Time to draw a line
The time has come to draw a line. I have learned to eschew involvement in public debate because what currently passes for civil discourse is all too o en anything but civil. I am especially reticent about commenting on matters pertaining to Judaism because it is my experience as a historian of Jewish descent that many people involved in these discussions do not appreciate the depth of historical Jewish su ering. Prima facie evidence of this issue can be seen in the growing tendency of commentators to use Jewish bodies as a currency for measuring an expressed sense of grievance.
Now this tendency has come to Rappahannock. One of our county o cers recently attended a misguided rally dedicated to the mendacious premise that our most recent national election was decided by fraud. This has aroused some debate in the pages of our local newspaper. Among these letters was a deeply personal statement from Thomas Storch in which he expressed dismay that the politician in question had stood alongside “those who espouse a Nazi ideology.” Given his family’s trauma, these sentiments should not come as a surprise. A er all, it is part of Jewish historical memory that a modern democracy can lose its mind, resulting in massive loss of life. What we witnessed on January 6 was political theatre followed by political madness and politicised violence. We should all be grateful that our Republic has subsequently demonstrated its resilience.
Mr. Storch’s letter resulted in an excoriating reply from Ben Jones, who characterized Mr. Storch’s remarks as a gross generalization that was insulting to the thousands of participants at the Stop the Steal rally who did not attack our Capitol, and who did not assault the law enforcement o cers tasked with its protection, and who did not attempt to disrupt the lawful processes of our government, as well as constituting an insult to the millions of Americans who voted for the person responsible for disseminating the falsehood that motivated the mob in the rst place. In doing so, Mr. Jones made his own generalization, that Mr. Storch has accused all of these persons of being Nazis. I will grant that Mr. Storch could have used more speci c language, but I did not think that he was referring to this larger group of people. My immediate response was to think of various persons whose participation in the riot has been well documented, and whose remarks and attire made clear their anti-American lust for Nazism with such execrable slogans as “Camp Auschwitz - Sta Member,” and “6MWNE,” which latter statement is shorthand for “six million was not enough,” a wretched love letter to genocide.
Mr. Jones asserted that he saw no evidence of “Nazis” at the “event” in the Capitol Ellipse. This claim strains credulity. I suggest that he look to online sources using the keywords “Nazis” and “Capitol Riot.” He will
nd his evidence without di culty. Mr. Jones remarked in his letter that he has visited Auschwitz, and has spoken at events associated with Holocaust memorials, for which he is to be commended. Yet having re ected on man’s inhumanity to man, he needs to reconsider those very lessons. It is clear from Mr. Storch’s letter that his family su ered under the Nazis. This does not appear to have mattered to Mr. Jones, who made no acknowledgement of Mr. Storch’s anguish, of his loss, or of his obvious dismay that there were Neo-Nazis among a mob that stormed the Capitol of the United States of America. Instead, he chose to lecture him about Nazism. In fact, Mr. Jones concluded his letter by maligning Mr. Storch with the accusation that in expressing his opinion, this individual was acting like a Nazi.
To whit, Mr. Storch — who had family members murdered in the Holocaust — expressed dismay that one of our county o cers was in any way a liated with an event attended by people who went on to attack our Capitol in concert with persons espousing approbation for the Third Reich. In response, Mr. Jones denied the presence of Nazis at the riot, insinuated that the letter writer was taking a page from Hitler’s playbook, and demanded an apology for the “attack” against Ron Frazier and other persons who attended the rally. Mr. Jones should stand more rmly on the moral high ground if he wishes to claim it. The erstwhile Congressman could have taken a step in that direction merely by acknowledging Mr. Storch’s personal loss. Instead, he did quite the opposite. Such misplaced rhetoric is precisely the wrong way to talk about the Holocaust, especially to someone who is not a student of the same, but a victim. Mr. Storch, you are not the one who needs to apologize.
Jan. 3, 1980
A er consulting with commonwealth’s attorney
Douglas Baumgardner, present by request at last Thursday’s meeting, the Rappahannock Board of Zoning Appeals unsnarled legal questions and voted to renew James B. Russell’s special use permit for a campsite in Sperryville.
The BZA took no actions, however, on Russell’s request for approval of new construction at the Horseshoe Hills Family Recreation Inc.’s property behind the burnt-out building that formerly housed a bar-be-cue stand.
According to Russell, the property will be improved to meet guidelines set by the national organization of campsites and will include a comfort station with four bathrooms and showers and dousing site to dispose of wastes. Russell also said he plans to improve recreational facilities there and build a small concession store for campers, and a restaurant.
Julia Lynn Holland of Sperryville has enlisted for ve years in the U.S. Navy. The 19-year old recruit is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Holland and a 1978 graduate of Rappahannock County High School. She graduated last year from Lord Fairfax Community College where she was on the Dean’s list.
Julia Lynn plans to make the Navy a career. Upon completion of boot camp in Orlando, Fla., she will be stationed in San Diego, Calif., where she will attend school to become a Management Specialist.
Mary Schumaker of Flint Hill has been appointed to serve as a magistrate for the 20th judicial district which includes Rappahannock. A magistrate writes warrants and accepts bonds.
Sept. 19, 1985
A public hearing Sept. 11 on a proposed ordinance banning helicopter landings within the town of Washington was abruptly halted when Councilman Wallace Critzer walked out of the meeting, leaving the council without a quorum.
Critzer said he “just remembered something I have to do” and left the courtroom hearing shortly after Mayor Peter Kramer recited the ordinance and just before the mayor prepared to open the meeting to public discussion.
Without a quorum present — a majority of the council’s seven members — business cannot be conducted legally.
Three of the seven council members — including the author of the ordinance and the councilwoman who introduced it — were absent when the meeting was called to order to discuss the proposed ordinance, one which would effectively stop helicopter flights carrying restaurant customers to and from the Inn at Little Washington.
Beth Stout is a petite 26-year old with big ideas. As she talks about her new job as Rappahannock’s home extension agent, her brown eyes light up with excitement. She is ready for the challenge. Miss Stout began her duties at the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service office on Sept. 3. She spent her first week in the county meeting people, working with science and English classes at the elementary school and thinking about possibilities. Last summer, she worked in Haiti. This past summer, she worked with the Migrant Education Program through the Public Health Service in Colorado.
The seven top public school administrations in Rappahannock County responded to results of a Virginia Department of Education survey of students, parents and teachers in a one-page, seven-line letter declaring their “responsibility as administrators to point the way toward continued growth.”
The letter, dated Sept. 16, continues: “As in the past, we do not seek to shirk this responsibility, we welcome it.
“To those who wish to join us in our pursuit of excellence, we extend our hand … united there is little we cannot do.”
The letter is the only public response the school system intends to release in response to a state Department of Education survey of parents, teachers and high school students, according to School Supt. Robert S. Estabrook.
March 8, 1995
Last Tuesday morning, Archie Bailey, who lives on Route 614 in Gid Brown Hollow, was working on a Volkswagen engine in his garage when he heard his kerosene heater make a loud “pop” noise, and then, he said, “There were ames all over.”
Luckily for Mr. Bailey, he was able to escape from a side door of the garage, as the main entrance was engulfed in ames. He did, however, sustain rst, second and third degree burns, mostly on his hands and face. He said his face looks like he has a bad sunburn. A home health nurse visits him daily to change the bandages on his right hand, which has third degree burns. “As best as I can determine, it blew up. I was three feet away from it,” said Mr. Bailey.
Mr. Bailey said that several thousands of dollars of items were lost in the re, but he is thankful to the re and rescue teams which came to his aid so quickly.
Clarence W. “Boosie” Dodson recently completed 25 years of service with the Virginia Department of Transportation.
He is a transportation maintenance superintendent in the Culpeper residency. Born at home in Culpeper County, Mr. Dodson grew up in Rappahannock County and graduated from the local high school. He served two years in the U.S. Army.
He began his VDOT career as a skilled laborer in the Warrenton residency, then worked his way from inspector trainer to inspector to maintenance superintendent.
A surprise 80th birthday dinner for Mrs. Ethel Bailey of Washington was held on Feb. 12 at the Washington re hall. The celebration was hosted by her children with an attendance of 120 persons from Pennsylvania, Maryland, D.C. and Virginia. Attending were her six children, 19 grandchildren, 18 greatgrandchildren, cousins and many friends.