Bad News by the Decades

Quick: name two GOOD news stories from each decade of the 20th Century … without going to Wikipedia … It’s hard, I know but more on this later. Over the weekend, I attended my town’s 47th annual festival, a nice street fair with vendors, children’s crafts, entertainment, etc. Along the venue, there were four “booths” … Continue reading Bad News by the Decades →

Born the Heirs of Freedom

Sarah Palin, short-time governor of Alaska, vice-presidential candidate, and politico-social celebrity, has embarked on a bus tour of America she dubs the “One Nation Tour.” In a blog post on her PAC web site, she describes the tour with a reference to a “declaration” by our founders: “We’ll celebrate the meaning of our nation’s blueprints, … Continue reading Born the Heirs of Freedom →

Sumter Shots Separate Sensibilities

The last first shot of the US Civil War occurred 150 years ago today (“last first shot” indicating that in the preceding months and years there were other incidents of violence or near-violence leading up to this seminal moment). That there is STILL widespread belief that the primary cause of the Civil War was anything … Continue reading Sumter Shots Separate Sensibilities →

Thanks, South Carolina, for Clarifying That

150 years ago today, South Carolina seceded from the United States of America. Over the next few months, 6 additional southern states joined it prior to the firing on Fort Sumter (4 more states seceded after that). The Civil War was on. Over 600,000 Americans would be dead by April 1865. Today we hear a … Continue reading Thanks, South Carolina, for Clarifying That →

On Pearl Harbor Day

December 7, 2010– Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. President Franklin Roosevelt’s stirring words 69 years ago (tomorrow) called America to war against the empire of Japan. But as I wrote on … Continue reading On Pearl Harbor Day →

Civil War about the Color of Cheese

November 30, 2010 - Did you know that the U.S. Civil War (1861-65) was fought over the question of the correct color of cheese? Seems that Northerners wanted to dye their cheddar with annatto, while Southerners preferred their traditional white fromage. Despite multiple compromises being worked out over the decades leading up to 1860, the … Continue reading Civil War about the Color of Cheese →

Celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation

On this day in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation: “… on the first day of January … all persons held as slaves within any State, or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” While … Continue reading Celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation →

Ad Watch: Cars and Freedom

I generally find the convergence of historical figures and commercial enterprise distasteful, but I really liked this ad depicting British redcoats awaiting the rebel force. Then, Dodge Challengers burst from the treeline and rout the Brits. Who is driving the lead car? George Washington, of course! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-3HEyR-c3M I don’t know why, but I just liked … Continue reading Ad Watch: Cars and Freedom →

My 9/11

On March 6, 2002, I contributed this story to the September 11 Digital Archive, http://911digitalarchive.org/ . It’s as “real-time" as my recollection of that day’s events could possibly get, but feels as if I wrote it on 9/12/01. If I hadn’t composed this at the time, I couldn’t possibly recall so many details nine years later. … Continue reading My 9/11 →

President Obama and His Generals

President Obama removed his second Afghanistan war commander today, accepting the resignation of General Stanley McChrystal over his remarks in Rolling Stone magazine. This president and some of his predecessors have removed top generals in war time, notably Abraham Lincoln and Harry Truman. To put it very simply, Obama’s general violated the chain of command; … Continue reading President Obama and His Generals →