Compare and contrast
Regarding two of the front page articles in the May 18 edition titled “A lesson from the past” and “Veteran remembers servicing seaplanes.”
The contrast between American Bob Ehrhardt’s service to the United States and American Fred Korematsu’s refusal to follow wartime orders to report for internment because he was of Japanese descent and subsequent criminal activity to evade capture is worth noting.
The enemy was intent on killing American Bob and any other American. Bob served honorably and is to be commended for his service.
Ironically, the Japanese intended to kill American Fred and as many Americans as possible. Fred figured he was above the law and employed identity theft and facial surgery to avoid capture. He refused to do his part in the war effort and should be remembered as a coward.
Thousands of U.S. and Allied troops would have gladly traded their predicament for the relative luxury of a stateside camp.
The young student whose contest entry was the subject of the article “A lesson from the past” should leave the computer and libraries and visit the Pearl Harbor Memorial or the Veterans Cemetery at Van Meter or volunteer at the Iowa Veterans Home and thank those that made it possible for us to win World War II. No amount of research can come remotely close to actually having lived in the United States at the time of the unprovoked attack on our fleet at Pearl Harbor. The timely response to the sneak attack was not perfect. Under the circumstances the government and Supreme Court took prudent action.
I find it extremely disrespectful to American civilians and service men and women of the era that a criminal coward is singled out as praiseworthy and those that didn’t villainized.
Our country’s enemies love to see liberal drivel win contests.
Please print veterans articles above the crease on the front page.
Please print articles on cowards below the crease on the back page or better yet on page 5 of a four-page edition.