Amazing Grace, Liberals get it wrong again

The Poem Amazing Grace was of "poor choice" as a sing-along presented by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's 2022 Fourth of July Celebration, wrote Malcolm Keating of Williamsburg. Typical liberal idealism misplaced, as to a separation of church and state. 

While the Poem is immensely popular in Christian circles, The poem is not founded in Christain beliefs. The Poem is about the writer's experience while at sea. Newton believed that only by the grace of God did he survive a horrific storm in 1778 while aboard the ship, Greyhound. I think we all know, man is predictable, when hope is lost, we pray, and we seek God's intervention. 

“There are no atheists in foxholes.”

The first saying circulated during World War 1, and the second saying spread during World War 2. The earliest close match appeared in “The Western Times” newspaper of Devon, England in November 1914. A speaker at a memorial service for a fallen soldier held at St. Matthias’ Church, Ilsham read from the letter of an unnamed chaplain serving at the front. 

“Tell the Territorials and soldiers at home that they must know God before they come to the front if they would face what lies before them. We have no atheists in the trenches. Men are not ashamed to say that, though they never prayed before, they pray now with all their hearts.”

 

The Poem is used for both religious and secular purposes. The term "Grace" has many meanings, yet this definition matters most. "Disposition to an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency." With the understanding that Muslims, Jews, and Christians follow the same God, the idea of grace is the same in all three religions and texts.

 

In Hinduism, grace is the central tenet of Bhakti Yoga and Bhakti movements, which are seen as reform movements in Hinduism. These movements can mean "grace," "mercy," or "blessing," depending upon the context.

 

 We should consider the idea of grace. Grace is meant for forgiveness, and in this day and time, forgiveness is in short supply. You must possess grace to be able to forgive. Grace and forgiveness do not mean we worship a particular God; Grace is an act given by God for man and an act given by man for man. A man does not have to believe in God to offer grace and forgiveness to someone who has wronged them. Yet if our children are not taught grace and forgiveness, we are forever caught in a loop of the mass killings and hate for one another we see today. Only with grace and forgiveness can we reduce and stop the mass murder issues we find in our country today. So, I say, if the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation sings a song about grace, what we are doing is reflecting upon the grace we should have for each other.

 

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost, but now am found

Was blind but now I see

 

Was Grace that taught my heart to fear

And Grace, my fears relieved

How precious did that Grace appear

The hour I first believed

 

Through many dangers, toils and snares

We have already come

T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far

And Grace will lead us home

And Grace will lead us home

 

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost but now am found

Was blind but now I see

Was blind, but now I see

Roe vs Wade is not about abortion, Roe vs Wade is about right and wrong

Roe vs. Wade is not about right and wrong. 

Recent Supreme Court decisions should remind us that our president and Democrats who disagree with recent decisions may not uphold the rule of law. Will they completely ignore the third branch of Government? We saw this when the Supreme Court ruled on the Dred -Scott decision. Soon after that, Lincoln declared war, and 100,000's of people lost their lives on both sides of the Civil war. 

This is not about whether slavery is good or bad. This is not about whether abortion is good or bad. In the next few weeks, we will see if those who cherish our Republic, cherish our three branches of equal Government, will treat each branch as equals and with respect. Today, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer rattled the sabers of war. Sabers of hate and division. Today Democrats showed their immature asses. Democrats are quick with speeches meant to divide and show hate and discontent for the rule of law. 

We have already heard from Chuck Schumer that he wants to codify abortion, so in his words, no matter what states do, abortion will be legal. I have to wonder where that sentiment was when federal drug laws were broken and ignored by the states. Where was Schumer when the border was overrun? Where was Schumer when federal laws were ignored? Where was Schumer regarding illegals entering our country over the past 18 months? Where were the federal law enforcers when Schumer threatened Supreme Court justices in 2020 if Roe vs. Wade did not go his way? Will we see the same vigor to prosecute insurrectionists and violent protestors? My guess is no, and history will be the telling tale. Democrats will tell you like they have before, "there is nothing wrong with good trouble," but that claim begs a definition of what is good and what is bad. 

The truth is they (our politicians in DC) are a bunch of hypocrites. 

May God have mercy on their wretched souls. 100's of thousands die, and many more to come; all the while, these hypocrites use propaganda and the media to control the public. Propaganda is used to turn our eyes from high inflation, high gas prices, wars in Europe, food shortages, and baby formula shortages. We are (the public) manipulated and laughed at by those in DC. 

Gun Ownership attacked again.

Louis Cantrell recently wrote an opinion piece that was printed in the Virginia Gazette. Basically, this man raged against the Christain Community, seeking pastors to denounce the ownership of guns. I found it to be a sad misinterpretation of morals. My discourse follows. Opinion can be found in the Williamsburg Va. Virginia Gazette dated 6-11-2022 

 What is the moral course? 

 Louis Cantrell asks a very important question yet does not define morality and the result of a moral decision being a person or group of persons' ethics. Both morality and ethics loosely have to do with distinguishing the difference between “good and bad” or “right and wrong.” Many people think of morality as something that's personal and normative, whereas ethics is the standards of “good and bad” distinguished by a certain community or social setting. The ethics of Christianity reveal one simple truth. We are not a perfect society or people. We make mistakes; we fail to live up to the ethics of Jesus every day. This is where forgiveness comes into our lives as Christians. Forgiveness is, in my opinion, the hardest moral decision a person will ever endeavor. 

 Let us examine the moral decision to pick up an inanimate object with hate in the heart, pull a trigger, and do harm to his fellow brother and sisters. In your own mind is where evil starts to pollute your moral decisions thereby lowering your standard of ethics. Christianity is, in fact, our shield from these low moral decisions. Blaming the inanimate object and not the moral decision to pick up the inanimate object to do harm is a short-sighted pollical ploy that some have fallen for. 

 Morals have changed over time and based on location. For example, different parts of our country can have different standards of morality. Many large urban centers exhibit a society whereby low moral decisions are made every day. One only to look at the murder rates of Baltimore, Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, and Saint Louis to get an idea of how politics in these urban centers have affected moral decisions. Let us examine our urban center society for the following seven morals and see if these urban societies meet the standards of a good life. 

 1. Bravery: Bravery has historically helped people determine hierarchies. People who demonstrate the ability to be brave in tough situations have historically been seen as leaders. 

2. Fairness: Think of terms like "meet in the middle" and the concept of taking turns. 

3. Defer to authority: Deferring to authority is important because it signifies that people will adhere to rules that attend to the greater good. This is necessary for a functioning society. 

4. Helping the group: Traditions exist to help us feel closer to our group. This way, you feel more supported, and a general sense of altruism is promoted. 

5. Loving your family: This is a more focused version of helping your group. It's the idea that loving and supporting your family allows you to raise people who will continue to uphold moral norms. 

6. Returning favors: This goes for society as a whole and specifies that people may avoid behaviors that aren't generally altruistic. 

 7. Respecting others’ property: This goes back to settling disputes based on prior possession, which also ties in with the idea of fairness. 

 I would caution Louis Cantrell in this quest to tie religion to politics. The reason why we see such hate and lack of love for our fellow brothers and sisters is that society has turned its back on God and Christianity, among other well-respected, highly ethical religions. It is politics that has offered low moral advice to sin. Louis Cantrell gets it wrong. Christianity is the ethic we adhere to, the individual’s moral decisions to do harm do not meet Christianity’s ethics, and therefore it is here, in the heart of the individual, where sin is found. It is here we offer forgiveness, however hard that may seem to be to give. We forgive you, Louis, for your attack on our high ethical standards.

Virginia Senator Mark Warner's apathy for the voter

I wanted to highlight one of the biggest issues we have with our representation at the Federal level. The following letter was sent to Mark Warner, a Democrat Senator from Virginia. If you find yourself here reading this, note the response to my letter. Note the response informs me I have written about Robb Elementary School in TX. In fact, I never mentioned the School at all in my letter. This is nothing more than a $10.00 an hour lacky using a form letter developed for responses to recent shootings. Mark Warner never addresses my letter. Note the difference in fonts for my name and the letter. This is nothing more than apathy for the voter. Our biggest issue is apathy and this apathy for the voter starts with the local leaders all the way to the President.

My letter to Senator Mark Warner:

All Concerned, 

Today, the Daily Press in Hampton Roads had an article on June 5th, 2022. "It is initialed "Seeking safety on city sidewalks."

"He was struck by a driver in a hit-and-run on East Little Creek Road. His death came as a shock to family members. He hit him," I want you to think about this. When a driver kills someone with a car or truck, the media, in this case, blames the driver.

The use of a vehicle as a weapon in a terrorist attack is not new. Recent terrorist incidents and violent extremist propaganda demonstrate that the use of vehicles as a weapon continues to be of interest to those wishing to cause harm. Attacks of this nature require minimal capability but can have a devastating impact in crowded places with low levels of visible security. We have seen carnage like this in America and across the world, whereby not 19 like texas, but, in some cases, 50+ people lose their life as they did in France. Foreign terrorist organizations encourage arson attacks in the U.S. because of its perceived simplicity and potential to cause significant and widespread damage.

May 23rd, 2022, Santa Anna, CA. Three children were injured as they walked to school in Santa Ana Monday morning when a man drove onto the sidewalk and struck them. The scene unfolded just prior to 8:30 a.m. on Keller Avenue neat Taft Elementary School, where moments earlier, a man had been asked to leave the School's campus as he was trespassing. He was escorted by authorities before getting back into his vehicle. It was then that he drove onto the sidewalk, striking the three children. All of the victims were taken to a hospital for treatment, though they are all said to be in stable condition. Two of the children were students of Taft Elementary, while the third, a cousin of one of the students, was walking them to school.

Arson-initiated wildland fires in the U.S., especially in the west, resulted in major human, property, infrastructure, environmental, and economic losses. About 40 percent of all U.S. homes are in the wildland-urban interface (WUI)b communities, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, putting these communities at greater risk of wildfires. Although most WUI arson incidents in the Homeland resulted in criminal charges unassociated with terrorism, messaging by terrorists may result in acts of arson connected to terrorism. Has it ever occurred to you once that the California wildfires might be related to terrorists? (https://www.dni.gov/files/NCTC/documents/jcat/firstresponderstoolbox/124s_-_Mitigating_the_Threat_of_Terrorist-Initiated_Arson_Attacks_on_Wildland-Urban_Interface_Areas.pdf)

According to the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime's 2019 Global Study on Homicide, knives were the weapon of choice in 97,183 homicides in 2017, a full 22% of the world's total. Knife attacks and stabbing deaths occur all over the globe, from those with high rates of violent crime to the safest countries in the world. That said, the frequency of knife-related violence (which includes not only knives but also other "sharp objects" such as scissors or axes) varies greatly from one region to the next.

In North America, firearm deaths were responsible for roughly 76% of all homicides, with knife-related homicides accounting for less than 20%. However, the numbers are reversed in Europe, where guns account for barely 20% of homicides, but knives are used nearly 40% of the time. In fact, the United Nations identified sixteen countries in which knives and sharp instruments were used in more than half of the country's homicides. What does this mean? This means where guns are confiscated, knives become the number one weapon of murder and mayhem. In Cuba, where no firearms are allowed to be owned. 76% of the murders are by knife.

James City County is a 2nd Amendment Sanctuary County. That means federal laws on gun confiscation mean nothing to us as it means nothing to many counties in Virginia. 

 
The fault is not the gun but the person who pulls the trigger, the person who drives the car, the person who lights the match, and the person who wields a knife. I find it hypocritical of anyone to suggest guns kill and then turn around and ignore the same for cars, arson, and knives. A person has to light the match, a person has to drive the car, a person to thrust the knife, and they blame the person, but I will be damned, liberals blame the gun, not the person when a gun is used.

As I have written many times. Gun violence is a direct result of our failing society. Our will to turn our backs on God and Religion, the destruction of the family structure. The day higher-level academia, politicians who present apathy to the real issues, and liberals in question finally realize Dr. Walter Williams, and I have been right for 20 years, America will be a better place to live.  

Mark Warners Response:

Dear Mr. Johnson,

          I have received your letter regarding the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, which resulted in the deaths of 19 children and two teachers. There are no words to express the magnitude of this tragedy.

          As a father, I can only begin to imagine the immeasurable grief these families and the Uvalde community are feeling. As a member of Congress, I am pushing my colleagues to finally act.

          It doesn't need to be this way. The majority of Americans want stronger gun safety laws, and Congress must take action.

          I am a gun owner and a strong supporter of the Second Amendment right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms. But we have seen time and time again the deadly consequences that can follow when dangerous weapons land in the wrong hands.

          According to statistics from the Gun Violence Archive, in 2021, the number of mass shootings in the U.S. increased to nearly 700, and over 300 children younger than 12 years old were killed with a firearm. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that in 2020, there were 45,222 firearm deaths in the United States.

          I am committed to working with my colleagues from both parties to advance commonsense, achievable legislation to curb gun violence.

          That is why I joined Senator Kaine in introducing the Virginia Plan to Reduce Gun Violence Act of 2021. The bill would enact a series of commonsense gun violence prevention measures, like those adopted by the Commonwealth, including measures to remove firearms from those at risk of harming themselves or others, close background check loopholes, mandate reporting of lost and stolen firearms, prevent children from accessing firearms, and implement a one-handgun-a-month policy.

          These commonsense policies help to make our communities safer by keeping guns out of the wrong hands while still respecting the rights of law-abiding gun owners.

          I am also a co-sponsor of the Assault Weapons Ban, which would ban the sale, transfer, manufacture, and importation of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines. I wrote about my decision to support this policy in a Washington Post op-ed. To read the op-ed, visit https://beta.washingtonpost.com/opinions/i-voted-against-an-assault-weapons-ban-heres-why-i-changed-my-mind/2018/10/01/3bfa76a0-c594-11e8-9b1c-a90f1daae309_story.html?noredirect=on.

          We must also strengthen our background-check system. That is why I have cosponsored the Background Check Expansion Act. The bill would expand federal background checks to include the sale or transfer of all firearms by private sellers, with certain commonsense exceptions like gift-giving between family members.

          It is incumbent on all of us to change policy, laws, and minds to make our communities safer. We owe it to victims and their families to stop talking about the problem and start doing something to address it.

Sincerely,
MARK R. WARNER
United States Senator

The Double-edge Sword of Propaganda

 

The double-edged sword of propaganda 

 "A fascinating and controversial look at how government and corporations control how we think and act. The nephew of Sigmund Freud, Edward Bernays (1891-1995), pioneered the scientific technique of shaping and manipulating public opinion, which he called "engineering of consent." Bernays, along with Lippmann, was a part of a powerful propaganda machine that advertised and sold World War One to the American people "Make the world safe for Democracy."

A visit to the Virginia war museum in Newport News, Va., is all one can make to understand how propaganda was used to turn American citizens into fighting mad saviors of the free world. Here you will find posters depicting "the Hun" noted as Germany, or the Japanese in cartoonish depictions aimed at turning the average citizen's efforts to win World War Two. A 1942 poster titled This is the Enemy circulated in the United States following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Its purpose was to embody the entire Japanese nation as a ruthless and animalistic enemy that needed to be defeated. This image represents a clash between two nations at war and illustrates the biased perceptions that developed as a result. By dehumanizing the Japanese and instilling fear in the minds of Americans, WWII propaganda posters prompted cultural and racial hatred that led to massive historical consequences for the Japanese. 

The extent to which propaganda shapes the progress of affairs about us may surprise even the well-informed person. Nevertheless, it is only necessary to look under the surface of any newspaper for a hint as to propaganda's authority over public opinion. An example would be the following: More Scars for the VA employment commission. Dated May 9th, 2022, Daily Press. I couldn't help but wonder why this article included a picture of Governor Youngkin? The issues were related to past governor Ralph Northam, and the article expresses that issue in writing. This expression, however, finds its way into the article near the end. When understanding how to look for propaganda, one must wonder if the picture of Governor Youngkin was used with the big headline knowing and associating Governor Younkin with an issue created before his elected duties were to commence. Is this a mistake, or is this propaganda? Was it the media's intent to use a big headline and attach the new Governor (a republican) to an issue created by the past Governor, who happens to be a democrat? I believe most readers will see the picture, read the headline, and then associate the two with bad governance. Think about it, how many times do you look at a picture and read the headline moving on to the next article in the paper? The intent here was to make our new Governor look bad in the eyes of the voter, and that is why I am a critic of the media. Other media outlets are far worse. "The View," Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN, the list goes on but know this, every one of these shows is propaganda and not the news. 

 Edward Bernays goes on to write. "The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in a democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. ...We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society. ...In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons...who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind." I want each of you to think about this part of the quote. "Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society? I believe the powerful few, this invisible government, has used propaganda to divide our country. This is a double-edged sword; I hope you will understand. Edward Bernays's book "Propaganda" is available online.

          

"A Horse named Ray-Ray"

Reed Johnson

If you are reading this, you have found your way to my Blog. This blog, "discourseweekly"  is where I started to teach myself to write. I started this blog because I enjoy a good debate, putting my thoughts in words, and helping others achieve in the same manner; I have achieved a good life. Over the years, I had grown despondent concerning the lack of our elected and media leaders to respond to questions or print my opinion for review and critique. 

Please consider a purchase of this now internationally sold book for your children and grandchildren. The book can be found on Amazon, Barnes, and Noble, and other outlets found in a search engine.

Our horse riding partners in this book come from all over the world and compete in trial competitions. The idea is to bring together the world from a women's perspective or, say, a girl's perspective to learn and get along with different cultures. Some are scared at first but learn to overcome their fears. This experience helps girls to be brave, fearless, and independent. This experience also teaches the girls to care for others and work together as a team. Girls and horses are a special bond, not to say boys can't have the same bond or learn the same riding lessons. In my experience, girls and horses seem to have a special bond, unlike others. We will learn teamwork, we will learn about women in history, combined with girl power, and life advice from a horse who can talk and his horse friends. About my sister Jennifer: Jennifer suffered a brain aneurysm on December 12th, 2019. She survived two brain surgeries, a year of rehabilitation, and over a year of recovery in Baltimore, Maryland., at Autumn Lake, a Post-Acute Care Center. Jennifer received the very best of care and made many friends. If it were not for the nurses and support at Post-Acute Care, my sister might not have recovered to the extent she has. The doctors and staff at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore cared for Jennifer with the utmost professionalism and compassion. She is now home and living with her Mom. Jennifer is disabled and suffers from short-term memory issues, tinnitus, and dizziness. Jennifer is still recovering from a third surgery to replace a hip that was broken years ago, most likely from a fall off Ray-Ray if I had to guess. I wrote this book to help Jennifer with her memory. I spent many hours having her recall memories about Ray-Ray and how she rode him. I took notes, and we found this to be very helpful with her progress. The book proceeds, if published, will help pay for Jennifer's care, pay expenses, and a little compensation for the author.

 

James City County NFPA 1710 requirements and life should be more than a living wage for professional public servants.

I had written an opinion in the Virginia Gazette concerning pay and benefits for County employees. 

Our Administrator responded to my opinion with the idea our firefighters are well paid and meet NFPA 1710.  Some in my community want a tax cut due to rising housing valuations. I was of the opinion that tax cuts hurt county employees. 

I offered this rebuttal. 

I want to respond to Scott Stevens. 

First and foremost, I can understand the response to my opinion; perhaps we can learn more. It is true to say the AFL-CIO fireman association did mail me literature seeking a contribution and noted the county's failure to meet NFPA 1710. 

To County Administrator Stevens, 

If the AFL-CIO lied, perhaps our county attorney needs to look into the false information. We can be like Twitter, canceling those with whom we disagree. JCC should take false allegations seriously if what you wrote is valid regarding the claims I quoted in my original opinion? 

The James City County Fire department boasted a 6:02-minute response time in 2017. This response time came from an article found in the Gazette from 2017. That is the best I can find. I emailed the fire department to ask about response times in 2022 but have not heard back. Mr. Stevens, can you please ask the Fire Chief to answer my question? 

After doing some research, I found that a response time of 6.65 minutes is required for the first fire engine with four firefighters to respond to low-level hazard calls like home fires, according to NFPA guidelines. I am not an expert, and I emailed Mr. Stevens asking for clarification but only received a short reply that never answered questions. 

My county Supervisor never responded at all. I might suppose that I have been critical of his leadership at times, and I have sided with John many times as the reason for no response. I am critical of what I see as the liberal indoctrination of our children at William and Mary and other liberal colleges, high schools, and now even in grade school. Perhaps many who read this will understand my concern for our children. Still, John, a government professor by profession, you should respond to your citizen's concerns, in my opinion, whether you agree or not. 

My evaluation:

How do fire departments accurately evaluate their response in these three areas? NFPA 1710: Standard for Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments establishes criteria that provide an excellent place to start. Those criteria include:

• Alarm Answering Time: 15 seconds for 95% of calls; 40 seconds for 99% of calls
• Alarm Processing Time: 64 seconds for 90% of calls; 106 seconds for 95% of calls
• Turnout Time: 60 seconds for EMS responses; 80 seconds for fire responses
• First Engine Arrive on Scene Time: 240 sec (4 minutes) for 90% of responses with minimum staffing of 4 personnel
• Second Company Arrive on Scene Time: 360 seconds (6 minutes) for 90% of responses with minimum staffing of 4 personnel
• Initial Full Alarm – Low and Medium Hazard Assembly Time: 480 seconds (8 minutes) on 90% of responses
• Initial Full Alarm – High Hazard/High-Rise Assembly Time: 610 seconds (10 minutes 10 seconds) on 90% of responses

So the way I read this is, from the time I call in a fire, 15 seconds, 64 seconds, 80 seconds, 240 seconds, I should expect the fire truck to arrive. 399 seconds / 60 = 6.65 minutes. the response time of 6:03 is based on 2017. 

 Firefighters pay:  

 The salary Mr. Stevens quoted in the paper was $47,000, and equates to a monthly payment of $3,917, a weekly pay of $904, and an hourly wage of $22.60, according to "living wage calculator.com." 

Note: A living wage is a minimum income required to meet basic needs. According to " living wage calculator.com, a single adult needs 18.95 an hour to survive a living wage to live in James city county. One adult with one child 34.82 an hour. Interestingly enough, two adults and one child need $33.24. Obviously, a couple with a child cannot possibly live a traditional lifestyle whereby one adult stays home, raises the child, and one life partner works. I note this because I see this issue as one of the main reasons our society has declined over the decades. 

It seems to me James City County barely pays a living wage for firefighters entering the trade and if they have one child seem to fall woefully short in providing a compensation whereby firefighters can live in our county and not have to work two jobs. I know many firefighters work second jobs just like our teachers et al. 

Let us look at this from another point of view.

According to what I could find, the median home listing price in James City County is 435k. According to budget worksheets.com, this is a 1922.00 a month with 87,000 down (20%) @ 5.25% - 30 years loan. I would advise any young person seeking to be a homeowner to consider 30% of their income per month for living arrangements. 3,917 * .3 = $1,175  

A firefighter who is single with one child cannot even afford a basic one-bedroom apartment on a salary of 47000.00 in James City County. A single firefighter can not live in James City County. The best a firefighter can do is find a 250,000 home, and we all know this price range is hard to come by in desirable neighborhoods for professional firefighters. 

Note: My research found the following apartment cost. Typical rental prices for one-bedroom apartments. 2-bedroom apartments go even higher. 

1. Spotswood Commons = start at $1581.00

2. Regency at Longwood = start at $1250.00

3. Steeple Chase apartments = start at $1321.00

What should be the minimum salary? I can share my experience. I have a 23-year-old son who has just accepted a career job with Boeing. Jake will be moving to Charleston, SC. With a bachelor's degree and working in procurement, Jakes's starting salary is 60,000.000 with a bonus of 3000.00. Having helped Jake do the research, he could afford a one-bedroom apartment and stay under 30% at $1370.00 a month. I found the cost of living to be comparable to James City County. My daughter is graduating from WVU in May with a Masters's degree in Speech Pathology. She will be moving into a one-bedroom apartment with a roommate in Arlington Va working for Fairfax County Schools. Abby will be paid a starting salary of 65,000.00 a year. Both children were offered jobs locally. A person recruited my daughter from central office who knows my wife to come home and work in JCC. Both jobs were turned down simply because the cost of living was too high for the salary offered. Each would have had to live at home with their parents, and to me, that was not an option. Young adults living at home with parents have become the norm and not the exception. That is where we fail as a society. 

The cost of living in Arlington, Va., is slightly higher than JCC. However, our teachers do not come close to the 60,000.00 required to live here. My children make more starting their lives than their mother with years of experience, a master's degree from W&M in special education, and math specialist. In the 1990's I worked for the Service Authority as an industrial mechanic. I worked for Larry Foster. I stayed for about seven years in that role, a role JCSA is still trying to fill, last I looked, with some meager wage. I left for the private sector doing the same work and never looked back, increasing my salary by three times the pay. For a professional to live in James City County, be it Police, EMT, Teacher, or Service Authority professionals, a starting salary of 60,000.00 is needed for a single person, a single person with one child, a family whereby one parent can stay home and raise children. Let that sink in, County board of supervisors and those who seek a tax cut. 

Finally and most importantly, Scott Stevens writes, and I quote here," exceeds the National Fire Protection Association standards for fire response to our most common fires. I congratulate the FD on achieving this benchmark if true, but what about uncommon fires? Which are not single-family dwelling fires."

Mr. Steven's statement refers to single-family residences only. Keep in mind these are minimums. Let us not live on the edge of minimums. I'm afraid I have to disagree with you if the fire department responds to a fire in JCC at 5 pm on a weekday. The FD will have trouble making the 6:65-minute total response time. A call in the middle of the night is an entirely different matter. We need to look at response times based on the time of day. We also need to consider if we are, in fact, ready to combat fires in addition to low-hazard residences. 

Example: NFPA 1710 

Open air strip malls - minimum of 27 members, 28 if an aerial device is used. (shopping centers apply.)

Garden-style apartments - a minimum of 27 members (28 aerial devices used.)

High rise - minimum of 42 members (43 if the building is equipped with a fire pump.)

Note: *Highest floor greater than 75 feet above the lowest fire department vehicle access level according to the 2016 NFPA 1710. 

Other fires: Anheuser Bush, Bush Gardens, Water Country USA, Walmart distribution center, William and Mary dormitories, timeshares, the new William and Mary theater is looking mighty tall during construction, and High Street View Luxury Apartments are structures that might meet the NFPA 1710.5.2.4.5 and require even more consideration. You can say some of these structures are located in the City of Williamsburg but don't tell me you won't respond if needed, and you will be needed, so prepare for that day.

Lastly, Two weeks ago, I noticed a fire on a strip of land between two multifamily dwellings while driving home on Neck-O-Land road on a weekday. Honestly, I do not remember the time. I remember being in the afternoon. I called 911 and reported the fire. I reported a fire about 20ft long 10 ft wide, and a tree is on fire. I surveyed the situation, grabbed a residential garden hose, turned on the water that had a 50ft hose from the multifamily dwelling, and diminished the fire. I did not time the Fire Department as I was busy working the fire. I will tell you the response time felt like more than 6:65 minutes. The response time was more like 15 minutes. I am sure you can clarify this call with the fire department. The fire department travel time to this residence is less than 10 miles away. Two trucks did respond with at least four firefighters on each truck and quickly took over. I watched a crew work this small brush fire that, had I not stopped, could have spread to multifamily residences as the fire was spreading quickly when I arrived on the scene. 

In this instance, the Fire Department may not have met the standard of NFPA 1710 of 6:65-minutes. I am not blaming the fire department. I want to support them as I can to write about the needs of our professionals. We need to look at a wage beyond basic needs, affordable housing, and road infrastructure. We need to understand how uncontrolled population growth and the lack of road infrastructure deters our police, fire department, and EMTs from responding within the (6:65-min.) time allotted per NFPA 1710. Decisions made decades ago as to the right to build in JCC have come to roost with what seems like slow response times by our firefighters, police, and EMTs per my recent experience, A response time that may not meet a 90% confidence factor at the 6:65-minute mark. We live with secondary road infrastructure built decades ago for a population half the size today. Another Daily Press article from 2017 tells us that in 2009 we had a police response time of 6.09 minutes, and in 2017, a response time of 7:14 minutes. How the FD can respond faster than the police in 2017 makes me wonder if the numbers we get are accurate. 

Traffic delays take lives when first responders need to move quickly, which is on the board of supervisors' lack of controlling growth and funding infrastructure. Also, note that I could not find average response times on the Police website or the Fire Department website. I look forward to a response from the FD to my question concerning response times in 2022. 

Summary:

James City County does not pay a salary whereby a person can live in the county and live a life beyond paycheck to paycheck. Jame City County is losing employees to other adjoining counties simply because the pay is better. Our children are not coming home to live in JCC simply because the cost of living ratio to salary does not meet a life lived beyond paycheck to paycheck in some instances. 

I am still awaiting the fire chief's response to my question concerning response times. 

I emailed Mr. Stevens and John McGlennon first with my concerns. I had emailed a version of this commentary. I wanted to clean up the grammar before releasing it to the public. 

Here is what I got back from Mr. Stevens, as John never replied. Our board of supervisors and the county Administrator could interact with JCC citizens better; one might suppose to be true. I will assume my math is correct since Mr. Stevens had the opportunity to tell me otherwise. 

From the desk of Administrator Stevens: 

"Mr. Johnson,

 

Good morning.

 

Thank you for including me in your email. I appreciate your approach in sharing your thoughts and opinions. 

 

Let me know if you need anything from me."

The material used was taken from the NFPA 2016 standard.