I am from the Silent Generation. We were born during, or shortly after, the Great Depression and during World War II. We would neither have won the war nor survived the Depression if many people of today had lived at that time. They would have perceived that their rights had been infringed upon with things such as rationing of meat, sugar, eggs, butter, leather, metals, etc.
Coupons and tokens were provided by the government Office of Price Administration in an amount allotted by family size. Shoes were rationed to only three and then to two pair a year per person. We had Victory Gardens and raised chickens. We had paper drives, tin and tinfoil drives. We were a part of the common good for our soldiers to have adequate food and the factories materials for defense. Today, wearing a mask appears to be too great a burden for many.
You may say I am old and it was different then. No! It was not different. We were Americans, fighting for our freedom and doing whatever we could to help our troops and each other to keep our American way of life safe under a democracy. A democracy for all, not the few.
What a bunch of sissies, afraid of rags over your face. We had gas masks for invasions from our enemies. Would people wear them now or just die?
If you are one of “Them,” just change the grammar from third-person articles to first-person ones and reread this.
Alice Peters
Saco
Send questions/comments to the editors.
