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May 23, 2018: Columns

Mr. Lincoln Spainhour, the Dean of Main Street...

KEN WELBORN

Record Publisher

Among the folks being inducted in to the Wilkes County Hall of Fame on Thursday evening at the Stone Center in North Wilkesboro is the late Mr. Lincoln "Linc" Spainhour.

Some months ago, his son Syd asked me to round up some of the Spainhour's memorabilia I have accumulated through the years (much of it from Syd), to help with the display honoring his fathers memory. Of course I was glad to do so, and with the visits fro Syd came lots of reminiscing about the old days at Thursday Magazine (predecessor to The Record), and the early days of publishing our newspaper.

When Thursday Magazine began in 1982, I spent a lot of time in Downtown North Wilkesboro. Belk, JCPenney, and Spainhour's were still anchors in Downtown and, although Belk and Penney soon moved to the then WIlkes Mall, there was always Mr. Lincoln Spainhour there to greet you at his store on Main Street.

Shortly after getting my first job in radio advertising with Paul Cashion in the early 1970s, I learned to check with Mr., Spainhour to know when sales would break, when markdowns would be taken and even when window displays would be changing. Clearly he was the Dean of the Main Street merchants; they even hesitated to have Downtown Association meetings if he wasn't available. So naturally, when I was working on the Thursday Magazine idea in 1982, Mr. Spainhour's opinion was high on my list. He was cautiously optimistic and told me I would have to work hard, but basically encouraging.

He was a good merchant but a better man. Always putting on a front as a fiscally conservative person, often remarking how expensive it was to advertise, but he never turned me down when it came to helping others less fortunate.

At Spainhour's with Mr. Linc was his son, Syd, who I had often worked with on promotions for the store. It was working on an After Thanksgiving Sale with Syd that brought about one of the most memorable ads Thursday Magazine ever ran--a big double page ad in color that would have "impact" I promised.

Impact indeed.

When the ad came out it stated boldly, "Entire Stock, Aigner Coats, $4.99 - $14.99." When I saw this in print I couldn't speak--you couldn't buy a set of buttons for an Aigner coat for those prices. I had promised to bring tearsheets to post in the store on Wednesday. I prayed for Syd to be there, but it was Mr. Lincoln.

As he looked over the ad, I confessed the error. "Son, are you trying to kill me.?" he said, lighting up a fresh cigarette. Within the hour I had taped a letter to every cash register in the store, the front windows, and just barely begged out of having to be at the store on Friday morning to greet customers.

But, there was a silver lining. The error was so bad that no one really tried to make them sell the merchandise that cheap, and everyone seemed content to kid Mr. Spainhour about he prices. He later told me that traffic on the coats had actually increased because of the talk about the mistake. In the years that followed, Kaye Hall and Caroline Beamon from the Carol-Kaye store up the street, would call Mr. Lincoln at Thanksgiving and ask if he was putting the Aigner coats on sale again.

Years have gone by. The names and faces on Main Street have changed a lot. The Spainhour store is closed and the building sold. Mr. Spainhour died in 1993, leaving his family and friends a legacy of hard work and caring for others. A legacy of building on whatever opportunity is open to you, of taking care of your family, your business, and helping others in our community. Five generations of good merchants, good people.

I'm glad to know them, and thankful the memory of Mr. Lincoln Spainhour is being honored in such a special way this week.

The Power of Love

By LAURA WELBORN

I was one of the millions who watched the Royal wedding this past Saturday and it totally rocked my world, blowing away my expectations of a boring formal ceremony.

The Most Rev. Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in America, delivered the sermon. As I listened to Bishop Curry I became mesmerized by his words. It was the opposite of all I had expected, and I became so proud of these two young people who went outside of tradition to open a closed society to diversity grounded in love and respect. Here are some of the things Bishop Curry said ...

"The late Dr Martin Luther King Jr once said, 'We must discover the power of love, the redemptive power of love. And when we do that, we will make of this old world a new world, for love is the only way. There's power in love. Don't underestimate it. Don't even over-sentimentalize it. There's power, power in love.

"If you don't believe me, think about a time when you first fell in love. The whole world seemed to center around you and your beloved.

"Oh, there's power, power in love. Not just in its romantic forms, but any form, any shape of love. There's a certain sense in which when you are loved, and you know it, when someone cares for you, and you know it, when you love, and you show it, it actually feels right.

"There is something right about it. And there's a reason for it. The reason has to do with the source. We were made by a power of love, and our lives were meant, and are meant, to be lived in that love. That's why we are here. Ultimately, the source of love is God himself: the source of all our lives. There's an old medieval poem that says: 'Where true love is found, God himself is there.'

“Love is not selfish and self-centered. Love can be sacrificial, and in so doing, becomes redemptive. And that way of unselfish, sacrificial, redemptive love changes lives, and it can change this world.

“But love is not only about a young couple. Now the power of love is demonstrated by the fact that we're all here. Two young people fell in love, and we all showed up.”

The simple but profound statement Bishop Curry made was about the people gathered at an event entrenched in tradition and status, yet the differences in culture melted away in love. In love, violence has no place, so this event paid respect to a very different culture than the Royal family and most of us are used to. The songs were nontraditional and yet sung in respect to a culture most of us don’t experience. Respect became the power that love lifted, and diversity spoke to one of love and somehow the differences became insignificant. People gathered for an event to honor two people joining their lives in love and respect for their differences and somehow brought the world with them in that moment.

So, let us once again resolve to start each day with love. If we think of love in everything we do, we can fight poverty, make government policies work for people, and make our world a better place. It's never too late!

Flag Code: Etiquette and Laws; how to be patriotic, not disrespectful.

By HEATHER DEAN Reporter/Photojournalist

Before World War I, there were no federal or state regulations governing the display of the United States Flag. On June 14, 1923 the National Flag Code was adopted by the National Flag Conference with representatives of the Army and Navy in attendance .This was adopted by all organizations in attendance. A few minor changes were made a year later during the Flag Day 1924 Conference. It was not until June 22, 1942 that Congress passed a joint resolution which was amended on December 22, 1942 to become Public Law 829; Chapter 806, 77th Congress, 2nd session.

We are coming up on several patriotic holidays in a row, and the American Flag take center stage in many ceremonies. Memorial Day is next week, Flag Day on June 14, and then Independence Day on July 4th. That being said, I felt it important to discuss flag code.

The code states “No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America”; we all know not to let the flag dip, get wet, or to be flown upside down except as a distress signal. On a recent Facebook post discussing flag code, several friends thought that wearing a tee shirt with old glory across ones chest (Like American Eagle Outfitters and many other brands have) was showing you were proud American. Not according Public Law 829; Chapter 806.

Remember, the flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing. If you have never read the laws pertaining to flag etiquette, you may find yourself more on the offender side than the patriotic side without even realizing it. For instance:

•Wearing a shirt/dress/tie with the American flag on it, especially if there is writing over top of the flag.

• Carrying a tote bag that looks like the American flag.

•Using disposable plates, napkins, plastic/ paper table décor with the American flag on it.

•Flying a flag outside your vehicle/boat where it will get wind torn, wet, and never taken down.

•Outside decorating, i.e. painting old pallets or window frames to look like the flag.

* Hanging the flag in a window.

•Wearing flag insignia on a school sports uniform. (Football helmets, etc.)

•And don't even get me started on swimwear…

Shocked by some of these things? Allow me to introduce the laws on the subject, and how serious they are taken. Consider that in the District of Columbia, (Washington D.C.) offenders "shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $100 or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days, or both, in the discretion of the court."

Laws in effect as of May 20, 2018

From Title 4-FLAG AND SEAL, SEAT OF GOVERNMENT, AND THE STATESCHAPTER 1-THE FLAG

No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America; the flag should not be dipped to any person or thing. Regimental colors, State flags, and organization or institutional flags are to be dipped as a mark of honor.

(a) The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.

(b) The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.

(d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker's desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.

(e) The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way.

(f) The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling.

(g) The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.

(h) The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.

(i) The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard.

Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown.

(j) No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations. The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.

(k) The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.

(Added Pub. L. 105–225, §2(a), Aug. 12, 1998, 112 Stat. 1497 .)

Even though it's tempting to buy the flag wrapped solar lights, resist the urge. Most of these decorations are made in another country, and they have no idea about what our flag laws actually are. But we do. Please, do your part to educate your friends and the American public on proper flag etiquette. You can find out more at http://www.usflag.org/uscode36.html

Blame Israel to Shame Israel

By EARL COXX

On the world stage, Israel is constantly being bombarded by unfair criticism and untruthful media reports. There is no doubt the Palestinians are winning the public relations war. They have honed their skills of manipulation and deception to a science knowing that whoever gains the sympathy of the free world wins. By capturing the hearts and minds of those who are ignorant of the facts, the Palestinians emerge looking like the underdog with whom the majority always side to include the United Nations and its anti-Semitic Human Rights Council.

Right now along the Gaza border there is rioting and chaos. The Palestinians are attempting to breach the border in order to wreak havoc on Israeli towns and injure or kill innocent civilians. They are doing this by setting tires on fire creating thick clouds of black, noxious smoke using it as cover. As if this were not disturbing enough, explosive devices are being planted along the border fence with trip wires and Molotov cocktails are being hurled at IDF soldiers and Israeli Border Police.

Determined to put the spotlight on Israel to detract from their own foul play, Hamas has implemented new terror tactics. Once again they are using their own people not only as human shields but now also as human weapons. Having been warned repeatedly by Israel not to approach the border fence, Hamas militants have embedded themselves among the Palestinian people forcing their women and children to do the exact opposite knowing Israel’s soldiers would be forced to respond and this would play well for the media. It is not possible for even one Palestinian not to have heard Israel’s warnings. Every Palestinian cell phone user received a text message and leaflets were dropped over every Palestinian community. In addition, public announcements were made on radio and television and all was done in a very good faith effort by Israel to prevent injuries, death or destruction to Palestinians and their property. Has the world lauded Israel’s exemplary efforts? Quite the contrary.

Earlier this week the hypocritical and anti-Israel United Nations Human Rights Council voted to form a commission of inquiry of Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and in East Jerusalem. This inquiry will focus on the Palestinians who were killed by IDF soldiers as they protected their borders from rioters over the past eight weeks. While the resolution stated that all parties would be investigated, only Israel was named and specifically condemned. Those who made the case for the Palestinians stated they were peaceful protestors and referred to their deaths as a “massacre.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Yet, despite having been presented with the facts supported by hard evidence, the UNHRC sided with Hamas, the terrorist organization which governs the people of Gaza.

What are these hard facts? They are the flaming kites printed with swastikas which the Palestinians are sending over the border fence setting Israel’s farming fields ablaze destroying their harvests and thus their income. And it’s not just one fire in one place but rather ten or twelve fires in ten or twelve different places. Furthermore, as firefighters and volunteers run to the fields to extinguish the flames, the Palestinians have taken to firing live ammunition at these innocent people.

Israel is a sovereign nation which has a duty and right to defend and protect her borders and her people. As hordes of violent protestors continue to menacingly approach the border fence, Israel’s IDF soldiers repeatedly employ every non-lethal means available to disperse the crowd. Only when left with no alternative do they take up arms. Those Palestinians who were initially killed were not innocent civilians. In fact, by Hamas’ own admission, 50 of the 62 Palestinians who lost their lives were members of Hamas. But even when faced with the truth, the world continues to blame Israel in an attempt to shame Israel but Israel has done nothing for which to be ashamed.

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