Monday

                     Musings and History

Quote of the day:

“The Jews are responsible for the creation of two of the most influential leaders in history with Jesus Christ and Karl Marx and have the luxury of not having to follow either one of them.”

                                 Peter Ustinov

I have a friend that is a writer of novels and is published in addition to teaching “creative writing”. This lady is far left of me politically but we agree on one thing that the electronic media is nothing but a sewer full of misinformation, half truths and downright lies. But people continue to point at anything in the media that agrees with their prejudices trying to use that as validation but will point other things on the same page and say that is bullshit when it does not agree with their prejudices. Either it is totally reliable or it isn't. There is no “Some of it is true but some of it isn't...dependent upon what I want it to be.”

          This Date in History December 19

1776 General George Washington and what is left of his army is camped on McKonkey’s farm across the Delaware River from Trenton, New Jersey. He had been kicked out of New York and New Jersey after losing New York City. Not only that, nearly 11,000 of his troops had deserted and went home to their families and the large majority of what was left of his army had their enlistments ending on December 31. On this date Thomas Paine published American Crisis. Included in this pamphlet were these immortal words:

“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldiers and the sunshine patriots will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he who stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered, yet we have this consolation, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the victory.”

Washington and Paine knew the Continental Army was in serious trouble and something had to be done to resurrect a fighting spirit. Washington himself gathered his army around him and read Paine’s word to them. The words had the desired effect and the spirit of the army rose. But just to make sure, Washington planned an attack on Trenton on Christmas Day. He brought his army back across the Delaware River and attacked the Hessian (German mercenaries) encampment in Trenton. The hung-over Hessians were no match for the inflamed Continentals and resulted in a near annihilation of the Hessians. Then on January 2 Washington and his now fired up army met the British army led by General Earl Cornwallis in Princeton, New Jersey and delivered a severe ass-kicking. These two victories and Paine’s words brought more and more recruits into the Continental army which saved our ass.

1998 On this date the United States House of Representatives handed down a Bill of Impeachment against Bill Clinton, the sitting President of the United States. This was only the second time that a Bill of Impeachment had been issued in the history of the United States. Clinton was convicted of lying to a Federal Court and the obstruction of Justice. This came as a result of a sexual liaison Clinton had with an unpaid intern in the White House named Monika Lewinsky and then lying about it under oath. There is no question that Clinton had at least 11 encounters with Monika. After many of the encounters Monika called white house staffer Linda Tripp and told her in detail about her experiences with Slick Willie. Even with all of this, William Jefferson Clinton was able to complete his term as President of our United States.

1817 James Archer is born in Harford County, Maryland. He attended Princeton and Boston College before joining the US army and fought with distinction during the Mexican War and was indeed brevetted Colonel. After the beginning of the Civil War, Archer offered his services to Confederacy. He was assigned to The Army of Northern Virginia in John Bell Hood’s Texas Brigade. He fought with valor at Seven Pines and at the so-called Seven Days. Later on he was assigned to Harry Heth’s division in A.P Hill’s corps. It was Archer who led the attack on the center of US General John Buford’s dismounted cavalry on Seminary Ridge at Gettysburg. Archer’s attack was so effective and his penetration of the Union lines was so deep that his unit was cut off and captured. Archer himself was captured and on his way to the rear he was met with an old comrade in arms, US General Abner Doubleday. Doubleday saw Archer and said that he was glad to see him. Archer responded with “Well, I am not glad to see you, not by a damned sight.” Archer went to a prison camp for about 15 months and was exchanged. He went back to duty and was assigned duty in the trenches in and around Petersburg. The stay in the prison camp had weakened him and he finally died in those trenches in October of 1864. He was a recognized as a superior field commander by both sides. There is a plaque on McPherson’s Ridge at Gettysburg dedicated to General Archer’s division, I have been there several times. Every American should go there to feel the restlessness of the spirits lying in that field between McPherson’s Ridge and Cemetery Ridge where “Pickett's Charge” occurred. It would give you a deeper understanding of courage and dedication. It has been reported that if you walk out into the middle of that field, sit down and be real quiet you can detect a low continuous moan...I did.

1978 On December 3 the police in Des Plaines, Illinois had received a complaint about child abuse against a man named John Wayne Gacy. They did not have enough evidence to arrest Gacy so they staked out his house. On this day, Gacy’s neighbors complained about a “funky” smell coming from Gacy’s house. The police obtained a warrant and entered the house and were met with an overwhelming stench of rotting flesh. Further investigations found several bodies buried in the crawlspace under the house. The police finally found that Gacy had been responsible for the murders of over 25 people, mostly adolescents, in several states. Gacy is recognized as one of the worst serial killers in United States history. This animal was sentenced to death but was able to appeal his case for 14 years. He eventually met his maker with needles in his arms. I can think of many more appropriate ways for this beast to depart this earth...don’t get me started.

Births and deaths:

1778 British educator Henry Brougham is born. He said “Education makes people easy to lead, hard to drive, easy to govern and impossible to enslave.”

1910 French writer Jean Genet is born. He said “To achieve harmony in bad taste is the epitome of elegance.”

Quotable quotes:

“When we talk to God, we are praying, when God talks to us we are schizophrenic.”

                                       Lily Tomlin

              Thanks for listening   I can hardly wait until tomorrow