Although I didn’t know it at the time, he and I have something in common besides writing: we both resigned from the Republican Party in 2016. Neither one of us perceives MAGA as reflective of the great conservative/classical liberalism traditions in America, exemplified by such luminaries as William F. Buckley, Russell Kirk and Charles Krauthammer, but rather as a manifestation of a newly emerged right-wing populism bordering on demagoguery. Once during a recent interview, Will described an offensive comment made by Donald Trump as the latest “sulfuric belch” coming out of Mar-a-Lago.

In 2014, Will had written a column in The Washington Post that made the argument that our presidents “have been too much with us.”

“Promising promiscuously, they have exaggerated government’s proper scope and actual competence, making the public perpetually disappointed and surly,” Will wrote. “Inflating executive power, they have severed it from constitutional restraints.”

There was a time when the occupants of the Oval Office were more distant figures. They weren’t in the news every day. Of course, during times of national crisis, we expect to hear from our presidents, and so we look back on Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “fireside chats” as a form of reassurance during the twin traumas of the Great Depression and World War II.

Today, thanks in large part to the 24-hour news cycle and social media, we are on the receiving end of an endless firehose full of news, commentary and the ever-present visages of the presidents. It’s also good for ratings, clicks and subscriptions. But even back in 2014, Will probably could not have imagined the smothering presence and commentary that presidents generate today. There’s no escape from it short of a backpacking trip into the wilderness that leaves all forms of communication behind, and many of us would probably consider that to be too risky.

The nation has been reading, listening to and watching State of the Union addresses ever since Woodrow Wilson, but can anyone argue seriously that those have not degenerated into little more than political pep rallies, with partisan legislators jumping to their feet and applauding after every presidential declarative statement while the other side of the aisle sits on their hands? Surely, says Will, we can function as a nation without “constant presidential tutoring and hectoring.” He references Grover Cleveland, whom he describes as “the last Democratic president with proper understanding of this office’s place in our constitutional order.”

He argues that while some degree of presidential involvement, leadership and commentary is appropriate, more is not necessarily better. Presidents should not always be trying to take the country somewhere as though it were a parcel to be carried to a new destination. Rather, the country “is the spontaneous order of 316 million people making billions of daily decisions, cooperatively contracting together, moving the country in gloriously unplanned directions.” This writer would emphasize “unplanned” as the key word there.

And so Will reminds us that, it is not the chief executive, but rather the Congress, that is supposed to be the initiating branch of government, the direct representatives of the people.

He goes on to say, rather boldly, that future presidents should suggest to the public that they should tell their troubles to their spouse, their friends or their clergy, and not try to portray themselves as the “empathizer in chief,” insulting the intelligence of the people by pretending to feel their pain.

Finally, Will suggests that future presidents make the following commitment: “I will not try to come to the attention of any television camera more than once a week, and only then if I am convinced that I can speak without violating what will be my administration’s motto: Don’t speak unless you can improve the silence.”

Joseph Filko has taught economics and American government and lives in Williamsburg. He can be reached at jfilko1944@gmail.com.

Recently I joined more than a dozen community members and leaders who gathered at the Maximum Building for “Conversation on Education,” a conversation on the Williamsburg-James City County School Board hosted by school board members Kimberley Hundley and Randy Riffle.

After a presentation that focused on how the board operates, we gathered in a circle for a Q&A period to discuss issues that community members have about the school board, how books are selected for public school libraries and communication channels for resolving conflicts.

Another program, “Race, Religion and Education: the Path Forward,” sponsored by Saint John Baptist Church and the NAACP Religious Affairs Committee, brought together local educational and church leaders to discuss how race, religion and education intersect and how we can move forward. Moderated by Lawrence Gholson, president of the York-James City-Williamsburg branch of the NAACP, the program was attended by more than 60 people who were treated to a tasty dinner and a forum featuring Maureen Lee Elgersman, director of the Bray School Lab, Crystal Lassiter, the Rev. Carlon Lassiter and the Rev. Jeffrey Smith. The forum was so enlightening it’s returning on Oct. 23 by popular demand.

Two other noteworthy community conversations that occurred early this year are the “Commonwealth Conversations,” presented by the Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce and The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, and “Let’s Talk Civics” educational series, sponsored by Inner Peace Coalition, NAACP’s political action committee and the Ladies Impacting Professional Systems.

“Commonwealth Conversations” was a five-part series aimed at bringing together influential leaders with the Williamsburg-area business community for dialogue. The session I attended focused on economic growth and development and featured Jason El Koubi, president of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the state economic development authority.

During the “Let’s Talk Civics” educational series, I gained insights about the Virginia General Assembly and role of both delegates and lobbyists in getting legislation passed.

The series provided a blueprint for how to connect with local delegates to get your voice heard. A discussion led by Jackie Glass, a local Virginia delegate, kicked off the series.

There are a myriad of community programs scheduled for this fall including the fifth annual Heal Greater Williamsburg/Heal the Nation Community Day.

This event started in October 2020 as a Colonial Williamsburg rally co-sponsored by Coming to the Table-Historic Triangle and Williamsburg Action. We joined forces to bring local leaders together to discuss what their organizations were doing to facilitate racial healing during a climate of national social unrest. In 2022, the format and name was changed to make the event more far-reaching, interactive, educational and family-oriented. Additionally, the location changed to James City County to reflect the commitment to serving Greater Williamsburg.

“It’s a relaxing day to bring people together to enjoy family-friendly activities and to participate in community discussions and workshops to provide tools to have civil conversations about racial issues,” said board member Fred Liggin, who will lead a community forum about Jewish and African American collaborations on civil rights issues.

It’s been more than 60 years since Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel stood with the Rev. Martin Luther King to advocate for civil rights to end racial injustices. Heschel once said, “Racism is man’s gravest threat to man — the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason.”

There’s a seat at the table for you for this courageous conversation! I hope you will join us. When we come together to build a more welcoming and inclusive community, we all win!

Laura D. Hill is the founder and director of Coming to the Table-Historic Triangle, a program of the Virginia Racial Healing Institute. Learn more about her work at www.varacialhealinginstitute.org.

Addressing the Iranian nation-state threat is dramatically more complicated that the single lone shooter case we failed to prevent last month. Coordination and communications between the Secret Service and local law enforcement in Pennsylvania was problematic at best but interagency coordination within the U.S. government is often no better. After every major intelligence failure such as 9/11 we appoint “independent review commissions” that consistently find that agencies did not share the information they had, their computer systems and data bases could not “talk” to each other, and that the chain of command was not clearly established. These systemic weaknesses provide avenues for committed terrorists to exploit. Let’s consider what Iran might do.

By way of background, remember that revenge for Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani’s killing by a drone strike is one of the factors driving Iran to target current and previous U.S. officials. Given that Iran is the world’s largest producer of combat drones, I posit the following hypothetical drone attack scenario:

1. Multiple simultaneous drone launches from at least three different directions. These would be devastating to soft targets such as outside campaign rallies, open baseball and football stadiums, or Taylor Swift concerts.

2. Use of simplified Iranian Shaheed drone guidance components. A 10-pound Shaheed-like guidance system would easily fit into the same packages that Amazon and Walmart deliver to us daily.

3. A 15-pound explosive or chemical payload, locally manufactured or shipped in another Walmart box.

4. A delivery drone with that payload and a 5-mile range and 60-minute flight time can be ordered from Amazon and delivered to a garage near you for about $1,000.

5. These drones are highly maneuverable and can be programmed to use structures and wooded areas for en route concealment.

These would not be slapdash amateur drone assemblies. Iran would have obtained these components, assembled, tested and perfected the design in Iran and provided detailed instructions to small cells in the U.S. Recall the Hamas practice videos using motorcycle paragliders? Iran would similarly practice and perfect these strikes.

Now, how could we prepare to protect against such a threat? Short answer is that it is well beyond the capability of the Secret Service. The first requirement to address this class of threat is to have overhead drone or aircraft presence of our own with moving target detection. The Department of Defense has some systems that can accomplish this, but they are designed to address larger, faster targets. Slow, small targets are much harder to detect. Secondly, once detected we need to be able to destroy these drones.

Here, the problem is that it would take many rounds to destroy each drone and the drones would be continuously above and around thousands of people, but these rounds have to come to earth somewhere. There would be no way to avoid significant collateral casualties. The “perimeter” is now many square miles rather than a few hundred yards. While Intelligence assets will continue to try to identify potential Iranian cells, the terrorists are likely already in this country, according to FBI Director Christopher Wray. Small cells of four to five terrorists would require little more than a garage and a mailing address to assemble and launch these drone weapons.

I have no solution to offer, but as you continue to hear the news and congressional pontification over the next several weeks ask yourselves if what you’re hearing seems serious enough to address this threat. Ouch! I’m scaring myself with this simple scenario and the real threat is much more complex than the one I just created.

As a country, we can’t cower indoors; if we do that, the terrorists win. What should we as individuals do? Stop going to games and parks? Buy and wear Kevlar clothing? Do nothing different and trust the government to protect us? Some other choice …?

After being a flight test engineer for advanced aircraft along with high level work in intelligence, foreign material exploitation and digital systems, Brad Gale spent a combined 60 years in the aerospace and defense industry and as a consultant in advanced aircraft, missile and concept designs. He lives in James City County.

Edgar Doleman, Wicomico Church

Lynch and his family settled in Williamsburg after his 30-year career in government service, mostly overseas. His expertise was in public health care, biosecurity and emergency planning. He holds a post-graduate degree in physician assistant studies and is a doctor of medical science.

I asked Lynch, what made him choose Williamsburg as a place for retirement?

“I have deep interest in history,” Lynch said in an interview with The Gazette. “I value education and enjoy learning. The combination of Virginia’s significant history, the presence of Colonial Williamsburg, and the opportunities offered by the College of William & Mary, made retiring to Williamsburg an easy choice.”

In addition, accepting the position of president of the Williamsburg chapter of the SAR provided him with an opportunity to make a difference in the Williamsburg-James City County community.

“The Williamsburg chapter is the perfect vehicle to accomplish this goal,” he said. “It is one of the largest in Virginia, with membership roster approaching 180 members.”

Lynch pointed out that the chapter has an excellent relationship with The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the Historic Virginia Land Conservancy. This cooperation enables SAR to commemorate the July 6, 1781, Battle of Green Spring, as well as the commemoration of the Battle of Spencer’s Ordinary, which took place on June 26, 1781. The commemoration is held in Freedom Park in cooperation with James City County.

I asked Lynch, what does SAR represent that resonates with him and made him become a member?

“Continuity,” he said. “It represents the continuity of our American ideals. Like the United States Military Academy’s Long Grey Line, the SAR has its own long variegated line. Each member of SAR is a descendant of someone who supported the patriot cause during the Revolutionary War. Also one of SAR’s functions is educating people about the Revolutionary War and the formulation of the idea leading to the foundation of the United States.”

Lynch believes that the educational component is a vital part of SAR’s mission. He is determined to lead the way.

The Williamsburg chapter of SAR has established working relationships with other chapters, including the Thomas Nelson Jr. and Richmond chapters of SAR, the Ann Wager and Williamsburg chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the George Wythe Society of the Children of the American Revolution.

“My intention,” Lynch said, “is to increase public awareness of the Battle of Green Spring and tell the story of the Virginia militiamen who fought there. Too often these men, members of units raised in numerous Virginia counties are ignored or swept to the side in the histories of the cattle. The VA250 celebrations provide an opportunity to tell their stories.”

According to Lynch, so far, the Williamsburg chapter of SAR had identified 161 men confirmed or with highly probable presence at the battle. In addition, the local SAR chapter has identified 68 State Line or Virginia Continental Line physicians, as well as 51 doctors in the Virginia Navy.

“We will soon begin writing their stories. They won’t be forgotten,” Lynch said.

Although Lynch‘s main interest is the study of American history, he cherishes the opportunity to have lived overseas and be exposed to different cultures.

“I believe my family and I am the better for it,” he said.

In fact, at family reunions, Lynch is never short of amusing stories from his overseas stays. One of them describes his family’s visit to an old castle in Germany.

“One of my young children was wearing plastic knight armor. He ran up to a man and demanded to know if he had seen any bad knights. The man, who spoke broken English, paused and then solemnly acknowledged, “I indeed had some bad nights.”

Frank Shatz is a Williamsburg resident. He is the author of “Reports from a Distant Place,” the compilation of his selected columns. The book is available at the Bruton Parish Shop and Amazon.com.

At William & Mary, Cleve was finishing his master’s degree in biology and heading for MCV to enter medical school. From there, he pursued a career as a successful cardiologist, but his guitar, remarkable voice and music were always in the waiting room. He started Mount Vernon Cardiology Associates in 1978, becoming one of only about a hundred Black cardiologists in the U.S. He sold the practice to Inova Medical Group in 2015, and continues to serve as diversity advisor to the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute.

His style of country music blends with folk vocal style and instrumentation. In 1969 at W&M, Cleve described it as “soulfolk.” It was country star Jimmie Allen who said, “ … I heard about Cleve Francis. A doctor that got into country music. He was definitely one of those artists I wish had gotten the recognition he deserved, but he touched many people’s lives that he probably didn’t realize, including mine. Cleve’s definitely one of my inspirations.” Cleve’s country music passion clearly preceded his medical degree. In southwest Louisiana, as a child, Cleve’s fascination with the guitar first took form as a cigar box and piece of wood. His mom pinched pennies to buy him a real one.

When I remember Cleve at W&M, Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” is Cleve’s version of the song that has stayed with me over the years. The last verse:

I’m just gon’ sit at the dock of a bayWatchin’ the tide roll away, oohSittin’ on the dock of the bayWastin’ time

That’s his musical legacy to us, but Cleve clearly hasn’t wasted time since he graduated from William & Mary. In 1970, he self-released his album “Follow Me.” Recently, it was re-released, a 21-track double LP, “Beyond the Willow Tree,” which is said to capture his life story. He met with staff of the Country Music Hall of Fame and demonstrated the significance of Black country music fans, leading to a three-disk set of songs showing the significant contributions of a variety of Black country musicians. He created a significant path for others. He was honored with the first Hazelhurst Award for his spurring of the Black Country Music Association. He clearly wasn’t “wastin’ time.” I would have loved to have been a major star and travel the world. But taking care of people with heart disease and saving lives is pretty impressive, he said. Indeed it is.

Tom Mainor is a former Presbyterian campus minister at William & Mary and currently serves as chair of the Williamsburg City Electoral Board. He lives in Williamsburg.

School is back in session, and cough and cold season is right around the corner. Be proactive this flu season; don’t wait. Get your flu shot before you get sick.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends receiving your influenza vaccine by the end of October.

According to the CDC: “The recommended timing of vaccination is similar to last season. For most people who need only one dose for the season, September and October are generally good times to get vaccinated. Vaccination in July and August is not recommended for most adults but can be considered for some groups. While ideally it’s recommended to get vaccinated by the end of October, it’s important to know that vaccination after October can still provide protection during the peak of flu season.”

The Prescription Shoppe is equipped with Fluzone and Fluzone HD (high-dose for seniors 65 and older). Remember, we offer flu shots Monday through Friday between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on a walk-in basis.

We anticipate receiving the new COVID vaccines by mid-September, which will require an appointment, along with RSV vaccines. Appointments can be made online using our website: www.tpsva.com.

Feel free to call us directly at 757-206-1630 with any questions or concerns.

Hope to see you soon!

Dr. Jade RangerCo-owner/pharmacist, The Prescription Shoppe

Incredibly, although 71% of our planet’s surface is covered in water, only 3% of it is freshwater. Of that, just 1% is found in lakes and swamps, while the remaining 2% is stored underground in cracks and pores of rock, known as aquifers.

Water isn’t infinite; it continuously cycles through the atmosphere, surface water and groundwater. Evaporation from surface waters sends moisture back into the clouds, where it eventually falls as rain. Rain replenishes oceans, lakes, rivers and groundwater. Plants absorb water from aquifers and release it as water vapor during respiration.

Surface water from lakes and reservoirs requires treatment before it’s drinkable, whereas groundwater has been purified by percolating through loose soil and porous rock like limestone. For this reason, many localities prefer using groundwater for fresh water, since it’s easier and cheaper to access than stored water in reservoirs or behind dams. However, as groundwater is extracted from rock layers, the land gradually sinks — a problem evident in coastal Virginia, where storm-related flooding is increasingly affecting communities.

In coastal Virginia, the primary source of freshwater is the Potomac Aquifer, which underlies the eastern states from Georgia to New Jersey. It’s overused and the pressurized water supply is insufficient for both our current and future needs, leading to the need to drill new artesian wells deeper than anticipated. This water loss is irreversible, so some local governments are limiting permits for withdrawals and replenishing the aquifer with treated wastewater.

Extended droughts dry up surface water, while excessive groundwater pumping reduces aquifer levels. In western states, this situation can become critical, forcing homeowners to adopt strict water conservation practices. Although we haven’t reached that point yet, adopting ways to reduce water waste is always beneficial. For example, farmers and gardeners can choose plants that require little water and install drip irrigation since much of the water from sprinklers evaporates before it reaches plant roots. Small groups of plants can be watered using saved shower water or leftover rinse water from the kitchen.

Turf lawns require a lot of water during dry spells. An easy solution is to replace some of the lawn with wildflowers that can grow naturally from the existing seed bank. Golf courses need a great deal of water for irrigation and ponds and are expensive to maintain. The game originated in Europe, where the climate offers ideal conditions for growing turf — unlike most of the U.S. Here, most greens, parks and homeowners’ lawns are watered with water from aquifers and lakes that is treated to drinking water standards. Some localities water their greens with recycled water, but treated wastewater is often not available or is expensive to transport.

In the western states, some localities offer rebates per square foot to homeowners who replace their turf with rocks, mulch and drought-tolerant plants.

Do we let water run down the drain while brushing our teeth, washing produce, taking long showers or hosing down our driveway? We often don’t consider the source of our water until the faucet runs dry. Cities like Cape Town, South Africa; Jackson, Mississippi; and Mexico City have experienced “Day Zero,” when no water was available and had to be purchased from local suppliers.

In the U.S., most western states have mandatory water restrictions, and two eastern states face serious challenges. For example, Miami is surrounded by saltwater that contaminates its groundwater, while Atlanta, built on granite rock, depends on treated surface water for its drinking supply.

Just thinking about where our water comes from and how we can conserve and recycle used water, we can help ensure that it stays in aquifers rather than going down the drain.

Americans use significantly more water than Europeans. We water our lawns with drinking water and waste gallons of water by using outdated, inefficient showerheads, toilets and clothes washers. Becoming more mindful of our water usage and implementing conservation and recycling practices can make a big difference.

By adopting just one water-saving habit — such as reducing the size of our lawns, washing cars with buckets or at commercial car washes, using brooms instead of water to clean our driveways and not letting water run when we’re not using it — we can help preserve the fresh drinking water supply.

Do we really need to flush the toilet after every use or take a shower every day?

Helen Hamilton is a retired biology teacher, worked as plant technician for the National Park Service, served on the boards of Virginia Native Plant Society and the Williamsburg Botanical Garden, and authored several field guides to local plants. She lives in York County.

Another possible confusion is whether the war in Gaza is or is not genocide. On Oct 7, 2023, Yoav Gallant, Netanyahu’s defense minister, stated “I have ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip. There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed,” which is a pretty clear plan for the total annihilation (= genocide) of the population, and that the enemy was “a human animal.” ”]

But the U.S. government (both Democrats and Republicans) supported Israel despite the complicity of the U.S. in the killing of thousands of Palestinian women and children. Of course Israel should defend itself against the criminal attacks by Hamas, but killing many thousands of civilians seems rather extreme — yet the U.S. continues to send munitions and money to Israel.  This conundrum cannot be dissolved by our elections, but hopefully the International Court of Justice will let justice prevail.

Richard Dunn, Williamsburg

At the age of 90, she parachuted from an airplane in West Point. Now, at age of 95, she is thinking about some other adventure.

I asked Ru, the name everyone calls her, having been a polio victim as a child, how did the experience shape her outlook on life?

“Having polio taught me patience and resilience,” she said in an interview with the Gazette.

“I contacted it at age 7 and spent the next 12 years undergoing treatment that included a full body cast, two back surgeries, a year and a half in home for crippled children, and wearing a back brace until I was 19.”

She continued, “I learned it was better to laugh than to cry. And I realized that I was more fortunate than many of the children in the home who would never leave and live a normal life. I try to maintain a positive outlook and count my blessings.”

By all indications, she turned that positive outlook into action.

“I become an office manager for an all-female OB/GYN office in Pittsburgh that enjoyed a wonderful reputation and delivered quality and friendly care to patients,” Ru said.

She served there for 25 years. Got married and had two daughters. Her husband died of heart disease. She brought up her two daughters alone and put them through college.

Volunteering for community services became part of Ru’s life.

“Helping others was always something I enjoyed. My father was active in the local Lions Club, and being part of service organizations and helping others  was what we did in the small western  Pennsylvania town where I grew up. I was always active in leadership positions in my church.”

Following her retirement, Ru answered the call for help from her daughter, who married to Dr. Jim Barton, an emergency room physician in Williamsburg. She needed Ru’s help bringing up her children.

“When I came to Williamsburg, not knowing the area,” she said, “I decided to volunteer at the Sentara Hospital gift shop, and with Faith in Action, whose mission is consistent with my own belief.”

Ru, now 95 years “young,” is still active. She is often asked what the secret of her longevity.

“My answer is, ‘I’m still here because the Lord isn’t ready for me yet. He must think I can continue to help someone in some way. I also believe that my love for my family keeps me going. I wanted to see my girls grow up, and I have seen them both become loving mothers to their own families. I have six beautiful grandchildren and four beautiful great grandchildren. Family and faith are what’s important.”

By all indication, Ru is not adverse to trying new things.

I asked, what made her parachute out from an airplane at age 90?

“After seeing former President George H. W. Bush skydive at age 90, I decided I wanted to try it.” she said.

“It was amazing! It seemed like you could see forever up there, and it was made even better because my granddaughter joined me, and jumped out right after me. I would do it again, but I think I will try something else instead.”

Ru’s good deeds, like her fundraising effort for Dreamcatchers, a therapeutic riding center in Toano, landed her behind bars.

Little did she know that she would be asked to don a cowboy hat and pose in a “jail cell” for a publicity mugshot.

It was part of winning the Dreamcatchers “Most Wanted” award.

Frank Shatz is a Williamsburg resident. He is the author of “Reports from a Distant Place,” the compilation of his selected columns. The book is available at the Bruton Parish Shop and Amazon.com.