Saturday, July 18, 2009

And That's the Way It Is

Although the bulk of his career took place before I was born, and he clearly lived a long and interesting life, I was saddened to see that Walter Cronkite had passed away. He appeared to be an excellent news anchor, and was unique to his time. If only more journalists were like him, instead of the moronic gasbags that fill up cable TV.

As I said before, I wasn't able to experience his news broadcasting first hand. His final sign off was just months before I was born. However, he certainly affected my life. One of my most vivid memories was of watching him on a laser disc of a special about the Apollo XI Moon landing from about 20 years ago. Obviously I remember him from films such as Apollo 13, and from the various clips of his career. Mention the assassination of JFK to me, and the first image to pop into my head will probably be his announcement of the President's death. I even ended a high school oral report with his famous sign-off.

Later on in his life, I enjoyed listening to him play Benjamin Franklin on Liberty's Kids. Cronkite's voice was probably a bit too refined or Dr. Franklin, but his warmth was probably dead on. He was certainly better than the Governator's Baron Von Steuben.

I'm certain there never will be another anchor like him. Not in this era of high profit pressures on journalism, infotainment, and bloviating airheads. I suppose that is a good thing, as a decentralization of the news can certainly lead to a more skeptical public. If an anchor as trusted as Cronkite was to reappear, and be the mouthpiece of the government, it could be a very bad thing. Still, I would like to hope that someone trustworthy would not be bought.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

What America Means to Me

On this two hundred thirty third birthday of the United States, I wish to take the time to write down some thoughts about my country. I suppose this is the obligatory "what America means to me" piece that everybody does this time of year. However, despite often thinking over this question, I feel that this time of year is a good way of focusing those thoughts.

First off, I can't shake the dark chapters of the history of the United States. Very often we have failed to live up to the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence, or in our Constitution. The scars of slavery and the prolonged war against the native people of this continent will never fully heal, and nor should they. For a country as prosperous as we are, there is far too much poverty, not only along the avenues of cities like Baltimore and Detroit, but the streets of small towns such as Georgetown and Ridge Farm, Illinois. Our lack of foresight and willingness to compromise our ideals abroad, although at time necessary, are still causing us troubles in areas across the globe.

With that being said, I still think this country is something to be proud of, even if the past 8 years made me hang my head in shame far too often. We may have slipped up in attempting to live up to our high ideals, but we certainly keep trying. The United States is constantly in a state of perfection, attempting to right the wrongs of our past, while also striving to leave a better tomorrow for our posterity. At a time when absolutism was the dominant political theory, we said "no thanks", and created a republic. Flawed though it was, requiring us to fight a bitter civil war to fix the evil of slavery, and flawed though it still is, we continue moving forward, asking "Why not?" when others ask "why?"

Ours is a nation teeming with bounty and natural beauty. Whether you marvel at the beauty of Yellowstone and Yosemite, or stand atop a ridge and peer over vast acreages of crops in the Midwest, the United States is a sight to see. We were the first nation to establish a National Park, and our current system is one of the finest in the world. If you get a chance, I suggest you visit a national park at least sometime this year.

I am proud of those who fought on the battlefields from Concord to Gettysburg, from the Ardennes to Normandy, and from Inchon to Afghanistan. Although I may disagree with the conflicts these men and women are thrown into, let it be known that they have willfully volunteered to give the last full measure of devotion to our country. In addition to our regular forces, I must not forget to honor the men and women of the National Guard. After all, these units are the descendants of our citizen volunteer and militia units, the successors to the farmers, tradesmen, and workers who laid down their tools to pick up their rifles in defense of our nation.

But one must rememeber that democracies are not built on the battlefields. The words, sacrifices, and actions of our civilians are just as important in establishing our current nation as our armed forces. I think about John Adams, a man who successfully defended the British soldiers who were involved in the Boston Massacre. His case showed that even those who oppose us deserve their day in court. I think about the abolitionists, the women's sufferagists, and the civil rights activists who fought the good fight, even if it wasn't popular. I think about Rosa Parks, a woman who set off a new era in the United States just by refusing to move on a bus. I think about the various anonymous people who go about their lives, making sure they leave this country a better place than the one they found.

The recent election of Barack Obama as our 44th President was an awesome step forward, as he and his family now live in a house that just 150 years ago they couldn't have entered unless they were servants. So far he has taken some critical steps to remove us from the mess that the previous administration created. However, we still have a long way to go. Great questions about health care, poverty, immigration, the environment, and GLBT rights still have to be answered. Above all of that is the question of what the role of our nation in this century will be. Not all of these will be answered completely, or at all in the short term, but I am confident that we are on the right track in dealing with these issues. The great experiment continues, forever attempting to correct its mistakes and make this a place where truly all men are created equal.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Of Gettysburg

One hundred and forty-six years ago today the bloody middle day of the battle of Gettysburg took place. Although it wasn't the day of the most famous event of the battle (Pickett's Charge), many important events took place on this day. Whether it was the charge of the 20th Maine, the sacrifice of the 2nd Minnesota, or the desperate overnight fighting around Culps HIll, it was a close struggle. Utlimately, however, the Union held its line, setting up the famous and unsucessful charge on July 3. Four and a half months later Abraham Lincoln would give his famous Address at the newly dedicated cemetery.

If you can only visit one National Battlefield, I would recommend Gettysburg. Few other battlefields give you as good of a sense of the ground, of what each army was fighting for. Several states have monuments, some of which are absolutely amazing and pieces of history by themselves. It is simply amazing to stand atop Little Round Top and wonder at the sheer strength of will it took the soldiers of the Confederacy to charge that steep hill, or the soldiers of the Union to hold it.

The Civil War was then, and still is, the great tragedy of the United States. The Battle of Gettysburg, combined with the surrender of Vicksburg on July 4, were effective turning points in the great conflict. At that point, the Union may still have lost the war, but it became almost impossible for the Confederacy to win. In the fields and forests outside of that small Pennsylvania town, the fate of our nation was quite possibly decided. Walking on that hallowed ground today, the peace and serenity contrasts greatly with the cacaphonous hell that was the battlefield that terrible July day.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

A Month of Writing: 31 Posts in 31 Days

Welcome one and all, to my latest experiment on my great blogpire. In order to find my writing voice, and just to see if I can stay committed to something, I am going to write one blog post a day during the month of July, the result being 31 total posts.

This experiment will have a few ground rules. First off, the one post a day is one post total, and not 1 each on the four blogs I (in theory) maintain. This limit is in place because I really haven't shown an ability to keep up with the one post a day goal before. Other more economically beneficial commitments must be kept, and I want to do the best job possible with these posts, so I need to keep the goal somewhat realistic.

Second, each post won't just be a link and a quick blurb. Each post will be at least three paragraphs long. I intend to keep the posts to the point and as entertaining as possible. I've gotten rather rusty in the writing game, being out of it for a while. By July 31, I hope my work will be an improvement over the earliest pieces.

Finally, each post will be on the appropriate blog. If it is political, historical, or another serious topic of that nature, it will go on August Prairie. If it is related to movies, sports, games, web development, or just general ruminations, it will go on Quo Vadimus. Travel stories will go on Prairie Traveler Guide, and Vermilion County related posts will go up on the Vermilion Expat. If you wish to see a list of the posted stories in a central location, I have a page here. Each blog will have a link to the 31 Days of Writing page.

Please keep checking back every day. I hope to have the next story up by 5:00 (although tomorrow's post won't be up until later in the evening). And don't hesitate to offer feedback, as comments will be open for business on every post.

One down, 30 to go. Let it begin!