Posts Tagged ‘history’

Sell the guns, sell the uniforms but never the colors

Posted: August 19, 2009 by datechguy in oddities
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I was watching Pale Rider with my son and noted that one of the characters was carrying a single shot rifle that looked like a Kentucky Rifle. He asked what a Kentucky Rifle was and I explained a bit. He then asked what one went for and we ended up looking online and finding all kinds of awesome classic weapons for sale.

One site in particular Michael Simems has an incredible collection of weapons of all shapes and sizes. My son and I was drooling all over them when I spotted this item.

The write up says:

This is an original Civil War Regimental Battle-Flag on its original staff with tassles. I purchased a fantastic Illinois Majors Frock Coat and Vest over a year ago from the same area that this flag came from. The set was ID’d to an Illinois Colonel who was killed leading a charge at Kennesaw Mountain.

He is currently offering it below his cost, not a surprise since times are kinda tough but looking at it, I found myself bothered. I’m sure Mr. Simens has a great love and respect for history, his site radiates respect but it still feels wrong.

Looking at that flag all I could see in my mind is hundreds of fellows marching fighting and dying behind those colors. The colors are the soul of a regiment. It seems to be that even with the regiment long gone it just feels wrong for them to be bought and sold.

I’ve never served although my father and many of his and my mother’s family did, so perhaps I’m not in a position to object I’d be interested in the opinion of those who did serve.

Barney Frank isn’t worried…

Posted: August 19, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
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…about facing people in his district. Why should he?

Don’t forget back in 1990 the people in his district didn’t mind a gay prostitute operating out of Frank’s apartment. The media has almost totally ignored his part in Fannie mae and Freddie Mac.

Why would he have any sense that this is going to change now?

We always get the government we deserve, in Massachusetts doubly so.

Update: You think they would know better than to use phony doctors by now.

Bob Novak’s final column

Posted: August 18, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
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Bob Novak died today. Commentary from all over shows that he was respected as a reporter (except by the daily show) and Eleanor Clift’s tribute demonstrates that friendship and respect are not exclusive to your political allies. And this quote:

“Always love your country — but never trust your government!

should be included in every civics class taught nationwide.

I have a habit of looking at the last column of a person when he dies. Using the drudge link to Novak it took me to this page at human events dated Feb 4 of this year. What he wrote shows that he knew what he was talking about:

We are in fact, entering a new era of American politics. But then again, we frequently enter new eras of American politics. Barack Obama has immense political capital and popularity. Democrats are gaining politically in every corner of the map, and at every level of government. Obama’s popularity and political skill contribute to this rising Democratic tide.

But ENPR has seen this before, in 1974, 1980, 1994, and 2006. “Paradigm Shifts” are a fact of political life, and only those with short memories believe that the resulting political alignment from these shifts is permanent.

Nobody except for maybe Rush was talking like this in February. He continued:

Obama may enjoy a longer honeymoon than most Presidents, but it already seems to be coming to an end as various polls find a large portion of the public turning against the huge stimulus bill with its massive deficit spending. He will stumble. Republicans will build new political coalitions, and, even if they don’t get back a majority of either chamber in the near future, the pendulum will eventually swing back.

Politics has a tendency to cast down the mighty and lift up the lowly. Politics makes a fool of any commentator or participant who, explaining the significance of a recent political development, uses the words “never” or “from now on.”

Everything about politics–the heroes, the goats, the dynamics, the rules of thumb, the alliances, the enmities–comes and goes.

I’m bet if he had been healthy he would have covered Ken Gladney.

Update: Linked back by The Other McCain. I owe him a beer next time he is in central mass, or a shot of Chivas if he comes to the house.

You know I have Frum’s book The right man and liked it but I really think his is talking nonsense here. I must confess his opinion on Sarah Palin makes me less willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Jim Crow meet Jimmi C

Posted: August 18, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
Tags: , , , , , , ,

You know once upon a time the NAACP was a great organization that fought for the rights of Black people in a segregated world and helped propel a race that had languished into slavery to realize its full potential. Today Black Americans live better then Blacks in any country in Africa.

As documented in the soon to be released (aug 25) book A Mightly long way (my Amazon review here) the NAACP risked life and limb to protect people like Carlotta Walls Lanier from danger.

What a difference a couple of generations make.

Yesterday Black conservatives protested in front of the St. Louis office of the NAACP to protest their non response to the attacks on Ken Gladney back on the 6th.

Mind you this is a man who was beaten and called a Nigger by a white man, there is some raw film too and the news and film was spread on the net that very day. Nothing.

The response of the NAACP?

“The St. Louis branch of the NAACP will and does accept and investigate all written complaints filed with us, regardless of the complainant’s ideology,” said Claude Brown Sr., president of the St. Louis City NAACP. “We regret that a group has decided to protest outside our office before contacting us or filing such a complaint.”

I don’t recall reading about the written complaint from the young Miss Walls in that book.

You see the beater was a member of the SEIU sent out to help shore up support for Obamacare. As an Obama supporter he is exempt from the normal NAACP procedure.

If you read histories of Jim Crow over and over obscure rules were used to legally deny Black Americans their rights, extra hoops were made to be jumped through and if people managed to circumvent one rule another would appear to stand in their way. It was disgraceful.

In my opinion Jim Crow was the second of three great evils that the democratic party has supported in its long history.

It’s sad to say but the NAACP is using Jim Crow tactics here against a black man who doesn’t believe what they do. Jim Crow now meet Jimmi C. To call it a disgrace is too weak a word.

Update: The Anchoress talks a little thuggery.

Thuggery is such a harsh word. But unambiguous, no?

She is referring to the debate and plan in particular but that’s what has me so riled up.

In Mrs. Lanier’s book she talks about how blacks and whites managed to co-exist, seemingly getting along but there was a price, blacks had to know their place. Once she didn’t know her place then all bets were off.

It seems to be that this is exactly what is going on here with Mr. Gladney. Let’s even make a concession to Wonkette and admit the possibility that Mr. Gladney is whoring this out for a buck or two. Even if that is true the message is still there, if you are a Black man in America your place is behind President Obama, if you get out of that place then we will treat you like we treated the Walls family back at Little Rock.

The left and the media are letting this go for political advantage. That is a historical obscenity and it makes me sick.

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