Old Hymns and Hope - revised

"The Dust Bin of History" was the name of a column I wrote. Its sole purpose was to bring attention to 21st century people who just "didn't get it.” Usually, they were very odd and second-rate characters found on the third paragraph of a news story who were caught up in ideas popular a hundred years ago, or even worse, pretending they understood how concepts expressed a hundred or even a thousand years ago should be interpreted today.

But located on the front or back of a newspaper, each of them had one common characteristic: their voice and/or actions represented ideas, faiths or political points of view that people in the successive generations from now, will just shake their head and wonder, “Why?”

History is filled with “dust bins” – ideas and people whose names and ideas are forgotten like flecks of dust. Does anyone remember the names of folks who nailed Jesus to a cross, who believed in slavery or who relegated women to the kitchen? Names like Caligula, Jefferson and Hitler come to mind but they were the leaders of lost causes.

I wonder how many of the "common" folks from those times went along with their leaders’ thinking. Did they say, “Well, I’d rather keep my old fashion belief." or "He represents how I feel." or “My tried and true feelings always worked in the past.”

I can never know how people felt then; all I can ask now is; why do change or the future frighten them so.

When I was in college I had a conversation with the Chair of the English department which ended with her saying: “Oh, Frank, logically prejudice cannot survive … not in America.” So in the 70s I thought that if this country could move beyond the “gay" issue, beyond narrow-minded folks and divisive rhetoric, then perhaps, just perhaps, we could move into a brighter future.

Decades later I now realize that some women died before they had the vote; that slaves died enslaved and that many gay persons will never see a world of equal rights...

There is an old Christian hymn whose first line reads: "The strife is o'er, the battle done, the victory of life is won." I can hear the tone as I write those words. It is a restoration song whose words point to that better future.

I live in the hope that the strife surrounding gay persons will be o’er and that the victory of life will be won.

‘This was my finest moment in politics.’ BHO

One of the lead news stories tonight read, "House Republican leaders held a news conference Saturday to say that they are going to do whatever they can to make sure the Democratic health care plan does not pass." There is one thing, and only one thing that I am clear about. Not one single one of those "House Republicans" has any idea of that it is like to find yourself without health insurance or to have 15 different insurance providers send you emails indicated that because of your age and preexisting conditions "you do not qualify." Why is it that they get health insurance and so many of the rest of us do not?

But tonight ALSO our President said that those who voted for US, who CARED ... it will be for them their "finest moment in politics." This is the kind of moment that restores my hope in humanity.

There is movement ... yes ...

I GOT SO MAD ..

The fanatic La Rouche people showed up at my local market with this poster. I got so mad I walked into the market found the manager who just happen to be standing around 20 people and very loudly insisted that "I objected to that awful poster and that if you don't remove it I would never, never come back here." I must admit to surprising even myself; I don't think I have ever done anything like that before.

The manager immediately moved away allowing me to follow him and told me that he had called the police who at that moment came driving up. I didn't stay around to find out what happened. As I left I said to the two people at the table, "Take your poster and crawl back into the hole you came from."

My family was deeply effect by WWII. Friends of mine had family who died in concentration camps ... I can't go on. But to compare President Obama's plans for health overhaul to something from the Nazi era is ludicrous and just plan insane!

I have loved this song ... for a long time!

The long and winding road
That leads to your door
Will never disappear
I've seen that road before
It always leads me here
Lead me to your door.

The wild and windy night
That the rain washed away
Has left a pool of tears
Crying for the day.
Why leave me standing here?
Let me know the way.


Many times I've been alone
And many times I've cried,
Anyway you've always known
The many ways I've tried.

And still they lead me back
To the long, winding road
You left me standing here
A long, long time ago
Don't leave me waiting here
Lead me to your door.

But still they lead me back
To the long winding road
You left me standing here
A long, long time ago (ohhh)
Don't keep me waiting here
Lead me to your door. (yeah yeah yeah yeah)