Quote: "Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it." (Edmund Burke)
Another one: "History repeats itself."
Hmmm. What if we do know history? Even if we don't repeat it, will history take care of the repetition itself? Why am I asking this?
I'm nervous about something. I'm thrilled that the country has actually progressed to the point of electing a mixed-race man with a non Anglo-Saxon name into office. I have read so much positive reaction, not just from around the country but from around the globe (obviously, with some exceptions) -- overall it's such an attitude of optimism and hope. That's good. That's wonderful. It's so lovely to hope again.
But... someone who was aware of things in 1962, tell me if this feels familiar? I was two when JFK was shot, so I don't have a personal experience of it. But I've read about it. So much optimism stacked up around one man, and one idiot (or a consortium of twits, depending on your beliefs) who decided to put an end to it. There is certainly no shortage of idiocy in the world. I still can't believe the news clip showing McCain having to insist on claiming his mic back from a woman who was commenting during the campaign that it was just too scary, the idea of Obama becoming president because he was an Arab.... jeez. (Bravo to Colin Powell who made the perfect response to THAT sort ignorant goofball comment.) I just don't want to see stories like the deaths of JFK & Bobbie, MLK (or even John Lennon, for pete's sake) repeated. I don't know if the country could stand another heartbreak right now.
OK, next post will be cheerful. Promise.
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Hey, ya know, just getting out of bed in the morning is risky. So you can't be dominated by fear. Yeah, there is always the chance that some nut job is going to take history into his own hands (look what happened to Lincoln after he freed the slaves). But this election had a kind of "all of us in this together" feel that the last two elections didn't. So this next chapter in history will have a lot less to do with one man, remarkable as he may be, and a lot more to do with all of us working together. At least, that's what I'm hoping. It feels good to be hopeful again.
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