Afghanistan Veterans Made a Difference

Mastin M. Robeson/MajGen, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired)

This OpEd not a political statement, it is a communication from one Veteran Non-profit (Upstate Warrior Solution) to veteran who for over 20 years have partnered with the unlikely and buried the beloved. It is a reach out to all veterans and their families who are reeling from the images and reality of a collapsed Afghanistan government and a reinstated Taliban. 

Veterans are unique. You took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, and to obey the orders of the President and the orders of the officers appointed over you.  You risked life, limb, health, and relationships to execute these orders which in the case of Afghanistan began with defeating the Taliban and driving them out of power. You miraculously accomplish these missions simultaneous to burying many of your buddies. So, when a collapse of this magnitude and suddenness occurs, you often find yourselve confused, frustrated, and at a loss to understand and process. This is a recognition that you and your families have had a bad week that will likely continue for months…and that some of you may never get over.  This is one Veteran Non-Profit’s attempt to a reach out to, connect with, and throw a lifeline to you and your families. 

The past few days have been sobering as we have watched the collapse of Afghanistan and the rise and reinstatement of the Taliban.  Many of you will ask if it was worth it…the fight, the monetary cost, the loss of life and limb, and the loss of faith our allies feel every time we walk away. We’ve always known this was a possible outcome, but we still don’t like it. 

Many of you are understandably battling anger and despair.  

In 1975, our Vietnam veterans were faced with a similar sentiment as the political decision was made to abandon our South Vietnamese allies.  That morning the Army’s Chief of Infantry at Ft. Benning, Georgia, called together the over 1,000 students who were there in resident courses and spent 45 minutes addressing the situation to include his personal views, and another three hours answering pointed and understandably painful questions. He wrapped it up by encouraging those combat vets to spend the rest of the day talking amongst themselves in smaller groups, figuring out how to compartmentalize their demons, live with their memories, honor their dead, master their grief, and depend on each other. It impacted them so profoundly that I have heard from many over the last two days recounting that day with reverence.  

It is easy to feel betrayed and used, to feel the sacrifice was for nothing, to take it personally, to let it affect your self-worth, to let it overshadow your entire service experience. DON’T! 

You were successful. You defeated Al-Qaida. You drove the Taliban from power. You gave your Afghan brothers an opportunity to succeed. You ensured tens of thousands of terrorists never died from old age. You positively impacted an entire generation of Afghans.  You prevented another attack on America.  You saved thousands of Afghan women and children from growing up under Taliban rule…an entire generation.

I too wish we had ended this war differently. The American people know that the debacle of the past weeks in Afghanistan is not your fault, that you served with honor and courage. That you made a difference.

Was it worth it? YES. 

Does it hurt? YES. 

But you are now faced with another very tough choice—to fight the inner demons of rage and deep sadness…or to succumb. 

You did what no generation before you has done. You deployed 4, 6, 8, 10 times, were unexpectedly extended, went back on extremely short turn around, and you did it for over 20 years. That’s a lot to be proud of. 

Now is the time for all of us to reach out to buddies and veteran organizations for encouragement and camaraderie, to find hope and value in the hurt. A list of resources can be found at https://upstatewarriorsolution.org. I encourage you to find one and let them help you compartmentalize your demons and master your grief…and to stay connected.  

You stood in the gap, you kept the wolves at bay, you denied an enemy that sought to rob us of the freedoms we hold so dear. You are the Next Greatest Generation. And for that I say thank you.  

Thank you for who you are. Thank you for what you have done. Thank you for your service. You can still make a difference by reaching out to your fellow veterans, especially during times like this! I am humbled and honored to live in the Upstate and share your legacy. God Bless, and finish well.

Mastin M. Robeson is a MajGen, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired) and serves as Chairman Board of Directors, Upstate Warrior Solution.

Opinion: Anderson Needs Housing, But Rushing Developments Not the Answer

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer 

I have been an observer of politics in Anderson since right after the South Carolina Home Rule Act gave some independent authority to locally elected governments.

The move was long overdue. Previously the only local power was relegated to road commissioners, which is why Anderson County has 1,534 miles of paved roads, many of which would still be goat paths.

It has not always been pretty. Ugly examples include one person serving jail time for allegedly erasing and changing county votes on election night back in the 1980s; the ousting of school superintendents and county administrators; and any number of local town administrators abusing their position and paying for it later at the ballot box.

But the good has shined so brightly such examples do little to diminish the progress of the county and its cities and towns under Home Rule. 

From where I sit, the county and town leaders boast the most impressive roster Anderson County has witnessed. The dazzling economic development success of the county under the direction of Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns, Economic Development Director Burriss Nelson and a council committed to good jobs and higher wages is remarkable. Anderson County today has the most international investment of any county in the state, with 51 companies representing 18 countries. The county’s priority on recreation has also helped make Hartwell Lake an international destination and kicked off a major effort to revitalize the Saluda River. 

Progressive and cooperative mayors and councils in our cities and towns are manifest across the county, with leaders open to public input and feedback. 

It is easy to see substantial recent progress in Belton, Honea Path, Iva, Pendleton, Pelzer and West Pelzer thanks to such leadership.

The same is true of the City of Anderson. The vision and leadership of Mayor Terence Roberts and city council has helped bring downtown back to life with such improvements as Carolina Wren Park while greatly improved recreation opportunities for citizens. 

Perhaps the greatest challenge of such success is how to manage growth. From the earliest days of Home Rule, countywide zoning has been the most widely opposed issue from both leaders and citizens. Not surprisingly, since in the South a family’s wealth legacy is often in the land they leave their children. 

Today there are houses in the fields that not so long ago were growing corn or raising dairy cattle. Those farms that have survived are now largely bordered by subdivisions or at least rows of houses. It’s a trend that can be expected to continue as early Census figures show Anderson County’s population to top 205,000 when the county is done. This growth is also reflected in the towns and cities of Anderson County.

Monday night’s city council meeting reflected the varied interests and opinions on how such growth might be managed. Similar scenes are common in local city, town and county council meetings. 

Concerning a new subdivision that would include 159 houses on 50 acres at the corner of Midway Road and Crestview Road, the sides were clearly divided. (Adding to the frustration of county citizens is they are not residents of the city and thus not really represented by an elected official who gets to vote on this project).

Residents of the area, who are accustomed to the large, open Kay farm land, love their views and do not wish to see the character of their neighborhood change. Many of these who live in houses with large, wooded lots, expressed worries about property values and other issues which would result from the new proposed housing. 

Meanwhile, city council is charged with identifying potential sites for annexation, one of only ways the city can expand its tax base. The city of Anderson has expanded quickly into the area over the past 15 years, annexing new developments of homes and duplexes in the area, since it is a much-desired location for those looking for homes. 

The updated plan was unavailable to both council members and the public for review Monday night (always a red flag), but the alleged revisions made since the subdivision was first proposed included reducing the number of houses proposed from 200 to 159, the promise of sidewalks, deceleration lanes into the properties, a mixture of large and small lots, retention of some old-growth trees, and green spaces. 

The local residents traffic concerns are legitimate and two council members, Don Chapman and John Roberts, voted against moving forward until those concerns could be addressed.

Traffic at the intersection of Midway Road and Crestview Road has long ago outpaced what the roads can handle during rush hours and especially during the school year when parents dropping off kids at both Midway Elementary School and Glenview Middle School see traffic jams sometimes more than 30-cars deep at the four-way stop. 

According to the South Carolina Department of Transportation, a long-planned roundabout is not scheduled to be completed until early 2025, meaning adding another 300-plus vehicles to the mix could prove problematic. 

City Councilman Tony Stewart suggested that the SCDOT timetables was often not reliable, although my discussions with area planners and developers disagree with his assessment. 

There is little argument that more housing is needed. Those who wish to close the door to all future development after they are settled into their own homes and subdivisions cannot ignore others wish to relocate to the area.

But the city needs to approach annexation and growth with prudence. Assurances that approving the project on first reading Monday was simply a signal to the developer of the city’s continued interest in proceeding make little sense when voting on such an issue, especially when updates to the proposal have not been reviewed by council members. 

The local developer is an experienced businessman, and should be no stranger to the hurdles of rezoning and annexation. The fact the many council members expressed friendship and respect for the developer should be enough to confirm city’s interest in some version of the project.

This sense of urgency does not seem a path to finding the best long-term solution. The revised plans, again plans not yet made available to the public, should face serious scrutiny and perhaps additional refinement. The current mix of high-density housing (generally defined by the neighborhood) mixed with some larger homes on larger lots could perhaps be reevaluated to a more modest 120 homes on lots of around four-tenths of an acre, something that would make for a potential model new neighborhood and still allow for substantial profits for the developer and decent additional taxes for the city.

My understanding of housing and development is not uniformed. My father was a builder, and I have two friends who are widely regarded for their expertise in city/county planning and development. I have interviewed architects and property developers who are finding solutions for better-designed houses and neighborhoods which will maintain their character for decades to come. Such experts are now leaning toward quality of life issues that do not support even mixed-development housing that includes high-density housing. 

City Councilman Jeff Roberts said last night that the city’s approach to expansion and development is still evolving. This is a good approach, and one that should be applied by refining the current proposed projects.  

There is certainly a need, and room for, additional housing in Anderson. The Midway/Crestview site is a beautiful property for such housing. Local residents cannot realistically hope to put the breaks on progress at that site. Meanwhile the city, in a rush to annex, should tap the brakes long enough evaluate traffic issues and to recognize too many houses on too few acres poses a threat to what could both provide additional housing in a neighborhood they would be proud to call home.

Anderson Democrats Honor Floyd, West, at Freedom Gala

By Mary Geren

On Saturday nearly 300 Democrats from across South Carolina and even North Carolina came together at the Hammond-Preston House to honor two heroic public servants. The event served as a fundraiser for the local party but was also a moving tribute for two of Anderson’s most faithful Democrats and public servants: Councilwoman Gracie Floyd who served as the only African American on the Anderson County Council for over two decades and Reverend Dr. George West, a former AnMed chaplain, professor, minister, and activist.

The evening included a reception and live entertainment from Loretta Holloway: South Carolina’s Official First Lady of Song as well as The Winbush Sisters. Notable sponsors were former Governors Dick Riley and Jim Hodges as well as Jaime Harrison, Bakari Sellers, former Congressman Joe Cunningham, State Representatives Russell Ott, Krystle Matthews, and Leola Robinson, and Spartanburg County Democratic County. Special guest speakers included Anderson Mayor Tererence Roberts, Councilman Glenn Davis, SCDP Chairman Trav Robertson, State Senator Mia McCleod, and keynote speaker Representative Justin Bamberg.

What makes this particular political event unique is that it was the most successful fundraiser for Anderson County Democrats in the party’s decades-long existence. Not only did they surpass their initial fundraising goal, but ACDP served as a catalyst to unite key stakeholders from the

Upstate, Midlands, and the LowCountry. The raised funds will be used to build the necessary infrastructure to organize in a bold and aggressive manner ahead of the 2022 midterm election and beyond.

Granted, Anderson is one of the most ruby red corners of South Carolina, but the County is growing and becoming more progressive every day. Certainly, the GOP feels untouchable here, but as we saw in Georgia, with hard, consistent work, passion, and talent, progress can come to South Carolina too. So, fasten your seatbelts, folks; we are just getting started! Pretty soon, it will be impossible to ignore the work of Democrats not just across the state but even here in Anderson.

We would like to think Gracie and George were looking down on us Saturday night and beaming with pride and possibly dancing a little because the atmosphere was one of jubilation, hopeful expectation, and determination. Indeed there is more necessary, good trouble ahead for Anderson County Democrats and Democrats all across the South. Progressives who think they are alone should rest assured; there are more of us than the GOP would have you think.

As Ruth Bader Ginsberg once said about women on the Supreme Court, “We’re here. Not as one-at-a-time curiosities. We are here to stay and in all our diversity.”

So, get used to it.

Mary Geren is 2nd Vice Chair of the Anderson County Democratic Party

Opinion: Holiday Weekend Time to Celebrate, Cherish Freedoms

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Every year, Americans pause this time of year to celebrate the country’s delcared independence from the British Empire. The Founding Fathers saw an opportunity to form a new nation, and took it, and the world is a better place as a result.

In doing so, they set in motion the world’s most enduring political system, a democratic republic with safeguards in place to protect people from the government and the government from the worst instincts of its citizens. 

The Constitution of the United States and Declaration of Independence are two of the most significant political documents in world history, setting into laws an array of freedoms no other civilization had experienced and becoming a template for freedom everywhere.

What makes those who drafted this documents even wiser, is they quickly recognized the Constitution was a living document, and required refinement to clarify and correct the original intent. Thomas Jefferson said he thought it should be updated every 19 years, although no solid historical reason seems to have been found for this number.

The First Amendment, which appeared in 1891, less than four years after the original document, offers a list of freedoms most associated with being an American, though indigenous people and blacks were not invited to the freedom party.

Many of the freedoms spelled out in this amendment, though, now include these groups. They are also the subject of much debate even today.

The first listed is the right to be free from the government establishment of religion as well as free from governmental influence from the practice of religion. This has led to discussions on topics ranging from prayer in schools to bible classes in public schools to the teaching of evolution in science classrooms. But at its heart, it means we are all free to worship in any manner our spirit desires, including the decision to pursue no religion at all. Deism, which included human reason, was the most the most influential faith for Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Madison and Monroe, and its driving philosophy is evident in both the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. 

While the Puritans left England for these shores seeking religious freedom, they did not extend that freedom to those who did not agree with their own dogma. The most famous dissidents within the Puritan community, Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson, were banished following disagreements over theology and policy. From Puritan Boston’s earliest days, Catholics (called “Papists”) were banned from the colonies, along with other non-Puritans. Four Quakers were hanged in Boston between 1659-1661 for persistently returning to the city to stand up for their beliefs.

So the Founding Fathers sought to erase the patchwork of religious laws and restrictions in favor of free practice of faith. The success has been profound, but not without the ever present politization of faith in politics, with candidates who have little or no personal connection to faith suddenly becoming evangelical during election cycles. This is both and example of religious freedom and a sad commentary on religion in America. But as long as those fervent speeches do not include policies to restrict the faiths of those who disagree with them, freedom remains.

The right to free speech, something that is often misunderstood and wrongly attacked, holds the rest of our freedoms together. It includes our right not to speak, the right to engage in symbolic speech (even when unpopular, e.g. the burning of the flag in protest), and the right to say most anything that does not incite actions that lead to harm to others.  

While you cannot, and should not, shout fire in a crowded theater when there is no fire, you can picket in front of a theater that has violated fire codes and thus perceive as dangerous.  

You can state political viewpoints, no matter how unpopular, which, again, are not aimed at inciting actions to harm others. 

And this freedom can also include consequences. While I may not believe the heated opinions of my fellow citizens, I respect his/her right to issue such speech. Meanwhile, I also reserve the right to disagree, and in some cases, choose to do business or not do business with the person with whom I disagree. If I am employed by a company that imports wool, and I become and anti-wool organizer, I can expect both to express my freedom of speech while my employer excersizes the freedom to relieve me of my job.

This has been lost on many, that this amendment is in reference to governmental regulation of speech, and not any consquences which may result in such expression. The debate over access to social media offers a good example.

The same political movement that killed the “Fairness Doctrine” (a policy that required the holders of broadcast licenses both to present controversial issues of public importance and to do so in a manner that was honest, equitable, and balanced, presenting both sides). The FCC eliminated the policy in 1987, during the Reagan administration, with Republicans at the time hailing it as a victory for free speech. Now the same group, and others, are wanting to impose what is essentially the Fairness Doctrine requirements on social media platforms. Either revive the “Fairness Doctrine,” a sound idea, or stop the complaining about a standard they put in motion 40 years ago now that it no longer suits some narrow political purposes. 

Governmental intervention on free speech, including social media, is likely to be more damaging than the problem some perceive needs to be solved. If there are companies with enough power and influence to allegedly infringe on freedom of speech, how is it prudent to propose the federal government - which is a much more powerful and influential entity  - jump into this space? 

The political pendulum has historically been one that swings toward self correction. To set new restrictions on free speech as it related to privately owned social media to achieve some short-term political agenda is terrifying.

Allowing new governmental rules on Facebook and Twitter could easily lead to government overreach of all free speech, and result in future restricting of any opinion that runs counter to whatever current political winds are blowing. 

This leads naturally to the guaranteed right to the freedom of the press. A glance at last week’s headlines, where China shut down the only newspaper the supported democracy in Hong Kong, is a good example of how quickly such freedom can be lost. Governments which have sought to shut down or control the media include those led by Hitler, Stalin  and today include North Korea, China, Iran, Syria, Cuba, Laos and Saudi Arabia, just to name a few. 

With all the excesses, especially in broadcast media where many cable networks are little more than partisan infomercials, in the modern era where vetting journalist sources is sometimes more challenging a free press is more important than ever. Without the Fourth Estate, who is left to hold local, state and national government accountable and accessible to citizens. Journalists also are charged with the responsibility to shed light on corporations and other powerful entities when they are seeking to work against the nation's interests without accountability. It was journalists who reported on the unsanitary conditions and unscrupulous practices rampant in the meatpacking industry, which was killing Americans and the snake oil salesmen who promised all manner of miracle cures, that led to the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act and later gave birth to the Food and Drug Administration.

Such works has been a hallmark of American journalists history and should be recounted in our textbooks. Remember The Pentagon Papers? It was journalists who exposed government knowledge that the war would cost more lives than the public had been told and revealed that the presidential administrations of Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson all had misled the public about the degree of U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Such work is crucial to democracy.

Journalists working in many countries around the world are jailed, tortured or killed for seeking to hold their governments accountable. Our Founding Fathers were visionary in providing laws to prevents such things from happening in America. It’s foolhardy to take such a freedom for granted.

The First Amendment also provides the right to assemble peacefully, with whomever one chooses, and petition the government to redress grievances.  

Freedom of assembly ensures people can gather and meet, both publicly and privately to advocate for change raise awareness about the issues that matter, for such issues as human rights or socio-economic rights. 

States have often aggressively attempted to circumvent this right, through seeking to criminalize the organizers or participants in peaceful protests. Often intimidation has been used in an attempt to engender self censorship. Such violations of the Constitution never end well for those seeking to limit this freedom, no matter how uncomfortable or inconvenient some localities might find it.

The Civil Rights marches, which are a shining example of such assembly from the last century, made America a better place for all Americans. As viscously as some states sought to deny their constitutional rights, these brave men and women perservered to exemplifythe spirit of our forefathers' vision for a country marked by such freedom. 

So, on our nation’s 245th birthday, as we celebrate we do well to remember what freedoms on which our nation was constructed and continue to be protected our protections of religion, speech, the press, assembly and petition, all the while being alert to any attempt by any government, local, state or national, which seeks to curtail these principles. 

Opinion: Timing of McMaster Edict to Schools Baffling

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer Opinion

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster needs a lesson in timing. 

No matter where one lands on the issue of wearing face masks as a measure to suppress COVID-19 cases, McMaster’s sudden decision to students in the state’s public schools to opt of wearing masks a few short weeks before the end of the school year is both silly and sown chaos and confusion without any real purpose.

Putting aside the fact that McMaster’s ruling flies in the face of recommendations by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Services and the Centers for Disease Control, one has to ask: “Why now?”  

The decision itself should come as little surprise. The governor’s latest move is another in a long string of mushy, weak responses to confronting the COVID-19 pandemic in our state. McMaster has consistently spoken out of both sides of mouth, refusing to implement a statewide mask ruling, even at the height of the pandemic, and instead offering silly platitudes calling for citizens to “be careful” and “stay safe” in his best Sen. Claghorn tones.  

But Tuesday’s ruling leaves school districts across the state scrambling to meet yet another pandemic-year administrative challenge for no reason beyond political posturing. Ordering all schools to return to full-time, in-person classes had already put additional pressure on school districts trying to finish out what maybe the most difficult year for educators in modern history. Now, as school districts are trying to close out the school year and planning for extended summer school offerings and estimating how many students will be last when school resumes in the fall, the governor creates another fine mess for no reason beyond grandstanding. 

Our teachers, principals and other school administrators deserve better. 

One school administrator told me the governor’s decision was a farce, since it would be almost impossible to tell which students in classrooms and walking the halls had a signed exemption release.

The new ruling also creates a new level of work for the overtaxed DHEC, who were charged with creating new forms allowing students to opt-out of wearing masks for the remainder of the school year. Again, DHEC continues to join with the CDC is recommending the continued use of face coverings, so it’s a big ask by the governor to ask for a form which ignores their suggestions.

Meanwhile, a federally instituted school bus mask mandate remains in place for all public schools, students and staff, statewide. This mandate includes activity/athletic buses. 

Anderson County school districts seem to be following roughly the same template following the governor’s decree. Students will be allowed to fill out the DHEC forms, adding another level of paperwork at each school at the worst possible time, while reiterating the safety suggestions of DHEC and the CDC. 

Teachers, staff and visitors to school are no longer required to wear masks. 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Anderson County has reported almost 23,000 cases of COVID-19 and 519 deaths from the virus. DHEC has reported 108 cases in the county since May 1 and 18 deaths were listed in April (the last reporting period available) from the virus. DHEC still considers Anderson County a place of moderate risk. 

Meanwhile, the S.C. Department of Education sent a message to superintendents across the state, saying, in part, that the department finds: “no legal grounds by which the Governor can set aside a policy and regulatory directive issued by another constitutional officer or constitutional board whose power is not derived from the state of emergency nor the Executive Branch but by the South Carolina Constitution and Code of Laws. This power is reserved solely for the South Carolina General Assembly. The Governor thoroughly understands the rule of law and surely recognizes this but has been successful in his mission of circumventing public health guidance by inciting hysteria and sowing division in the waning days of the school year.” 

Our governor has chosen to essentially ignore the rule of law while adding additional duties to our already overwhelmed schools with only about two weeks left in the academic year. His tone deaf, ham-handed proclamation seems to serve no purpose other than an insatiable need for approval from his political base.

While we are hopeful that all signs, at least for now, point to a steady decline in the COVID-19 virus in South Carolina as well as hope for a better year ahead without the restrictions of the past year, why the governor chose this move at the end of a very long school year is simply baffling. 

Opinion: County Fire Commission Proposal Falls Short

Anderson Observer Opinion

Confusion, lack of consensus and half-baked are just three ways to describe the upcoming special referendum by the Anderson County Fire Protection Commission seeking an increase in funding.

The scheduled May 18 vote is missing not only details but consensus support from within the fire departments which would be impacted by the vote. 

While there has been some general discussion of an acute need for constituent funding to upgrade and maintain equipment, an issue with which few would take issue, the current measure falls short when it comes to details on such needs. It also fails to explain how the money will be shared across all departments. 

The ballot initiative asks for an increase of four mils, from six to 10. If approved by voters, supporters of the measure say it would represent the first tax increase for the commission since 1986. But even that is a bit misleading, since the value of a mil and the resulting funding has increased every year during those three-plus decades. The annual fire commission millage is currently $689,000, which is more than double the value of their millage in 1986. So there has been an increase in funding, even though the actual rate of the millage has not changed.

It doesn’t help that there is also a lack of pubic awareness on the purpose, mission and areas under the jurisdiction of the fire commission.  There are 27 stations under the general umbrella of the Anderson County Fire Commission. 

Complete list here. To find eligible voting precincts, visit here. 

But other fire departments, including the City of Anderson, City of Belton, Town of Honea Path, Town of Williamston and Piedmont are not part of the group, so not all voters in the county will be eligible to vote on the measure. Why the measure, which has been bantered about for more than a year, was not included on last November’s general election ballot is both curious and costly to the county, since it requires a special election for the sole purpose of this referendum.

Even within departments covered by the commission there  is not complete support for the measure. Some, even some within the fire departments, have suggest the referendum is half-baked and there needs to be a more detailed discussion of how the money would be used and distributed to various departments before increasing taxes.

The actual text on the referendum ballot does little to help clarify the proposal. It reads:

“Do you favor the levy and collection of a tax of not more than ten (10) mills upon all of the taxable property in the Anderson County Fire Protection Commission for the purposes of paying the operational costs of the Anderson County Fire Protection Commission?” 

The wording fo the referendum exemplifies the vague nature of the request to increase funding without offering details to voters or firefighters as to how the funds will be used.

There is little question there needs to be a serious commitment to those who serve as firefighters across the county. Many have devoted a big part of their lives as volunteers to keep citizens safe, while others have chosen to devote their lives to a career in the same pursuit. 

Funding for such services has always been lean, leading to a never ending series of fund raisers and need for funding from other sources when possible. 

There is likely an excellent argument to be made for an increase in taxpayer support to help maintain readiness. The cost of fire trucks, protective suits and the long list of other gear needed to keep our firefighters safe and ready to serve the community is substantial and deserving of support. It is also likely that each of the 27 fire departments in question could provide a detailed list of needs and their costs beyond what is already in the fire commission’s annual budget. (Overview of that budget here). But none have been asked to do so, at least with such information for public consumption. 

Providing such details would also open up other options, including asking Anderson County Council to increase their funding, but the commission has seemingly chose to roll the dice on a referendum instead. 

The current proposal is rushed and fails to provide those critical details concerning how the funding requested in the current referendum will provide support in areas of critical need across the county. 

Meanwhile, those who have watched how local and county governments work over the decades can testify that when you ask taxpayers for an increase, you need to do it right the first time or risk short-selling the need and missing a true long-term solution. Passing a vague, flawed referendum will not serve anyone well.

The service provided by our fire fighters and their departments deserves a more thoughtful, detailed, long-term, strategic plan that has close to unanimous support among the 27 fire departments, instead of the confusing referendum set for May 18.   

The Anderson County Legislative Delegation could have kicked the request back to the commission for a more detailed proposal, but chose to allow the half-baked proposal to go forward, by a vote of 5-3, with Sen. Richard Cash, Rep. Jonathon Hill and Rep. Anne Thayer opposing the move.

Now the voters should now do what they did not and reject this proposal from the fire commission that lacks a comprehensive, strategic and specific plan for funding.

National Teacher Appreciation Week a Time to Say Thanks

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

“Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition.’ –Jacques Barzun

Today marks the beginning of National Teacher Appreciation Week, a time to honor the men and women who lend their passion and skills to educating children.

The past year has brought new challenges for those who have chosen to commit their lives to education.

Adding a worldwide pandemic to an already stressful job led many teachers to weigh the benefits against the challenges. One study found that nearly 40 percent of K-12 teachers, more than 3.5 million, noting the pandemic led them to consider changing jobs. Other veteran teachers considered early retirement. 

But the exodus didn’t happen. Before the pandemic, about 8 percent of teachers left the profession each year. And an expectation that the number those leaving the classroom would spike during the year of COVID-19, didn’t factor in why many chose to teach.

For all the added burdens of masks, hand sanitizer, back and forth online/in person teaching, and worries about contracting the virus, most teachers are still at their posts.

Why? Because the majority of teachers still see their work as more akin to a ministry, a calling, than to vocation. This is a big reason why, despite what might be the most challenging year in the history of public education, few jumped ship. 

“A good teacher is like a candle – it consumes itself to light the way for others.” –Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

It is rare to find a teacher who got into the profession who chose this path to make the world a better place. 

Remember, not a single teacher knew when they chose the profession that one day they would be labeled essential front-line workers in a pandemic.  

They have spent the past year plus worried for their own health, and the health of their families, while calming the nerves of parents and students. 

As the school year winds down, it’s time to dig deep for extra measures of compassion, patience and grace for our teachers. 

In the best of times, most teachers rarely see many expressions of kindness for what they do in our community. 

This week would be a good time for a note of gratitude, or better yet a gift card to say thank you to your child’s teacher or your friend, neighbor or family member who is a teacher. 

“Education is not the filling of a pot but the lighting of a fire.” –W.B. Yeats 

Most of us can recall the words of encouragement from teachers that helped alter the course of our lives. And most of us have probably never thanked them for their encouragement.

I recall one first-year teacher who in the middle of trying to deal with a classroom full of rambunctious students found time to encourage this third grader’s writing and love of books. Sue Medlock, along with School Librarian Ethel Allen, took the difficult path of looking past my class clowning and classroom disrupting foolishness to make a point of telling me I had a gift for writing, a wonderful imagination, and that I should continue writing stories. I will forever be grateful to this teacher and school librarian for their kindness and devotion to education. 

This week offers an excellent opportunity to fill social media posts with the names of the teachers who changed your life for the better.  Put a name to it, and you are likely to find others who might also want to thank some who have heard little in the way of thanks over a career. Such accolades will also serve to encourage the children of the men and women who gave their lives for a purpose greater than a paycheck.

For more on Teacher Appreciation Week, click here.

Opinion: Community Owes Debt of Gratitude to Local Public Servants

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Next week is public service recognition week, offering an opportunity to thank those who have chosen to serve our community, in ways which are often overlooked and rarely applauded.

For most of the towns and cities in Anderson County, 2021 is an election year. The City of Belton, City of Easley, and towns of Honea-Path, Iva, Pelzer, Pendleton and West Pelzer all have general elections in November. A special election for the Anderson County Council Dist. 2 seat is set for June 1 and a special election for mayor of the City of Belton scheduled June 22. 

Every election cycle, the question of "who would want to run for office?" is followed by jokes or worse about “politicians.” 

The word has been defined as "one actively engaged in conducting the business of a government" for much of the past 400-odd years. Yet throughout all this time it has simultaneously been used in a contemptuous fashion as well. 

And there are certainly stories of individuals who have abused the public trust, and we all remember local names and incidents of such abuse. 

But the overwhelming majority of men and women serving the cities, towns and county in Anderson are doing their part to move an exceeding large wheel in an exceedingly fine fashion. 

If you haven’t been to a city, county or town hall meeting lately, it might be time for a visit. It is your best opportunity to participate in the process of local government. Over the decades I have found it interesting to observe wild criticisms of local government “wasting” money by those who never show up for a single council meeting or committee meeting during the budgeting process. I have also found it interesting that citizen participation at meetings has also steadily dropped over the past two decades. 

It’s not likely you’ll be wildly entertained by the local government proceedings, and I can almost assure you that some of what is discussed will leave you as much confused as informed. A long discussion on equipment needs for wastewater treatment facilities, to give one example, will likely trigger at least a small yawn in most citizens. 

But it is in these complicated details that the men and women who serve in our local governments serve us best. Most are not elected officials, they are employees who grind away at the bureaucracy and minutia that are required to keep our infrastructure in place, our water running, toilets flushing, law enforcement and fire departments ready, elections running and efficient, roads repaired, bring in new jobs, protect us from those who have less than honest intentions and numerous other small public services that most would likely go unnoticed unless they were neglected.

Anderson owes a debt of gratitude to the men and women who have chosen such public service jobs. Many of these folks could make more money in the private sector, especially with the bloom of hundreds of new jobs in our community thanks to other public servants devoted to economic recruitment and development. 

Most of our elected officials serving the cities, county and towns are part time – including all of the mayors in the county. These are positions which require often overwhelming hours of research, committee meetings and constituent services outside the scheduled public meetings.

For example, Anderson County Council members are the lowest paid in the state for counties over 200,000 citizens, with a salary of $8,930.10 per year. This leads to a council whose members must be either self-employed or have great flexibility in work schedule. (For comparison, Greenville County Council members are paid $29,633 annually – with the council chairman being paid $35,560, York County $18,947-$26,526, Lexington County $18,040, Berkeley County $12,484 and Spartanburg County $12,500.) The salaries for our county are set by the Anderson County Legislative Delegation, and in serious need of any update to better reflect other county council salaries.

Over the decades, my discussions with newly elected council members found both a new respect for the position as well as a stunning realization of the number of hours the job involves. Most admit, without any regret, it costs them more to serve on county council than they are paid.  

Those who choose to serve as mayors as well as on city and town councils, generally face even smaller compensation for their service. They are all aptly called public servants.

Again, this also rings true of those who are in charge of finding ways, especially in times of challenging budgets, to keep our roads safe, water running, trash and recycling efforts on track, keep us safe on a daily basis and during emergencies and provide the other day-to-day services we all take for granted.

May 2-7 is a national week set aside to recognize the efforts of those who have chosen to give back to their community through public service. It’s also a good excuse to say thank you to those you know or come in contact on a regular basis who make life easier for us all.

To thank local elected officials, here are the sites offering contact information:

Anderson County Council

City of Anderson

City of Belton

Town of Honea Path

Town of Iva

Town of Pelzer Mayor Council

Town of Pendleton

Town of Starr

Town of West Pelzer 

Comment: COVID-19 Toll on Local Health Care Workers Brutal

By Wilson Sofley, MD, FACP/Special to the Anderson Observer

The COVID-19 virus is having a profound impact on the health care workers who have been dealing with it for almost a year now. When I refer to health care workers, I am referring to the entire health care team, the physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, respiratory therapists, physical and occupational therapists, speech therapists, social workers, nursing assistants, receptionists, housekeeping staff, IT staff, administrators, and many others. 

When the pandemic first started our first reaction to it was fear of the unknown. We did not know how contagious it was or how to treat it. We knew that we would soon be seeing patients with COVID-19 and quickly made plans about how we would accomplish this mission. What we did not know at the time was how long the pandemic would last and how it would change all of our lives. 

When it started, we had the fear of becoming infected with COVID-19 just like everyone else did. We knew we would be working closely with highly contagious patients and that there was a national shortage of PPE. Many members of our team have high-risk health care conditions themselves or have a family member living with them who has a high-risk condition. We had to be constantly vigilant in order to prevent becoming infected and bringing it home to our loved ones. We still have to do this but the development of the COVID-19 vaccine has gone a long way to help with this fear. 

Treating COVID-19 patients also has caused a lot of physical stress to us. We wear masks for our entire workday and wear full PPE for every interaction with a patient who has COVID-19. The PPE is hot and uncomfortable. The N-95 masks fit very tightly against the face and leave marks when they are removed. Some of us have developed facial rashes and skin issues related to this. The PPE must be put on for even the simplest of patient interactions, such as helping a patient adjust the bed or giving them the remote control when they drop it. It increases the time required to do most of the daily job tasks. The shifts are also often longer due to staffing shortages and increased patient volumes. The staff is caring for more patients than usual and the patients are much sicker than in the past.

We are also having to deal with the constant stress of staffing shortages. The health care staff gets sick, just like everyone else. Many of them are ill due to COVID-19. Some of the staff who were close to retirement have retired early due to the stress of treating COVID-19 patients. Others have resigned. Some have become traveling nurses so they could increase their incomes. 

The hospital census is also the highest it has been in years. This results in more work for those of us who remain here. The main problem in creating more inpatient beds to treat the patients from this surge is not always just space. It is often a lack of people to staff the new treatment areas. 

This has resulted in patients having to be held in the ER until a bed opens up. The ER then gets full and patients then have to be treated in hallways. As of the time I am writing this AnMed’s inpatient census of COVID-19 patients is 141. That means almost 50% of all patients who are hospitalized here are hospitalized due to COVID-19. That has never happened with any other illness. In the medical field we train for mass casualty exercises. Many of us have been through mass casualty events before, both in civilian and military life. Those events usually only last a few days. This is lasting for months with no signs of getting better anytime soon. It also impacts the patients who are being treated for non-COVID issues. All of our resources are stretched thin at this point. 

We also have to deal with local and national shortages of supplies. Everyone is aware of the problems with PPE shortages. This has improved but we are still reusing N-95 masks that were designed and intended to be used just once before the pandemic hit. We also have had shortages of medications like Remdesivir which is used to treat COVID-19 patients. That means that at times it was not available to everyone who could have benefited from it. Medications which are used in the ICU to help sedate people who are on ventilators are also in short supply. Even oxygen is an issue. Some patients have had their discharges delayed due to a lack of oxygen available to use at home.  This creates extra stress on the system and the health care team members who are trying to get the critical resources. 

We are also having the stress of dealing with the conspiracy theorists on social media. Early on in the pandemic some people were refusing to believe it was real as they did not personally know anyone who had died of COVID-19. We were told that we were calling everything COVID-19 so that we would get paid more money. We were also told that if we just would use the right medication that they saw discussed on a social media post then we could cure these patients.

Our years of training and experience, countless hours spent studying the most recent scientific data about COVID-19 treatments, and talking to experts in the field takes a backseat to the Facebook posts they saw. Unfortunately, the entire issue became very politicized. This has made it harder for us to get the message of the importance of wearing masks out to the community. We still have many who refuse to wear a mask. Some leaders tell us that South Carolinians are doing great. All we have to do is go to the store or a restaurant to see that many people are not consistently following the guidelines. The city of Anderson has a mask ordinance but it is rarely enforced. People are having family gatherings, parties, church services, and sports events with no masks. 

The upstate of South Carolina is one of the worst areas in the nation for COVID-19 infections when the data is adjusted for the size of the population. When the public wants to know what they can do to support us the answer is simple, follow the CDC guidelines. Wear a mask, socially distance, and wash your hands. This will help us to get the pandemic under control. The vaccine will also help but it will take many months to vaccinate enough people to have an impact. 

In addition to the issues listed above we have the same stressors everyone else has. We have sick family members, funerals, decisions about the best way to educate our children, limited social contact, etc. When this is combined with the stressful work environment it can be overwhelming. I am personally aware of very experienced nurses who have gone home in tears due to the issues we face. Others have had panic attacks, depression, and PTSD. 

We are seeing people die on a scale we have never experienced before. Many of the patients are in the hospital for several weeks and we get very attached to them. Some of them are our friends and co-workers. We see them struggling to breath and then finally getting intubated. We help them in their communication with their family members because they are too weak to do it alone. Unfortunately, we also watch many of them die. I personally had 4 of my long-term patients die last week. Three of them died from COVID-19. AnMed now has a full-time on-site counselor to help employees deal with these issues. 

It seems to be like the movie Ground Hog Day, except each day is just a little worse than the day before. We just get up each morning, put on a smile to hide the pain, and go back to work. 

Dr. C. Wilson Sofley Jr, MD, is a board certified internist in Anderson, South Carolina. He is affiliated with AnMed Health Medical Center.

Opinion: Community Service a Major Key to Contentment

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

It has been an emotional year, overshadowed by a pandemic and punctuated by racial unrest and an emotion-packed election cycle. 

Many across the political spectrum are angry and frustrated, and are expressing as much on social media and among friends trying to make sense of where we are as a country and community.

But in the middle of it all, it is easy to overlook the obvious: that each of us has the power to make America a better place to work and live by engaging in our own community.

The dawn of a new year is traditionally the time to evaluate, to make promises to ourselves to do better, accomplish more, all in an attempt to scratch that itch that brings a modicum of personal contentment.

Almost all of those I know who have found some measure of personal satisfaction in life share one common attribute: service to their community.

It’s a Jesusy approach to life, to find your life by giving it away, and seems to make little sense in a world which largely measures success in financial terms. Service runs counter the culture, and while often fulfilling, it is almost always inconvenient.

And yet so many in our community devote their lives to making Anderson County a better place by leading organizations aimed in some way at relieving suffering and want. They are joined by thousands of volunteers who donate untold hours of their personal time to meet the challenges of helping our friends and neighbors who face some sort of obstacle to having any sort of decent life.

Often such service it requires giving up some leisure time or family time for a greater good. Many of these are busy people with demanding jobs who still make time to volunteer. 

Why? Other than the previously mentioned spiritual concept, there are measurable benefits to such commitment to community. 

At least one study found those who volunteer find it helps them stay healthy, mentally and physically, increasing physical fitness while combatting depression. Those in the study were also happier than those not involved in community service.

It also creates a sense of community with others who share the vision of giving back. Anderson has been wildly blessed by people who have moved here from other places, because they have brought the bright spirit of volunteerism with them. In many organizations, they outnumber native-born Andersonians.  

Both groups have also found that getting involved helps them know the community better, which leads to a deeper understanding and greater respect for others.

Doing something positive in the community also brings real change. 

Over the past few decades Anderson has seen the rise of incredible groups which have brought previously untapped benefits to our community. Hard for many to even image and Anderson with no AIM, Anderson Free Clinic, Meals on Wheels, Salvation Army, Emergency Soup Kitchen, Cancer Association of Anderson, Clean Start, Haven of Rest, Foothills Alliance or Good Neighbor Cupboard (there are many others).

Each of these organizations is led by amazing people with vision and drive for service to those in our community who need support and/or assistance. 

It’s impossible to know how much life-changing help each of these organizations have given to our community, but I hear great stories almost every day from those who have been helped. 

But they could not do it without your help. Volunteers are the chain that enables change, and in a year where pandemic has limited some efforts, the need for people ready to find creative ways to engage in the community is greater than ever.

Volunteers are able to put aside a wide divergent of political convictions for a common good, which brings me to the challenge of this column.

Social media is a soap box and at its best can be a neutral tool which can help bring change. Sadly, it can also be a place where some think weighing in on the issues of the day releases them from the real responsibility of helping make things better locally.

It must start here, with this question: 

“What are you doing to make Anderson County a better place?” 

If you struggle to find an answer to this question, your views on social or political issues are, to quote a wise man “meaningless” and “vapor.” Dogs can bark, but they can’t help pack groceries at AIM or deliver for Meals on Wheels. 

There are so many ways, big and small, to be a part of this movement. For some it might be volunteering at one the great organizations mentioned earlier (or one not on that list). For others it might be visiting (in a safe way) shut-ins, the elderly or physically challenged. Those who are spending more time at home, many with children, some all alone, can make encouraging phone calls or send letters of hope. 

If you are involved in church, ask your pastor how you can serve your church family. 

Get creative.

The options are so expansive, there are places to serve that fit almost any schedule. 

If you still need help, email me here, and I will help plug you into a place where you will make new friends and find refreshed hope for 2021. 

And, as always, if you can't give time, give money.