Coast-to-coast cross-bearer passes through Versailles
www.leader-statesman.com
Versailles Leader-Statesman, Thursday, September 29, 2016, Page 1B
Water good idea!
Dorothy Spence of Versailles, front, regularly participates in the arthritis/wellness class at Westlake Aquatic Center in Laurie. She recently celebrated her 90th birthday and attributes much of her fitness and agility to working out at the aquatic facility. For more information about the Westlake Aquatic Center or classes, call 573-3747370. (submitted photo)
Dustin Nash mows the acreage behind the Morgan County Fair livestock barn Monday, Sept. 26 in Versailles. Many places in the city are getting “spuced up� for the annual apple festival scheduled Saturday, Oct. 1. (photo by Bryan E. Jones)
by R.D. Fish A man walking from one side of the country to the other approached the Versailles area Wednesday, Sept. 21 on Highway C, carrying a wooden cross. James Anania paused near the Moniteau-Morgan county line for a brief interview during his westbound trek. Anania was born and raised in Los Angeles, Calif. His crossbearing walk started Fathers’ Day, Sunday, June 19, when he flew from L.A. to Washington, D.C. To explain the reason for his trek, Anania said: “I want people to unite and stop arguing about politics, religion, sports, and anything else that the media has us divided about. “We need to pull together as a people and have Christian values such as, ‘Love God’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Then, not just this country, but the whole world will be a better place.� As for the specific spur that set his journey in motion, he said, “I fear martial law. As long as we keep misbehaving against each other, it allows for people in authority to take away more of our freedoms.� For an example, he noted the politicians calling for gun control and demonizing gun owners. “I don’t own any guns,� he said, “but I don’t have anything against people who do.� Among other lines of conflict dividing society, he mentioned “cops vs. people and people vs. cops.� “These are two components for martial law,� he said. “We need to stop being blinded by the media.� Asked whether he identified with a particular church body, Anania said, “Me being a Christian has no merit and doesn’t make any difference. Even if a person is Muslim, it would make no difference. “One of the Ten Commandments is ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ So we need to set that example, so we can no longer be labeled as hypocrites.� When a local resident phoned in a news tip about a man walking on Highway C carrying a
cross, a member of the newspaper staff found images of several different people currently walking across parts of the nation carrying wooden crosses. “When I started this,� said Anania, “I didn’t know there were other people doing this for their own reasons.� He admitted he “Googled� the phenomena and read about three or four other people who were on outwardly similar journeys. “Who knows what they’re doing?� he said. “I’m sure they’re doing it for good.� Anania said he started the day approximately 7 a.m. in Russell- James Anania approaches the Moniville, and planned teau-Morgan County Line carrying a to spend the night wooden cross Wednesday, Sept. 21 on in High Point, Highway C east of Versailles. The nawhere a kind per- tive of Los Angeles, Calif., flew Sunday, son offered him a June 19 to Washington, D.C. and startplace to stay. ed walking home, carrying a wooden He said his av- cross. (photo by R. D. Fish) erage progress is “You hope people will help, but approximately 20 miles a day. “I meet a lot of generous peo- you don’t want to count on that. ple along the way,� he added. The overwhelming generosity of “Usually I camp out behind a people has been appreciated.� church somewhere, playing in- He said the biggest nuisance of the trip so far has been the cognito.� He said his High Point bene- mosquitos he encountered while factor agreed to pick him up in passing through the Missouri the evening, give him a place to River area. sleep, and drive him back in the “I have seen a lot of different terrains,� he said. “Some morning wherever he left off. How often has something like parts have been hotter than others. Some parts have been more this happened? “A lot,� said Anania, with em- rainy than others. You just have to go with it.� phasis. He pulled out his phone and The thought he wanted to showed a long list of people who leave behind him was, he said, have helped him, whose names “If people had to choose behe noted down along the way. It tween arguing with their neighwasn’t exactly a diary, he said, bor about politics or religion, or but when he reads a name, he re- realizing that it could be ‘you vs. I’ or ‘you and I vs. an oppressive members the incident. “When I started, I sold my authority,’ I would hope people truck to fund this,� he said. would make the right decision.�
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