........................events I have attended in DC in the past 20 years was a Conference convened by the Aspen Institute on Income Inequality. I was blown away by the presentation of Slam Poet, Clint Smith.
I urge you, implore you, to hear it NOW at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izf8ADh6ymY
I hope you will pass this on to others
Ron
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
One of the TOP TEN..................
.....................lectures and events I have attended in the past 20 years in Washington, D. C.
Religious leaders from the Sikh, Muslim, Jewish and Christian traditions were present for a Worship Service at the Washington National Cathedral in January just after President Obama was inaugurated for his second term. The tradition has been followed since the inauguration of George Washington and has been held in the Washington National Cathedral since the inauguration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. This years address was given by the Rev. Adam Hamilton from the Methodist Church in Leawood, Kansas, the largest church of that denomination. While the entire service was awesome, I was particularly impressed by the "advise" Hamilton directed to the President.
In brief he made the following points:
What a privilege to be in attendance. Rather than just reading my summary, I sincerely hope you will avail yourself of the entire printed sermon at:
In brief he made the following points:
- There seem to be three reasons why people run public office;
- desire for power and to feel important
- they are a little off in the head
- they really want to make a difference
- The historic example of Moses discloses three aspects of leadership
- A humble person with heart and character brings forth compassion for the marginalized and oppressed.
- Vision is necessary to motivate and inspire people.
- Despite opposition and discouragement a true leader never gives up.
What a privilege to be in attendance. Rather than just reading my summary, I sincerely hope you will avail yourself of the entire printed sermon at:
http://www.adamhamilton.org/blog/lessons-from-moses-2013-inaugural-prayer-service-sermon/
Or even better see and hear it at:
http://www.c-span.org/video/?283503-1/inaugural-prayer-service
IF YOU FOUND HAMILTON'S SERMON MEANINGFUL, I HOPE YOU WILL SHARE THIS WITH OTHERS.
I'm quite sure that you will find next weeks "one of the top ten" to be most interesting. I heard - and you can too - hear a fabulous SLAM POET!.
Or even better see and hear it at:
http://www.c-span.org/video/?283503-1/inaugural-prayer-service
IF YOU FOUND HAMILTON'S SERMON MEANINGFUL, I HOPE YOU WILL SHARE THIS WITH OTHERS.
I'm quite sure that you will find next weeks "one of the top ten" to be most interesting. I heard - and you can too - hear a fabulous SLAM POET!.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Ron Rants and Raves about the four social/cultural institutions that have shaped his life
The nearly 2,000 questions that were asked of me on Reddit's "Ask Me Anything" initially focused on my longevity and amazement that an old man could have a blog, I soon came to realize that the underlying theme related to what I felt contributed to my having a relatively satisfactory and successful QUALITY of life.
It seemed the questions posed by (mostly) young people were a rather nostalgic look at the past wondering what made the "Greatest Generation" what it was. But at the same time it forced me to look at the FAILINGS of the past with the hope there might be clues for making America EVEN BETTER in the future. While I was surprised at the number of questions, I was even more surprised by how insightfully probing they were and how they seemed to want advise from the "Voice of Experience" on some of the basic issues of life!
It seemed the questions posed by (mostly) young people were a rather nostalgic look at the past wondering what made the "Greatest Generation" what it was. But at the same time it forced me to look at the FAILINGS of the past with the hope there might be clues for making America EVEN BETTER in the future. While I was surprised at the number of questions, I was even more surprised by how insightfully probing they were and how they seemed to want advise from the "Voice of Experience" on some of the basic issues of life!
Equally dramatic to me was how answering them effected me. It was almost as though - at the age 90 - I was mysteriously forced to look critically at these 90 years and place my life and existence in perspective. With questions as wide ranging and intrusive as "After 43 years of marriage how could you even consider marrying someone else" to "What do you think of revenge" to "What is the purpose of life" to "What did you think about the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima"? I was amazed at how easily the answers flowed, but I hardly expected to have to be philosophical about that which is so important. And even though I have never had a course in philosophy, I now begin a philosophical look at my life and offer some thoughts for the future!
- The four social/cultural institutions that have shaped my life are:
- The family
- The church/Religion
- Public Education
- Government
- Each of these are in the midst of dramatic change.
I'll have a week now to prepare my thoughts on the topic that was so profoundly effected by Traister's book, "All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent nation". I'll look forward to any thoughts you might like to share with me.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Answering the question: What are the the most important/dramatic events for good and ill that happened in your lifetime?
I'll soon get to the answer, but first I have to tell you of the good and the bad that happened to me this week. Having had so much attention drawn to my blogging locally and worldwide on Reddit, I worked long and hard to give an erudite answer to the question of the week – I did little else for three days! And suddenly one simple computer error lost it all.
All of a sudden I knew that both bad and good occurred through that simple error. For bad was losing what I felt was a powerful statement about world peace and mental health . But I was also made to understand that I was trying to do too much. Composing two blogs while trying to answer over 1000 questions was just too much for an old man.
I had found it so remarkable that so many young people were interested in the musings of an old man that they would ask almost 2000 perceptive and thoughtful questions. Each one, I felt, deserved an answer. The questions were so heartfelt and sincere that I knew I would regret not answering as many as I possibly could. Thus rather than trying to prepare thoughtful essays on my rant, my efforts for the foreseeable future will be to answer the questions that were posed. What a personal joy for me to be asked and able to respond!
The most important event in my mind of a negative nature in our country was the closure of mental hospitals for the mentally ill before we had planned appropriate treatment for patients.
I was truly surprised by my answers, and I am sure you are too. I wish I had time to explain in full how dramatic I believe the two steps were in the pursuit of world peace and in our nation's failure to intelligently consider treatment for mental illness*. Hopefully I'll return to both topics soon, just as I will share the two events of a personal nature that brought joy and sadness to me. But they will need much background information.
*The failure of society to consider mental illness appropriately can best be illustrated, I believe, in the presidential campaign of 1972. I wonder if young people are aware of it. Thomas Eagleton, who had served two terms in the Senate, had been selected by George McGovern as his vice-presidential nominee. Eagleton was forced to withdraw because it was later disclosed that he had previously been hospitalized for depression.
.
All of a sudden I knew that both bad and good occurred through that simple error. For bad was losing what I felt was a powerful statement about world peace and mental health . But I was also made to understand that I was trying to do too much. Composing two blogs while trying to answer over 1000 questions was just too much for an old man.
I had found it so remarkable that so many young people were interested in the musings of an old man that they would ask almost 2000 perceptive and thoughtful questions. Each one, I felt, deserved an answer. The questions were so heartfelt and sincere that I knew I would regret not answering as many as I possibly could. Thus rather than trying to prepare thoughtful essays on my rant, my efforts for the foreseeable future will be to answer the questions that were posed. What a personal joy for me to be asked and able to respond!
ANSWERING THE QUESTION FOR THE WEEK
The most important event in my mind for good of a worldwide nature was the creation of the United Nations.
*The failure of society to consider mental illness appropriately can best be illustrated, I believe, in the presidential campaign of 1972. I wonder if young people are aware of it. Thomas Eagleton, who had served two terms in the Senate, had been selected by George McGovern as his vice-presidential nominee. Eagleton was forced to withdraw because it was later disclosed that he had previously been hospitalized for depression.
.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
You wrote that the country was divided before our entry into WWII. I'm surprised because the evil from Germany and Japan was so apparent that I sure thought we were united.
Ah! We just can't get away from WWII. I love a question that brings out the history teacher in me.
How important that we study history to learn from the lessons of the past. The above question comes those young people who did not realize that our country was not totally united in its eagerness to resist the Axis Powers in the late 1930's. I well remember the many, Keep US out of War: Be Neutral, signs that were on (real) bumpers, in store fronts and homes. And there were a variety of organized groups proclaiming, American First! Surely the leadership of Americas' newly crowned hero Charles Lindbergh, who became enamored with the industrial progress of Germany, also added to the opposition. Of course the opposition also grew from the experience of World War I and the view that entering the wars of Europe (which were virtually a constant throughout history) was folly and America should stay free of any foreign entanglements.
All this changed of course with the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor. However America's fascination with conspiracy theories continued as the hostility toward Roosevelt was so entrenched that many believed that attack was actually orchestrated by him and his administration in order to silence opposition to our support of the allied powers.. Lynne Olson's recently published book, "Those Angry Days" refers not to our present time, but to the time before WWII. I highly recommend it.
I wonder how present day events might be changed had there been an opportunity for more enlightened discussion of the issues present before the war in Iraq began. In some ways it appears that war and the threat of war brings out the best and the worst in our country.
Next week I'll respond to a very frequently asked question, "What do you consider to be the most important/dramatic/events for both good and ill during your lifetime? And I'll tackle it from both a worldwide and personal perspective. I hope you will give it some thought to it as well.
How important that we study history to learn from the lessons of the past. The above question comes those young people who did not realize that our country was not totally united in its eagerness to resist the Axis Powers in the late 1930's. I well remember the many, Keep US out of War: Be Neutral, signs that were on (real) bumpers, in store fronts and homes. And there were a variety of organized groups proclaiming, American First! Surely the leadership of Americas' newly crowned hero Charles Lindbergh, who became enamored with the industrial progress of Germany, also added to the opposition. Of course the opposition also grew from the experience of World War I and the view that entering the wars of Europe (which were virtually a constant throughout history) was folly and America should stay free of any foreign entanglements.
All this changed of course with the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor. However America's fascination with conspiracy theories continued as the hostility toward Roosevelt was so entrenched that many believed that attack was actually orchestrated by him and his administration in order to silence opposition to our support of the allied powers.. Lynne Olson's recently published book, "Those Angry Days" refers not to our present time, but to the time before WWII. I highly recommend it.
I wonder how present day events might be changed had there been an opportunity for more enlightened discussion of the issues present before the war in Iraq began. In some ways it appears that war and the threat of war brings out the best and the worst in our country.
Next week I'll respond to a very frequently asked question, "What do you consider to be the most important/dramatic/events for both good and ill during your lifetime? And I'll tackle it from both a worldwide and personal perspective. I hope you will give it some thought to it as well.
Ron
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
What is one trend or device from your generation you would bring back?
Blog readers Stephanie's answer to this query was "I ofttimes wish I had a day or week without the Internet, smart phone and laptop." Amazingly this first (and only) response to the question was very similar to mine, "I'd bring back Sunday as a day of rest, almost all stores were closed, no work was done (except for mother preparing the big Sunday dinner) and children's play was to be on the quiet side."
And while it may have started from a religious tradition, I doubt that a majority of people went to church even then. And as a child I often rebelled at having to stay indoors and play pickup sticks or Parcheesi. But the wisdom of this lifestyle was underscored for me by my grandson who spent a year in Germany. As a soccer aficionado he went to see if he could make his mark in a country where soccer rules. While he enjoyed his modest success at soccer, he totally fell in love with a more relaxed lifestyle in Germany, particularly the fact that Sunday was a much more relaxed day with very few stores open. I'm afraid in America where individuality, capitalism and freedom rules, there is little likelihood of returning to those halcyon days. But there's nothing to keep individual families from doing things that make sense to them to improve their quality of life. I well remember that as Regina and I were bringing up our four children (during what we thought were busy times) we held Friday night almost sacred as a FAMILY TIME. I wonder how much that may have contributed tomy continuing joy of having a close knit family?
And once again disclosing my Germanic heritage and recent trips there and having visitors here from Germany, let me close with a few things I've gained recently from German insights and lifestyle.
And while it may have started from a religious tradition, I doubt that a majority of people went to church even then. And as a child I often rebelled at having to stay indoors and play pickup sticks or Parcheesi. But the wisdom of this lifestyle was underscored for me by my grandson who spent a year in Germany. As a soccer aficionado he went to see if he could make his mark in a country where soccer rules. While he enjoyed his modest success at soccer, he totally fell in love with a more relaxed lifestyle in Germany, particularly the fact that Sunday was a much more relaxed day with very few stores open. I'm afraid in America where individuality, capitalism and freedom rules, there is little likelihood of returning to those halcyon days. But there's nothing to keep individual families from doing things that make sense to them to improve their quality of life. I well remember that as Regina and I were bringing up our four children (during what we thought were busy times) we held Friday night almost sacred as a FAMILY TIME. I wonder how much that may have contributed tomy continuing joy of having a close knit family?
And once again disclosing my Germanic heritage and recent trips there and having visitors here from Germany, let me close with a few things I've gained recently from German insights and lifestyle.
- I'm told that the practice in German elections is that a candidate can speak only of themselves and their plans and not speak ill of others..
- This practice also extends to the store clerks who only show you the merchandise and do not try to flatter you and encourage you to purchase the item.
- Recent German visitors, upon seeing so many graves at Arlington Cemetery, spoke highly and respectfully of the willingness of Americans to give their lives for the freedom of others around the world.
- These same visitors at Arlington, surrounded by the hundreds of eighth-graders also present in the cemetery, felt that American teenagers were so much more respectful than was their experience with teenagers at home.
Once again I am indebted to the more than 2000 who let me reminisce and respond to their thoughtful questions. I'd hoped to leave the questions about WWII in next week's blog, but a fascinating response I received causes me to make one more (rather detailed) response. I hope you will check me out.
Ron
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Continuing to respond in summary to the thousands of questions I have received.
The thrill of being asked so many fascinating questions encourages me to keep going (and that can be interpreted in a number of ways, I realize). I make no claims for being an expert, but I have had some rather broad experiences, and I believe I bring common sense to my remembrances. And if folks are going to read my rants in greater numbers than they did before, I will feel challenged to use this vehicle to answer questions. Although I have already responded to questions about WWII, there were so many expressing a curiosity about how life was different in that period, I'll share a few personal experiences..
I well remember the division in our country before Pearl Harbor. Certainly there was great hostility to the leadership of FDR, and I recall that the people next door who had a son of draft age were vehemently against getting involved in "foreign entanglements". Homes and cars had signs reading, "Keep U. S. Out of War - Be Neutral"! We could, however, hear the shrill voice of Adolf Hitler on one of our three major radio stations. (Note that having fewer trusted media was one of the things that united us that we don't have today.)
One of the other sources of news occurred when we went to the theater (for about $.35). San Antonio, with a population of 250,000, had three major theaters downtown and they were truly enormous, very ornate movie palaces. Rather than having advertisements and trailers advertising forthcoming movies, THE PATHE NEWS gave us glimpses of what was occurring in Europe. After the movie was over, if one wanted to stay to see it again, one was entertained by musical groups. I well remember the nationally known PHIL SPITALNE AND HIS ALL GIRL ORCHESTRA playing the top tunes that were on the radio's LUCKY STRIKE HIT PARADE. However Lucky Strike had to change the color of their pack because the green dye was needed in the war effort. Thus their slogan was, LUCKY STRIKE GREEN HAS GONE TO WAR! But men (and women for the first time in the service) were given all the cigarettes they wanted to smoke. Straight arrow me never did!
But the attack on Pearl Harbor united the nation. Ths common enemy united the country with everyone seeming to want to do their part. We collected scrap metal and tin foil that wrapped our candy bars. Most consumer products were rationed and we had stamps noting our allotment. At 16 was I just so I'll informed or have I sublimated the terrible things we did to those citizens of Japanese heritage on the West Coast? We of German descent faced no such trauma!!!!
There are of course books on this topic, but there are many experiences not recorded about the war. I'll close my thoughts on this topic with an email I received from a close friend:
I well remember the division in our country before Pearl Harbor. Certainly there was great hostility to the leadership of FDR, and I recall that the people next door who had a son of draft age were vehemently against getting involved in "foreign entanglements". Homes and cars had signs reading, "Keep U. S. Out of War - Be Neutral"! We could, however, hear the shrill voice of Adolf Hitler on one of our three major radio stations. (Note that having fewer trusted media was one of the things that united us that we don't have today.)
One of the other sources of news occurred when we went to the theater (for about $.35). San Antonio, with a population of 250,000, had three major theaters downtown and they were truly enormous, very ornate movie palaces. Rather than having advertisements and trailers advertising forthcoming movies, THE PATHE NEWS gave us glimpses of what was occurring in Europe. After the movie was over, if one wanted to stay to see it again, one was entertained by musical groups. I well remember the nationally known PHIL SPITALNE AND HIS ALL GIRL ORCHESTRA playing the top tunes that were on the radio's LUCKY STRIKE HIT PARADE. However Lucky Strike had to change the color of their pack because the green dye was needed in the war effort. Thus their slogan was, LUCKY STRIKE GREEN HAS GONE TO WAR! But men (and women for the first time in the service) were given all the cigarettes they wanted to smoke. Straight arrow me never did!
But the attack on Pearl Harbor united the nation. Ths common enemy united the country with everyone seeming to want to do their part. We collected scrap metal and tin foil that wrapped our candy bars. Most consumer products were rationed and we had stamps noting our allotment. At 16 was I just so I'll informed or have I sublimated the terrible things we did to those citizens of Japanese heritage on the West Coast? We of German descent faced no such trauma!!!!
There are of course books on this topic, but there are many experiences not recorded about the war. I'll close my thoughts on this topic with an email I received from a close friend:
"It's ancient history to so many, but my
father was captured on Corridor with Gen. Wainwright, and spent the rest
of the War (and even 2 weeks after the Japanese surrendered) in prison
camps in the Philippines and in the camps in northern Japan. I doubt he
would have survived for much longer if he and the others hadn't been
found. And a few years later, when I was in high school on Guam where he
was stationed, there were Japanese soldiers still hiding in the
boondocks, holding out to the bitter end for the Emperor. My friends and
I got in trouble from our parents for exploring and hunting for
souvenirs, but we found some. I just kept a couple of records from a
camp we found, but they wouldn't play on my phonograph and besides, they
were in Japanese, so I didn't keep them!"
I hope others of you will get to other WWII veterans before it is too late.
I hope others of you will get to other WWII veterans before it is too late.
Next week I'll respond to the provocative question< "What is one trend or devise from your generation that you would bring back? I hope you'll add your insight as a comment below, and I'll share the way I answered the question.
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