West Newsmagazine 12-13-23

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4 I OPINION I December 13, 2023 WEST NEWSMAGAZINE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR @WESTNEWSMAG WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM Community Colleges and ‘Elite Colleges’ To the Editor: Salena Zito has joined the crowd piling on so-called “elite colleges” for a few vocal and demonstrative students but with nothing but anecdotal reports of “radical left” activity. She does cite a survey of “universities across the country” but does not say how many faculty were surveyed and what alternatives they had for their responses. E.g. did they have the choice of hard right/ middle/hard left? That would leave leftleaning professors no good choices. Beyond this, she cites the percentage of students employed and attending colleges and universities as 40% and at community colleges 80%. This answers her question about why university students protest publicly more than community colleges trade and technical schools. They have more time away from work to organize. Many students in this latter group work forty hours a week in addition to taking a full or part-time load at school. More power to them, but this does not prove they are apolitical; they just are too busy to protest. Finally, I resent the implication that university professors are mostly “hard left” in their teaching. Most professors in all of higher education support “free speech” and respect students’ rights to express their positions, as guaranteed by the First Amendment, even though they may disagree with the means and message of protest. College administrators also frown on indoctrination in the classroom, although this is another place where free speech has to be honored. I am disappointed in the labeling of colleges and universities as supporting disrespectful and radical politics. If you look closely you will see less than 1% of college students and professors involved in such activities. William D.Tucker Responding to Star Parker To the Editor: In response to Star Parker’s Nov. 15 editorial, “A Time for Truth in America,” she states: “Truth, and the courage to stand by it, works. Our nation needs it badly today.” Parker should follow her own advice. The conflict precipitating the Hamas- Israeli war is not simplistic. Understanding it requires knowledge of history dating back more than four generations. Historically, both the Jewish people and Palestinians have experienced genocide and severe collective trauma. Since 1948, Palestinians have been displaced and stripped of their rights as a result of the steady influx of Jewish settlers – encouraged and funded by Israel’s government. Unspeakable horror has been inflicted on both sides. Both Hamas and Israel have violated international laws and committed war crimes. On Oct. 7, tragically 1,200 Israelis were brutalized and killed by Hamas. As of Nov. 20, in retribution, 11,500 Palestinians – two-thirds being women and children – have been brutalized and killed by the IDF. In Gaza, buildings have been leveled, infrastructure destroyed, and hospitals bombed. Food, water, and power supplies have been cut off. Palestinians have been told to leave. But where to? Parker criticizes university students for speaking out against these atrocities. How is that any different from students speaking out against the Vietnam War in the sixties? Uninformed, Parker assumes support for Palestinians equates to support for Hamas. That’s narrow-minded thinking. Does she also assume that support for the Jewish people equates to support for Zionists? There are innocents, peacemakers, and extremists on both sides. Those speaking out – students and others – see the abhorrence of this situation for Palestinians and Israelis alike. And for the world community. How can we not see our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, children, and friends in the faces of these victims? What hurts one person, hurts us all. Parker states, “Decent people recognize conflict.” In my opinion, critics who are speaking out – demanding an end to conflict and the need for peace and justice – are acknowledging truth, taking a moral stand, and exhibiting decency and courage. Christine Eldarrat Founder Publisher Emeritus Publisher Managing Editor Associate Editor Staff Writer Features Editor Business Manager Graphic Designer Graphic Designer Graphic Layout Reporters Doug Huber Sharon Huber Tim Weber Kate Uptergrove Tracey Bruce Laura Saggar Lisa Russell Erica Myers Donna Deck Aly Doty Emily Rothermich Advertising Account Executives Nancy Anderson Vicky Czapla Ellen Hartbeck Suzanne Corbett Jeffry Greenberg DeAnne LeBlanc Linda Joyce Joe Ritter Sheila Roberts Cathy Lenny Warren Mayes Shwetha Sundarrajan ATTENTION READERS: Make sure you are signed up for your FREE subscription today! 1. If you got this paper in your mailbox and your first and last name are on the front cover label, THANK YOU for subscribing. You are all signed up and will continue to get the paper in your mailbox for the next three years. 2. 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YES, I want West Newsmagazine, Please deliver to: Name: Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: E-mail: Signature x Date: / / Mail to: 754 Spirit 40 Park Drive • Chesterfield, MO 63005 754 Spirit 40 Park Dr. Chesterfield, MO 63005 (636) 591-0010 westnewsmagazine.com Please send Comments, Letters and Press Releases to: editor@newsmagazinenetwork.com West Newsmagazine is published 24 times per year by West Media Inc. 40,000 distribution (direct mailed and newsstands) in West St. Louis County. Products and services advertised are not necessarily endorsed by West Newsmagazine and views expressed in editorial copy are not necessarily those of West Newsmagazine. No part of West Newsmagazine may be reproduced in any form without prior written consent from West Newsmagazine. All letters addressed to West Newsmagazine or its editor are assumed to be intended for publication and are subject to editing for content and length. 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FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM December 13, 2023 WEST NEWSMAGAZINE I 5 CONGRESSWOMAN ANN WAGNER HERE TO SERVE MISSOURI’S 2ND DISTRICT DO YOU NEED… H Help with a Federal Agency If you are not getting the customer service you deserve from a federal agency, contact my office for assistance. We can help you: • Navigate Social Security, Medicare, and IRS matters • Resolve passport issues • Get information on VA claims and benefits • Acquire military records or replacement military medals • Understand SBA loan programs • Much more! H A Ceremonial American Flag The American flag is the fabric of our nation. Call my D.C. office at (202) 225-1621 if you would like to order a flag that has been flown over the U.S. Capitol. H A Special Commendation Do you know a first responder, teacher, or neighbor who has gone above and beyond for our community? How about a newly minted Eagle Scout? Let me know. I’d be honored to send a congressional commendation. OFFICE LOCATION 301 Sovereign Court Suite 201 Ballwin, MO 63011 wagner.house.gov Scan QR Code to Take My Congressional Issue Survey! Home for the Holidays Law Matters So, the holidays are upon us once again. It seems the older we get, the faster the years go by. My father-in-law used to say life is like a roll of toilet paper - the nearer you get to the end, the faster it goes. He had some wisdom there. And with the holidays come family and friends. We just got back from Thanksgiving on the beach. We like to walk along the shore listening to the rhythm of the waves and looking at all the colors of the water as the sun reflects off them from a million different angles. I like watching the horizon ignite in a blaze of color at sunrise and sunset. We missed a couple of this year because a storm blew in, but it was still beautiful. All-in-all, a great Thanksgiving and Christmas is shaping up nicely too. And this year my brother-in-law, his wife, and one of their sons came all the way from Alaska to see their newborn grandson who lives in Georgia with his mom and dad. We all got a chance to hold a two-month-old baby. But I realize that not everyone's holidays are joyful. For some it is a time to grieve over loved ones who are no longer with us. I am truly sorry for you. For others, it can be difficult for other reasons. Over the years, families have gotten complicated with divorces and remarriages. Splitting time between two sets of parents and four sets of grandparents. And even when we don't have the logistical challenges, tensions can run high in families over ancient insults and almost forgotten affronts. We get a lot of exercise carrying around our grievances. Perhaps I'm looking back with rose-colored glasses, but things seemed a lot easier when I was younger. Things seem a lot more complicated now. And that brings me to my point. A good estate plan is where the kids are still talking to one another and celebrating holidays together - or at least catching up. I've had children so alienated from one another that they couldn't even be in the same room to close a pay-on-death bank account with quite a bit of money in it. We can't fix everything, but I think we can plan our estates to minimize frictions between kids if possible. And then we just hope for the best. Give me a call if you want to talk. I look forward to hearing from you. Everyone’s experience with estate planning is unique and you don’t always know what to expect. Fred has gathered some of the most interesting examples he knows into an entertaining and educational book. You Can’t Take It With You is available to order online at www.law-matters.net Fred L. Vilbig is an attorney with over 30 years of experience in the areas of wills and trusts, small businesses, and real estate. This column is for informational purposes only. Nothing herein should be treated as legal advice or as creating an attorney-client relationship. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. (636) 537-7884 | fvilbig@lawmatters.llc | www.lawmatters.llc
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Page 12 and 13: Your Time is More Valuable Than Eve
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Page 19 and 20: FACEBOOK.COM/WESTNEWSMAGAZINE WESTN
Page 25 and 26: Have a MAGICAL Holiday Season Karie
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Page 32 and 33: 32 I SPORTS I PET PHOTOS WITH SANTA
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Page 48: CELEBRATE WITH US THIS CHRISTMAS! C

West Newsmagazine 12-13-23

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