As we close the door on 2020…
December 31, 2020 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Overall, 1923 was a pretty good year. However, even a decent year has its share of troubles. A few examples from 1923 include:
The Rosewood massacre, the eruption of Mount Etna, the unexpected death of the popular President Warren G. Harding, Gustav Stresemann being named Chancellor of Germany resulting in policies which led to hyperinflation crushing the German economy (paving the way for Hitler’s rise, the Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo and Yokohama killing an estimated 142,807 people, 640 structures a burned to the ground in Berkley (CA), Adolf Hitler is arrested for his leading role in the Beer Hall Putsch greatly increasing his popularity among those who want to see change, the Gleno Dam (in Italy) bursts killing hundreds, multiple competing factions in China align themselves with the Communist Party – greatly strengthening their influence – and eventual dominance, Prohibition reigns, the largest peace-time U.S. Naval disaster (to-date) occurs off the coast near Santa Barbara (the Honda Point disaster), and more. Although somewhat under the radar, a number of world events took place during 1923 which, upon looking in the rear view mirror, helped pave the way for Communism in China, Nazism in Germany, and the severely ramped up conflict in the Middle East.
Yes, even a good year can have its share of warts. AND then, there’s 2020… Was it worse than the years impacted by the Spanish Flu epidemic, WW1, WW2, any of the Great plagues, the death and destruction brought by Atilla the Hun – to name a few? This doesn’t diminish the impact of the pandemic which defined much of 2020; rather, it’s intention was to merely put it in perspective (if possible).
Speaking of perspective…
A few days ago the front page of a Rotogravure Section of a Detroit News for December 30, 1923 caught my eye. It was a great reminder that there are times when it’s simply best to look to the future with child-like faith. Happy New Year!
They put it in print… The DNC must make decision on the KKK…
March 28, 2018 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
It is easy to look at the deficiencies of our current political climate and forget from whence we came. It is one of the reasons why many of those from “The Greatest Generation,” who saw friends give up their lives for the cause of freedom, quickly become frustrated with those who take those freedoms lightly, and neglect to see the progress this “experiment is self-government” has made in less than 250 years. I was reminded of this truth when I came across a June 28, 1924 issue of the Leominster Daily Enterprise which had the heading: “COMMITTEE [DNC] GRAPPLES ALL NIGHT WITH KU KLUX KLAN ISSUE.” Let’s put down our partisan-tipped weapons, reopen the lines of communication, and with a degree of civility and mutual respect, move forward in our quest to make this country a place where each and every citizen can prosper on a foundation of equality, hard-work, and freedom.