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OPINION
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Fauquier Times | August 5, 2020
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Thou shall love thy neighbor I had a good neighbor and friend who helped me out of more than one tight spot. I had tried to return those favors, but I had fallen short. To his credit, he never kept a score card; and, I knew, if I needed his help again, he would be there for me. Such is friendship. Not too long ago, however, I felt our friendship was imperiled. We both considered ourselves to be conservatives; but, I leaned towards the progressive, while he was more inflexible … entrenched on the far right. This was attested to by the red baseball cap he would proudly put on whenever he saw me coming. I didn’t really mind the taunting red cap, but I did miss the one he wore when we rode motorcycles together … the beat up one with the Harley emblem on it. He was always the rebel, and, like his cap, a bit worn and defiant. We still shared conservative values and agreed on core issues, but over time we began to drift apart on the more controversial ones. That we disagreed didn’t seem unusual, but what did seem unusual was our growing
inability to calmly discuss our differences. It seemed that as the national political temperature rose, our exchanges heated up as well. Our usual tempered discourse that would include, “Now I respect your right to say that, but …” was replaced with, “That was a stupid thing to say,” or “I remember when you used to be a patriot.” As we became less civil toward each other, I feared my friend was acquiring the personality traits of his political god; he, no doubt, feared I was worshipping at the altar of left-wing socialists. Ultimately, he became an extreme partisan totally committed to the party line, while I didn’t care for party … any party. The political storm had engulfed us, and we were unable to weather it. Subsequently, we distanced ourselves and ceased discussing any pressing issue of substance. These issues also included personal ones … even medical issues that we both were confronted with. We became unable to express our thoughts and feelings in the human context … our fears and anxieties. We had lost the social bond of trust and shared humanity that had made us friends. And, as
a result, we both became the lesser … we became acquaintances. When I was undergoing cancer therapy, my mind wandered a bit. I imagined us renewing our friendship in a returning world of normalcy. But, after recovering, I gave up my imaginings and just accepted things as they appeared to be. Our estrangement remained unchanged, he eventually moved away, and we only spoke at rare social gatherings. Not too long ago, I heard from a neighbor that my friend had died. I felt diminished by the loss. John Donne in “For Whom the Bell Tolls” had it right; the bell had tolled for me as well. Too late, I realized that the friendship that bound us together was far more important than our political differences. I realized it had made each of us more human and mutually enhanced the quality of our lives. And lastly, I realized that only a fool loses a good friend due to the animus of the times. I miss my friend; and sometimes I wonder if he ever missed me.
A time for nobility
Now is a time of great calamity. We are challenged by the pandemic, acute economic distress, deep awareness of our history of racial prejudice and growing knowledge of the economic injustices we’ve let accumulate. We live in fear of the unknown and disruption to our sense of normalcy. But, as the ancient Chinese proverb holds, every crisis presents both challenges and opportunities. Our opportunity is to use our now-heightened awareness to confront fundamental problems facing us. It’s also an opportunity to rise to our highest levels of individual greatness. Our inspired Constitution states these great objectives: “to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.” We have it in our power to come closer to achieving these worthy DON BACHMANN goals. But doing so will require us Marshall to transcend our fears and frustrations and rise to be our better selves. We must put aside rancor. We need to see beyond easy deceptions to perceive underlying truths. We must understand that we are not and will become a suburb of Warrenton. If that happens, merely individuals but also part of a significant part of Warrenton’s limited water supply will the larger society. We must choose be compromised and a need for water will be created that to accept the responsibilities that Warrenton might be unable to fulfill. enable us to enjoy our rights. A bypass across Fenton is not the only potential problem If we as patriotic Americans are for Warrenton’s water: 150 septic tanks on slightly less than to meet these challenges and proghalf-acre lots at Bethel, many of which must be approaching ress toward the goals set forth by our 50 years old, drain into Cedar Run about a quarter of a mile founders, we must rise to this opporfrom where it enters the auxiliary Airlie Reservoir. tunity by bringing forth the noblest The third stream that comprises Warrenton’s water character that lies within each of us. system, Taylor’s Run, flows through the Airlie Conference NORMAN REID Center, the equivalent of a small village with an aging Delaplane water system, to join Cedar Run and Towser’s Branch a few feet downstream at the Warrenton Reservoir. Letters to the Editor Isn’t protecting Warrenton’s limited water supply a The Fauquier Times welcomes letters lot more important than building a new bypass? HOPE PORTER to the editor from its readers as a Warrenton forum for discussion of local public affairs subjects.
New bypass would endanger Warrenton’s water supply It is to be hoped that Warrenton, in revising its comprehensive plan, will consider the protection of its water supply more important than building a new bypass through Fenton Farm. Towser’s Branch, one of the three streams that feed the town’s reservoir, is comprised of two smaller streams: Cattail Branch, which rises at the base of View Tree Mountain, where the U.S. government training station is located, and Two Mile Branch, which rises on Harkaway Farm and joins Cattail Branch at the intersection of 17 and the 211 Bypass to become Towser’s Branch. It is at this point that the proposed bypass will connect with Route [U.S.] 17 and the 211 Bypass. A few months ago when the training center on View Tree Mountain was moving earth, the water in the reservoir was brown. If plans for a new bypass through Fenton are realized, you can “bet the farm” that Fenton will cease to be a farm
A mix of virtual and in-person teaching the best choice The blended model, unanimously adopted [by the Fauquier County School Board] July 13, is still the best option for Fauquier County children despite the teachers union change in position. This model allows riskaverse or high-risk families to choose virtual education. Other parents may choose in classroom education two days per week. We are not Fairfax or Prince William. Fairfax has had 15,231 COVID cases. 8,370 in Prince William. In Fauquier, 552 cases and eight deaths since March. Children are our most precious asset, but it is unrealistic to reduce risk
to zero. If only zero risk was acceptable, we would not allow children to ride school buses, go on field trips, or play on the playground. In 2017-2018, the CDC estimates 600 children died of the flu. In Virginia in 2018-2019, five children died of the flu. Schools did not close. Essential workers have been working or have gone back to work. They are taking necessary precautions and assuming reasonable risks to perform their essential duties. Why are we treating teachers differently? Teachers are essential workers. If they or their family are high risk, then, they can teach virtually.
The consequences if schools are closed include academic regressions, anxiety, food insecurity and other challenges. Experts hypothesize that the benefits of attending school outweigh the risks. There is evidence that educating and taking care of children can be done with low risk. Some child care centers in Virginia remained open and more opened their doors during Phase Two. The blended model is the right choice for Fauquier.
CORRIE SIRKIN Manassas
WRITE: Letters to the Editor 41 Culpeper Street Warrenton, VA 20188 FAX: Editor 540-349-8676 EMAIL: news@fauquier.com Letters must be signed by the writer. Messages sent via email must say “Letter to the Editor” to distinguish them from other messages not meant for publication. Include address and phone for verification (Not to be published.) Letters are subject to editing for clarity and length. Personal attacks will not be published. Long letters from those with special authority on a current issue may be treated as a guest column (with photo requested). Due to volume, letters cannot be acknowledged. All letters are appreciated. Letters must be received by 5 p.m. Monday to be considered for Wednesday publication.
