West Newsmagazine 11-18-20

4 I OPINION I
November 18, 2020
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Common enemies
Americans have always come together,
no matter how disparate the parts, and
fought together to defeat common enemies.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a common
enemy we face today but over the generations,
we have gotten so spoiled, selfish,
lazy and entitled that when asked to perform
a civic duty, we act as if our inalienable
rights are being violated.
Meanwhile, we face an even greater
existential threat, of which we are totally
unprepared and unaware of its implications.
Foreign dictatorships are sending
false news reports designed to tear us and
our democracy apart; we seem to have no
truth meter and eat these toxic lies up. It is
a test of whether we can trust out fellow
citizens’ innate goodness, and so far we are
failing.
Dean Acheson, President Harry S. Truman’s
secretary of state, understood it best
when he warned how vulnerable American
people were to being taken advantage of
by demagogues who wrap themselves in
the flag and cross. Demagogues become
dictators given time.
Sadly, the Americans with courage to
fight for our Democratic principles – the
Second Amendment folks – failed the test.
They supported a man who attacked about
every American principle, except for the
Second Amendment.
Next time, a demagogue comes, he will
have more self-discipline and competence.
No one will have the courage or power to
stand up to him and his supporters, and
we will become a Democratic Republic in
name only – kind of like the ones that are
trying to destroy us now.
Steve Bowman
Concerned about
Walter E. Williams
Bravo to neighbors Bill Tucker, Laila
Lalami and John F. Doolittle (Letters to
the Editor, Nov. 4) for their eloquent statements
about white privilege and Walter E.
Williams’ inability to understand it.
It gives me so much hope to see your
kindness and compassion.
Trish Cowan
In support of
Walter E. Williams
In your recent issue there are letters to
the editor criticizing Walter E. Williams
for a lack of balance in his editorials. Since
when do editorials on either side have to
be balanced?
If you want the “balance” in opinions
just go to the Post-Dispatch and you’ll get
the other liberal side. You don’t even need
to go to their editorial page since so many
of their “news” articles are one-sided.
Keep up the good work, your paper is
one of the only places in St. Louis that
you can get opinion and news that isn’t so
slanted to the left.
Tom Napper
• • •
I’m compelled to write to both praise
and defend the columns written by Walter
E. Williams. I enjoy your entire paper but
it is Mr. Williams’ columns that I read first.
Recent letters, however, have attacked
him unmercifully with more emotion than
facts to support their opinions. “Mr. Williams
you go much too far with your hate.”
“He attacks blacks who peacefully protest
under the banner of Black Lives Matter.”
The erudite columns written by Walter
E. Williams may not conform with some
opinions but that is why he is such an outstanding
writer. He makes you think and
consider other points of view. Hate has
never been his motivation.
As far as Black Lives Matter, very few
are not supportive of social justice. Mr.
Williams, however, correctly points out
that the BLM organization itself is a disgrace.
They are responsible for many riots,
looting, fires and murders. The millions
of dollars they collect is unaccounted for,
and I’m unaware of any outreach programs
they’ve established to help those that need
it. When BLM is involved there are few
“peaceful protests.”
By all means demonstrate if social justice
is your cause but let BLM riot and loot
without you.
Keep up the good work. I read West
Newsmagazine cover to cover. I even read
the ads!
Ken Goodgold
• • •
With all due respect to the comments
regarding Dr. Walter E. Williams, I appreciate
reading his comments and I am
certain many other readers also enjoy his
column.
Where was he in the latest issue? Those
who do not enjoy his column should not
read it but continue printing it for those of
us who do.
Thank you.
Helen K. Etling
Donate blood, save lives
I recently contacted the Red Cross and
learned that, starting this past June, all
blood donations have been tested for the
COVID-19 antibody.
Over a four-month period, 1.2 million
units of blood from 44 states were tested.
In this group, a positivity rate of 2% for the
COVID-19 antibody was detected.
This is important for two reasons. First,
asymptomatic donors can find out if they
have been exposed to the virus or not. The
Red Cross will share this information with
the donor when the testing is complete.
My result took one day and showed a negative
antibody result.
Secondly, the Red Cross has started
taking those positive blood donations and
separating out the COVID-19 antibodies.
The result is a unit of plasma containing
the antibodies, which is now being used by
hospitals to help patients fight this disease.
Antibodies are the disease-fighting
agents your body produces to fight infections.
They are produced either by exposure
to the disease itself or a vaccine.
Donate to the Red Cross and help yourself
by learning whether or not you have
been exposed to the virus, and at the same
time potentially save a fellow American
in their struggle to survive the COVID-19
virus.
Tom Haenni
Maybe it’s you
It’s been 40 years since I’ve written a
“Letter to the Editor” because my beliefs
are typically kept private. The last letter
addressed the controversial Reagan Era
reinstatement of the Selective Service registration
where citizens were up in arms
about giving “private” information (Social
Security number) to the government. The
same government that actually issued
citizens those numbers in the first place
and, without a doubt, know who has what
number. I thought the nonsense and lack of
common sense hit its zenith then, apparently
not. Today’s lack of common sense
and personal responsibility is lower than I
could ever have imagined.
I could write volumes on what I believe is
wrong with the American society from my
perspective relating to both sides of the aisle,
one side more than the other. Rather than
write for years, I believe some song lyrics
summarize my current philosophy. The
song “Get Over It” by the Eagles applies to
both sides, again one more than the other. If
you listen to the song or read the lyrics and
don’t understand who they are talking about
or don’t think it’s you, it’s you.
Stewart MacGregor
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