn Back Time,” in the 1990s and early 2000s, Waukon boasted 20-plus restaurant (food serving) and liquor establishments within the city limits (Yes, I can name them). Combined, they all created a thriving day and night life (especially night) with downtown streets often left without available parking.

This led to Waukon becoming a destination town with the culmination being on St. Patrick’s Day. Young and old came from far and surrounding areas to eat, drink and be entertained.

To the Editor:

This should have been part of my last letter, but it got too long. RINO (Republican in Name Only) Mike Pence is not telling the truth, he knows Trump would never approve a riot. I think and believe it was a few bad Democrats that ignited the riot.

The January 6 trial is a fiasco, as was the Russian collusion. The Democrats spent two million dollars producing the fake document, and the disgusting FBI and CIA lied about it. Congress spent millions of our tax dollars on the January 6 Kangaroo Court. No wonder the approval of Congress is near 10%, and that’s sad.

Donald J. Trump is a proven, get-things-done person who did more good in four years, and he will do it again. RINOs Pence and Cheney will disappear, and good riddance. If Gov. DeSantis would help Trump, we would have a red swing.

We sure need better management in Washington. We are 30 trillion dollars in debt. That is very bad management on both sides. I really despise RINOs.

2 Samuel 5:1-3
Collosians 1:12-20
Luke 23:35-43

Today we celebrate a feast in honor of a King, Christ the King. No ordinary, run-of-the-mill king, this one. He’s the one they whipped and beat half to death. And then some smart-alek idiots presented him with a crown, a crown of thorns. They jammed that down on his head and then they put a cloak on him, a royal purple cloak, and then they mocked him, laughed at him, and called him King.

OK now, that is Our King. Do you like your king?

Or would you prefer a king who sits on an expensive throne in an expensive mansion, who rides around in a chauffeured Rolls-Royce, who robs his people blind so that he can live a life of ridiculous affluence?

To the Editor:

Today we are in a crisis of character, a crisis of integrity. We need men and women who have perseverance and stick-to-it gumption, not like people like Pence, Romney, McConnell, Ryan, Cheney and other “Rinos”. We need a better school system that turns out better citizens, not flag burning and historical statue destroyers but good, honest citizens that are ready to serve our country if needed. In other words, we need patriots.

I would like to congratulate Iowa and Florida on great victories for the Republican Party. Have you noticed how the states that have Republican governors are doing so well and the states that have Democratic governors are deeply in debt and have severe criminal problems? Today, if I had a chance to choose between Gov. Reynolds or Desantis, I would pick Reynolds, big time. Under her leadership, Iowa is truly God’s Country.

To the Editor:

Yes, I am encouraged, joyful and thankful to my fellow Iowans who voted for candidates who honored God, country and our state of Iowa, our freedoms, and the right to life - which includes protecting the life of the helpless and innocent unborn. True science reveals that each of our lives began at conception and continued to grow through stages of development within our mother’s womb (which should be the safest room in our world for the unborn) until our birth. That baby - that same individual person - continues to grow and develop on this journey of life.

I am grateful to the voters who brought forth a red tsunami in Iowa. Having met and/or heard many of these victorious candidates, from our governor and on through local winners, I am convinced and confident that we have elected truly qualified, competent, hard-working and honorable leaders for Iowa.

To the Editor:

In her letter to the editor October 26, Ann Klees extols the wonders of the Inflation Reduction Act passed by the most progressive party in Washington and signed by President Biden.

What is ignored is that the inflation problem was created by the very individual who signed the new bill. What is also ignored is that most economists and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) believe that the bill will do nothing to reduce inflation.

She noted that every senator and representative of “the right wing conservative party” voted against the bill.  Good for them.

The Federal Reserve is in the process of trying to reduce inflation just now and we will probably see more pain as a result of their actions. Most economists believe their actions will push us deeper into a recession.

What Ms. Klees did was prove that she is fully in the whopping number of 32 percent of Iowans who approve of what this president is doing.

To the Editor:

A number of years ago a young couple in Yisrael was required to make a ninety-mile journey across rough and dangerous terrain to obey a directive to register for the census which was periodically required.

It was winter time and the weather is commonly unpredictable, being the rainy season. Snow is very possible with temperatures dropping into the low 30s or lower, with the possibility of freezing rain. Even if not freezing, it would be very cold and high winds were very possible, and all too often, icy conditions would make walking and riding donkeys precarious.

The travel time was two to three weeks in December. The terrain was mountainous, rocky, and if heavy rains occurred fording flooded gullies may not have been possible. Sandy desert areas may have provided their own set of problems.

To the Editor:

Tonight, just a few short days after Halloween, witches, winkies and sundry fanciful characters came together to transport us to the land of Oz. Waukon High’s “The Wizard of Oz” played to a sold out crowd of proud moms, dads and extended family. No trick, just treat.

Molly Peake played the sweet, loving farm girl Dorothy…  because she IS! Her trio of fumbling, yearning, travel companions won our hearts. Scarecrow Dekota Bechtel was a limber wonder. Tinman Ryan Kolsrud shone as a mechanical marvel. Lion Gabriel Goettel delighted the crowd with his fearful fumbling.

The witches, good and bad, by Bailey Sherman and Lanie Monk were excellent bringing jeopardy and triumph. The Professor/Wizard Caleb Perkins was a showman supreme. Kudos to Alaina Gebel for her versatility in a different role every scene. Special nods to Trevor Block, Eireann Goettel and Memphis Miller who disappeared into their characters.

To the Editor:

There is so much division in our country these days. We wish we could do something to make this world, our state, our community a better place. We wish for a place which holds less fear and more trust; a place where there is less harm and more realized good intentions.

If there were an election tomorrow about the abolishment of the abuse and neglect of children in our communities across the state, it would be a unanimous vote to do just that. Our common goal would be to actively do everything in our power to end child abuse. We would each learn how to care about other people’s children and what is happening to them.