Letters to the editor

A question

Editor, the Journal,

Newly retired after 41 years of teaching, I have a lot more free time and enjoy reading the various letters to the editor, well, except for the occasional name-calling. It appears that some people have running conversations with others. So, I have a question I will ask at the end. First a side story.

In 2016, there was a lull during the fall parent-teacher conferences and I had a memorable discussion with a fellow teacher about the presidential election. I listened as she logically explained her reasoning in voting for Donald Trump. It was a great quiet discussion. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic and a changed conference routine, we did not get to talk about last year’s election.

In the 2020 primaries, Joe Biden was not the first pick for almost all Democrats, but he was the best candidate to defeat Trump, which he did. Now as the events before, during and after Jan. 6 come to light, here is my question.

How can one still support Trump who staged a failed coup to try to stay in power?

I am curious and look forward to listening to others’ thinking and reasoning.

John Vernon

Shelton

The sky is falling!

Mr. A A’s Oct. 28 comments in the Journal refer to a very bleak future in a very the sky is falling like manner, and to prove his point tells readers novels like “1984,” “Animal Farm,” “Atlas Shrugged” and “The Fountainhead” all show where we are all headed. Perhaps someone should inform Mr. A A that those are works of fiction, not historical references. Mr. A A, might I suggest another great work of fiction, “Chicken Little.”

Patricia Hawley

Shelton

Old Virginia

Editor, the Journal

I don't remember the last time I was so happy about being wrong. In a letter to the editor last week, I predicted that Terry McAuliffe’s Democratic machine would defeat Republican Glenn Youngkin in the Virginia governor’s race.

Despite that, Republicans not only won the governorship, but the offices of Lt. governor and attorney general as well. I’m not just happy, I’m ecstatic!

I attribute my bad call here first to PTSD from the 2020 election. I just don’t trust Democrats taking part in much of anything official — especially an election — where victory would not garner them more power.

Second, I’ve served on a college faculty for many years and know liberals well. They look on conservatives like me — just as Terry McAuliffe looked on Glenn Youngkin and his supporters — with arrogance, condescension and disdain. They hid their scorn with faux smiles every day.

Education was a significant element in the Democrats’ demise. While traversing the cow pastures of elective politics in the Old Dominion, Mr. McAuliffe managed to step in it — twice. The first time was in a debate with Youngkin in late September. He said then that parents should have no role in their children’s education. (Everyone please read that last sentence again.)

While scraping off his shoe after that one, he stepped yet again deep into another meadow muffin, this time saying that we have too many white teachers. (Read that sentence again, too.)

Something is very disturbing about these “pasture comments” by McAuliffe. This race was close, and a great number of Democrats voted for him. The question is, how could so many parents, no matter how partisan, ever support such abhorrent — and politically suicidal —beliefs? Hints: 1.) What were these Dem parents not told? 2.) Who should have told them?

Oh yes, the mental sickness known as TDS (Trump derangement syndrome) played a bit part, but its impact on the race was probably lukewarm at best. It was reported that McAuliffe used the word “Trump” 24 times in just one speech at a rally. Someone needed to tell the poor man — and many others — that Donald Trump is no longer president. McAuliffe tried to nationalize the election, but in the process, overlooked any real concerns of Virginians.

I expect an avalanche of wouldas, couldas and shouldas now, especially from the McAuliffe camp, or rather former camp. Future historians and grad students will be picking the bones of this election for years to come.

For now though, we can give a rousing cheer for Glenn Youngkin and the good people of Virginia for turning a deep blue state red. Hopefully, this huge Republican victory marks the beginning of a change in the sorry course on which our country is currently being taken.

The Democratic machine is starting to rust.

Robert E. Graham

Union