Winning Words 5/11/09
“History never looks like history when you’re living through it.” (John W. Gardner)
When I grew up in The Great Depression, I never thought of it as an historical occasion.
I could make a list of similar events that happened in my lifetime. In the future, as
people look back on our present decade, what history-making events do you think will stand
out? Maybe we can compare our lists? ;-) Jack

MORE FROM JACK: Wasn't it Henry Ford who said, "History is bunk?" What's bunk?

FROM T.L. IN MICHIGAN: Thanks again for the daily bread.

FROM M.T. IN PENNSYLVANIA: just for fun, here's a tidbit from A. Whitney Brown's brilliant book of social/political satire, "The Big Picture" History is a very tricky thing. To begin with, you can't get it mixed up with the past. The past actually happened, but history is only what someone wrote down. If you don't think there is a difference, just witness an event and then read about it the next day in 'The New York Post.' History is made by writers -- made up, if they have a deadline. Knowing this reveals one of the greatest mysteries of history: The reason history repeats itself is not a cosmic plan, it's plagiarism.

FROM GOOD DEBT JON: I must be odd. I have always thought about how history will treat the big events we were living through. I saw (news of)assassinations of JFK, (age 7) MLK, RFK (4-5 years later) The moon landing, Vietnam, Woodstock (age 13) race riots, Kent State, and the free love hippie movement all by age 15. It felt like history in the making to me. Converting America into a French Socialist state by Balkanizing groups of people to gain power and handing Chrysler (or the Anti-Chrysler as it were)over to the UAW and overt versus covert welfare for businesses (GM-AIG-CITI et al) yes Jack I see history and I wish it were only an Oliver Stone conspiracy plot in a movie. We cannot help but live history by definition--whether we are aware is another thing.

FROM HILLTOPPER JOHN: I have always felt that we don't really start getting any true perspective on an historical event until we are at least fifty years from it....until the primary characters are dead and gone. I think we are just starting to get a handle on the depression and WW II and perhaps the immediate post-war years. Most of the history on the 60s and 70s is no good now since too many of the participants are trying to write it and, therefore, there is no objectivity. I personally think that the late 50s and early 60s will be seen as a great time when we made enormous progress forward as a people and that the late 60s and 70s will be seen as a negative period in US history....but, it remains to be seen. I'm on my way to Colorado and heading thru good old EM.

FROM MOLINER C.F.: History is for people who live in the past, Learn from it and look ahead.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: I wish this era was history! I do not like the way things are heading for the country at all. I'm afraid of the coming "history" also. I try keep my postive thoughts but some days it's just overwhelming. Today was one. Tomorrow will come soon enough and today will be history.

FROM A.W. IN ILLINOIS: been reading the original book by the astronauts about Apollo 11. Just think, it was 40 yrs ago men walked on the surface of the moon. Also, I suddenly realized that I have been driving an automobile for more than 60 yrs....What history!

FROM F.M. IN WISCONSIN: 9/11, the invasion of Iraq, the market crash, the tragedy in Africa, the election of Geo.Bush in 2000 and the 2008 election.