1918 – Professional Copywriter | Wyalusing, PA Bradford County

Facing Up to the Monster Within Us

Sometimes the simplest demands can turn a man into a monster. Because the mask has become so polarizing, the extreme reactions aren’t really about being asked to wear one for an hour. It’s about communicating what side you’re on. — ProPublica, October 7, 2021, “We’re Losing Our Humanity and the Pandemic Is to Blame” In a well-researched October 7 article for ProPublica, Sarah Smith takes a fascinating look at how COVID-19 has turned Americans against each other, [...]

By Wes Skillings|2022-01-24T09:09:35+00:00October 27, 2021|1918, Constitution Rights, COVID-19, Masks, Pandemics, Public Health|

The Constitution, Case Law and Public Health

Anger abounds during this pandemic, but what Constitutional rights are being threatened? We should all commiserate with someone who owns and operates a restaurant, bar or combination of both in this year of the pandemic. It was tough enough before when many concessions had to be made to keep dining rooms open, as well as limitations on hours of bar sales and other restrictive recommendations. Many supporters of these small businesses in our communities stepped up and [...]

By Wes Skillings|2022-01-24T09:09:56+00:00December 16, 2020|1918, Constitution, Coronavirus, Democracy, Public Health, Sacrifices|

When Patriotism Contorts into Nationalism

Calling all patriots who want America to be the best we can be. If you are looking for a concise definition of patriotism — a phrase that captures its general meaning— it would probably be “love of country.” There really is no simple definition of patriotism, because it is not so much about blind love as it is an affection for and allegiance to your country acquired over a lifetime. It is a love instilled and nurtured [...]

By Wes Skillings|2022-01-24T09:09:58+00:00September 2, 2020|1918, Baby Boomers, History, Hitler, Nationalism, Patriotism, Slavery, World War I, World War II|

Tale of Two Pandemics: Beware of Slackers

Some slackers faced death sentences during the 1918 pandemic. I guess we are all familiar with the idea that history repeats itself, and, accordingly, if we don’t learn from the mistakes of the past, we’ll keep on making the same blunders. The Philosopher George Santayana gets the credit for best expressing this theorem with this assessment: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." He was looking at this from a historical perspective, a world view, [...]

By Wes Skillings|2022-01-24T09:09:58+00:00July 22, 2020|1918, American History, Coronavirus, Coughing, COVID-19, death, History, Mortality, Pandemics, Public Health, Spanish Influenza, Ventilators|

Modern Superheroes Still Wear Masks

Why all the complaints about wearing masks? It’s creating a new industry. Masks, for some, have become a symbol of individualism and a reason to resist and proclaim their Constitution rights. What about the rights of people who don’t want to be exposed to bare-faced people? It’s not about your right to wear one. It’s about our right to get through this with as few casualties as possible. Masks, in comic book America, denote bravery and heroism. [...]

By Wes Skillings|2022-01-24T09:09:59+00:00May 20, 2020|1918, Masks, Pandemics, Politics, Science|

Joining Forces against a Common Enemy

Since we crowd together to spread it, we need to join forces to vanquish it. Like it or not, this strain of the coronavirus is going to drastically change the way we live our lives. It’s started already. We can’t avoid it, and the transformation is going to be drastic, even historic. It has the dual potential of tearing us apart and bringing us together. I’m rooting for the latter. At last count, as I am writing [...]

By Wes Skillings|2022-01-24T09:10:01+00:00March 11, 2020|1918, Coronavirus, Fear, Politics, Public Health, Sacrifices, Self-Control, Spanish Influenza, World War I, Wyalusing Life|