Monday OYSTERS

                    Musings and History

Quote of the day:

“It was finally found out why Lincoln was shot...his cell phone kept ringing in the theater.”

                                               Jay Leno

I would like to see a show of hands of those that are fed up with the candidates slinging mud at each other. I want to see serious discussion about the issues rather than displays of sophomoric tantrums by all of them. The world is going to hell in a hand basket and candidates are concerned about their opponent's tax return 20 years back??? or how much he sweats??? All that tells me is their first priority is getting elected and/or reelected and everything else comes in second...including their maturity.

I am not totally a Trump supporter but is boggles my mind that Rubio and Cruz can give him a hard time about his business failures and bankruptcies. At least Trump has tried to make it in the private sector and what these two have done all their mature lives is suck the blood of the taxpayers. That takes some gall, y'all. The original concept as structured by the founders of this nation was for the citizenry to serve in Congress for a short period of time and then “go back to the farm”. They knew what continued political power could do...power corrupts and by George they were right.

The next segment is not for any of those mentioned above. It is about honor, courage and bravery, something unknown to all of them.

I recently included a description of the flag raising on Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima by the US Marines. Here is a Medal of Honor citation for one of those heroes in that hell on Earth.

The President of the United States in behalf of Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to

                         FIRST LIEUTENANT JACK LUMMUS
                 UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE

For service as set forth in the following:
CITATION:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Leader of a Rifle Platoon, attached to Company E, Second Battalion, Twenty-seventh Marines, Fifth Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, 8 March 1945.

Resuming his assault tactics with bold decision after fighting without respite for two days and nights, First Lieutenant Lummus slowly advanced his platoon against an enemy deeply entrenched in a network of mutually supporting positions. Suddenly halted by a terrific concentration of hostile fire, he unhesitatingly moved forward of his front line in an effort to neutralize the Japanese position. Although knocked to the ground when an enemy grenade exploded close by, he immediately recovered himself and, again moving forward despite the intensified barrage, quickly located attacked and destroyed the occupied emplacement. Instantly taken under fire by the garrison of a supporting pillbox and further assailed by the slashing fury of hostile rifle fire, he fell under the impact of a second enemy grenade, but courageously disregarding painful shoulder wounds, staunchly continued his heroic one-man assault and charged the second pillbox annihilating all the occupants. Subsequently returning to his platoon position, he fearlessly traversed his lines under fire, encouraging his men to advance and directing the fire of supporting tanks against other stubbornly holding Japanese emplacements. Held up again by a devastating barrage, he again moved into the open, rushed a third heavily fortified installation and killed all the defending enemy. Determined to crush all resistance, he led his men indomitably, personally, attacking foxholes and spider-traps with his carbine and systematically reducing the fanatic opposition until, stepping on a land mine, he sustained fatal wounds. By his outstanding valor, skilled tactics and tenacious perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds, First Lieutenant Lummus had inspired his stouthearted Marines to continue the relentless drive northward, thereby contributing materially to the success of his company's mission. His dauntless leadership and unwavering devotion to duty throughout enhanced and sustained the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.

/S/ HARRY S. TRUMAN

After seeing Lieutenant Lummus absorb all this punishment alone and keep fighting, all of the men of his rifle company were crying and when the land mine finally killed him, they rose up together and screaming at the top of their lungs, charged the entrenched Japanese.

Honor, bravery and courage inspires, mudslinging does not.

This Date in History February 29

1940 On this date the “Oscars” ceremony was held in Hollywood. It was a momentous occasion because the movie Gone with the Wind made from a novel by Margaret Mitchell had swept nearly every category. Taking inflation into account, this movie was the largest grossing films of all time. What made this event so special was that Hattie McDaniel, a black woman, won an Oscar for “Best Supporting Actress” for her portrayal as “Mammy”. She played Scarlet O’Hara’s (Vivien Leigh) slave/maid/servant/cook. She was the first black person to receive accolades for performing in the movies. The black community gave her a hard time because her portrayal was one of a condescending sharp-tongued servant that seemed to be happy with her lot as a slave. She did not get many movie offers after this but she did get a lot of work in radio but again playing an acid tongued household servant. Hattie died at age 57 of breast cancer.

1972 On this date Henry “The Hammer” Aaron signed a three year contract with the Atlanta Braves for $200,000 per year. That contract was the most lucrative up until that time. Compare that with what Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter signed for the last few years. I don’t blame the players, I blame the owners. The owners have no problem with trading your ass if it is to their financial advantage, so don’t say anything about loyalty to the team. The owners want the players to have an esprit-de-corps but if one of the players has an off season or is injured a lot, you can wave them goodbye. All teams, Chicago Cubs excepted, make more money if they have a winning team. The Cubs are sold out for every game, win lose or draw, thanks to the loyalty of the fans, not the owners. I will move on now.

1996 On this date a man named Malik Nettles jumped aboard a school bus in Saint Louis and killed the driver and pumped four shots into a pregnant 15 year old girl named Kyunia Taylor. He is arrested and he named Kyunia’s next door neighbor, 30 year old Mark Boyd, as the man that had hire him to kill little Kyunia. The police came to find out that Boyd had knocked up several other under-aged girls but had decided that he could not support any more kids and hired Malik for $4,000 to kill Kyunia and the baby she was carrying. The baby was saved and lived for 23 days before expiring. For reasons known only to the jury, Boyd was convicted of only second degree murder but the judge threw the book at him and gave him 26 years without the possibility of parole. As far as the assassin is concerned, he got 6 life terms. He will not see daylight again in this lifetime.

           Thanks for listening I can hardly wait until tomorrow