Nadene Goldfoot
The USA had been slow to get involved with fighting the Nazis in WWII even though Europe was in involved by 1939. We didn't enter until 1941. Now a community of La Center, Washington has decided not to mix in with the Nazi symbols.
Hitler accepts the ovation of the Reichstag after announcing
the "peaceful" acquisition of Austria. Local Identifier: 208-N-
39843, National Archives Identifier: 535792.
View in National Archives Catalog
I guess no one remembers that we fought a war because this very group. The freedoms our country gives us really have nothing to do with expressing allowing admiration of Nazis to the point of decorating with Swastikas and flags of the hateful Nazis. Usually, if one sees a swastika painted on the side of a house, it's done by a Nazi-lover to a Jewish home to identify them as Jews just to be hateful. Flying the flag says that this is the domicile of a Nazi center. They're on the freeway going south from Tacoma just before you get to Vancouver, WA. It's fairly close to Battleground, WA.
Residents of the tiny town say there is one specific house sending the wrong message to incoming residents and businesses. “Right now, with the expansion of La Center, we must make a choice about whether or not we will allow the city to be a safe haven for Nazis and Nazi sympathizers,” resident Emily Hancock told the city council during its March 22 meeting. Hancock said she came to the council meeting representing “a large body of citizens” concerned about an East Dogwood Avenue home with large hand-painted swastikas on the exterior of the house and a World War II Third Reich German flag flying above the home. Property records show the house is owned by longtime La Center resident Donald Soehl.
“The inhabitants of this house are notorious for harassing their neighbors and displaying obscene flags and signs with the intent to intimidate and offend,” Hancock told the council. " Allowing the graffiti to remain would make existing and potential residents question whether La Center is a welcoming, safe place to live. “Hate and antisemitism and white supremacy should have no place in La Center,” she said. Soehl did not return calls for comment. “Many citizens are under the impression that the city has chosen to do nothing about this because the mayor and city council are in alignment with such anti-semitic values and condone Naziism in La Center,” Hancock said. “We hope that you prove to us that this is not the case.”
The mayor replied that " there is little the city can legally do about the swastikas on Soehl’s house." What? "We don’t have any legal authority to tell a homeowner what they can or can’t paint on the side of their house,” Cerveny said. Soehl says the only reason he and his son did it is to upset his neighbors. Soehl is a senior, certainly old enough to remember personally the 2nd World war. Emily Hancock, resident, said, " While the right to free speech does include the right to fly swastika flags on private property", she said "the swastika graffiti violates the city’s municipal code and should have required a permit because it is visible from the public right of way."
Bill Link, retired teacher, said "what’s happening in La Center is just a reflection of what’s happening across the country. He just wasn’t expecting to see it here. " According to a newly released report from the Anti-Defamation League, reports of antisemitic incidents increased by 35 percent over the prior year. “There’s so much division now. Even with the signage in people’s yards, it’s either something is red or it’s blue. It’s so sad,” Link said. Interestingly, the article in the Columbian never mentioned that La Center was in Washington. I imagine they're embarrassed over this, or I should hope so.
Their City council was urged to take action after Soehl, the homeowner displayed Nazi flag, and symbols, but they're finding excuses instead of taking action. What's happened to Washington, anyway? Their pioneers used to be people who acted, like running off to the gold of Alaska while Oregon pioneers stayed home and farmed. 
Medics helping injured soldier in France, 1944. Local Identifier:
208-YE-22, National Archives Identifier: 535973.
View in National Archives Catalog
The USA in WWII:
- 405,399 USA soldiers died in WWII.
- U.S. troops engaged: 16,112,566. from 1941 to 1946, 82 years ago.
- American casualties: 291,557.
- The U.S. joined the Allies (Britain, France, and the USSR) to fight the Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan) after the U.S. forces were attacked by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor in 1941.
- One of the most horrific chapters of the war was the Holocaust, the systematic annihilation of about 6 million Jews, as well as millions of others who did not conform to Nazi Germany’s racist ideals.
- This was the largest and most expensive war ever, as well as the most difficult to settle. The world remained politically unstable, major cities had been turned to rubble by bombings, and modern weapons combined with Germany's attempt to exterminate entire religious and ethnic groups brought death to millions of people.
Resource: The Columbian: https://www.columbian.com/news/2023/apr/19/la-center-residents-concerned-over-home-with-swastikas/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_casualties_of_war
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