The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1061312
C-14 Opinion Wednesday, December 12, 2018 The Press-Dispatch ing quietly, Flannery decid- ed to flop all over the gym- nastics mat. It would have been easy to get caught up in those hiccups, and for a few mo- ments I did. But then I re- membered where we start- ed. At the beginning of the summer, Flannery's first dance class, she sobbed and sobbed. Whether I was watching through the glass or not, she bawled. Turned out she was afraid of tap shoes. Go figure. Now? Oh, if only you could hear her little voice from the backseat when we pull into the parking lot on Tuesdays. She gives an exaggerated gasp then says, "DANCE CL ASS! " Of course, I still can't get her to carry her dance bag, so I end up lug- ging her dance bag, the dia- per bag, my purse and Ame- lia in her car seat while pull- ing Flannery by the hand, but that's okay. I could go on and on about all the physical development she has accomplished. She either didn't know how or was afraid to jump when she started dance class. Now she hops right along with her friends as they pretend to be frogs. It's also been great for her social devel- opment, too. She's learning all about how to behave in a classroom setting – how to follow directions, how to fol- low the leader, how to sit still and wait for the next activi- ty and how to treat friends. It's been a true joy, and it was amazing to see it cul- minate in her performance Sunday. At the same time, though, it was a little sad. Flannery isn't a baby any- more, she is truly a little girl. Next year, she'll start going to preschool. But even as she grows up, I'll never forget dressing her up in her cos- tume and sending her out for her first performance. Stalin. America's communists, socialists and Marxists have little knowledge of so- cialist history. Bradley Birz- er, a professor of history at Hillsdale College, explains this in an article for The American Conservative ti- tled "Socialists and Fascists Have Always Been Kissing Cousins." Joseph Goebbels wrote in 1925, "It would be better for us to end our ex - istence under Bolshevism than to endure slavery un- der capitalism." This Nazi sentiment might be shared by Sen. Bernie Sanders and his comrade Rep.-elect Al- exandria Ocasio-Cortez. Goebbels added, "I think it is terrible that we and the Communists are bashing in each other's heads" (http:// tinyurl.com/yd4lqxvs). When the tragedies of socialist regimes — such as those in Venezuela, the USSR, China, Cuba and ma- ny others — are pointed out to America's leftists, they hold up Sweden as their so- cialist role model. But they are absolutely wrong about Sweden. Johan Norberg points this out in his doc- umentary "Sweden: Les- sons for America? " Amer- icans might be surprised to learn that Sweden's ex- periment with socialism was a relatively brief flir- tation, lasting about 20 years and ending in dis- illusionment and reform (http://tinyurl.com/lvdw- zhr). Reason magazine re- ports: "Sweden began roll- ing back government in the early 1990s, recapturing the entrepreneurial spirit that made it a wealthy coun- try to begin with. High tax- ation and a generous array of government benefits are still around. But now it's al- so a nation of school vouch- ers, free trade, open immi- gration, light business reg- ulation, and no minimum wage laws." School vouch- ers, light business regula- tion and no minimum wage laws are practices deeply of- fensive to America's leftists. Our young people are not the first Americans to ad- mire tyrants and cutthroats. W.E.B. Du Bois, writing in the National Guardian in 1953, said, "Stalin was a great man; few other men of the 20th century approach his stature." Walter Duran- ty called Stalin "the great- est living statesman" and "a quiet, unobtrusive man." There was even leftist ad- miration for Hitler and fel- low fascist Benito Mus- solini. When Hitler came to power in January 1933, George Bernard Shaw de- scribed him as "a very re- markable man, a very able man." President Franklin Roosevelt called Mussolini "admirable," and he was "deeply impressed by what he (had) accomplished." In 1972, John Kenneth Gal- braith visited Communist China and praised Mao and the Chinese economic sys- tem. His Harvard Universi- ty colleague John K. Fair- bank believed that America could learn much from the Cultural Revolution, saying, "Americans may find in Chi- na's collective life today an ingredient of personal mor- al concern for one's neigh- bor that has a lesson for us all." Are Americans who ad- mire the world's most bru- tal regimes miseducated or stupid? Or do they have some kind of devious agen- da? Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University. Continued from page 12 STUPID? Continued from page 12 GROW Continued from page 12 JOY see houses decorated with lights and Christmas orna- ments, I feel a sense of in- nocent delight and pleasure. Don't you? I often talk to myself and utter, "How pret- ty! " "How nice! " " I'm sure Santa will be visiting that place soon." Silly me. • • • Rose and I attended sever- al Christmas parties out of town. The Filipino commu- nity from the outlying areas love to celebrate Christmas and hold parties and I'm tell- ing you, through the years the celebrations have got- ten bigger and more grand and elegant. Food, talk about food- the choices are so varied and of course we are able to enjoy the delica- cies that are hard to prepare, because it takes a lot of pa- tience and skill to produce these munchies. Then there is usually a program presented such as native and modern danc- es, there is usually a raffle of nice gifts, and dancing through the night to burn the calories. I also noticed there are more and more people who are showing up who, we do not recognize anymore be- cause they are part of the younger generation. It is great to see them bring their children and spouses. The gene pool is getting a mo- saic mix of locals and immi- grants and when you look at their children, they all look so cute and nice. Hmmm, quite an inter- esting phenomenon. One of the things I also noticed is the music which has been imported from the Philip- pines, sang in the native tongue and dialects, now in- terspersed with our Ameri- can music. Brings back a lot of memories during my for- mative years. So it seems there is mag- ic in Christmas. We hope it will never go away. HUMOR OF THE WEEK The four stages of life: 1. You believe in Santa Claus. 2. You don't believe in San- ta Claus. 3. You are Santa Claus. 4. Now you look like San- ta Claus. Have a great week! AREA HAPPENINGS Petersburg Senior Citizens Center - The se- nior citizens center is open from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday in the Pike County Courthouse basement. A big meal is served on Wednesday, and the second and fourth Tuesday, a lighter meal is served following Bin- go, donations accepted to help with the cost. Ev- eryone is welcome. For more information, call 812-354-8727. Free Clothing Bank - Oak Grove Church in Oakland City offers a free clothing bank each Tuesday 9-11 a.m. (Oakland City time) for ev- eryone. They carry new and used clothing. Lo- cation is on Morton Street, just past Chuckles. Come to the gymnasium door located at the back of the church. Celebrate Recovery Program – Meets every Sunday night from 5 to 7 p.m. at 207 Lafayette St. in Winslow. For more information, call Krystal Breeding 812-582-2562. Women's Cancer Support Group - The Lange-Fuhs Cancer Center at Memorial Hospi- tal and Health Care Center offers a support group for women who have had cancer of any type or are currently undergoing cancer treatment. Ses- sions are the third Tuesday of each month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Lange-Fuhs Cancer Center Conference Room, located at Memorial Hospi- tal and Health Care Center's Dorbett Street en- trance. For more information about the "Wom- en's Support Group," visit www.mhhcc.org and click on "Classes & Events," or call The Lange- Fuhs Cancer Center at 812-996 -7488. Winslow Alcoholics Anonymous – will meet every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Call 812-789-8535 for location of the meeting. Al-Anon meeting – Meetings are each Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., located at 424 W. 7th St. in Jasper. For more information, call 812-887- 0349. Narcotic Anonymous – Every Monday at 7 p.m. at River of Life Fellowship Church. Odd Fellows IOOF Pacific Lodge #175 meeting - the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. All area members are encouraged to attend. Otwell Ruritan - will have its monthly meet- ings the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. Pike Lodge #121 F&AM regular stated meeting - the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. All area Masons are invited to attend. Jefferson Township Community Center of Otwell - will have its monthly meetings the first Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. All members are urged to attend. "Creating Hope" For Cancer Patients - Me- morial Hospital and Health Care Center is offer- ing Creating Hope® sessions on the first and sec- ond Tuesday of each month from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. These sessions are designed for cancer patients, their families and caregivers. Art materials and an instructional book are available at each ses- sion. No previous art experience is needed. Creating Hope® sessions are free and are held in the Lange-Fuhs Cancer Center Conference Room located at the Dorbett Street entrance of Memorial Hospital, 800 West 9th Street in Jasper. For more information about this class, visit Me- morial Hospital's website at www.mhhcc.org and click on "Classes & Events," or call The Lange- Fuhs Cancer Center at 812-996 -7488. Don't Let Late Fees Keep You Out of the Library - The annual Read Away the Fines pro- gram is underway at the Oakland City Public Li- brary December 1-30. Patrons with overdue fines can have them waived by reading in the library. $1 towards any late item fees will be credited for every 15 minutes of reading in the library. This program is open to all card holders. Patrons who think they have an account balance can stop in the library and ask if there are any overdue fees on their accounts or call the library at 812-749- 3559. Reading with Santa - Santa is in town and wants to read with you! Bring the family and lis- ten to Santa read some of your favorite Christmas books, partake in snacks and crafts. We will have a Winter wonderful time on Saturday, December 15 at the Petersburg Branch Library from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS Forrest Price conveys to Forrest Hunter Stephen Price and Nicole D. Price, real estate as recorded in Pike Coun- ty. Michael D. Chaffin and Marla J. Chaffin convey to Kel- ley C. Hook and Nathaniel K. Hook, real estate as record- ed in Pike County. The Voice of Believers Ministries, Inc. conveys to Je- sus Christ Our Firm Foundation, Inc., real estate as re- corded in Pike County. Donald D. Feldbusch and Karen A. Feldbusch quit- claim to Donald D. Feldbusch, Karen A. Feldbusch and Don Kristofer Feldbusch, real estate as recorded in Pike County. Shawhan Family Farm LLC, Jo Ann Shawhan Family Trust and Tommy P. Bennington convey to Mark Kissel and Amy Kissel, real estate as recorded in Pike County. Jonathan Benner and Samantha Benner convey to Jon- athan C. Hayes, real estate as recorded in Pike County. Joanna McAtee quitclaims to Bradley S. Smith and Car- rie Larae Smith, real estate as recorded in Pike County. Carrie Larae Smith quitclaims to Bradley S. Smith and Carrie Larae Smith, real estate as recorded in Pike County. Lois K. Speedy conveys to Nathan L. Ball, real estate as recorded in Pike County. Gary D. West and Julie Lynn West convey to Jeromy Whitehead, real estate as recorded in Pike County. Jerry L. Aigner and Pamela D. Aigner convey to Don- ald Skelton and Charlotte Skelton, real estate as record- ed in Pike County. Contact me to find out how you can make a donation to TRI-CAP and get half of it back! Susan 812-482-2233 ext. 102 susan@tri-cap.net www.tri-cap.net TRI-CAP's health, housing and education services change lives, empower families and improve communities. Life Milestones made free CALL: 812-354-8500 Put a free photo with write up on your Family and Class Reunions.