Page 4 - Mid Valley Times 12-31-20 E-edition

Thursday, December 31, 2020 | A4 | Mid Valley TiMes Editorial & Opinions
Serving the Readers of the Reedley Exponent, Dimuba Sentinel and Sanger Herald.
A Mid Valley Publishing Newspaper
Founded March 26, 1891, in a two-story building on the corner of 11th and F streets, by A.S. Jones
Fred Hall — Publisher
In my OPINION Dylan Thomas poem a
good summary of 2020
Only a few dozen hours remain in the nightmare that has been 2020
Jon Earnest — Editor
Dick Sheppard — Editor Emeritus
Back in 1947 Dylan Thomas, the Welch poet, penned an extraordinary poem that, with your indulgence, I will use to illustrate our current situa- tion and reflect on the past year as we look ahead at what 2021 might bring:
Do not go gentle into that good night,
old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Let the countdown begin. Please.
A year that has seemed like a decade to many people — I count myself as one of those people — thankfully is now down to a few more hours, depending on when you read this column. I'm sure I'm one of millions, perhaps billions around the globe, who's saying this is a year unlike any other. It is for me in my six decades- plus on this planet.
Before this year, the last mask I wore was likely at a Halloween costume party in my youth. There was the time I dressed in a replica famous San Diego Chicken suit to do a little PR for Chicken Pie shops in Fresno and Visalia (neither was the original shop that recently closed) in the early 1980s, but that's altogether different.
Now, the mask is a familiar part of my daily wardrobe, and is an important accessory in my car, the office and other in- door locations I'll frequent dur- ing a typical work day. Thanks to Danny Jimenez, one of my masks is a classic Reedley High Pirate mask (Thank you, Danny). So I'm fully stocked for any story that's out there.
But that's the problem. With Fresno County, Central Califor- nia and a good portion of the state in a stay-at-home status — or at least supposed to be — there aren't a lot of those sto- ries going on at this time. And there haven't been the events we've come to love in Sanger, Reedley and Dinuba for a num- ber of months; or at least in the form to which we've become accustomed.
That's especially frustrat- ing for this old sportswriter. The last prep sport I had the privilege to cover was an Im- manuel High baseball game back in March. In a quick mat- ter of days, not only had prep sports disappeared but so had collegiate and professional. The latter two have made a re- turn (although we're still miss- ing Reedley College athletics), but it's just not the same. And it's frustrating not able to fol- low the hard work and exploits of dedicated young athletes.
•••
All that, however, is a bit
selfish and rings of shallow hopes. This year literally has been one of tragedy for mil- lions of people globally; either those directly who have suf-
fered from or
died from the
worst cases of
COVID. There
have been
many who've
had to bury or
say their fare-
wells to loved
ones, including many here in our own region. And there's a good chance that many or all of us have some connec- tion to tragedy. In my case, a woman I dated many years ago recently contracted the virus along with her husband and son. While she and her son have seemingly recovered, she lost her husband to the virus.
And for me, a non-virus tragedy was an even bigger kick to the gut, My best friend of more than 50 years died earlier this year from ongoing health issues. It wasn't COV- ID-related, but still sudden and heartbreaking. So, natu- rally, I have plenty of reasons to want to throw 2020 out with the New Year's trash.
So long, 2020. You can't get into my rear-view mirror fast enough.
Jon Earnest is editor at The Times' Reedley office.
Fred Hall
Though wise men at their end know dark is right, because their words had forked no lightning they do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, and learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Although this particular poem was written in memo- riam to the author's father, it seems quite an appropri- ate message for millions of Americans who survived one of those years when it appears that everything that could go wrong did so. Leadership gone amok and an election with lots of questions.
Although 2020 began rather unremarkably, a brand- new and unknown virus apparently escaped a Chinese laboratory and spread, with lightning speed, world- wide. Americans began to surrender their Constitu- tional rights at a frightening pace. Even when it made no common sense, we were told by Gov. Gavin New- som to close our businesses and stay home. It soon be- came obvious that our well being had been placed in the hands of a little bureaucrat who was a notorious publicity hound, Anthony Fauci.
After four years of unprecedented growth under the leadership of the most irrationally hated administration in history the electorate did a one-eighty.
America “elected” a man whose campaign was con- ducted from his basement with the aid of a sycophantic press. We are still embroiled over the outcome of per- haps the most clouded election in history. The courts have thus far chosen not to hear any of the evidence on the abuse of mail-in ballots. The “talking point” is that Donald Trump has lost every case, which is not true. Failure to listen to facts and rule on them does not mean the president lost, as talking heads and main- stream press would have one believe.
There's another famous line standing parallel to the Dylan Thomas work which we cited. It features a tele- vision anchor — Howard Beale, played by Peter Finch — in a movie entitled "Network" who has had his fill of everything around him and let it be known by shouting, “I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!” Increasingly, we're beginning to see Americans reach the point where they will no longer accept the garbage being rained down on them by our wannabe ruling class. They are, indeed, beginning to rage against the dying of the light which, in the contemporary sense, is the death of democracy! Politicians live and die by public opinion. Let them know what you think.
Jon Earnest
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
But, as always, that's only one man's opinion.
A contrast in accomplishments
In answer to Mr. Mendoza's letter on Dec. 17, he blasts President Trump and praises the incoming Joe Biden. What has Biden accomplished in 47 years in office? Research shows that Biden in that time has not done anything worthy of praise, besides collecting his pay. Can he present some evidence of his accomplish- ments?
My research shows differ- ent with Trump, who has ac- complished more in four years than most presidents have ac- complished in eight years. Most notably, almost four mil- lions jobs created including 400,000 manufacturing jobs since his election, More Amer- icans are now employed than ever recorded before in the county's history. There are so many more accomplishments, but not enough room in this
letter.
Then, there's the very best
of President's Trumps accom- plishments with the develop- ment of the COVID-19 vaccine. He worked hard and stood his ground, urging medical doc- tors that they must try to de- velop a vaccine to stop the pandemic. After many months, the doctors finally found a pos- sible vaccine that would stop the pandemic. Many consider this accomplishment a great miracle and are delighted an appreciative. A job well done!
Let's end this year with a good, positive attitude that the vaccine will work well sand saw many lives. May the com- ing year of 2021 be a very posi- tive one, with many graces in abundance for all.
Manuel Madrid Reedley
Forgetting common sense
I think Ms. Fellows has for-
gotten about "Common Sense" when she wrote her letter (Dec. 10).
First of all, Obama did his best trying to take our country down. Depleted the military, sent huge amounts of money to Iran funding any rebel who wanted to destroy America. He was, without a doubt, the worse president we ever had.
Trump, on the other hand, built back our military to a strength that no one messes with us. Built the strongest economy, brought back busi- nesses that employed more people than we've ever seen before.
As for the election, it was crooked all the way, and I'm ashamed of the Supreme Court for denying the people a fair vote.
Shirley Gonsalvez Reedley
Editor's Note: This letter is being rerun because of an error in a headline.
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QUOTE
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— George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
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