History Repeats, and then History Repeats (Again)
Read MoreWhat’s the whole point of going to great lengths to study history and try to take lessons from it, if all the benefits and blessings of that immense treasure trove of knowledge are IGNORED?
These Disunited States: A Serious Question About Secession
THESE DISUNITED STATES:
A QUESTION ABOUT SECESSION
How many of you would vote for a national divorce? Another word for this is — a secession, which then becomes a partition. That would mean a state or group of states leaving the USA and forming a new sovereign nation. Of course, several states did try this once back during the 1860s and things didn’t turn out so well. But, let’s assume a modern hypothetical secession could be peaceful—-would you support it?
Answering this question requires creative imagination. Given the sprawling U.S. map and how states could presumably divide, many isthmuses would be necessary to connect states scattered everywhere. Moreover, big cities in some states would protest. And, rural people in other states would protest, too. No one wants to be a minority inside their own “country.” So, even if it could happen, there are problems with dividing along red-blue boundaries.
When you think more about it, secession sounds next to impossible in practical terms. But for the sake of discussion, let’s shelve those concerns for now and just talk hypothetically —
Read MoreWOULD YOU AGREE TO A PEACEFUL SECESSION IF GIVEN A CHANCE TO VOTE ON IT?
The First “Woke” Movement
NO, “WOKE” DID NOT ORIGINATE ON THE LEFT:
IT’S ORIGINS MAY ACTUALLY SURPRISE YOU
In the summer heat of 1971 in broad daylight in front of thousands of people protesting “offensive ethnic stereotypes” in New York City, a stranger approached Mafia godfather Joseph Columbo and blasted three bullets into his body, including two into the head. More on that story in a moment.
Read MoreTurning Point: The Vietnam War (Five-Part Netflix Series Review)
TURNING POINT: THE VIETNAM WAR (NETFLIX SERIES–REVIEW)
“You will kill 10 of us, we will kill one of you. But in the end you will tire first.” — Ho Chi Minh
“We’re killing these people at a ratio of 10 to 1.” — Army Gen. William Westmoreland, U.S. supreme commander in Vietnam
“Westy, the American people don’t care about the 10, they care about the one.” — Sen. Fritz Hollings, a decorated World War II veteran from Westmoreland’s home state of South Carolina
The Vietnam War ended 50 years ago. The recent anniversary date (April 30, 1975) prompted several retrospectives–old and new. As is the case with many historical events, the passage of time does provides a broader, deeper, and clearer perspective of what really happened. Much like a forest and the trees, some distance away from the subject often provides the best vantage point.
Read MoreThoughts on Smoking
I just saw a report that says cigarette smoking among the American population has reached an all-time low. Only about 11 percent of Americans smoke cigarettes–defined as using a tobacco product within the past week. The high point on smoking’s popularity was the year 1965, when nearly half of all adults smoked. This interim period reveals a remarkable reversal of habit, social norms, and how different everyday activities used to be, when smoking was such a significant part of daily life.
Read MoreMy Muse
Marieta Dalla
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