SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, May 27, 2017
5 A
VIEW FROM UPRIVER
Legacy of wars continue to shape us
W ESLEY V OTH
For the Siuslaw News
I
’m writing this column from our nation’s
capital, the District of Columbia, where the
motto on the license plates reads, “Taxation
without Representation.” This is a reminder to
all who read it that over the course of its 227-
year experience as our official capital, resi-
dents of this non-state have not had voting rep-
resentation in Congress, thus perpetuating for a
significant number of our citizens a grievance
that our revolution was supposed to remedy. It
is not the only irony on display here.
The water of the reflecting pool stretching
from the Washington Monument toward the
Lincoln Memorial was brown and choppy the
days we were there, thus reflecting nothing,
much like larger nearby bodies of water that
actually go somewhere and have more than an
ornamental purpose.
Everywhere, preparations were being made
for big Memorial Day ceremonies, with small
but engaged crowds of people taking in every
aspect of the capital, from the Capital Building
to the White House, along with the many
memorials, monuments and museums.
One of the most interesting museums we
saw is called the Newseum, and it is dedicated
to the free press. Around the building, under an
enormous reproduction of the 1st Amendment,
are front pages of a current day’s newspaper
from each of the fifty states and D.C.
For D.C., that was the Washington Post,
whose motto is “Democracy Dies in
Darkness.” The day we were there I was
intrigued by its cover and took some trouble to
procure a copy. Beyond the front page, which
noted that the port-a-potty business was
“flush” in D.C. due to rentals to cover the
many protest marches, I found thoughtful bal-
anced letters and editorials. A letter to the edi-
tor by Kay Gold of Rocksville asked, “What
does it take for people of elected office to hold
allegiance to country and Constitution above
all else? The men and women elected to these
high offices swore an oath that appears to
mean nothing to them.”
Although she was referencing Speaker Paul
Ryan swearing Republican members to secrecy
in a congressional meeting, I think she intends
her query to be broadly applied.
The most moving experiences for both of us
were the Lincoln Memorial and then the
Vietnam War Memorial. Most of the crowd at
the first was celebratory, I think in keeping
with its iconic presence as a celebration of
freedom and justice.
If you have never been to the Vietnam War
Memorial, it is as simple yet powerful a state-
ment as I have ever seen. Formed of tablets of
flat black stone along a curving wall through a
hollow, one descends deeper and deeper as
each successive rectangle is taller and contains
more and more names.
All along its length were somber people,
searching for specific names and often leaving
some form of memorial, usually with tears —
keeping alive both memory and connection.
I didn’t look for names that I know are
there, but instead chose to let the effect of the
whole experience swirl over me.
The Vietnam War is the one that most direct-
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ly affected my life and generation, and reflect-
ing later about the memorial I realize that the
names that aren’t there are as meaningful to me
as the ones that are — names of people I know,
and know of, and whose lives were, and con-
tinue to be, so negatively impacted.
People who served that were “only” wound-
ed; Vietnamese who died; Cambodians and
Laotians who died; families there and families
here who are damaged; and homeless and for-
gotten veterans of the conflict.
My views on that war were in part shaped
by survivors of an earlier one. The only other
time I have been to D.C. was at the end of that
war, when Oregon Republican Senator Mark
Hatfield was serving. I was friends with his
chief legislative aide and got to go behind the
scenes in the Capital Building.
Hatfield was an early and vocal opponent of
the Vietnam War in Congress, his views on war
shaped by his experience of being among the
first U.S. troops to enter Hiroshima following
the atomic bomb.
My father would never talk about his experi-
ences stationed in Europe and entering
Germany at the end of WWII, but it left him
adamantly anti any war, abhorrent of military
uniforms and weapons and pageantry, and psy-
chologically damaged to the point where he
caused pain and suffering to those whom he
loved most — to his own anguish.
Every day I get a White House email from
“1600 Pennsylvania Ave.,” which I read as part
of trying to have an open mind.
After viewing the memorials, the email I
got was touting the new budget with its huge
increase in military spending, in large part at
the expense of programs that do good and help
people.
It was Republican Dwight Eisenhower, sure-
ly one who deeply understood the meaning of
these things, who pointed out that every dollar
spent on such things is “a dollar stolen from
the people.”
Earlier in our trip we passed a residence that
had posted in huge letters “Get over it,
Liberals. You lost! Suck it up!”
But instead of a U.S. flag flying prominently
in the yard, it was a Confederate flag. In this
case I chose not to see the irony but to
acknowledge that there are old wounds yet
unhealed.
Some will always see our gravest national
conflict as Lincoln’s War or a war of northern
aggression. And of course, war and elections
are not the same thing.
Survivors of war often cannot forget, or for-
give — or ever truly live free again.
Toward the end of our visit to the national
capital, I read the words engraved on the wall
of the Lincoln Memorial.
From this complicated yet most admired of
all our presidents came his second inaugural
address, given at the end of the war and a few
days before his own death. Speaking of the two
sides in the conflict he said:
“Both read the same Bible and pray to the
same God, and each invokes His aid against
the other. It may seem strange that any men
should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in
wringing their bread from the sweat of other
men’s faces, but let us judge not, that we be
not judged.
The prayers of both could not be answered.
That of neither has been answered fully.”
Lincoln concludes in words that speak to us
still: “With malice toward none, with charity
for all, with firmness in the right as God gives
us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the
work we are in, to bind up the nation’s
wounds, to care for him who shall have borne
the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to
do all which may achieve and cherish a just
and lasting peace among ourselves and with all
nations.”
Kingsbury featured artist
at Old Town Coffee
To be included in this directory contact
the Siuslaw News at 997-3441, or drop off
information at 148 Maple St., Old Town, Florence.
J OIN U S I N W ORSHIP
WATCH! 3 ANGELS BROADCASTING NETWORK
(3ABN) TV UHF Channel 48.
24 hour Christian TV highlights Bible studies of prophecy, inspirational music,
health lectures, healthy cooking and more.
FLORENCE UNITARIAN
UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP
N.W. Corner of Heceta Beach Road & Hwy. 101
Every Sunday at 10 a.m.
All are welcome. (541) 997-2840
BAY BERRY CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP SINGSPIRATION
You are invited to come and sing your favorite old time gospel hymns
Every Friday night at 7pm • Non-denominational
Bay Berry Square; 101 at Sutton Lake Dr. /milepost 185 N.
For more information , please call 541-997-2681
FLORENCE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
1st Sunday of each month worship at 10:30 am
2nd-5th Sundays worship at 9am and 10:30am
Every Sunday Adult Sunday School at 9am
Children and Youth Sunday School at 10:45 AM
2nd & Kingwood • (541) 997-6025
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
Located at Munsel Lake Road and North Fork Road
Worship Services 10:00 AM Sunday
All are welcome! 541-997-7268
FOURSQUARE CHURCH
1624 Highway 101 (next to A&W) –- 997-6337
Pastor George Pagel – Something for the entire family.
Sun. Services: 10:45 a.m., Wed. Bible Study 7 p.m.
Website:fl orence4square.com
COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
4590 Hwy. 101, Across from Fred Meyer –- 997-7418
Sunday School, 9:30a.m. – Worship, 10:45
Wed. Prayer - 6:00 p.m. –Wed. Ministries 1-8 Grade 7 p.m.
CROSS ROAD ASSEMBLY OF GOD
Corner of 10th & Maple –997-3533
Wednesday, 7 p.m. - Family Connections
Adult Bible Class, 9:30am on Sundays.
Sunday Services, 9am and 11am.
fl orencecrossroad.org • offi ce@fl orencecrossroad.org
FLORENCE VINEYARD (GOD’S POWER HOUSE)
2610 Kingwood, Florence • 541-268-2025
Sunday Worship @ 10:00 a.m., experience the Power of the Holy Spirit
Pastors: George & Beverly Sisemore
Intercessory Prayer & Worship, Th ursday night @ 5:00 pm
fl orencevineyardchurch.com
NEW LIFE CHURCH-UPC
1424 15th Street •541-991-9398
Sunday Services: 10am and 6pm
Tues. Bible Study 7:00pm
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH - SBC
1935 25th St. – 997-7660 • Pastor, Dr. Marvin Owen
Series “People of the Bible.” on Wednesdays 6 p.m.
A friendly place to worship, vacationers welcome.
Sun.; 11am & 6pm, Sunday school 9:45am.
NEW LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH, E.L.C.A.
21st & Spruce Street – 997-8113
Adult Forum 9 a.m. – Sunday School 10:30 a.m.
Worship services; Sun. 10:30am & Wed. 6pm.
Pastor Lori Blake
www.lutheranchurchfl orence.com
FLORENCE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
2nd & Ivy – 997-2961 –Non-Denominational
Worship Service: 9:00 am & 10:30 am
Middle School and High School youth groups meet on Wednesday.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF THE SIUSLAW
Traditional Worship Service 10:00 a.m. , Reverend Greg Wood
Sunday School and Nursery – Organ and Choir
All Welcome. Come as you are.
3996 N Hwy 101 997-7136
FLORENCE CHURCH OF CHRIST
Pre-Denominational (Romans 16:16)
1833 Tamarack Street (2 blocks east of Hwy. 101 on 18th St.)
Bible Study: Sunday 10 a.m.; Worship: Sunday 11 a.m.
www.churchofchristfl orence.org
RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (QUAKERS)
“War is still not the answer.” FCNL
We worship in homes at 11am Sundays
Call 997-4237 or 902-9511 for locations.
FLORENCE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
12th and Nopal –997-9020
Worship Service 10:30 a.m.
10 am Wed., Women’s Bible Study
Saturdays, Mens’ Breakfast @ 8 a.m.
Online Worship Service@ www.fl orencenaz.com
RESURRECTION LUTHERAN CHURCH, L.C.M.S.
Every Sun., Bible Class 9 a.m., Worship Service 10 a.m.
85294 Hwy. 101 S. – 997-8038
DVD of Weekly worship service available.
Pastor Randy Benscoter
FLORENCE EVANGELICAL CHURCH
1318 Rhododendron Dr. –- 997-2523 – Worship at 11:00 AM –- Sunday
School at 9:30 AM – Variety of Sunday evening activities - 5 PM
Wed. Bible & Children classes at 6:00 PM
Call for details.
ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
FLORENCE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST
2135 19th St. –- 997-6600
8:30am, Tuesdays, Morning Prayer
Sunday Services: 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. - Wed, 11 a.m.
Everyone Welcome – Come walk our Labyrinth.
4445 Hwy 101 (South of Fred Meyer) – 997-3951
Worship on Saturday 10:30 A.M.
Adult/Children’s Sabbath School 9:15 A.M.
SAINT MARY, OUR LADY OF THE DUNES
CATHOLIC CHURCH
Masses: Sat. 5:30 p.m., Sun. 11:00 a.m.
1.5 miles south of river on Hwy 101 – 997-2312
D EADLINE
FOR
P RESS R ELEASES I S E VERY M ONDAY
AND
T HURSDAY
BY
COURTESY PHOTO
Paul E. Kingsbury will be
the featured artist this month at
Old Town Coffee.
Mr Kingsbury is a seascape
artist, and lived in the Pacific
Islands for fifteen years.
Paul’s love for the surging sea
and dramatic sky are reflected
in bold, brilliant realism. His
works are created in acrylics in
the style of oils.
Mr. Kingsbury’s work will
be shown daily at Old Town
Coffee in Florence through the
month of June, from 8 a.m. to
6 p.m.
Friends seek new drivers
The Friends of Florence, a
nonprofit organization, is in
need of volunteer drivers.
The only requirement is a
clean driving record and under
the age of 80.
Friends of Florence drivers
provide free transportation,
Monday through Friday, for
cancer patients seeking treat-
ment in the valley.
Drivers transport patients
needing radiation treatment at
the Williamette Valley Cancer
Institute in Eugene or the
Oregon Urology Center in
Springfield.
Drivers leave Peace Harbor
Hospital at 8 a.m. and are usu-
ally back in Florence between
noon and 1 p.m.
There is no charge for this
service. Drivers usually only
drive one day each month.
For more information or to
volunteer as a driver, contact
Bart
Mealer,
Driver
Supervisor, at 541-997-8663.
Pioneer Cemetery offers
lunch on Memorial Day
On Memorial Day, May 29,
this year’s Pioneer Heritage
Day at the Deadwood Pioneer
Cemetary will be bigger and
better than ever. Starting at
noon with lunch, there will be
free hot dogs, chili and drinks,
and the public is welcome to
contribute potluck items such
as desserts or sides if desired.
Enjoy old-time music by
Guthrie. After lunch, there will
be displays, items for sale,
kids games and activities, and
a living history presentation by
Civil War expert Dave
Burkett.
Afterward, join in bringing
together folk history and mod-
ern technology by starting a
geocache and learning GPS
use. Bring your own GPS
device or use one that can be
provided.
Try to win the pot at a GPS
Poker Run, learn how to clean
historic headstones, and give
your opinion on current plans
for a log-style gazebo, military
memorial wall, landscaping
and ash garden.
Bring a friend and a chair,
and maybe a story or some-
thing to share.
Deadwood Pioneer
Cemetery is located 13 miles
east of Mapleton on Highway
36. Turn north on Deadwood
Creek Road and take an imme-
diate right on the gravel drive.
N OON . E MAIL P RESS R ELEASES @T HE S IUSLAW N EWS . COM .