The last few days, starting with 9/11 and culminating with Neil Armstrong's official funeral yesterday, have been times for reflection. We have also been forcibly reminded of the virulent hatred among rabid Islamics for anything American with the tragic death of Ambassador Chris Stevens in Libya and the anti-Islamic film made in the U.S.A and spreading its germs throughout the Middle East.
What a tragic loss it is of a seasoned diplomat, fluent in Arabic and Arabic knowledge, one that we need to reach out and negotiate. What ripple effects are generated by a neo-Con neo-Christian promulgating his ignorance and igniting religious fires with his inflammatory film. I can't say I would be too pleased if some Muslim made a film portraying Jesus Christ as a murderous homosexual and pedophile.
Neil Armstrong's funeral triggered some wonderful memories for me. You may remember that his famous flight occurred in July of 1969. In September of that year, a Grand Parade and Appreciation day was held in late August in his hometown of Wapakoneta, Ohio, a town about thirty miles north of where I was born and raised. In fact, I remember "Wapak", as it is intimately known to us old Buckeyes, as the only place where I ever won a medal in my age bracket in a 10k run--- third place. ( I think all the really good runners were off at another race somewhere else in Ohio.)
Back to the Neil Armstrong Day, a good friend of my wife and me organized a small group from our small town to put together a picnic and head uo to Wapak for the big show. It was wonderful---the best of Americana, a small town of maybe 10,000 swelled to 50,000 celebrating a once-in-a-lifetime genuine hero who had come home. In addition to the parade they had opened up the local fairgrounds where families could continue their celebrations. As you climbed in the stands erected for the parade, you were handed a small American flag which we all waved frantically as he rode by in an open convertible and acknowledged our adulation with a wave back.
That quiet, modest and intelligent man personifies all that we love, or should love, in America. He didn't talk much; he just did it.
It's a time in the world where all of us need to talk quietly but constructively about our differences and our problems.
We need to but some time talk does no good at all. To some we are the big bad guy in the world and talking is a waste of time, except to show the world we are trying. Perhaps we should continue to talk and maintain many of these pilot-less craft that has been so successful in Afghanistan and Yeman, to accent out speech from time to time.
ReplyDeleteMost of these crazies are the disaffected and disenfranchised rabble of the Middle East who make us a convenient "Satan" and symbol for all their problems. it's impossible most of the time to reach them and talk reasonably.
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