Saturday, May 05, 2007

Return of the Blogger

I have returned from Washington, DC and have many stories to share with you.

It was a truly busy week, and the networking and meetings were endless. So many of us were in DC this week - all the big dogs in Hollywood were there for the Jack Valenti funeral, also the Queen of England and her massive entourage arrived to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, the folks with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and of course, me, your humble narrator.

I noticed that as the President used his mighty veto pen this week on ending the war in Iraq, the entire GOP-For-President Gang all fled to the other coast, gathering at the President Reagan library for a debate. It was kind of sad to see them reaching deep into the past to find some relevance to 2007. Does not bode well.

I noticed numerous Obama For President bumper stickers and only one other name was visible on any bumper -- someone was driving about with a Fred Thompson for President sticker.

And someone in DC needs to be fired for putting this motto on DC license plates: Taxation Without Representation. Leaving out the word "No" before "Taxation" is just anti-American. Or is the word's absence just an indication of the times we live in?

My digital camera crapped out the first day, so all pictures presented over the next few days as I recount my adventures will be verbally created. For instance, I was really hoping I could show you what I found when I went to the Jefferson Memorial one day around sunset. The site was utterly empty and there were tears streaming down the cheeks of the bronze face of Jefferson.

"Why are you crying, Tom?" I asked, standing on a floor made of Tennessee pink marble.

His bronze arm slowly rose and he pointed to words on the frieze circling the dome of the memorial, which read "I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every tyranny over the mind of man."

Then a low voice from the frozen form of our third president said "I fear the tyrants have defeated my country."

"No," said I. "Not all minds have been overtaken by the tyrants. I will tell others what you have said so well in defense of our Freedom and our nation."

"You? Your camera doesn't even work, you chucklehead, no one will believe a word you say."

"Wellllllllll, yeah there is that. But I can Google a picture for my blog. And if America can just recall some of your words, that is the place to start."

"Google a picture? Great, another witless entry on the internet. Thanks for nothing. Just go, please. I want to sleep before they convert this space to another Starbucks."

I suppose Tom has seen too much of his efforts falling by the wayside of late.

And I did Google him, anyway --

"
All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression.

Let us, then, fellow-citizens, unite with one heart and one mind. Let us restore to social intercourse that harmony and affection without which liberty and even life itself are but dreary things. And let us reflect that, having banished from our land that religious intolerance under which mankind so long bled and suffered, we have yet gained little if we countenance a political intolerance as despotic, as wicked, and capable of as bitter and bloody persecutions. During the throes and convulsions of the ancient world, during the agonizing spasms of infuriated man, seeking through blood and slaughter his long-lost liberty, it was not wonderful that the agitation of the billows should reach even this distant and peaceful shore; that this should be more felt and feared by some and less by others, and should divide opinions as to measures of safety. But every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle.

10 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:48 PM

    Best post ever.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Joe, I was sure glad to get the chance to be your porter on the start of your incredible journey! It was great to see you fresh on the return as well. Don't forget to call on Jed if you ever need a ride to/from the airport.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous12:18 AM

    I can attest to those tears. Sadly my camera batteries died the same moment I was about to capture the great frame. It's a shame, your look of surprise was priceless.

    Do a little dance, Joe Joe. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Glad to have you back.. enjoying your narratives!
    Keep up the great work..

    ReplyDelete
  5. Well, as it turns out, Joe, Ol' Tom was eerily prophetic when he said, "that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect."

    Isn't that how our current tyrant got into office in the first place? As I recall the MAJORITY voted for Ol' Tennessee Al. But that damn MINORITY and their shifty ways. UG.

    Great post, though. Actually brought a tear to my eye.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I bet that taxation without representation thing is 'cause the DC residents pay federal taxes but have no federal representation. Worse still the federal gummint runs the city to a large extent, but DC residents still can't vote for any of the SOBs.

    I guess leaving off the "NO" just underlines their situation.

    ReplyDelete
  7. you are brilliant Vol!

    i had not even thought of that twist to the license plate and a little googling proves you spot on. they adopted it in 2000 as a protest. pardon my lack of knowledge and i bow to yours!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Good stuff, my highly caffienated friend.

    I too have stood at the feet of the giant Jefferson and looked up. I don't think many people ever read the quotations written above his head but I did.

    You must have too.

    Peace,

    Steve

    ReplyDelete
  9. certainly no one in office today expresses the wisdom of Jefferson, Steve. i kinda think in coming weeks, his words and the Constitution will be more in the news as a battle for war powers authority continues....

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous9:05 PM

    Excellent post, Joe. My favorite Jefferson quote is this:

    "A little patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their spells dissolve, and the people, recovering their true sight, restore their government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are suffering deeply in spirit, and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public debt...If the game runs sometime against us at home, we must have patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at stake."

    ReplyDelete