Letters to the editor for Nov. 11

Remember veterans

As a young boy, I remember going with my parents and brothers to parades in downtown Eugene, Oregon. In those parades, lots of men wearing military uniforms marched. That was in the 1950s.

My father was an Army veteran of World War II, and most of my uncles were in the Army or Navy during the war. Veterans Day took on a different meaning for me when I, too, served in Korea and became and Army veteran.

Veterans Day started out as a memorial to the end of “the war to end all wars,” World War I. The war ended in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.

On Nov. 11, 1921, an unknown WWI American soldier was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, giving a universal recognition to the end of the war.

A congressional resolution in 1926 officially named November 11 as Armistice Day. Twelve years later Armistice Day became a national holiday. Before World War II was over, 16.5 million Americans were in that war; 407,000 died in the service of their country. In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill designating November 11 as Veterans Day.

Take a moment of your time to thank a veteran for serving. This is especially important to me, because I have two sons currently serving in the Air Force and the Army, and it means a lot to my family when someone says to me, “Thank you for serving.”

Gary Stedman, Olympia

A side effect of capitalism

The homeless problem in Olympia has grown with no permanent solution in sight. The downtown area has deteriorated.

Homelessness is not caused by liberals or cured by conservatives. It is society’s problem. Every major city has a homeless problem. It’s a national pandemic reaching tsunami levels. Homelessness is society’s fault and problem to cure.

City council members are trying with limited resources. Suggesting that we tell homeless people to just go away and don’t come back just compounds the problem for others to deal with.

With more people comes more homeless. People with mental health issues wander our streets, staking out intersections with “anything helps” signs. Many don’t have family to lean on during hard times. The costs of living skyrockets, sending many to the streets.

Designate a centralized public land for all homeless people to pitch their tents — a centralized location besides alleys, sidewalks, and city parks. Provide sanitation services for waste and garbage.

Hire a contact tracing team and volunteers comprised of a cop, mental health counselor, a recovered addict, a social worker plus a veteran to interview the homeless and go from there. Offer a hand up as opposed to a backhand. People have the right to accept or refuse all assistance and be left alone.

Out of sight, out of mind. Not in my backyard. A one-way ticket out of town. None of these are a solution to cure what society created. Try socialism for a “radical” change because capitalism, like any drug, may cause a homeless side effect.

David Cahill, Olympia

Threat of nuclear war still underlies all other woes

Do you know:

• That underlying global warming, environmental concerns, racial injustice and the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a risk of total annihilation of the human race?
• That a third of all the nuclear weapons in the United States are stored at the Bangor Submarine Base just 20 miles from Seattle?
• That the United Nations has adopted a treaty to outlaw nuclear weapons in the world?
• That if 50 nations sign the treaty, the use of nuclear weapons will be banned around the world and that the presence of these weapons will be against international law?
• That 47 countries out of the required 50 have signed this treaty, but that does NOT include the big nuclear power countries: the U.S., Russia, China, England, or France?
• That the monies spent on nuclear weapons and defense could be used to eliminate famine, environmental concerns, and global warming throughout the world?

Do you know what you can do?

Educate yourself, investigate ICAN (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons), appeal to your congressional representatives to force the US to sign the treaty. Watch “The Beginning of the End of Nuclear Weapons” on YouTube. Join grassroots groups like the Fellowship of Reconciliation or The Olympia Coalition to Ban Nuclear Weapons.

Do you know you can preserve the peace and beauty of this world for you, your children, and your grandchildren, and leave a legacy like no other?

Sandra Ware, Olympia