Brian Mittge Commentary: This Is Our World War II ‘Home Front’ Moment

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Last week I wrote that this is our Sept. 12 moment, a time to unify as a country and come together despite the need to maintain social distancing. 

Today, I believe we also need to look at how our nation pulled together during World War II, with everyone on the “home front” rallying to support the war effort. Whether it was collecting scrap metal and rubber for national defense or going to work at a war production facility (like the Boeing plant in downtown Chehalis), or simply keeping shades down in the evenings to enforce blackouts in case the enemy flew overhead, it was widely understood that if our nation were to survive, we would all need to find ways to pitch in. 

That same spirit is needed now, and I’m so proud to see that people are stepping up.

Our hospitals are facing an imminent shortage of personal protective equipment. My friend Dr. Kevin Casserta, chief medical officer for Providence Centralia Hospital and Providence St. Peter Hospital, on Tuesday put out a public call for donations of surgical masks, N-95 filtration masks, and other medical personal protective equipment. 

And the good people of Washington listened!

Donations poured in, from the Doty Fire District, the Ash & Roberts dental firm in Centralia, to the Olympia Master Builders. 

“It inspires me and it fills me with gratitude and I just feel so indebted to be part of this community where we stand up and take care of each other,” Caserta told KING 5 News.

Not all of us have closets with boxes of N-95 masks, but it turns out that all of us can help on the front lines by providing more basic protective masks.

Providence has just announced what it calls the 100 Million Masks Project. The hospital system is calling for “anyone with a willing heart and the ability to sew” to create masks that health care providers can wear.

All that is needed is the ability to sew and a sewing machine. 

Providence is providing materials for people who can commit to making at least 100 masks. The first supply distribution will be on Monday in Renton, with more to come. Visit https://www.providence.org/lp/100m-masks to learn more. 

Ruth Peterson in Boistfort is planning a trip to Renton on Monday to pick up supplies for local folks who want to help. 

Contact her at nwrainydaze@gmai.com if you’d like to have her bring down supplies for you. 

“I can take a truck if necessary!” she told me, showing a true Lewis County spirit that the World War II generation would recognize. 

 

WHAT ELSE can be done? Our children are out of school for the foreseeable future, and many parents are trying to find ways for them to use the time profitably. I’d suggest encouraging children to research how they can be of help. Maybe it’s as simple as going over to mow an elderly neighbor’s lawn and leave a few groceries on their front porch (while respecting social distancing). Of course, they should refuse payment if offered. Maybe when this crisis is over, they can set up a lawn-mowing business and turn this time of emergency service into a new source of revenue. 

They can call their grandparents or elderly neighbors to check in and chat.



Encourage them to learn and think about this unique time in our world history. They do not need to fear this virus, but they can discuss how they could help. Discuss with them how their lessons in science, math, history and other subjects can help them to become citizens who can respond with creativity and knowledge the next time a crisis hits our people.

Or have your kids think back to the sponsors of their sports teams over the years. Some of those companies are now closed or facing major challenges. How can you support the businesses that supported your family? 

If your job is secure, give to businesses that are struggling. Support your neighbors whose jobs and businesses are threatened. Pay ahead for products you’ll need a year from now. 

 

ANOTHER KEY TO AMERICA’S home front spirit during World War II was discipline and a culture that expected individuals to join others in temporarily putting our personal desires aside for the common good. Of course, when your sons and brothers were being drafted and sent to the front lines, it was unquestioned that those left at home would give everything to support them. 

Today, the front lines are the hospitals, which within weeks could be overloaded if we don’t do everything we can to reduce the disease’s spread. 

Stay home if you don’t need to go out. Avoid gatherings and maintain six feet of social distance when you do leave your home. When you go out for groceries, first check with neighbors who are over 60 years old (the age most at risk from COVID-19) to see if you can pick anything up for them. And if you are over 60, call someone younger to ask for their help so you can stay safely home. 

Keep yourself educated. While stuck at home, read up on the situation, but for the love of God and country, please use verified and responsible sources! The state has a roundup of resources at covid19.wa.gov. Don’t share memes online or unattributed documents alleging to be from people in the know. Anything “copied and pasted” is suspect. 

Major newspapers and official government health websites are the place to start. It’s the responsibility of every American to be educated on this matter — and that means actively avoiding misinformation. 

Again, it’s worth looking to World War II, when war powers set up propaganda campaigns to weaken their enemies. It’s still happening today. The European Union this week warned that Russia has deployed a “significant disinformation campaign” against the West to worsen the impact of the coronavirus, generate panic and sow distrust. 

We don’t have to fall victim to fear.

The “Greatest Generation” showed us how to pull together quickly and efficiently to solve problems. They unified with friends across town and across the globe, without complaint or excuses. Let’s rise to the occasion once again.

Let’s wage war on defeating COVID-19, helping our neighbors who are vulnerable, supporting businesses and laid-off employees. We all have a responsibility to contribute as we can, to help those in need and to support the front-line workers in our hospitals. Find what you can do to be a brave, informed warrior. 

Our shared celebration when we finally can declare victory will be sweet, indeed. 

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Brian Mittge is socially distancing but is still sociable. Drop him a line at brianmittge@hotmail.com.