In our current national mainstream media, the situations in Portland, Oregon, and previously in Seattle, Washington, (as well as several other cities) repeatedly are referred to as “protests.” However, protests are defined as part of a systematic and peaceful nonviolent campaign to achieve a particular objective, and involving the use of pressure as well as persuasion, they go beyond mere protest and may be better described as cases of civil resistance or nonviolent resistance. In both the Portland and Seattle conflicts, violence was and is the primary defining activity. These actions are murder, assault, theft, robbery, rape, arson, deployment of explosives and assault or attempted murder of sworn law enforcement officials. These criminal acts are not “protests” but rather, riots or insurrection actions. For media to continue to categorize these events as “protests” reflects an ongoing bias in the mainstream media and also, the complete failure to be candid and honest with the American public. Please refer to these events honestly as riots, anarchy, insurrection or treason (exemplified in Seattle by CHAZ).
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MAURICE HICKSON
Forest
ARES now part of VOAD
Virginia ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) is pleased to announce it has been accepted and now officially is a member of the Virginia VOAD (Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster — https://vavoad.org). VOAD serves the community in times of disaster, and ARES is an integral part of providing emergency communications. As such, this builds a more effective foundation for serving the needs of community in difficult times. ARES is part of the ARRL, Amateur Radio Relay League, and is responsible for emergency communications utilizing Amateur Radio. Essential communication is a vital part to any aspect of emergency operation, and ARES provides a key role that does not require landlines or cell phones to transmit essential communications. They have the ability to transmit without the need of normal communications, thus assuring the flow if situational awareness and vital needs to those that need to receive that information. This is a volunteer role, and those who participate are trained to work in difficult environments. They are pleased to be part of Virginia VOAD and look forward to building relationships and adding effective communications to the very essential role that VOAD has in Virginia. To learn more about Amateur Radio, visit the ARRL website at www.arrl.org.
DAVE MINYARD, PIO
Virginia ARES
Trees improve air quality
Concern for our air quality in Lynchburg. Over the last several months if you’ve driven around Lynchburg, no doubt you have noticed the tremendous amount of tree removals happening along our streets. I see nowhere in these trees are removed that new ones are planted. One mature tree removes 48 pounds of carbon emissions from our city air and releases hundreds of pounds of breathable oxygen.
City council should have a plan in place to make sure they are replacing the hundreds of trees they are removing. Trees also absorb tons of rainwater, keeping it away from our sewers and reducing the amount of water moving through the city systems. Air quality will suffer in our city unless action can be taken.
MICHAEL BODNAR
Lynchburg
Learn from History
“Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.” This memorable aphorism is by George Santayana. An aphorism is defined as “a pithy observation that contains a general truth.”
George Santayana also wrote, “History is a pack of lies about events that never happened told by people who weren’t there. “ Couple that with his first aphorism, and see where it takes you. On the other hand, a truism is “a statement that is obviously true and says nothing new or interesting.”
An aphorism should not be presented as a truism.
At the time of the US Civil War, the population of the United States was 22 million.
Today, the US population is 328 million. A small percentage of people living in the US today, are descended from anyone who was a citizen in the mid 19th century.
Does every community need a historical statue of a confederate general? Should several large US military bases be named after confederate generals?
Should the proposed FBI HQ building in D.C. prominently feature the name “J. Edgar Hoover”? Ignorance is always afraid of change. There can be no mistake in the decision to change the name of anything. The decision making process itself is empowering, and …“A rose by any other name, would smell as sweet.”
WILLIAM A. MILLER
Forest
Suspicious items
First, let me express my appreciation to all Law Enforcement Agencies who serve and protect us.
On Saturday, Aug. 1, I found two backpacks and other items that were thrown off the third floor balcony of the apartment building I live in. Then abandoned. According to my neighbor they had been thrown off on Thursday, July 27. He then notified management at the apartments. Took apartment management three days before removing.
Haven’t we been warned by law enforcement officials to report any type of abandoned luggage? I did notify the county sheriff’s office. After just looking at the backpacks, and other items littered on the common grounds, the deputy claimed he didn’t see “any reason to consider them dangerous.” I told him I totally disagreed with his assessment, and he wasn’t doing his job to serve and protect. We respectfully argued, and he continued to defend his position to not do anything. He passed off the responsibility to apartment management, who hadn’t responded in three days. After seeing I was not getting anywhere with this deputy, I called to talk to his supervisor. He called the deputy back, and then talked to me. He was apologetic and offered to review the case. Only after arguing with the deputy for 30 minutes and a call from his supervisor did he go and inspect the abandoned bags and declared there was no evidence of any dangerous material in the bags, just personal items. He still refused to move them, saying again that was the responsibility of apartment management. This is the most disturbing encounter I have ever been involved in with law enforcement officials.
If you encounter any suspicious items anywhere, please contact the State Police Department and not local authorities.
RONALD OVERSTREET
Forest
Empathy is needed
I have empathy, for I am John Lewis who was beaten on a bridge but now is crying out from the grave for a new voters rights act (let’s free ourselves from unjust obstacles to voting).
I am the laid off worker without benefits who cannot pay their rent and has little food for my family. I am the elderly and vulnerable who are exposed to maskless people during a pandemic.
I am the aborted fetus from a woman whose desperation was never resolved by compassion within society. I am the peaceful demonstrators on the streets of America for racial justice standing up against a new secret federal army.
I am the immigrant child separated from my family and sometimes caged. I am Lt. Col. Vinderman who was forced to retire because of political bullying.
I am all those who are receiving revenge for having different opinions from Mr. Trump’s wishes. I am all those who suffer due to this administration’s corruption, who wish for decency, the rule of law (normal government ethics) and who desire respect towards your opponent. I am all those who fear a disease because our government (destroying our economy) refuses to step up with national quick testing.
I have empathy because I love and accept all people as children of God who require treatment like I would want to be treated — without lies. Unlike our president, I have empathy and I want truth through justice with dignity to be shown throughout this land. I do not believe in cheating or causing confusion or erratic behavior simply to get my way because I genuinely have empathy.
As the Russians celebrate a divided & weaken America with little empathy from our president, I identify with our soldiers being killed for Russian money and look forward to a new day of post-Trump.
WAYNE CRONE
Lynchburg
Celebrate the melting pot
I recently celebrated the anniversary of my business, which started in 1982. I decided to go back and see what was going on in ’82.
The number one song was “Ebony and Ivory” by Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney. The song was all about black and white people living together in perfect harmony like a piano.
This country is a melting pot for people of many religions, interests and ethnic origins. We should celebrate our differences.
How else could we have a two party political system that flourishes?
The one leader we have had that exemplifies this is Barack Obama. He was a living example of ebony and ivory. A white mother and black father made him the melting pot for race in this country.
So, let’s be happy for our differences and try to understand our fellow Americans’ point of view. We are “one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
GEORGE WITTIG
Lynchburg