That is a profound response and I thank you for it. I feel very badly that I managed to put a gauzy spin on the formative years. I take your reproach fully.
I thought that the part I wrote about “endless rapacity and cruelty when needed” would do more than it did do, in retrospect. “Needed” of course referred to the perceived needs of th…
That is a profound response and I thank you for it. I feel very badly that I managed to put a gauzy spin on the formative years. I take your reproach fully.
I thought that the part I wrote about “endless rapacity and cruelty when needed” would do more than it did do, in retrospect. “Needed” of course referred to the perceived needs of the settlers.
My main point was to be on the modern cultural trough that many Americans have fallen into and is so hard to escape. So, having been criticized for the length of my writing in the past, and not wanting to look like I was trying to be a mini Professor Cox Richardson, I summarized the early years briefly.
Too briefly. I see that now and can only offer apologies for it. I appreciate you taking the time to point this out so vigorously.
MR. O’Donnell. I take off––not tip––my hat to you! Your gracious response to my assertive?––aggressive?––response, was most impressive! It lived up to my earlier assessment of you and your wisdom and perspective and humility.
My comments were intended, not only make a forceful statement of the historical and present-day facts as I see them and have experienced them, but also to shine a spotlight––floodlight––on our knee-jerk tendency to allow the American myth––fairy tale––to creep into our day-to-day chit-chat and discourse.
In addition, I wanted to give you another chance to edit––to rewrite––your comments…as you have so admirably done.
Again, I salute you for your laudable and invaluable sense of reality and responsibility. This nation––this world!––is in desperate need of women and men who can look themselves in the mirror and still tell it like it is!
I knew from the first paragraph of your original post that you were a gracious person. Thank you for responding to my mea culpa. You’d be a great person to meet.
In my kid-raising days we went to Myrtle Beach at least 15 times, driving from Ontario. I was always relieved and jazzed to see the beginning of the “South of the Border” signs. We were nearly there! :) Do you live inland?
As we went more and more we got to know the state a bit. There were some huge contrasts - eye openers for a sheltered family from Ontario. To this day my kids talk about those trips. My youngest son has the sacred role of being “keeper of the journals” we wrote on each trip - our daily record, notated scrupulously.
Eric! It’s been a pleasure and an honor to meet you, my new Canadian friend! My wife and I always like gaining new friends, especially furriners!
We happen to live about 15 miles from good ol’ MB. How about them apples? We came here about 35 years ago when I had the opportunity to serve at Radio Bahá’í…my dream “job”!
We’ve put down roots, obviously, and I’ve come full circle. My mother’s family originated about an hours drive from here. They relocated to Georgia before she was born, so I never really knew the Carolina history.
One “interesting” piece of our family’s history: My mother’s parents were born into slavery. Her father was born in 1853; her mother in 1861. Another family “heirloom”; my mother’s oldest brother was lynched before she was born.
But enough about my proud heritage.
My wife and I like to say that we’re both from Manhattan, but grew up nearly 1,500 miles from each other. You see, she’s from Kansas…and I’m from the other one.
Before I forget, and I’m inclined to do that, we watched a movie this evening that I heartily recommend. If you haven’t had the pleasure, set aside a couple of hours and view “42”, the story of Jackie Robinson’s early baseball career and it’s impact on the racist society of that time. Actually, not a lot different from the present.
One of the great pleasures I’ve had In my 83 years (as of this past Saturday) was watching Jackie on the diamond, performing his magic. We’d go to Ebbets Field in Brooklyn and cheer him and our beloved “Bums” on. By the way, there is no longer a baseball team called the “Dodgers”. You know what they say: if it don’t have Brooklyn in front of it, it ain’t the Dodgers!
Well, enough of this frivolity. Listen, if you’d like to get in touch with me off this list, you can reach me at my old email: mwwillis@sccoast.net. I tend to check it every day. It’s slated for cancellation but there’s no date yet.
All in all, this has been a most fruitful conversation I’ve had in a while. My best to you and your family.
That is a profound response and I thank you for it. I feel very badly that I managed to put a gauzy spin on the formative years. I take your reproach fully.
I thought that the part I wrote about “endless rapacity and cruelty when needed” would do more than it did do, in retrospect. “Needed” of course referred to the perceived needs of the settlers.
My main point was to be on the modern cultural trough that many Americans have fallen into and is so hard to escape. So, having been criticized for the length of my writing in the past, and not wanting to look like I was trying to be a mini Professor Cox Richardson, I summarized the early years briefly.
Too briefly. I see that now and can only offer apologies for it. I appreciate you taking the time to point this out so vigorously.
MR. O’Donnell. I take off––not tip––my hat to you! Your gracious response to my assertive?––aggressive?––response, was most impressive! It lived up to my earlier assessment of you and your wisdom and perspective and humility.
My comments were intended, not only make a forceful statement of the historical and present-day facts as I see them and have experienced them, but also to shine a spotlight––floodlight––on our knee-jerk tendency to allow the American myth––fairy tale––to creep into our day-to-day chit-chat and discourse.
In addition, I wanted to give you another chance to edit––to rewrite––your comments…as you have so admirably done.
Again, I salute you for your laudable and invaluable sense of reality and responsibility. This nation––this world!––is in desperate need of women and men who can look themselves in the mirror and still tell it like it is!
I knew from the first paragraph of your original post that you were a gracious person. Thank you for responding to my mea culpa. You’d be a great person to meet.
In my kid-raising days we went to Myrtle Beach at least 15 times, driving from Ontario. I was always relieved and jazzed to see the beginning of the “South of the Border” signs. We were nearly there! :) Do you live inland?
As we went more and more we got to know the state a bit. There were some huge contrasts - eye openers for a sheltered family from Ontario. To this day my kids talk about those trips. My youngest son has the sacred role of being “keeper of the journals” we wrote on each trip - our daily record, notated scrupulously.
Very nice to meet you Bill.
Eric! It’s been a pleasure and an honor to meet you, my new Canadian friend! My wife and I always like gaining new friends, especially furriners!
We happen to live about 15 miles from good ol’ MB. How about them apples? We came here about 35 years ago when I had the opportunity to serve at Radio Bahá’í…my dream “job”!
We’ve put down roots, obviously, and I’ve come full circle. My mother’s family originated about an hours drive from here. They relocated to Georgia before she was born, so I never really knew the Carolina history.
One “interesting” piece of our family’s history: My mother’s parents were born into slavery. Her father was born in 1853; her mother in 1861. Another family “heirloom”; my mother’s oldest brother was lynched before she was born.
But enough about my proud heritage.
My wife and I like to say that we’re both from Manhattan, but grew up nearly 1,500 miles from each other. You see, she’s from Kansas…and I’m from the other one.
Before I forget, and I’m inclined to do that, we watched a movie this evening that I heartily recommend. If you haven’t had the pleasure, set aside a couple of hours and view “42”, the story of Jackie Robinson’s early baseball career and it’s impact on the racist society of that time. Actually, not a lot different from the present.
One of the great pleasures I’ve had In my 83 years (as of this past Saturday) was watching Jackie on the diamond, performing his magic. We’d go to Ebbets Field in Brooklyn and cheer him and our beloved “Bums” on. By the way, there is no longer a baseball team called the “Dodgers”. You know what they say: if it don’t have Brooklyn in front of it, it ain’t the Dodgers!
Well, enough of this frivolity. Listen, if you’d like to get in touch with me off this list, you can reach me at my old email: mwwillis@sccoast.net. I tend to check it every day. It’s slated for cancellation but there’s no date yet.
All in all, this has been a most fruitful conversation I’ve had in a while. My best to you and your family.