Viewpoints

To the Editor:

My recent letter that I wrote to The Standard Viewpoints page was my experience at the Iowa City VA Hospital before I received my life-saving pacemaker and had nothing to do with the Allamakee County VA office in Waukon.

I wrote to Senator Ernst about the policy and decisions made by both Republicans and Democrats, including our current president, who are about my age and who beat the draft during the Vietnam war. My letter to Senator Ernst got me nowhere, as my words were wasted.

As I stated, it was the overall Veterans Affairs policy that I was questioning, and the Allamakee County VA had nothing to do with that policy or any decisions made.

As I also said, all veterans riding in those VA vans could be considered a liability. If not, then why are they going to the VA for their healthcare?

Pat Ward
Waterville
 

To the Editor:

This letter probably should be private and personal, but the event was so overwhelmingly nice I want to write it openly to all. September 15 our great-grandson Ian and Allison were married at St. Pat’s Catholic Church here in Waukon. This beautiful church was built in 1912 and it was filled with well wishers and supporters sending best wishes to the new couple.

Now, as a great-grandfather I feel I can give some advice. I want them both to pledge to honor God by attending church service every Sunday. If they do that it will become a natural habit and hopefully some of their friends will do the same. There is nothing nicer than seeing a young, newly married couple put our Lord Jesus in their lives. Health and happiness will be theirs. God bless them.

Ozzie and Phyllis Quandahl
Waukon
 

To the Editor:

The election is getting close, so let’s review. From my experience first-hand, I know there needs to be a change.

I know I have been through this before, and probably think I should move on and get over it. The move I have done, but the lies, the unfairness of not being treated equal and the disrespect I received looking for true answers stays with me.

Sure, the loss of that 25x152-foot section of property was hurtful, but we are all going to end up with the same little piece of land in the end anyway. The dishonesty, the unfairness, the inequality and the disrespect, was this because I was a woman, alone or was it because I had the courage to approach them with questions, trying to find the truth?

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that Scottish poet Robert Burns once correctly observed that “the best laid schemes o’mice and men gang oft a-glee.”

That’s how I felt Sunday.

The final round of the FedEx pro golf qualifying tournament was scheduled to start on TV at 11 a.m. That’s about the time I get home after 10 a.m. mass.

My Sunday noon meal is pretty much the same every week, a steak or ground steak patty, a small handful of oven heated French fries, a lettuce salad, a cup of fruit and a glass of milk. Humble as it is, it still takes some time to prepare. Plus, the Cubs were slated to start at 12:30 p.m.

I can watch golf on TV and listen to the Cubs on radio. The radio description is 15 or more seconds ahead of the TV picture of the Cubs games, so if radio alerts me to some significant action, I can quickly switch to TV and watch.

On Wednesday, September 5th, John Derryberry, a social worker from Iowa City, returned to Waukon. This past April, John had come to Waukon to give a presentation at St. Patrick Church, offering ways to help those suffering from depression and the anger and frustration that can come with it. John told his own story, and the bitterness he felt in his teen years after he was brought low by the deaths of his father and his best friend. Over 300 people attended his talk in April, and our parish staff wanted to invite him back. Mandy O’Neill, our Youth Minister at St. Patrick Parish, arranged a partnership with Allamakee Community Schools. John spoke to all the students in the Middle and High Schools, including our 6th graders from St. Patrick School. He told stories of five students, all of whom had a profound and positive effect on his life today. He said that these kids were labeled “at-risk”, and most had a lot of trouble in their school settings.

To the Editor:

In one of Dick Schilling’s recent columns, he offered some advice gleaned from Mollie Tibbetts’ murder: “Please, girls and women, get a buddy to go with you.” This is excellent advice, and I would like to add to it.

Please, boys and men, stop harassing, stalking and killing women who reject you.

Cate St. Clair
Waukon
 

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that this is being written on Labor Day.

And once again, skies are dark and rain is threatening, and actually falling a few miles south this-morning. The day comes after a week during which there might have been one rainless day, and starts a week when forecasters say there may only be a day or two without rain.

It isn’t forty days and forty nights yet, but we suspect Noah has the boat plans handy.

And I also suspect the weather people are doing handstands, since dire forecasts are their raison d’etre; their reason for existing.

For example, a new tropical storm has earned a name, in the Florida and Gulf Coast area, so we can expect to see television personalities standing out in heavy rain and strong winds, to prove the storm is there, as if we would not believe it if they stayed inside and pointed cameras outside.

To the Editor:

What a wonderful sight! While driving through rural Allamakee County, just north of Waukon, my wife and I spotted a beautifully constructed Christian display. To our knowledge, it wasn’t put there by an organization, political group or even a church.

Evidently, a sincere private individual and his family took it upon themselves to “advertise” for Christ. If I’ve tweaked your interest, take a short drive north of town on Hwy. 76 and take the “crossover” to Hwy. 9 and see for yourself.

No offense to our churches, but has anyone noticed how many church marquees mention Jesus or God on them... or, rather, don’t? Just a thought.

Poor Christians, but Christians none-the-less,
Gene and Sherry Averhoff
Dorchester
 

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that as a child, I was introduced to the fairy tale character’s admonition that if I could not say something nice about somebody, I should say nothing at all.

Sen. John McCain, Navy war hero, died of brain cancer. The senator received his commission as a naval officer a year later than I received mine. His was from the Naval Academy, so he was a “ring knocker” and had both father and grandfather who were admirals in the Navy. My commission was after officers’ candidate school, and my father was too old for the WWII draft, so never served.

McCain’s Navy background assured he would be a career officer. My stint ended when my six-year reserve commitment ended.

I had a black onyx Iowa U. ring that, in the dim light of an officers’ club bar, was mistaken a couple times for the academy ring.

So much for comparisons.

To the Editor:

Honest, courageous and insightful aren’t words typically used to describe drug addicts. But if given a chance, many addicts end up developing these qualities and contributing to society in a way they never imagined possible. These successes occur in spite of major obstacles, from the ever-present threat of relapse to the pervasive stereotypes addicts encounter along the way. Even with decades of research, some of the most damaging beliefs about addiction remain:

1. Addicts are bad people who deserve to be punished.
Man or woman, rich or poor, young or old, if a person develops an addiction, there’s a widespread assumption that they are bad, weak-willed or immoral.
It is true that many addicts do reprehensible things. Driven by changes in the brain brought on by prolonged drug use, they lie, cheat and steal to maintain their habit. But good people do bad things, and sick people need treatment - not punishment - to get better.