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Franklin bifocals Monday, December 7, 2009

Deleware State flag
[1787 - Delaware is First State to ratify U.S. Constitution and be admitted to the Union]

Writer Willa Cather
[1873 - Willa (Sibert) Cather, Pulitzer Prize-Winning
author, born near Winchester, Virginia]

Composer Rudolf Friml
[1879 - (Charles) Rudolf Friml, composer, born in Prague]

Artist Jacob Kainen sketching    Jacob Kainen's Banana Man
[1909 - Jacob Kainen, artist, born in Waterbury, Connecticut]

Actor Rod Cameron
[1910 - Rod Cameron (Nathan Roderick Cox), actor,
born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada]

Singer Louis Prima    Musician & Singer Louis Prima
[1911 - Louis Prima, musician, singer, bandleader, born in New Orleans]

USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor taking bomb hits prior to sinking Pearl Harbor Attack Naval Dispatch
USS Oklahoma - sunk in Pearl Harbor 12/7/1941

The USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor
[1941 - Japanese attack US Naval Base, Pearl Harbor, killing over 2,300]

Singer Harry Chapin    Songwriter & Singer Harry Chapin
[1942 - Harry Chapin, songwriter, singer, born in New York City]


Infamy Revisited

It seems incredible that more Americans died on 9-11 than were killed at Pearl Harbor in 1941. Pearl Harbor, of course, marked this nation's entry into World War II, which would take the lives of millions, and transform the country from a peacetime to a wartime economy. The terrorist attacks in September 2001 did bring the US economy to a standstill for a few weeks, after which time the country heeded President Bush's call and business went on pretty much as usual. And yes, 9-11 did spawn the invasion of two countries, but the US casualties so far number 'only' in the tens of thousands.

FDR and his team, who were at the helm in '41, inspired confidence and determination as they led the nation into war, moving Americans both in and out of the service to sacrifice unflinchingly in a great cause. By contrast, Bush & Co. appeared both weak and inept, inspiring only division within the country and without. No one who has seen the video of President Bush receiving the news of the planes crashing into the World Trade Towers as he read bunny stories to children in a classroom photo op can have missed the terror in his eyes as he sat frozen by his fear while precious minutes ticked away. He was only rescued by a second visit from one of his retinue who no doubt broke through the presidential paralysis by suggesting that the Commander in Chief get to the relative safety of Air Force One.


William's Whimsical Words:

Perhaps the only real parallel between the two events is that each of them led to an era of repression, erosion of civil rights and liberty, and persecution of US citizens who looked or acted like the enemy.

Japanese Relocation Order
Japanese Internees     Japanese internment children

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