Archive for 'Voices of the Past'
living history
November 5, 2008 by the.muse, under Sharing Our Nation's Cap-i-tal, Social Quandaries, Voices of the Past.
I was going to wait until tomorrow, but I couldn't sleep with what was on my mind.
I've been a huge fan of Facebook for years. I love catching up with people from long ago, or even feeling like I know what is going on day-to-day with people because of their status. It's a wonderful tool of networking and friendship. However, during the election season, and much worse tonight, it became a tool of hatred and intolerance. Messages from Obama fans taunting McCain supporters streamed through encouraging them to leave the country if they didn't like the president-elect. McCain supporters needlessly bashed Obama voters calling them moronic and dumb for voting for him, going so far as to say that "it's called the WHITE House for a reason." (By the way, if you're REALLY gonna bash, you should make sure that your grammar is correct in those status updates…) The bashing was uncalled for and inappropriate, especially in the light of what is bigger all around us.
Seriously, no matter who was elected tonight, look at the history that has been made in this election. Massive amounts of people registered to vote. Amazing amounts of voters went out to vote for the very first time. Unprecedented early voting surpassed 2004 totals. A female was nominated for the veep position for only the second time ever, and if McCain/Palin were elected, she would have been the first female veep in history. As a result of tonight's election, Barack Obama has now been the first African-American to be elected to the presidency. And, for the first time in decades, a democrat has won with more than 50% of the popular vote.
Maybe it's me, with a background in history and a typical history geek, but how in the world can you ignore these magnificent pieces of history, regardless of what party/candidate for which you voted? This election will be an election that YOUR CHILDREN and THEIR CHILDREN will study in their history books. And, you are living right now in the moment. How can you not think that is amazing? Because to me, being a living, and breathing part of history is something you should never take lightly. Own it!
So, seriously. Take your moment in history. Accept your place in time. And stop with the ignorant bashing that only continues to divide America. It's been going on long enough. We should have reunited America in 2004, and it never happened. Now is the time. There is too much to lose. Swallow your pride, get over yourself, let's work together, and make bipartisanship a continual standard within the political sphere that becomes a mandate of the people!
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civic participation
October 29, 2008 by the.muse, under Entertaining the Masses, Political Slants, Voices of the Past.
There is nothing that I love more than to see the message of civic participation spread to people of all ages, including students in middle and high school. The students in the following video are in 7th grade at Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia, and were featured on CNN. They had a classroom debate on the presidential candidates and conducted extensive research on each party. The end result was a rap song in the style of TI's "Whatever You Like." Instead, the class presented, "You Can Vote However You Like" on television to mass audiences, and have encouraged people by their intelligence on the issues. Man, even I'M impressed by these students!
Check it out:
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gonzo journalism
June 19, 2008 by the.muse, under Entertaining the Masses, Political Slants, Voices of the Past.
Hunter S Thompson once said, "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." And that's exactly what he did. He took his brand of journalism, with his eccentric nature and took to the campaign trail of 1972, documenting every bit that he could. In "Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72," he took no prisoners, and branded the new form of gonzo journalism, which, in addition to news stories, also referenced his cynical opinions, as well as references to drug and alcohol use. It was a new concept to journalism, and Thompson never cared whether people liked it or not.
Tonight, in Washington, D.C., as part of the SILVERDOCS Festival, "Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S Thompson" premiered. The documentary, narrated by Johnny Depp, has been hailed by critics and was praised at the Sundance Festival. I can only hope that it will reach the depths of the dirty south, and show up somewhere close to Birmingham so I can see it. Here's the trailer:
It's a shame that he decided to put an end to his life in February 2005. He spoke what the world was always afraid to say. He feared no one… no association… and no press. I can't wait to see the movie. That is, of course, if it ever makes it down this way. Of course, if it doesn't, there's always the DVD.
Update: The DCist ran a fantastic article on the SILVERDOCS screening and what to expect from the documentary. I can only say that I'm even more excited now. The film drops nationwide on July 4.
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russert remembered
June 17, 2008 by the.muse, under Entertaining the Masses, Political Slants, Sharing Our Nation's Cap-i-tal, Voices of the Past.
My heart was completely broken when I heard the news about Tim Russert's death. There isn't a Sunday that went by when I didn't either TiVo or watch "Meet the Press" or at least read up about it. I loved Tim Russert, and his style that he brought to journalism. He could ask a tough question and not be a jerk, and still have integrity and a smile on his face. But no one could get by on his show without the hard questions. America has lost an incredibly unbiased journalist when Tim Russert passed away. I couldn't stop crying as I watched the coverage as Tom Brokaw and the rest of the NBC and MSNBC crew covered stories about Russert's life and work.
One of my favorite endings of "Meet the Press" was this year during the first round of the playoffs: Russert Cheers on the Caps
Here are a few great tributes written on the life of Tim Russert:
NBC's Tim Russert Dead at 58
Tim Russert: The Smile That Lit Up Journalism
Tim Russert, 58, a Fixture of NBC's Face of Politics, Dies
A Death in the Family
The Many Gifts of Tim Russert
And here is NBC's "Remembering Tim Russert Special:"
Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six
The world has a missing place… and some really big shoes to fill…
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a changed declaration
June 13, 2008 by the.muse, under Political Slants, Voices of the Past.
In my graduate seminar this summer based on Thomas Jefferson, of course the topic of the Declaration of Independence is approached. That time was last night. In order to discuss the topic, our professor used Garry Wills's Inventing America: Jefferson's Declaration of Independence along with a companion article, from Daniel Walker Howe entitled, "European Sources of Political ideas in Jeffersonian America" (Reviews in American History 10, December 1982). In the book, Wills breaks down the ideas of Jefferson's subjectivity of his proclamation.
The most shocking to many of us was the drastic changes that Congress had made to Jefferson's document in order to make it official. Jefferson's original writing made it incredibly passionate, and those exclusions change the entire meaning of the document. Congress rejected TJ's theory of expatriation, as well as excluding an entire section that TJ intentionally meant to target: the people of Great Britain.
For most of the American people, we are familiar with the Preamble, which is usually recited at some patriotic event, usually at the Fourth of July. However, the Declaration of Independence was an entire statement and declaration incited with passion about how angry the American people were with the broken relationship between the colonies and the King of England. What had once been a harmonious and virtuous social contract was met with an uncooperative group of colonies because of the forceful tactics used in taxation and military protection. The colonies felt that they would be better off as independent without the betrayal of the King, and independence would provide foreign aid from other nations if possible.
It's amazing to think that TJ's Declaration was established upon the beliefs and concepts of that of the Scottish Enlightenment, based on equality of love, affection, and benevolence of society, and not on legal contracts. Of course, everyone still debates TJ's concept of what he meant about his phrase "all men are created equal…" and it is still debated among historians. I'm sure TJ meant it to be vague, just as the writers of the Constitution meant to write the Bill of Rights, which continue to be debated to this day. They must be culturally relevant, which is a concept that Jefferson really understood… which is probably why he wrote what he did.
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how to hire a woman
June 11, 2008 by the.muse, under Leg-Slappin' Fun, Social Quandaries, Voices of the Past.
One of my friends, SR, sent me a newspaper clipping a while back that I lost in my inbox for a while that I came across a few days ago. I thought I would share it. It is absolutely too hysterical!
It's the 1943 Guide to Hiring Women, furnished by the July 1943 issue of the Transportation Magazine. It covers all guidelines that male employers should follow when considering females for employment. It's rather amusing.
Following are a shortened version of the 11 guidelines:
- Pick young married women. Why? They have fewer responsibilities (editorial: and, duh, you don't have to deal with their husbands).
- When choosing older women, try to find those who have outside-of-the-home experience.
- Choose a "husky" girl… they are more "temperamental."
- Have a physician on staff, especially for "female conditions."
- Stress the importance of time strictness and schedules.
- Give female employees to-do lists for the entire day so they will not have to bother the management.
- Allow inside females to change jobs from time to time… they'll be happier.
- Provide females with rest periods throughout the day. Allowing her to reapply lipstick and wash her hands can maintain her confidence level.
- Be tactful with instruction or criticism due to women's sensitivity levels; ridicule can interrupt efficiency.
- Do not swear around women. Their ears are sensitive, and their men do not appreciate it. Plus, they may grow to dislike their job.
- Make sure each woman's unifom fits properly to keep her happy.
The full article can be found here in its original form. Enjoy… and happy hiring!
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i want the culture
June 10, 2008 by the.muse, under All Things Considered Southern, Entertaining the Masses, Voices of the Past.
Oh, for the love of history, I wish I was in D.C., so I could see the show Nixon's Nixon before it closes toward the end of June. I couldn't catch it while I was there for my vacation trip… Ugh. What a brilliant show! It portrays what might've happened on the eve of his resignation, as Nixon and Kissinger sat in the Oval Office. Nixon has comical conversations with world leaders, and considers the consqunces of his actions during Watergate. Shows like this don't creep up on the masses of a Southern city. Instead of watching history or learning history, the South chooses to simply sweep it under the rug and try to forget about it. Southern cultures usually choose to keep those revolving around food, family, and country music. Those are great! However, life can't be contained in just a small box, even with just the food. I love barbecue, but, there is more food for the palate to enjoy!
OK, I'm stepping off my soapbox. End of rant. I guess that is all for now.
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jeffersonian legacy
June 4, 2008 by the.muse, under Voices of the Past.
Well, summer semester is underway, which means that I'm no longer allowed to have much of a life. It's a good thing that the Democratic nomination is wrapped up, NHL Stanley Cup ended this evening, and all of my favorite shows' season finales have aired and won't be back on until the fall (with the exception of the summer show 'My Boys' on TBS). It means that what little time I had off in May and enjoyed NOT reading, I'm having to quickly readapt to life back in the fastlane of graduate school.
Anyway, my class this semester is on Thomas Jefferson and the American Enlightenment. We're reading many of his documents and letters… his letters of the republic. I previously thought Jefferson to be a bit of a crazy loon, but now that I'm reading a bit into his work, I've really enjoyed the passion he puts into his writing… even if it's about one of my lesser favorite states. The debate tonight focused on how Jefferson's ideals would transpire today, and whether he has a positive reputation among modern scholars. The class has just started, and we're still in session… so it has yet to be determined.
However, Thomas Jefferson wrote in his letter to John Norvell in June 1807: "History, in general, only informs us what bad government is." In truth, Jefferson completely uncovers the basis of textbook history. Political and policy history essentially describes what has worked and what has not. In the light of Jefferson's theory of what history is, I can only imagine what will be written about the Bush administration's policy…
In all truth, considering the path that this country has taken in the past 30 years, and the fight that Jefferson took on for liberty and virtues of the republic, Jefferson is rolling over in his grave.
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eminent domain v. history
February 18, 2008 by the.muse, under Political Slants, Voices of the Past.
I say with pride that I am an alumni of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. And to continue my education, I will soon graduate with my master's degree from UAB. I am so proud of the progress that has been made at the University. It is transforming into a traditional campus in an urban setting – a drastic change from what it was even five years ago.
Much of UAB's growth has been on account of eminent domain. And, for many years (and even still), much of the community that once resided in the Southside neighborhood of Birmingham has hated UAB because it took over housing and retail areas in order to expand the campus. Of course, this expansion has ALWAYS been on account of the medical side of campus, not liberal arts. I'm not complaining, because I work in an historical sector of the medical arena. However, at some point, this eminent domain crap gets out of control.
Today, the Parliament House Hotel was imploded in order to provide more office space and parking areas for the University hospital. The Parliament House Hotel was developed with the help of Doris Day, and in the 1960s and 1970s, it was THE place to be! I can't for the life of me imagine why they would demolish a piece of history like that.
Of course, then again… it's Birmingham! Birmingham NEVER keeps anything historical. They tore down the Terminal Station in 1969. They tore down the historical Birmingham News station last year. The city, and its citizens, refuse to stand up to big business and demand that eminent domain not take away each and every piece of the city. But, in the minds of the city's leaders, expansion of UAB brings in more money to the city.
So, the moral of the story? Either way, someone ends up with the short end of the stick. And, more often than not, money wins out, and history loses… as it did at 7:15 this morning.
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voicemail #1
November 30, 2007 by the.muse, under Voices of the Past.
*Ring, ring*
Answering machine picks up…
"Hi… this is Emily. I'm sorry that I've missed you. I will be unavailable through December 6, working on an indepth analysis of propaganda on site with Benito Mussolini. Following that, I will be working within black communities to interview about ethnonationalism through December 12. Please leave me a message, and I'll try to get back to you before Christmas."
Well, it seemed more interesting than telling you about research papers. Ah, such the life of an aspiring historian. Only a little while longer…