Dear Ms. Obama,
As an American and a voter who supported Barrack Obama this past election I feel I have the right to speak on something that happened the other day. First I have to tell you that I am a middle aged white southern male and lean just a little to the left on social issues. I think everybody has the spark of the creator and therefore we as a society have a moral obligation to feed the hungry and clothe the poor and heal the sick. I feel with all my heart that how we treat others is not only the "Golden Rule" but the only real and absolute mark of where we stand before the great I Am. I honestly feel that two people who are adults and pledge their loyalty and intent and love to each other have the absolute right to join in a union, marriage or partnership. If the quickie Las Vegas weddings and the preachers with three ex wives and politicians that leave their mate to die haven't destroyed "godly unions" then I don't see how Bob and Tom have a snowballs chance of destroying it. :-)
I also have to tell you that I heard you're former preacher say that Hillary didn't know what it was like to be called the "N" word. Except he didn't say "N" but I've got to tell you. I do know a little of how that feels. Ya see I was born with a cleft lip and pallet and I have been called enough names and been left out of enough "reindeer games" in my youth to have a good idea of how that feels. So, I'm talking to you as a voter, a man and a fellow traveler in the realm of the "outsider" at least to an extent. For some reason as I got older I felt less and feel less an outsider. I think it's called growing up.
Now I admit that Barrack has done some things I don't feel comfortable with. I'm not sure of just what happened at our embassy and I'm not completely comfortable with the answers from the I.R.S. But, then again I wasn't comfortable with Bush and the Saudis and letting the Bin Laden family fly home after Americans were murdered by their backers. I wasn't comfortable with Reagan and the South American slaughters that went on either. So, I understand how crap happens and sometimes presidents do things out of a misguided sense of honor and sometime just out of greed and politics. Humans!
But, you did something the other day that really troubles me. You silenced a protester. Now, on one hand I felt a certain sense of "You go girl" at the spunk you showed. But then I really started to think about it. One of the greatest freedoms we have as Americans is the right to "Speak to power" without being intimidated or shushed up by the authorities. It's what separates us from regimes like the Soviet Union or China or the monarchy of the past.
One of the things that make me so proud of being an American is the right to speak and assemble and protest without being afraid of the police or the military showing up at my door. Did you see the recent pictures of North Korea? A horrible man finally had to go and meet his maker. Some of those folks must have been thinking "good riddance to bad rubbish." But, they couldn't say that. The military was looking and the camera panned them and they dare not look up with a dry eye at the camera. They had to mock rend their clothing and cry tears and wail. Why? Because if they didn't they would be marked and dealt with.
One of the reasons I respect the flag of the United States and still in all the cynicism of the age feel a little shiver up my spine at the raising of the colors is the freedom it brings. The fact that I have the right to spit on it just makes me love it all the more. That's freedom.
So, that's why I am so taken aback by you and the "in your face" tactic you used with the protester. You are one of the most powerful and influential folks on the earth right now. That should make you proud and yet should also make you tremble at the awesome meaning and responsibility that comes with it.
Anyway, that's it for now. God bless and take care.
Sincerely,
Steve.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Hope!
Hope
When I applied to the School of Social Work to get my degree I had to write some reasons that I wanted to be a Social Worker. Now, in all honesty I certainly used my gift for gab to write words, words, words. :-) I did want to be accepted after all. Not that I didn't believe everything I wrote.
It's just that we emphasise certain things at times to make a point or to sway the "powers that be" to our advantage. I can't remember everything I wrote and don't even need or want to remember everything I wrote. But, one thing that I talked about in passing is something that I absolutely believe in. That's hope.
Hope is what separates sanity from insanity. It's what gets somebody through another day of the same old same old
. One of my favorite scenes as far as a "eureka" moment for me occurs in the movie "Castaway" with Tom Hanks. When his character is asked how he got through his stranded existence on an island he said: "Never give up because you never know what the tide will bring in the next day.” I used this quote (not as a manipulative thing but, as an attempt to help) with some of the folks I worked with in my job in Colorado at a behavioral health hospital. Something, to help or at least cause those in depression or stress to grab onto and to hopefully decide to keep going forward.
Hope is one of the experiences that distinguishes mankind from most of the other creatures on the planet. You can take a dog and put him in the back yard. Put up a fence and give him a bowl of water and feed him everyday. Go outside and pet him/her and run around and throw a ball or a stick. After a little while you will have a happy pup!
But, you take a human and give him/her food and water every day. Shut them in a closed system and give them the same old same old to do everyday and you will have a miserable creature. Now, there are other things that can account for this along with hope. But, that person will "hope" everyday that something will change or that they will plan or find a way to change their circumstances.
I remember seeing something on youtube a few years ago that was really great. OK, I admit for an older person, I think youtube is one of the greatest things in our modern world. :-) Classic rock concerts, old sports footage, Laurel and Hardy and Amos and Andy and Stephen King interviews. I love youtube. But, I digress.
There was a youtube interview with the great psychotherapist and psychiatrist Carl Jung. Very rare to see one of the historic figures and architects of thought in an actual live flesh and blood appearance. Anyway, Jung (who was very elderly himself at the time) was talking about his elderly patients He stated that he was struck by the "hope" they had as he interviewed them. At the end of life they still had a hope and looked forward to something more once this life is over. Hope!
Now, I'm not as "sure" of my faith as I was in my youth. Life and circumstance and situations have caused me to question many of the old standards that I was taught as absolute in my childhood. Sometime when you research something or read about something, you find that it's not quite as black and white as you were "told" it was. But, this isn't about theology or quantum physics or even the reality or non reality of spiritual existence. I think of those things and I am planning on rambling on about some of those things in my blog posts. But, this is about hope.
It's one of the main reasons I'm not an atheist. It's just not logical to me that all the hope and love and hate and flesh and blood and mental and spiritual and life experience of a human is in the end about nothing. But, that's a different argument for a different time. It touches on this but I'm not really wanting to go there today. I mainly was thinking about hope.
In 2008 or so the media and the world seemed to go a little bit crazy. Every time I turned on a t.v. or listened to a radio or read a paper I was hammered by "RECESSION" SLUMP, IMPENDING DOOM! Or it sure seemed like it. :-) Now, I'm not a pollyanna by any means. But, it seemed to me that we were (not in a grand conspiracy ) but just as a society being led down a certain path by plans made by the money holders and we honestly did seem to be getting programmed to behave in a certain way as a society. Even in my job I would hear "well, we're gone" We will be laid off and the whole system will go up in smoke. Now that could have happened and it may still happen for all I know. But, I never stopped "hoping" that something good would happen.
I was talking to a person in my job one day. That person said "a therapist or social worker had told them that everything was indeed getting harder" My answer was that it cost exactly the same to be optimistic as pessimistic. Neither one is absolute and neither one cost you more money than the other one. So, you can decide to say "well I'm doomed" or you can decide to say "I'm hopeful this will work out" and either one is a choice you make. So, why not at least "hope."
So, if like me you are dealing with bad or just unwise choices in life. Looking at the economy or your own personal issues and wondering when it all will change or if it will. I can't tell you it absolutely will. I can't tell you it will all work out the way you or I would like it to work out. But, I can tell you that "hope" will cost you the exact same amount as gloom and doom will. Or as a wise man/God once said. "The evil of the day is sufficent, don't worry so much about tomorrow." Or something like that. :-)
So, with those old folks of the past that Carl Jung counseled. With the people who waited to see the Berlin Wall finally come down. I hope. Knowing that mankind is capable of great evil such as slavery and the holocaust. But, also knowing that there were some who sacrificed their own life to rid the world of such great evils. I hope.
Again, I go back to a certain old book or collection of ancient writings that are sometime thrown away as myth and sometime, I'm afraid worshiped as god But, always if you look "full of hope."
A certain young woman was a queen and her king had decided to allow the murder of her kinsmen. Her uncle came to her and asked that she speak with the king on behalf of her people. She was afraid and said that she might be killed just for speaking up. Her uncle told her that for all she knew "the very reason she was raised up as a queen was for this very purpose." She did speak. Justice was served and wisdom prevailed.
I try to remember that. Maybe some of the things I go through and experience were already planned for me and maybe they all are part of my life's plan. Yeah, "stuff" happens. But, I still "Hope" that once God does balance the books, that I will see my hope end in sight. Both here and forever.
Peace!
When I applied to the School of Social Work to get my degree I had to write some reasons that I wanted to be a Social Worker. Now, in all honesty I certainly used my gift for gab to write words, words, words. :-) I did want to be accepted after all. Not that I didn't believe everything I wrote.
It's just that we emphasise certain things at times to make a point or to sway the "powers that be" to our advantage. I can't remember everything I wrote and don't even need or want to remember everything I wrote. But, one thing that I talked about in passing is something that I absolutely believe in. That's hope.
Hope is what separates sanity from insanity. It's what gets somebody through another day of the same old same old
. One of my favorite scenes as far as a "eureka" moment for me occurs in the movie "Castaway" with Tom Hanks. When his character is asked how he got through his stranded existence on an island he said: "Never give up because you never know what the tide will bring in the next day.” I used this quote (not as a manipulative thing but, as an attempt to help) with some of the folks I worked with in my job in Colorado at a behavioral health hospital. Something, to help or at least cause those in depression or stress to grab onto and to hopefully decide to keep going forward.
Hope is one of the experiences that distinguishes mankind from most of the other creatures on the planet. You can take a dog and put him in the back yard. Put up a fence and give him a bowl of water and feed him everyday. Go outside and pet him/her and run around and throw a ball or a stick. After a little while you will have a happy pup!
But, you take a human and give him/her food and water every day. Shut them in a closed system and give them the same old same old to do everyday and you will have a miserable creature. Now, there are other things that can account for this along with hope. But, that person will "hope" everyday that something will change or that they will plan or find a way to change their circumstances.
I remember seeing something on youtube a few years ago that was really great. OK, I admit for an older person, I think youtube is one of the greatest things in our modern world. :-) Classic rock concerts, old sports footage, Laurel and Hardy and Amos and Andy and Stephen King interviews. I love youtube. But, I digress.
There was a youtube interview with the great psychotherapist and psychiatrist Carl Jung. Very rare to see one of the historic figures and architects of thought in an actual live flesh and blood appearance. Anyway, Jung (who was very elderly himself at the time) was talking about his elderly patients He stated that he was struck by the "hope" they had as he interviewed them. At the end of life they still had a hope and looked forward to something more once this life is over. Hope!
Now, I'm not as "sure" of my faith as I was in my youth. Life and circumstance and situations have caused me to question many of the old standards that I was taught as absolute in my childhood. Sometime when you research something or read about something, you find that it's not quite as black and white as you were "told" it was. But, this isn't about theology or quantum physics or even the reality or non reality of spiritual existence. I think of those things and I am planning on rambling on about some of those things in my blog posts. But, this is about hope.
It's one of the main reasons I'm not an atheist. It's just not logical to me that all the hope and love and hate and flesh and blood and mental and spiritual and life experience of a human is in the end about nothing. But, that's a different argument for a different time. It touches on this but I'm not really wanting to go there today. I mainly was thinking about hope.
In 2008 or so the media and the world seemed to go a little bit crazy. Every time I turned on a t.v. or listened to a radio or read a paper I was hammered by "RECESSION" SLUMP, IMPENDING DOOM! Or it sure seemed like it. :-) Now, I'm not a pollyanna by any means. But, it seemed to me that we were (not in a grand conspiracy ) but just as a society being led down a certain path by plans made by the money holders and we honestly did seem to be getting programmed to behave in a certain way as a society. Even in my job I would hear "well, we're gone" We will be laid off and the whole system will go up in smoke. Now that could have happened and it may still happen for all I know. But, I never stopped "hoping" that something good would happen.
I was talking to a person in my job one day. That person said "a therapist or social worker had told them that everything was indeed getting harder" My answer was that it cost exactly the same to be optimistic as pessimistic. Neither one is absolute and neither one cost you more money than the other one. So, you can decide to say "well I'm doomed" or you can decide to say "I'm hopeful this will work out" and either one is a choice you make. So, why not at least "hope."
So, if like me you are dealing with bad or just unwise choices in life. Looking at the economy or your own personal issues and wondering when it all will change or if it will. I can't tell you it absolutely will. I can't tell you it will all work out the way you or I would like it to work out. But, I can tell you that "hope" will cost you the exact same amount as gloom and doom will. Or as a wise man/God once said. "The evil of the day is sufficent, don't worry so much about tomorrow." Or something like that. :-)
So, with those old folks of the past that Carl Jung counseled. With the people who waited to see the Berlin Wall finally come down. I hope. Knowing that mankind is capable of great evil such as slavery and the holocaust. But, also knowing that there were some who sacrificed their own life to rid the world of such great evils. I hope.
Again, I go back to a certain old book or collection of ancient writings that are sometime thrown away as myth and sometime, I'm afraid worshiped as god But, always if you look "full of hope."
A certain young woman was a queen and her king had decided to allow the murder of her kinsmen. Her uncle came to her and asked that she speak with the king on behalf of her people. She was afraid and said that she might be killed just for speaking up. Her uncle told her that for all she knew "the very reason she was raised up as a queen was for this very purpose." She did speak. Justice was served and wisdom prevailed.
I try to remember that. Maybe some of the things I go through and experience were already planned for me and maybe they all are part of my life's plan. Yeah, "stuff" happens. But, I still "Hope" that once God does balance the books, that I will see my hope end in sight. Both here and forever.
Peace!
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Mars Attacks!
I have always loved the weird and off beat and good popcorn movies. A movie doesn't have to move me with a deep message. It can but I don't require it. As a matter of fact, I ask less of a movie than I do a book. With a book if I haven't wondered what happened to a character at least once during the day then it failed me. I immerse into what I read in a way that I don't with what I watch. The world in my head is somehow more immediate than the world "out there." A movie simply has to make me laugh or cringe or say wow! I love old horror such as Shirley Jackson's The Haunting and the movie from the 60's based on it. I like to watch it every 3 to 5 years just to remind myself of what an actual horror movie can be. Of course watching it for the first time when I was around 6 or 7 years old is more than likely the reason it is so scary and embedded in my head. I also love the old sci fi stuff. The Amazing Colossal Man 1957, The 1958 Steve Mcqueen take on The Blob. The 1955 movie based on the Jack Finney novel The Body Snatchers. I also like some of the more modern stuff. I love to pop up some popcorn and watch Mars Attacks with Jack Nicholoson and a cameo by Tom Jones directed by Tim Burton. I liked Independence Day and I liked the First X Files movie. The second is a damn shame but I digress. I love the old Art Bell Coast to Coast Am and I enjoy downloading a podcast to listen to while I walk around the track. I enjoyed The Fog and also watched it with the John Carpenter commentary. The Exorcist, which to be honest wasn't that scary to me. Well, I did see the uncut version and that was scary. The part where she spider crawled freaked me out. The original Halloween and Friday the 13th are fun. I liked the Lost In Space movie of some years ago. I knew it was gonna get killed by critics when I read the first review I saw. It started out with the reviewer saying "I don't really like sci fi or horror movies." Really? Then shut up! It did what I wanted it to do. It had cool space scenes and was a little campy. I liked the original Scream and enjoyed Ringu or Ring the Japaneese horror movie. The girl coming out of the t.v. is great. I can't watch the original Alien at night because I fall asleep. It's so dark that I just never got through it. By dark I mean the lighting and background not the atmosphere of the story. But, I did watch it early one evening and finished it and liked it as much as I can like a slow building hard sci fi type movie. It is good, it's just not really my thing. I know that's like a classic rock fan saying they don't like Bruce Springsteen that much ( I Don't) but sometime it just happens. I loved the X Files and we even named our first and only child after the main character. I liked Fringe for a while but I kind of stopped watching. Might have to pick it up again. Millinuem is a really good and under-rated series that my wife and I watched. I actually get my love of horror from a strange place. My mother raised me on watching old sci fi and horror movies. We had The Rebel Drive In right in our neighborhood growing up in the sixties and early seventies. When they had a Christopher Lee or Boris Karloff or Vincent Price marathon (Dusk Till Dawn) we were there. I can still see Dracula turning to dust right on that giant full color screen before my 7 or 8 year old eyes. Vincent Price running through the rubble and chaos as The House Of Usher fall. :-) A movie called "She" and we even saw a killer Santa one holiday season. I sometime feel bad for folks this generation. They have some splendid toys that we couldn't even dream of. But, they have no idea what a 20 foot tall Christopher Lee looks like as he bites the scream queen on the neck.
Man, I wonder if maybe I can talk Cindy into putting our 9 year old in front of the computer and shutting the door and popping in a horror movie this weekend? So sue me I love my child but he will enjoy playing a video game. His mother will get me but if I can talk her into it. Pop some popcorn and kick back and watch one of the classic ones like Soylent Green or a little more recent one like Predator. Or maybe more of a horror theme like The Fog or Creepshow. Anyway, I have a sudden urge to eat popcorn and chill out in front of a giant screen for a couple of hours this coming weekend.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Ufo's and Aliens.
I have always loved off beat stuff. I am a Stephen King reader and loved Dark Shadows and the Christopher Lee Dracula and Vincent Price Edgar Allen Poe movies as a kid. I would search my Weekly Reader back in the sixties at Walnut Park Elementary in Gadsden, Alabama for Ghost stories. The occasional football, baseball or basketball book but, mainly goblins and things that go bump in the night. I grew up loving to read horror novels and I remember when I was working at the Gadsden Public Library. The head librarian of the Children's Section ( I worked with the computers and they were in the children's section) Anyway, Ms. Margaret Mquire (one of the smartest and finest folks I've had the pleasure of working with) would always joke with me and ask me what "one" word horror novel I was reading this time. Many of the old 1980's horror novels were "One or two word" titles. :-) Ya know, like "The Haunting" The Stand, Ghost, Mystery and so on. Anyway, I loved stuff like that and even though I don't read as much horror these days (unless, I'm reading the news) I still find it an interesting genre. I also loved to read "true" accounts of the "paranormal." So, ufo stories caught my attention fairly early. One reason I first started this blog was to explore my interest in all things wierd and off beat and especially ufo and paranormal stuff. But, I kind of got caught up in religion and politics and other more immediate concerns of life and so most of my blogs have been a little on the serious side. Matter of fact I felt my last blog on religion was a little over the top and heavy handed so I wanted to step back and breathe and have a little fun.
Now, full disclosure here. While I love the pop culture and the Grey aliens and the movies and shows and books that talk about them. I am absolutely NOT a believer in space aliens or ufo's or the space brothers. Now, I have seen a ufo or two in my time but it was truly ufo Unidentified flying object with the emphasis on the Unidentified part. I don't think it was a craft from Venus as cool as that would be. :-) I am also not a believer that the space aliens are actually demons from the pit of hell come to deceive the elect or that Jesus will come back riding a space ship. Silly? Not if you've followed this stuff on the internet like I have. You would be amazed at some of the theories and arguments that people get into.
But, I don't discount that something might be happening. I also don't discount that some people have had encounters that are not simply products of their imagination. But, ufo's are something that I don't completely throw away. But, I'd have to see it to believe it. Then even if I see it I will have to be closer than just seeing a light in the sky. It's kind of like seeing anything out of the ordinary. You might see it and I might know and trust you. But, until I see it myself it won't be real to me. I can identify with Thomas. It's nice to be able to believe something. But, being able to touch and feel and "grasp" something for oneself is still the best and most convincing evidence there is.
Now, to my own UFO sighting. A couple of years ago I was in my back yard one early evening in Northport, Alabama. I noticed what I thought was a plane moving somewhere in the Northwest sky. I think that's right, I'm not much of a compass person. :-) Anyway, the craft was moving and I didn't see the red lights of a plane or hear the "chop" of a copter. Still it was a little way off and I thought maybe that was just due to wind and distance. But, then it just stopped! Now, I could think it was a satalite or a planet or something like that if I hadn't seen it moving from one spot to another. But, It just stopped in the sky. I looked at it and called inside to my wife to come out and see this. She said "I'm watching something right now." " Tell me if it's still there in a few minutes" or something like that. I kept watching and I still tell myself the following happened because I shook my head or something caused me to move my head. I tell myself this because I can't believe what I saw next. It looked as if it actually "zig zagged" in the sky. Left to right, up and down. Then it moved again and I think it just moved on off to where ever it was going. Anyway, I"m sure there is a rational explanation for this. I didn't call the news and I don't intend to write a book about the space bro's. :-() But, it was an interesting experience and I still look toward that patch of sky when I'm out at night.
So, I do enjoy talking and reading and even going on message boards and reading what others have to say about the subject. I do know one thing the "de-bunkers" have wrong. Some of us who have seen a ufo don't automatically start blabbing to the press about a false sighting of Venus. We actually or at least I actually try and find the most rational and mundane explanation.
After all I like my things that go bump in the night to fit securely inside a Stephen King novel or a movie and not at the foot of my bed. :-)
Peace.
Now, full disclosure here. While I love the pop culture and the Grey aliens and the movies and shows and books that talk about them. I am absolutely NOT a believer in space aliens or ufo's or the space brothers. Now, I have seen a ufo or two in my time but it was truly ufo Unidentified flying object with the emphasis on the Unidentified part. I don't think it was a craft from Venus as cool as that would be. :-) I am also not a believer that the space aliens are actually demons from the pit of hell come to deceive the elect or that Jesus will come back riding a space ship. Silly? Not if you've followed this stuff on the internet like I have. You would be amazed at some of the theories and arguments that people get into.
But, I don't discount that something might be happening. I also don't discount that some people have had encounters that are not simply products of their imagination. But, ufo's are something that I don't completely throw away. But, I'd have to see it to believe it. Then even if I see it I will have to be closer than just seeing a light in the sky. It's kind of like seeing anything out of the ordinary. You might see it and I might know and trust you. But, until I see it myself it won't be real to me. I can identify with Thomas. It's nice to be able to believe something. But, being able to touch and feel and "grasp" something for oneself is still the best and most convincing evidence there is.
Now, to my own UFO sighting. A couple of years ago I was in my back yard one early evening in Northport, Alabama. I noticed what I thought was a plane moving somewhere in the Northwest sky. I think that's right, I'm not much of a compass person. :-) Anyway, the craft was moving and I didn't see the red lights of a plane or hear the "chop" of a copter. Still it was a little way off and I thought maybe that was just due to wind and distance. But, then it just stopped! Now, I could think it was a satalite or a planet or something like that if I hadn't seen it moving from one spot to another. But, It just stopped in the sky. I looked at it and called inside to my wife to come out and see this. She said "I'm watching something right now." " Tell me if it's still there in a few minutes" or something like that. I kept watching and I still tell myself the following happened because I shook my head or something caused me to move my head. I tell myself this because I can't believe what I saw next. It looked as if it actually "zig zagged" in the sky. Left to right, up and down. Then it moved again and I think it just moved on off to where ever it was going. Anyway, I"m sure there is a rational explanation for this. I didn't call the news and I don't intend to write a book about the space bro's. :-() But, it was an interesting experience and I still look toward that patch of sky when I'm out at night.
So, I do enjoy talking and reading and even going on message boards and reading what others have to say about the subject. I do know one thing the "de-bunkers" have wrong. Some of us who have seen a ufo don't automatically start blabbing to the press about a false sighting of Venus. We actually or at least I actually try and find the most rational and mundane explanation.
After all I like my things that go bump in the night to fit securely inside a Stephen King novel or a movie and not at the foot of my bed. :-)
Peace.
Monday, April 15, 2013
The Devil went to Heaven!
I created this blog to express my own thoughts and feelings. I understand that my thoughts are not all that urgent to others. It's like on facebook when somebody says "Wow, I ate chicken last night!" Really? OK! But, if it does find somebody who reads it and finds any part of it wise or silly or helpful in any way then that is great. If not, then I still have a place to ramble. So, here goes.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:1-2
The great thing about the verse above (to me) is not the "sin" aspect. It's the thought that the very foundation and maker of being would love me enough to clothe him/her/itself with flesh and participate in the life, death and desperation of the human experience. That is love. Not a superman who saves us from ourself. But, a mother, father, brother, sister that takes the journey with us.
I have said in other places that I call myself a Christian Agnostic these days. By that I mean the faith I was raised in still has relevance to my journey and I have not jettisoned every aspect of faith. I have always had an inner dialog with God. I have also always been comfortable with the "picture" in my mind of the Judaeo-Christian way of looking at God. By that I mean that I have always separated the aspect of God into three persons. OK, that's more of an evangelistic Christian way of looking than a Jewish way. But, still most will know what I mean. Picture a little boy raised in the south of about 11 to 13 years old in the very late sixties to very early seventies. Now, this little boy has been brought up by his grandmother who is very devout and very pentacostal. My grandmother on the other side was very devout and very Southern Baptist. So, I (uhh, the little boy) :-) was thoroughly versed on being a born again Christian. Now, this little boy is at a sermon at Cherry Street Baptist Church and the preacher is not as firey as the Pentacostal preacher but still not a wall flower either. :-) Nobody does youth church with the drama and guilt and intensity any better than the Southern Baptist do. I speak as a family member here so don't get mad and think I'm bashing somebody from the outside. I'm just sayin. :-) Anyway, this was not a youth service but it was a Sunday sermon. The preacher says "Anybody who sins against God can be forgiven. Even if you sin against Jesus. But, a sin against the Holy Ghost will NEVER be forgiven. It's unpardonable. Now, this little boy was a voracious reader and had quite an active mind. There was an intense attack mentally on this boy. Call it psychological if it makes you feel better intellectually. If you feel better with the "evil demon" way of saying it then call it spiritual warfare. Or if like me you kind of look at it holistically then call it a little bit of both.
So, this young boy goes out into the back yard when he gets home and honestly although he doesn't hear audible voices, Thank God. (No pun intended.) He does have very real thoughts that seem to be out of or beyond his control to stop. Now, picture a new thought and a new inner dialog opening up. It would go something like this "I am the one who made and knows you." "I am not outside looking in like a fortune teller." " I am not shocked or angry at you." "Since the voices or thoughts are talking about me and asking about me, then just relax." "There is a room and a couch for you to relax on. See the door? I will answer it." Peace was there and although there were other times and years of inner turmoil the boy never, EVER forgot this moment. It brought comfort whenever the "thoughts" came back. So, I say that, to say this. I am not an atheist. I am not ready and do not intend to throw away my spiritual identity. But, I can't ever be a fundamentalist anymore either. It just doesn't work for me. The bible says it and I believe it and that settles it just has never worked for me. Now, let me relate one more experience or thought about religion here.
Imagine a Supreme Being. Now, this being is all knowing and is the actual ground of all reality. Not only is "he,she,it,they" outside the universe but he actually is the only "real" and absolute reality there is. Now, imagine a being of flesh and blood. Subject to chemicals and hormones and death, decay and disease. Imagine this creature who has no real knowledge of this Supreme Being except for his own intuition and dreams and apart from that some writings and visions from some people give who say they are prophets and seers. Now, imagine another being. This one shines like the a billion stars! Son of the Morning! This one was present at the very morning of creation of the flesh creature that is little more than a naked ape in relation to him. It would be like taking a 45 year old scientist and having him talk to a 6 year old child. It would be even greater than that. So, these are the players. Now, lets look at the following scenario:
The Supreme Being to the Son of the Morning. "See, those creatures down there?" I breathed life into them. They carry my spirit in them. But, on the other hand I am an Angry God! I get pissed off really easily when people disobey me." Now, on one hand I do love them but on the other I discipline them harshly when they get out of line. So, I'll tell ya what I'm gonna do." "I'm gonna send part of myself down to them. I'm gonna love them and live and even partake of what they call death."
Well, says the Son of the Morning, you didn't even give me that and yet you offer it to them? That's fair. (rolls eyes.)
"Wait, says the Supreme Being. You haven't heard the good part yet." I'm gonna send myself in a clay vessel and I'm gonna go to a little corner of the world." Now, if they can figure it out no matter where they come from and worship me then I'm gonna bring them into my kingdom." "But, I'm gonna give you the chance to fool em. If you can fool em then I'm gonna burn em up for ever and ever in eternal fire."
"Wait a minute" says the Son of the Morning. "You mean to tell me. All I have to do with my great knowledge and power and influence. All I have to do is fool those little naked apes and you will burn them? "Oh, My God, that's rich!" "I don't even have to reveal myself?" "You will take away all real knowledge of who they are and where they come from? "So, unless they happen to stumble into the right church or hear the right minister then I can have em? "Excuse me God but, that's a Hell of Deal!" "I'll take it"
So, there you have it. On one hand I absolutely will never turn my back on the source of my hope and sanity. But, I will also never understand the silliness of the dogmatic religious person either. I can't even begin to think of how somebody who thinks we are nothing but a chemical by product of the brain can walk around this world with no hope of ultimate justice and the peace of knowing the universe is ultimately true, just and loving. But, everybody wakes up in their own skin everyday. Until they don't. :-) But, on the other hand I can't believe the people who think the very source of love would be so flip and random with his children that he would allow even one to be forever lost because of some religious dogma. As a wise poster used to say in a forum I visited. "My bag!"
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:1-2
The great thing about the verse above (to me) is not the "sin" aspect. It's the thought that the very foundation and maker of being would love me enough to clothe him/her/itself with flesh and participate in the life, death and desperation of the human experience. That is love. Not a superman who saves us from ourself. But, a mother, father, brother, sister that takes the journey with us.
I have said in other places that I call myself a Christian Agnostic these days. By that I mean the faith I was raised in still has relevance to my journey and I have not jettisoned every aspect of faith. I have always had an inner dialog with God. I have also always been comfortable with the "picture" in my mind of the Judaeo-Christian way of looking at God. By that I mean that I have always separated the aspect of God into three persons. OK, that's more of an evangelistic Christian way of looking than a Jewish way. But, still most will know what I mean. Picture a little boy raised in the south of about 11 to 13 years old in the very late sixties to very early seventies. Now, this little boy has been brought up by his grandmother who is very devout and very pentacostal. My grandmother on the other side was very devout and very Southern Baptist. So, I (uhh, the little boy) :-) was thoroughly versed on being a born again Christian. Now, this little boy is at a sermon at Cherry Street Baptist Church and the preacher is not as firey as the Pentacostal preacher but still not a wall flower either. :-) Nobody does youth church with the drama and guilt and intensity any better than the Southern Baptist do. I speak as a family member here so don't get mad and think I'm bashing somebody from the outside. I'm just sayin. :-) Anyway, this was not a youth service but it was a Sunday sermon. The preacher says "Anybody who sins against God can be forgiven. Even if you sin against Jesus. But, a sin against the Holy Ghost will NEVER be forgiven. It's unpardonable. Now, this little boy was a voracious reader and had quite an active mind. There was an intense attack mentally on this boy. Call it psychological if it makes you feel better intellectually. If you feel better with the "evil demon" way of saying it then call it spiritual warfare. Or if like me you kind of look at it holistically then call it a little bit of both.
So, this young boy goes out into the back yard when he gets home and honestly although he doesn't hear audible voices, Thank God. (No pun intended.) He does have very real thoughts that seem to be out of or beyond his control to stop. Now, picture a new thought and a new inner dialog opening up. It would go something like this "I am the one who made and knows you." "I am not outside looking in like a fortune teller." " I am not shocked or angry at you." "Since the voices or thoughts are talking about me and asking about me, then just relax." "There is a room and a couch for you to relax on. See the door? I will answer it." Peace was there and although there were other times and years of inner turmoil the boy never, EVER forgot this moment. It brought comfort whenever the "thoughts" came back. So, I say that, to say this. I am not an atheist. I am not ready and do not intend to throw away my spiritual identity. But, I can't ever be a fundamentalist anymore either. It just doesn't work for me. The bible says it and I believe it and that settles it just has never worked for me. Now, let me relate one more experience or thought about religion here.
Imagine a Supreme Being. Now, this being is all knowing and is the actual ground of all reality. Not only is "he,she,it,they" outside the universe but he actually is the only "real" and absolute reality there is. Now, imagine a being of flesh and blood. Subject to chemicals and hormones and death, decay and disease. Imagine this creature who has no real knowledge of this Supreme Being except for his own intuition and dreams and apart from that some writings and visions from some people give who say they are prophets and seers. Now, imagine another being. This one shines like the a billion stars! Son of the Morning! This one was present at the very morning of creation of the flesh creature that is little more than a naked ape in relation to him. It would be like taking a 45 year old scientist and having him talk to a 6 year old child. It would be even greater than that. So, these are the players. Now, lets look at the following scenario:
The Supreme Being to the Son of the Morning. "See, those creatures down there?" I breathed life into them. They carry my spirit in them. But, on the other hand I am an Angry God! I get pissed off really easily when people disobey me." Now, on one hand I do love them but on the other I discipline them harshly when they get out of line. So, I'll tell ya what I'm gonna do." "I'm gonna send part of myself down to them. I'm gonna love them and live and even partake of what they call death."
Well, says the Son of the Morning, you didn't even give me that and yet you offer it to them? That's fair. (rolls eyes.)
"Wait, says the Supreme Being. You haven't heard the good part yet." I'm gonna send myself in a clay vessel and I'm gonna go to a little corner of the world." Now, if they can figure it out no matter where they come from and worship me then I'm gonna bring them into my kingdom." "But, I'm gonna give you the chance to fool em. If you can fool em then I'm gonna burn em up for ever and ever in eternal fire."
"Wait a minute" says the Son of the Morning. "You mean to tell me. All I have to do with my great knowledge and power and influence. All I have to do is fool those little naked apes and you will burn them? "Oh, My God, that's rich!" "I don't even have to reveal myself?" "You will take away all real knowledge of who they are and where they come from? "So, unless they happen to stumble into the right church or hear the right minister then I can have em? "Excuse me God but, that's a Hell of Deal!" "I'll take it"
So, there you have it. On one hand I absolutely will never turn my back on the source of my hope and sanity. But, I will also never understand the silliness of the dogmatic religious person either. I can't even begin to think of how somebody who thinks we are nothing but a chemical by product of the brain can walk around this world with no hope of ultimate justice and the peace of knowing the universe is ultimately true, just and loving. But, everybody wakes up in their own skin everyday. Until they don't. :-) But, on the other hand I can't believe the people who think the very source of love would be so flip and random with his children that he would allow even one to be forever lost because of some religious dogma. As a wise poster used to say in a forum I visited. "My bag!"
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Review: Killing Kennedy
Looking up at my mother crying over my 6 year old body in an
ambulance. That's my answer to the question "Where were you on the day
President Kennedy was shot?" I had crossed the road in my neighborhood
in Walnut Park in Gadsden, Alabama and gotten hit by a car. I think I
read somewhere that C.S. Lewis also died that day. At any rate the
assassination of President Kennedy scarred this nation's psyche like no
other single event until 9-11 in my lifetime. So, it was with great
interest that I read "Killing Kennedy" by Bill O'Reilly and historian
Martin Dugard. I had already been surprised by how much I enjoyed
reading "Killing Lincoln." I didn't think I could have enjoyed a book by
Bill O'Reilly since I'm not a real zealot when it comes to picking a
political party. I have my opinions but I don't see it as good vs evil.
More like bad vs badder. But, back to the topic.
I enjoy a good conspiracy theory and I don't get real worked up or mad about "proving" one right or wrong. So, I have read a few articles and started a few books that dealt with the "conspiracy" to kill the president. I put them in the category of u.f.o's and psychics. Interesting but ya got to wade through a lot of b.s. I knew this book wouldn't be that type and would stick to more of the facts as they are known. It really brought the president and those times back and gave a "human" face back to Jackie Kennedy and to the president that some of the glitter and pop culture had taken from them. The background conflict between Bobby Kennedy and L.B.J. was also interesting as was a cameo or two by Herbert Hoover and Frank Sinatra. Marlyn Monroe and Greta Garbo. John and Caroline Kennedy and the baby Patrick that died shortly after coming into this world. The war experience of J.F.K. and the time his ship went down and he took charge to get him and his men rescued while behind enemy lines in the pacific. But, it wasn't fluff and also showed the hesitation at the Bay Of Pigs in Cuba that cemented Castro's power. Kennedy had some reservations about Vietnam but was still of the mindset that we couldn't let it fall to the communist. The civil rights movement and Martin Luther King as well as Birmingham are touched on. Also, the famous photo of the Buddhist Monk who set himself on fire in Vietnam is touched on. If you were born in the late 50's or early 60's these were themes you knew well from childhood and school. It also goes into some detail on the famous Cuban Missile Crisis and the president stood his ground and we are all better off because of it. If you were born before the 50's you lived these times as a young person or an adult and it is indeed a glimpse of history. I can easily recommend this to history buffs and especially American history fans such as myself. But, I do take some issues. While I admire the fact that the writers don't try to completely discredit all the questions surrounding the possible conspiracy talk. They don't always make the full case that Oswald had the proper motive. On the other hand how can somebody really ever know the "motive" for killing another human in cold blood? They do go to pains to point out that Oswald did indeed have the required "skill" to make the shot and also make good case for the so called "Magic Bullet" that some have used to discredit the lone assassin theory.
Still, I remember seeing a documentary not very long ago on the assassination. It was fascinating to me because it had a wealth of archival footage even down to a local Dallas news crew. That documentary quoted a Dallas police officer on Jack Ruby. Jack Ruby is of course the nightclub owner that killed Oswald. The book "Killing Kennedy" states that Ruby had motive because he was patriotic and cared about Kennedy. But, according to the documentary I saw the Dallas officer said that if you knew Ruby then you knew that he didn't do it because of patriotism or loyalty to the nation. So, I guess you can take that for what it's worth. I just think maybe the authors didn't bother to do a whole lot of homework on the assassin of the assassin. There are some things we just don't know. Anyway, all in all a good quick read about a period and a man in our history that still has an impact on people of my generation and the generation before us.
I enjoy a good conspiracy theory and I don't get real worked up or mad about "proving" one right or wrong. So, I have read a few articles and started a few books that dealt with the "conspiracy" to kill the president. I put them in the category of u.f.o's and psychics. Interesting but ya got to wade through a lot of b.s. I knew this book wouldn't be that type and would stick to more of the facts as they are known. It really brought the president and those times back and gave a "human" face back to Jackie Kennedy and to the president that some of the glitter and pop culture had taken from them. The background conflict between Bobby Kennedy and L.B.J. was also interesting as was a cameo or two by Herbert Hoover and Frank Sinatra. Marlyn Monroe and Greta Garbo. John and Caroline Kennedy and the baby Patrick that died shortly after coming into this world. The war experience of J.F.K. and the time his ship went down and he took charge to get him and his men rescued while behind enemy lines in the pacific. But, it wasn't fluff and also showed the hesitation at the Bay Of Pigs in Cuba that cemented Castro's power. Kennedy had some reservations about Vietnam but was still of the mindset that we couldn't let it fall to the communist. The civil rights movement and Martin Luther King as well as Birmingham are touched on. Also, the famous photo of the Buddhist Monk who set himself on fire in Vietnam is touched on. If you were born in the late 50's or early 60's these were themes you knew well from childhood and school. It also goes into some detail on the famous Cuban Missile Crisis and the president stood his ground and we are all better off because of it. If you were born before the 50's you lived these times as a young person or an adult and it is indeed a glimpse of history. I can easily recommend this to history buffs and especially American history fans such as myself. But, I do take some issues. While I admire the fact that the writers don't try to completely discredit all the questions surrounding the possible conspiracy talk. They don't always make the full case that Oswald had the proper motive. On the other hand how can somebody really ever know the "motive" for killing another human in cold blood? They do go to pains to point out that Oswald did indeed have the required "skill" to make the shot and also make good case for the so called "Magic Bullet" that some have used to discredit the lone assassin theory.
Still, I remember seeing a documentary not very long ago on the assassination. It was fascinating to me because it had a wealth of archival footage even down to a local Dallas news crew. That documentary quoted a Dallas police officer on Jack Ruby. Jack Ruby is of course the nightclub owner that killed Oswald. The book "Killing Kennedy" states that Ruby had motive because he was patriotic and cared about Kennedy. But, according to the documentary I saw the Dallas officer said that if you knew Ruby then you knew that he didn't do it because of patriotism or loyalty to the nation. So, I guess you can take that for what it's worth. I just think maybe the authors didn't bother to do a whole lot of homework on the assassin of the assassin. There are some things we just don't know. Anyway, all in all a good quick read about a period and a man in our history that still has an impact on people of my generation and the generation before us.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Custer and Sitting Bull
The Last Stand by Nathaniel Philbrick:
I have always been a voracious reader. So, here is a book review from an ebook I read on my Kindle Fire. Ebooks don't have the same satisfying heft and smell to them. But, they seem easier for my 50 plus year old eyes to adjust to these days.
This historical account is written in a similar style to "Killing Lincoln" by Rill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard. Both books are excellent by the way. The Last Stand uses letters and accounts and memories on the people who were present at that time to re-create a narrative that is both historical and reads like a semi-biography/novel. "Hey, did I just make up a new term?" Anyway, I have recently started reading a lot of Rock biographies from the "guitar hero's" of my youth. But, I have always loved history and in particular American History. So, this book was of real interest to me. When I think of the Little Bighorn I think of a single cavalry troop running into a large group of Indians and getting slaughtered. Anyway, let me hit some highlights that I feel really make this book interesting. First the author writes from the perspective of the 1800's and not from a modern politically correct place. So, the term "Native American" isn't ever used. To be honest I don't think most Indians of that time would have appreciated being called "American" anything. Sorry, it's just true. Also, let me say that my Granddaddy was part Cherokee and I don't mean a blued eyed "Hey, I have Indian Blood in me." I mean a high cheekboned, dark skinned person. Not, full blooded but you could see the influence. I say that so if anybody reads this they will understand that I am using the term Indian the way the author did and not out of disrespect.
Custer: I knew very little of Custer outside of the pop culture and some mention in history books of my youth. He does appear breifly in the "Killing Lincoln" book but not as a main character. This book talks about his relationship with his wife which seemed to be strong and she was indeed a proctector of his legacy. It also shows his ambition and disrespect for some of his fellow officers. He rubbed some the wrong way because of his flamboyance. Some of them rubbed him the wrong way because of his ambition and apparent lack of concern for anything other than his "career." But, the main thing that I was taken with was his disrespect for the Indian tribes. He (if the book is correct) had no problem at all in taking women and children hostage and using them as pawns to lure the warriors into his web. He also had no qualms about taking an Indian woman for himself. It was also evident that the government of that day with Grant as president had little reguard for the treaties and welfare of the Indian. They kept coming west and kept taking land and moving the Indian to the reservation especially if that land had minerals and water that would bring more booty into the coffers. Sorry, it's just true. Some of Custers fellow officers were ambitious and jealous but also felt he wasted lives with his wild and overreaching tactics. I was amazed to read accounts of officers drinking hard both before and during a battle. There is an account of one of Custer's officers going to sleep in the midst of gunfire around him. Not, so much because of drink but because he was emotionally worn down. He did wake up and faught bravely once he rested up. Matter of fact it was kind of brave to be able to sleep in the midst of that. Having worked as a civillan for the army and had a spouse in the army. I was amazed at how "loose" the U.S. army of that day was. I was also amazed at how close to the 20th century the U.S. west remained a wilderness and unmapped uncharted territory. Now, this more than likely not the most accurate historical account. At least it's not a text book account. Too many accounts taken from years after the battle from people with their own agendas. But, it is a fascinating look into a time gone by.
Sitting Bull: There is a place in the book late in the book where the head of a government agency says to Sitting Bull "You scared us to death" According to the book the chief replied. "Had you not come onto our land you would have no reason to be afraid." The indian tribes in this book are not on the offensive (depending on your definition of offense) but mainly trying to hold on to a way of life that was being yanked out from under them. They were not a "united" people and not used to working together outside of their own tribe or people. So, the core was not going to hold long enough or strong enough to stop the inevitable. But, I got the feeling that if they had of been united the westward expansion of the U.S. would have taken much longer and been much harder. It was hard anyway. Sitting Bull also had a vision which seemed to show him what was about to happen before the battle. To the authors credit he doens't try to downplay or over play it. He just reccounts it. Sitting Bull seems to come off here as more of an older uncle or even father to the people. He does get them together one last time. He does indeed unite a large (largest camp the U.S. Army had ever witnessed up to that time.) But, reading between the lines the hold was tenacious at best and the center was holding mainly because of the young warriors agression and anger which would have eventually broken the "alliance" anyway. The Indian also had their inner drama and ambitions. It was also amazing to me to see how the Indian Scouts for the army had no qualms about killing their own "kind" off. It was also amazing at how the same indian warriors that were fighting at Little Bighorn would go back and forth from the reservation back to the camp. Sitting Bull was eventually killed by "Indian" police and not white men. This also touched on the Battle at Wounded Knee as a pay back for the Little Bighorn by the army. The accounts both from the indian and the soilder and even some of the wives of both sides read like a good novel.
I highly reccommed this book to anybody who is interested in American History and in particular "Cowboys and Indians" I don't mean to be flippant because this isn't a flippant subject. But, many folks my age who grew up with accounts of the civil war and of the later cowboys and indians and Roy Rogers and Jesse James and Wyatt Earp and of course General Amrstrong Custer will find this riviting and interesting.
I have always been a voracious reader. So, here is a book review from an ebook I read on my Kindle Fire. Ebooks don't have the same satisfying heft and smell to them. But, they seem easier for my 50 plus year old eyes to adjust to these days.
This historical account is written in a similar style to "Killing Lincoln" by Rill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard. Both books are excellent by the way. The Last Stand uses letters and accounts and memories on the people who were present at that time to re-create a narrative that is both historical and reads like a semi-biography/novel. "Hey, did I just make up a new term?" Anyway, I have recently started reading a lot of Rock biographies from the "guitar hero's" of my youth. But, I have always loved history and in particular American History. So, this book was of real interest to me. When I think of the Little Bighorn I think of a single cavalry troop running into a large group of Indians and getting slaughtered. Anyway, let me hit some highlights that I feel really make this book interesting. First the author writes from the perspective of the 1800's and not from a modern politically correct place. So, the term "Native American" isn't ever used. To be honest I don't think most Indians of that time would have appreciated being called "American" anything. Sorry, it's just true. Also, let me say that my Granddaddy was part Cherokee and I don't mean a blued eyed "Hey, I have Indian Blood in me." I mean a high cheekboned, dark skinned person. Not, full blooded but you could see the influence. I say that so if anybody reads this they will understand that I am using the term Indian the way the author did and not out of disrespect.
Custer: I knew very little of Custer outside of the pop culture and some mention in history books of my youth. He does appear breifly in the "Killing Lincoln" book but not as a main character. This book talks about his relationship with his wife which seemed to be strong and she was indeed a proctector of his legacy. It also shows his ambition and disrespect for some of his fellow officers. He rubbed some the wrong way because of his flamboyance. Some of them rubbed him the wrong way because of his ambition and apparent lack of concern for anything other than his "career." But, the main thing that I was taken with was his disrespect for the Indian tribes. He (if the book is correct) had no problem at all in taking women and children hostage and using them as pawns to lure the warriors into his web. He also had no qualms about taking an Indian woman for himself. It was also evident that the government of that day with Grant as president had little reguard for the treaties and welfare of the Indian. They kept coming west and kept taking land and moving the Indian to the reservation especially if that land had minerals and water that would bring more booty into the coffers. Sorry, it's just true. Some of Custers fellow officers were ambitious and jealous but also felt he wasted lives with his wild and overreaching tactics. I was amazed to read accounts of officers drinking hard both before and during a battle. There is an account of one of Custer's officers going to sleep in the midst of gunfire around him. Not, so much because of drink but because he was emotionally worn down. He did wake up and faught bravely once he rested up. Matter of fact it was kind of brave to be able to sleep in the midst of that. Having worked as a civillan for the army and had a spouse in the army. I was amazed at how "loose" the U.S. army of that day was. I was also amazed at how close to the 20th century the U.S. west remained a wilderness and unmapped uncharted territory. Now, this more than likely not the most accurate historical account. At least it's not a text book account. Too many accounts taken from years after the battle from people with their own agendas. But, it is a fascinating look into a time gone by.
Sitting Bull: There is a place in the book late in the book where the head of a government agency says to Sitting Bull "You scared us to death" According to the book the chief replied. "Had you not come onto our land you would have no reason to be afraid." The indian tribes in this book are not on the offensive (depending on your definition of offense) but mainly trying to hold on to a way of life that was being yanked out from under them. They were not a "united" people and not used to working together outside of their own tribe or people. So, the core was not going to hold long enough or strong enough to stop the inevitable. But, I got the feeling that if they had of been united the westward expansion of the U.S. would have taken much longer and been much harder. It was hard anyway. Sitting Bull also had a vision which seemed to show him what was about to happen before the battle. To the authors credit he doens't try to downplay or over play it. He just reccounts it. Sitting Bull seems to come off here as more of an older uncle or even father to the people. He does get them together one last time. He does indeed unite a large (largest camp the U.S. Army had ever witnessed up to that time.) But, reading between the lines the hold was tenacious at best and the center was holding mainly because of the young warriors agression and anger which would have eventually broken the "alliance" anyway. The Indian also had their inner drama and ambitions. It was also amazing to me to see how the Indian Scouts for the army had no qualms about killing their own "kind" off. It was also amazing at how the same indian warriors that were fighting at Little Bighorn would go back and forth from the reservation back to the camp. Sitting Bull was eventually killed by "Indian" police and not white men. This also touched on the Battle at Wounded Knee as a pay back for the Little Bighorn by the army. The accounts both from the indian and the soilder and even some of the wives of both sides read like a good novel.
I highly reccommed this book to anybody who is interested in American History and in particular "Cowboys and Indians" I don't mean to be flippant because this isn't a flippant subject. But, many folks my age who grew up with accounts of the civil war and of the later cowboys and indians and Roy Rogers and Jesse James and Wyatt Earp and of course General Amrstrong Custer will find this riviting and interesting.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)