Last Aitkin Age column

I'm going to take the liberty of reproducing my last column for the Aitkin Independent Age in full, because the newspaper site doesn't work for Europeans, it's been a long time since it was printed, and because it is last in not just the sense of latest, but also final.

Aitkin-born 1930s movie star Warren William’s childhood home is up for sale! I won’t say which house it is for the sake of privacy of the current owner, (you can find out in the book Warren William: Magnificent Scoundrel of Pre-Code Hollywood by John Stangeland, available at the depot museum) but I hope whoever buys it knows what a treasure they’re getting!

It’s incredible how many deer there are. Seeing one used to be a rare occurrence. Until last year, I had never seen a buck. Now I see groups of deer, often including a spike buck, at least twice a day! Well, deer season is coming. The autumn coolness heralding it might be more enjoyable were it not so wet. Still, the fall mood reigns as leaves suffuse with red and football season is underway. It’s great that the Gobblers are undefeated as of my first draft … I’m leaving a space for once I know the results of the Stump game … and alas, we lost.

Football may be declining in popularity as you have, on one side, the NFL alienating many by political waffling; on another, growing opinion that injuries risked in school football cannot possibly be worth it. As culture becomes more utilitarian, it’s assumed that nothing is worth the risk of material suffering. But some practice of physical risk seems integral to development of healthy masculinity. A husband, a father needs to be ready to risk his life to protect his children.

On that note, concerning coming elections, I remind readers that not only does Tina Smith support abortion, she was vice president of Planned Parenthood of Minnesota and the Dakotas. Planned Parenthood is the biggest abortion provider in the country, receives billions in federal funding and donates hundreds of thousands to Democrat politicians. They killed 323,999 unborn children in 2014 alone.

Non-Christian Leftists frequently demand how Christians can support President Trump because he calls people nasty names. Leaving aside the fact that Christians worship someone who called His enemies nasty names, the alternative is supporting the ripping apart of human infants. That is far more incompatible with Christianity than namecalling is.

I continue to be astounded by all Trump is accomplishing in the economy, regarding North Korea, against illegal immigration and human trafficking, and much more. I feel something I never before felt, never believed I would feel: loyalty to a government personage.

For years, Democrat politicians veered further into international socialism and support of public perversion, while Republican politicians did not veer the other way but instead tried to appease people who would never vote for them anyway. This didn’t stop the Left from calling them extreme and comparing them to Hitler. Now we have a leader who is actually implementing some nationalist, anti-socialist policies and in response, several on the Left call for and even descend into violence. But the familiar accusations of racist, sexist, homophobe are losing their teeth for those willing to risk material suffering by standing up for traditional Western Civilization.

By the way, this will be my last column for the Aitkin Independent Age. I’m departing to pursue my illustration career full-time. In a year or so, if you like comics, fantasy or steampunk, I hope you may remember to look for Clockwork Dancer by Jon Del Arroz and other graphic novels drawn by me that have yet to be announced!

To the Age staff and readers, my gratitude for the past and best wishes for the future. God bless America. Viva Christo Rey.

Unfortunately, the Senate seat did go to Tina Smith, and Minnesota is further disgraced by this woman with blood on her hands.

But on a lighter note! As stated, I am finally taking up art as my full-time career, as I have aspired to for nearly twenty years. I made the choice to quit the newspaper because I was not able to progress on my freelance projects at a satisfactory speed. I currently have in production:

Clockwork Dancer, a steampunk comic book written by no less than the leading Hispanic voice in science fiction, Jon Del Arroz;

A graphic novel adaptation of Bovodar and the Bears, a young adult fantasy novel by Jack Mikkelson;

Another graphic novel, yet to be announced, written by an author of popular Christian dystopian fiction;

A religious children's book, yet to be announced; and

Another very big, very exciting project born from a familiar work of mine, yet to be announced.

I'm just now starting getting into the swing of working on these full-time, and organizing my schedule. Once I get going, there will be lots to share! I'm raring to go tell some great stories!