Speaking of 1789! Revolution all over the place in July.
Well, the Russkies waited till less clement weather,although the Reds did massacre the Romanovs in July.
Other notable July dates:
1st —— First day of the Battle of the Somme, 1916; tragic, shocking, historic and vile
Also birthday of the People's Princess (sounds like another Bolshevik reference, doesn't it?)
15th — Second Battle of the Marne commences, 1918.
Very important in marking the beginning of the end of WW1.
And sometime now was the birth of Julius Caesar, right? Hence the name of the month. Don't have the actual date.
And lots of people near & dear to me and M have birthdays in this month. To all, many happy returns and lots of affection from us both.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Friday, July 4, 2008
Loyalist Confessions
That flag over to the left is the United Empire Loyalist flag. My confessions here are of the descendant of soldiers on the Revolutionary side in 1776 and the Union side in 1861-65. But I, down the road, am a Loyalist, a renegade from family tradition. And 4 July is my annual day of expressing my natural contrariness to tradition.
We could be Canada.
Well, a kind of Canada. Just think of it: slavery abolished far earlier, no hideous Civil War and its endless aftermath; the possibility of helping Europe in the Great War right from the get-go and/or kicking totalitarian butt several years earlier; universal health care; much cheaper postage rates going north of the 49th parallel; and a bit more perspective on history and the complexities of the world in general.
Wishful thinking. But there's something to it, no? And if you'd like to read a gifted writer's novel about this topic, read Murther and Walking Spirits by Robertson Davies (Canadian, of course). It is a good reminder that: the Colonials in 1776 were often seen as — look out — terrorists of the time, brigands and outlaws. With just reason. They confiscated property of those who didn't agree with them (!), withheld justice and support for those who didn't agree with them (!) and weren't above tarring and feathering those who didn't agree with them (!). [See The History of US by Joy Hakim] Large numbers of law-abiding citizens fled their wrath in the wake of the "noble", democratic revolution. Shades of 1789 in Paris....
So you're saying, well, if we were still part of the UK we'd have to have a class system (we don't now ?!?) and lords and ladies (we do: they're called movie stars); drink tea (well, more Brits drink coffee than you'd think); drive on the "wrong" side of the road (it's just different — and Canada drives on the right side anyway).
So that's my annual cry in the wind for being another kind of American. Food for thought to accompany your BBQ.
We could be Canada.
Well, a kind of Canada. Just think of it: slavery abolished far earlier, no hideous Civil War and its endless aftermath; the possibility of helping Europe in the Great War right from the get-go and/or kicking totalitarian butt several years earlier; universal health care; much cheaper postage rates going north of the 49th parallel; and a bit more perspective on history and the complexities of the world in general.
Wishful thinking. But there's something to it, no? And if you'd like to read a gifted writer's novel about this topic, read Murther and Walking Spirits by Robertson Davies (Canadian, of course). It is a good reminder that: the Colonials in 1776 were often seen as — look out — terrorists of the time, brigands and outlaws. With just reason. They confiscated property of those who didn't agree with them (!), withheld justice and support for those who didn't agree with them (!) and weren't above tarring and feathering those who didn't agree with them (!). [See The History of US by Joy Hakim] Large numbers of law-abiding citizens fled their wrath in the wake of the "noble", democratic revolution. Shades of 1789 in Paris....
So you're saying, well, if we were still part of the UK we'd have to have a class system (we don't now ?!?) and lords and ladies (we do: they're called movie stars); drink tea (well, more Brits drink coffee than you'd think); drive on the "wrong" side of the road (it's just different — and Canada drives on the right side anyway).
So that's my annual cry in the wind for being another kind of American. Food for thought to accompany your BBQ.
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