When I awoke to the news that CBS’s “60 Minutes” commentator Andy Rooney had passed away I was truly saddened. I thought back to each Sunday night when I awaited his turn on the weekly news show. But mainly it took me back to the day when I got to meet Mr. Rooney.
I was living in Dana at the time and we were celebrating the new additions to Ernie Pyle’s museum and Mr. Rooney was to be in our small town to help with the new dedication. Mr. Rooney had been a close friend of Ernie’s and came to town as a friend who wanted to pay respects to a lost friend.
From all I’ve read about Mr. Rooney, he didn’t like doing things like that and always turned them down. He did it because he was a great friend of Ernie’s.
To say that I knew Mr. Rooney as a friend is stretching things a bit, but I did get to meet him that afternoon and that has stuck in my mind as a day when I got to meet an idol of mine. Even though it was brief, it stands out in my mind as one of my best ever.
I can still remember as I approached him how nervous I had gotten, and could even feel the sweat beads building up around the back of my neck. Finally the lady in front of me had shook his hand and moved on. It was now my turn.
Mr. Rooney stretched out his aged hand and shook mine. I introduced myself and got to tell him my Ernie Pyle story. I told him how Ernie had gotten his first newspaper job at my home town of LaPorte, and that I was now working as a sportswriter and lived in Ernie’s hometown.
Mr. Rooney looked me over for a couple of seconds, that felt like hours, and he finally spoke, “Write about what you know. It irritates me when writers write about things they know nothing about.”
That was it. He turned from me and went to greet the farmer and old WWII vet that was in the line behind me, and as I watched him talk to the old vet I could see that he was truly interested. He asked the man from Illinois where he saw action, what division he was with, and how long was he there.
As I watched in awe, it struck me that he really did care about his fellow vets and not just his friend Ernie Pyle. I watched several times as he would greet the people in line, only long enough to say hello and move the line along, that is until he came to another veteran.
One more thing I remember about that day, one lady asked Mr. Rooney did he believe that he had been a true veteran because he was just a writer for “Stars and Stripes.” the Army newspaper that every soldier looked forward to reading?
Mr. Rooney didn’t get to answer the question because there were two WWII veterans in line behind her awaiting their turn, and they both stepped up and proudly said, “We would trust Mr. Rooney in our foxhole any day.” The lady kinda of huffed as she turned away.
I watched as Mr. Rooney shook their hands and smiled. I turned and walked away, but before I walked out of the tent, I looked back and Mr. Rooney was still talking to the two veterans who came to his defense.
When it was announced that he would make his last appearance on “60 Minutes” a few weeks ago, I made sure that I stopped everything that I was doing to watch. I even made sure I had a blank DVD in my player and I taped his last bit.
I did the same thing when they played a final tribute to Mr. Rooney. As a tear tolled down my cheek, it made me think, someday in the near future we are going to say goodbye to our last WWII veteran.
Since meeting Mr. Rooney I have written two books on WWII, “Sometimes You Can’t Hide,” and “I Was There When It Happened,” and I’ve sent two children into war, my son and my daughter, along with several cousins and friends. It has changed the way I think about war and it will stay with me for as long as I shall live. I hope that he would have thought that I did write something that I knew a little about. His memory will always stay in my mind for the rest of my life.
I hope and pray that we never forget what our soldiers and men and women like Mr. Rooney have done so that we may be free. War affects everyone, the soldiers, the families, and even our country.
A writer once said, “Lose your grandparents, you lose your past, lose your children and you lose your future.” Please remember, our soldiers are our future. Take the time to remember all of our fallen veterans, and let the ones who came back know you appreciate what they did for us.
— Jimmy Beasley Sr.
Clinton
Flashpoint
FLASHPOINT: Salute to Rooney and all veterans
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FLASHPOINT: Legislative session reflected Hoosier priorities
The 2013 session of the Indiana General Assembly came to an end just a few weeks ago with the final passage of our state’s next two-year budget.
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FLASHPOINT: A legislative session of missed opportunities
Given the nature of politicians, grand claims of accomplishments and overblown rhetoric about “historic” efforts are to be expected at the close of any legislative session.
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FLASHPOINT: Again in 2013 General Assembly, middle class generally ignored
Last year, the people of Indiana entrusted the Republican Party with some of their most precious possessions.
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FLASHPOINT: Indiana lawmakers reinforced school safety mechanisms
Nothing is more important to me than the safety of my children. Every parent has felt that instant, apprehensive rush when their child plays too close to the street or falls down while playing soccer and it is our responsibility as parents to implement every safety mechanism we can muster to protect our kids.
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FLASHPOINT: Lessons from the legacy media — get it right, first
Enough mistakes and maybe we’ll learn: When in doubt, leave it out.
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FLASHPOINT: Hoosiers got steady hand in recent session
As the General Assembly began its work last November, as Speaker of the House, I pledged a renewed spirit of bipartisanship with legislators working together to solve our state’s most pressing challenges. As this year’s legislative session concludes, representatives from throughout the state — Republican and Democrat — have joined together to address those issues at the forefront of Hoosier minds: maintaining our state’s fiscal integrity, spurring job creation and expanding education opportunities for every Hoosier family.
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FLASHPOINT: Time has arrived for overhaul of TV news
Former FCC Chairman Alfred Sikes gave an address in 1992 in which he claimed television news was too superficial and too focused on visuals.
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FLASHPOINT: Fiscal cliff, Obamacare have already raised taxes enough
Our history is rich with stories of people who have immigrated to the United States for a chance at the American Dream. The American Dream, in its truest form, is the opportunity to achieve success by working hard and playing by the rules; to make it on your own and to say, “I earned this.”
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FLASHPOINT: Expanding Medicaid coverage makes sense for Indiana
Since last summer’s U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on the Affordable Care Act effectively gave states the option to expand Medicaid, policymakers across the country have debated if and how to extend health programs to millions of uninsured Americans.
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FLASHPOINT: Improve public education, stop experimenting with it
In January, the four of us who serve as the Democrats on the House Education Committee outlined our hopes for the 2013 session of the Indiana General Assembly, particularly in joining with Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz to offer common sense solutions to improve the quality of education for our children. With the halfway point of this session past us, we remain optimistic that positive steps can be taken … but that optimism is tempered by the reality that education policies are being directed by a legislative majority that has a radically different agenda.
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Healthcare law anniversary no reason for celebration
March 23 marked three years since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into law, yet this is not an anniversary that deserves celebration.
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FLASHPOINT: Defending state’s authority is attorney general’s obligation
The law of the land recognizes the authority of states to license marriage.
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FLASHPOINT: Stability key for state’s future
Hoosiers have the unique luxury of being the fiscal envy of the nation due to the sound fiscal policies of the last eight years.
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FLASHPOINT: House budget offers Medicaid solution for Indiana
This week, my U.S. House Budget Committee colleagues and I introduced a federal budget resolution for fiscal year 2014. Our budget is a responsible plan that stops spending money and balances in 10 years — largely through making key reforms to drivers of our debt like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
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FLASHPOINT: Problem gambling in Indiana: A new understanding of community concern
The week of March 3 was designated as National Problem Gambling Awareness Week.
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FLASHPOINT: Eastern time in Indiana defies common sense
Nobody complains more than Hoosiers about changing their clocks. And there’s a valid reason — daylight-savings time in Indiana’s Eastern Time Zone is painful.
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Praying for civil resolution to debate over gun control
Guns are lively ammunition for passionate debate these days.
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FLASHPOINT: It’s not too late to expand health services
This week, state leaders euthanized the biggest, boldest Hoosier jobs proposal of the 2013 session of the Indiana General Assembly.
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FLASHPOINT: You can’t go back again — and that’s OK
Our progressive colleagues have been telling us for years that the 1950s were a horrid time.
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FLASHPOINT: The fierce urgency of now — nation needs to protect youth
The alcohol-fueled alleged serial rape of a 16-year-old Ohio girl by two of her similarly impaired classmates — not to mention the drunken videotaped commentary of others — points yet again to the imperative that adult America renews its commitment to address as a true national community those issues that most threaten the health, safety and forward development of youth.
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FLASHPOINT: A pastor speaks out against Sullivan’s ‘traditional prom’
I am a pastor in Sullivan, Ind., and I am outraged.
Recently, two young students applied to walk the Grand March together in the school prom in Sullivan. -
FLASHPOINT: 0wning firearms is a First Amendment exercise, too
Following the hysteria generated by gun prohibitionists in the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy, a nationwide rush on gun stores began as citizens bought semiautomatic modern sporting rifles, handguns and ammunition, in effect “making a political statement” about proposals to ban such firearms.
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FLASHPOINT: Maintaining the priority
Recently a newspaper article has been written about a change in the by-laws of the Indiana High School Athletic Association which speaks directly to attempted undue influence exerted upon students below the level of grade nine and their parents.
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FLASHPOINT: The fairness of marriage
What is the current Indiana law concerning marriage? Our state defines marriage in a singular way — between a man and a woman.
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FLASHPOINT: We ask state legislators to abide by their oath of office
All of us relish giving unsolicited advice to our elected representatives.
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FLASHPOINT: Mentoring is having major impact on public education
While managing local utility services, Mike Martin found a new way to energize his community, and students are starting to benefit.
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FLASHPOINT: Common Core standards should be common sense
Years ago, when state officials and education experts came together to create new model standards for schools, they probably never expected it to be controversial.
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FLASHPOINT: Milestone year for Rose-Hulman
The Rose-Hulman campus traditionally quiets down this time of year, yet for me I sense a renewed energy from the phenomenal year just closing.
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FLASHPOINT: ISU’s reasoning flawed in flight school planning
ISU and the taxpayers of Indiana and Vigo County are being led down a path of deception once again.
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FLASHPOINT: Incessant attacks on Christianity by the ACLU
It is obviously apparent that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is continuing its onslaught against religious freedom in the United States.
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FLASHPOINT: Legislative session reflected Hoosier priorities
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