South Shore Phil Anderson

Building peaceful new traditions

“Tradition! Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as... as a fiddler on the roof! …Because of our traditions everyone knows who he is and what God expects him to do.” From the musical Fiddler on the Roof.

Traditions can be good and useful for people. As the famous song from the musical suggests, traditions provide stability for society. Some traditions bring enjoyment and festiveness into our lives. But traditions can also become cages that imprison the mind, restrict people’s options, SOUTH SHORE and blind us to needed changes. RUMINATIONS The English novelist William PHIL Somerset Maugham ANDERSON once wrote, “Tradition is a guide and not a jailer.”

In last week’s article I said we need to get rid of the many racist symbols, names, and monuments that still occupy too many public places. We must end the traditions that foster hate, division and exclusion.

Matthew Scully is a conservative Republican author and speechwriter for numerous Republicans. including President George W. Bush. He has written that, “Sometimes tradition and habit are just that, comfortable excuses to leave things be, even when they are unjust and unworthy...”

This aptly describes much of “southern heritage.” It also is applicable to other traditions we need to change.

It is long overdue to end the use of offensive references to Native Americans for sports team names, logos and mascots. After years of Native American agitation, the Washington, D.C. football team is finally dropping the use of “redskins.” News reports say the team owners were ultimately forced into this decision by their advertisers. This proves the name isn’t about “tradition.”

Professional sports are businesses. It is all about the money. Rich white guys buy teams for the testosterone rush and tax write offs. The owners of professional teams have no hesitation to change a team name or move it to another city when the local community refuses to subsidize their profit margin with new, fancy stadiums.

An aside: I would suggest the Washington “Forked Tongues” as a new team name. It is certainly appropriate for the primary industry of the city.

The name “Rednecks” would fit many of the team’s fans.

Many sports team names are intended to portray toughness and warlike qualities that strike fear into the hearts of the opposition. The Washington “Socialists” would fit this requirement. All the right wing politicians are terrified of “creeping socialism.” They think it is a powerful monster that undermines our moral fiber, subverts our children, and is destroying the country. The Washington Socialists vs the Houston Oilers would be an epic all-American battle.

Seriously, there are many college and high school teams still using offensive names that also need to be changed. These symbols are not about community solidarity, team pride or anyone’s heritage. They are about not caring about others and being too lazy to move beyond the “comfortable excuses.”

Something being called a tradition doesn’t mean it is good. Nor is something right just because it is old. New team names would soon be fostering positive team spirit while not being offensive. We can easily replace the offensive names and create new traditions.

The same could be said for our “hunting heritage.” This is just a convenient excuse to oppose sensible gun regulation. It is used by those who profit financially, or politically, from having more guns than people in this country. The nostalgic “traditions” of father and son bonding over the hunt, or the hunting shack camaraderie, are long gone. Hunting to supply food for the family is almost gone. Hunting as a sport is declining with fewer participants each year. Today’s kids all have their heads in a computer screen. They are not about to get up at dawn to freeze their asses off in a tree stand. Get real, granddad!

Then there is the tradition of voting on Tuesdays. Tuesday’s are a work day and is very inconvenient for most people.

Of course we couldn’t do anything sensible like have voting by mail, online, or with convenient ATM-like kiosks. The unsupported claims that voter fraud would result is only the excuse to “leave things be, even when they are unjust and unworthy...” “Our society should be as proud of those who fight for alternatives to war as it is of those who fight wars.” – Dr. Michael Knox, founder of the U.S. Peace Memorial Foundation

We can build better traditions. In the past the barn raising was supposedly a common tradition. Friends and neighbors would come together to turn the large task of building a barn into a community event. Many hands made for light work.

Today there are many examples of similar, community-minded work being done by charitable groups, nonprofit organizations, and individual volunteers. We should be honoring what makes our society and people’s lives better.

There are many positive events and people in our history that need to be remembered. There are many labor leaders, social reformers, civil rights activists and peacemakers who are much more deserving of remembrance and honor than any generals. These “heroes” could be the foundation for

new traditions that emphasize our “better angels” instead of war and militarism.

The U.S. Peace Memorial Foundation (uspeacememorial.org) is working to change this at the national level. They want to build a monument in Washington, D.C. to honor individuals and organizations who have worked for peace.

Dr. Michael Knox, founder of the U.S. Peace Memorial Foundation, reminds us, “Our society should be as proud of those who fight for alternatives to war as it is of those who fight wars.”

As the statues of slave owners and Confederate generals come down, they should be replaced with monuments to peace and justice.

Duluth is an example of what is possible. Duluth has done much better than many communities in honoring peacemakers. It has the Clayton Jackson McGhie Memorial, Lake Place Plaza Peace Statue, and the Enger Park Japanese Peace Bell. Recently the Peace Walk was organized to connect many of these monuments.

Duluth originated a model program for policing domestic violence. Duluth has a robust Sister Cities organization building good will and cultural understanding with five foreign cities.

Duluth is blessed with a strong activist community. There are many people deserving of honor for the efforts to help people and build a better, cleaner and more just society. We can build new and better traditions. We can honor all the good that is happening in our society instead of continuing to promote things that divide us.

Thomas J. Slattery 10/22/1952 – 7/19/2020

Thomas J. Slattery, 67, of Duluth, died at Solvay Hospice House. Tom grew up on Park Point and lived in the Duluth area all his life. Tom courageously struggled with multiple health issues the past seven years. He was in the last graduating class of the old Central High School in 1971. He attended the Duluth Vocational Technical Institute with a degree in Business and Marketing. In his sales career he worked at Livingston’s Big Duluth, Minnesota Surplus stores, Miller Hill Subaru, and Krenzen Automotive. He retired in 2013. Tom met his wife to be, Jan Leone, in high school. They were married in June 1974 and recently celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary. They were volunteers at Animal Allies over the years and were involved with dog rescue, care, and fostering. Their current rescue dog Misty continues to look for him every day. In his younger years, Tom played softball, coached little league, and enjoyed skiing, fishing, and golf. He enjoyed fantasy football league and was a member of the All American Club. He was also a member of St. John’s Parish. Raising three loving children was his pride and joy. Tom was known for being very sociable with a great sense of humor. A private family Mass of Christian Burial service and burial will be held. Arrangements by Dougherty Funeral Home.

James H, Manderfeld 4/26/1925 – 7/22/2020

James H. Manderfeld, 95, died surrounded by family in Duluth after a short battle with Multiple Myeloma. Born in St. Paul and raised in the Como Park neighborhood, Jim attended St. Andrew’s Grade School and Murray High School where he was the 1943 senior class president. He was an Army Air Corps veteran and one of the first Americans to land in Japan at the conclusion of World War II. He attended Michigan State, the University of Minnesota, and the Chicago Academy of Accountancy on the GI-Bill. His career revolved around the automobile business where he worked in finance and, later, as the general manager for a network of dealerships. In 1977, he purchased Metro Chrysler-Plymouth and moved with his family from Roseville to Duluth, where he lived the rest of his life. Jim was a 43-year member of Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish and of the Serra Ministry, and a past volunteer at Benedictine Chapel. He will be remembered as a man who loved his family and valued his faith. Jim was a hardworking businessman who cared about treating customers and employees fairly. He was a true gentleman in every sense of the word. Jim’s family will celebrate his life with a private mass on July 31, with internment following at Calvary Cemetery.

Diep Van Vu 7/27/1952 – 7/17/2020

Diep Van Vu, 67, of Proctor, died at home with his family by his side. He was born in Saigon to Qui Van Vu and Tu Thi Nguyen. Diep left Vietnam for America on one of the last flights out before the fall of Saigon. He was a member of the South Vietnamese Air Force. Diep married Laura Lundquist on June 24, 1978, in Duluth. He retired from Delta Airlines as an aircraft mechanic. He enjoyed cooking, eating, golfing, shopping, traveling and time spent with his family. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Ket Van Vu, and Ut Van Vu, and a sister Thanh Kim Vu. He is survived by his wife Laura, son Tuan Anh Vu, daughters Diep (Hai Dao) Tran, Amy Kim Vu, and Michele Kim (Tim) Manns, grandchildren Hai Jr. and Kaylee Dao, Taye and Tairell Manns, siblings Loan Kim Vu, Hoang Van Vu, Lien Kim Vu, Nhan Kim Vu, and Thu Kim Vu, many nieces and nephews including Tram (Adam) Larson, and Duc Tran, and cousins, and friends. Visitation will be held July 23, from 5-7 pm in Williams-LobermeierBoettcher Funeral Home, Duluth. Visitation continues on Friday, July 24, from 10 am until the 11 am funeral service in the funeral home. Burial will be in Oneota Cemetery.

Delores Mary Cheslak 7/30/1928 – 7/23/2020

Delores “Dodo” M. Cheslak, 91 of Duluth, died just seven days shy of her 92nd birthday at the Franciscan Home with her family by her side. Dodo was born in Duluth to Zygmunt and Josephine Cieslukowski. She was the 11th of 11 kids. She graduated from Cathedral High School and retired from the Sea Farers International Union, where she was the secretary. Dodo was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church, where she was very active in their Fall Bazaar. Services were held at Calvary Cemetery.

Howard W Erickson 5/23/1921 – 7/19/2020

Howard W. Erickson, 99, of Duluth, died at Golden Oaks Assisted Living in Hermantown. He was born in Worcester, Mass., to Knute and May (Farnon) Erickson. Howard was a World War II Army veteran, serving with the 5th. Fighter Command. He was a 1948 graduate of UMD. He was employed by Western Electric in Duluth from 1946-1948; U.S. Steel in Duluth from 1948-1973, and U.S. Steel in Gary Ind. from 1973- 1983, retiring from there in 1983. Private family services and burial at Forest Hill Cemetery have taken place. Arrangements by Dougherty Funeral Home, Duluth.

Roger Neal Hammer 8/19/1944 – 7/15/2020

Roger Neal Hammer, 75, a retired respiratory therapist, and long time resident of Iron River, Wis., died unexpectedly near his home. Roger was born in Davenport, Iowa. He was a retired Marine and Vietnam Veteran. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and neighbor. He loved most activities outdoors including hunting and loved to work on his land/home. A memorial service will be held on Aug. 8, 2020 at a private family location.

Karla E. (Carlson) Hanson 8/26/1953 – 7/3/2020

Karla E. (Carlson) Hanson, 66, of Superior, died at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth. Karla was born in Duluth, the daughter of Doris (Lycander) and Virgil Carlson. After graduating from Lake Superior Community College, she worked as an LPN at Moose Lake State Hospital and then at St. Luke’s Hospital. She was a very active member of Concordia Lutheran Church where she enjoyed working in the library and served on the library board for many years. She was always taking care of people and loved caring for animals. Most important to her was spending time with her family. She was kind and beloved by many, meeting life head-on with strength, faith and laughter. A funeral service will be held at a later date at Concordia Lutheran Church. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery.

Elsie M. Aho Kovala 1/20/1934 – 4/1/2020

Elsie M. Aho Kovala, 86, of Duluth, died at the Franciscan Health Center. She was born in Virginia, Minn., to Oscar and Selma Aho. Elsie had worked at Maurice’s in the special-order department. She was a member of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd and the Altar Guild at church. Elsie enjoyed traveling, sewing and she was a great seamstress. A private family service will be held. Burial will be in Park Hill Cemetery at noon, Aug. 15. All are welcomed; social distancing and masks are encouraged. Arrangements by Dougherty Funeral Home, Duluth.