Sharing photos, videos, vintage images I've discovered, and -- occasionally -- commentary and thoughts from retired life and travels.

civil war

Confederate Flag flown on the CSS Alabama

February 20, 2010

flag of the CSS Alabama, The Mariners Museum, Newport News, Virginia, May 10, 2009

The Mariner’s Museum, Newport News, Virginia, May 10, 2009

Unable to build or buy enough warships to contest Northern control of the seas, the South purchased several fast cruisers in Britain and sent them out with orders to raid Union shipping. The most famous of these vessels was the Alabama, commanded by Raphael Semmes. Prowling the seas from the West Indies to the Indian Ocean, the Alabama captured 63 vessels in just 22 months.

The Alabama was caught by the Kearsarge at Cherbourg, France. Although his ship was worn out by many months at sea, Semmes chose to meet the Kearsarge in battle. The Alabama was sunk within two hours. Semmes and many of his crew were rescued by the English yacht Deerhound and escaped captivity.

Gallery: The Mariners’ Museum, Newport News, May 10, 2009

See more of our Image Galleries at Haw Creek.

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Race Matters!

September 25, 2008


Image shared on Flickr by allison chase

Whether we like it or not, race is an issue in 21st century America.

If it wasn’t an issue, no one would have said anything in the current election about who played the race card first — because there wouldn’t be a race card.

If race wasn’t an issue, pollsters wouldn’t be asking questions to determine what percentage of whites have negative perceptions about blacks.

If it wasn’t an issue, no one would be saying anything about Barack Obama being black. He would just be a relatively young politician trying to become president. Being the first black man nominated by a major political party as its candidate for president of the United States of America would not be such a big deal.

And Barack is just as much white as he is black — and it really shouldn’t make a difference.


Image shared on Flickr by jurvetson

If race didn’t matter it would be just as correct to call him white as it is to call him black.

Yet, even today, 143 years after the end of the American Civil War, a person with any black ancestry is black — regardless of the percentage of their non-black ancestry…, and it really, really shouldn’t matter — but it does.

Barack Obama being black will not win him the race for the presidency.  However, if he loses, being black will be part of the reason he lost.

Imagine — just for a moment — where the polls would be if Obama was not black.

There are many, many white Americans who will not — cannot — vote for Obama because of his race and who will vote for McCain because McCain is not black.  Many of them will find other reasons to use.  Though they won’t admit it, many will be voting the way they do because race matters to them.  Unfortunately, I know a few people — just a few — that are making such rationalizations over this election — however, I am surprised at some people I know who are leaning towards voting Democrat.

One friend from long ago refuses to vote for a black man, even though she has legal custody of grandchildren who are of mixed parentage.  I can’t understand it.

Race matters to me in a different way.  I am absolutely enthused that we have progressed to the point where a black man is a very serious contender for the presidency of the United States. However, my vote will not be based on race, but rather on the policies and abilities of the candidates.

Race, as a topic, though, matters to me now because, despite the fact that it may make a difference today, I can see that we are moving to a place and time where, perhaps, it may not matter so much after all — as it shouldn’t!

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just a few thoughts from a retired, somewhat overweight, white guy from Arkansas

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Crash… Smash…. Flash… Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, it’s off to work…

January 30, 2008

storm

Yesterday started out to be a very, very nice day. We were planning to work outside, expecting temperatures in the upper 60s to low 70s. We didn’t know that a fiece cold front was heading our way.

The temperature peaked at about 72 degrees, but about 100 miles northwest of us the temperature was already 50 degrees below that. I decided working outside wasn’t too smart after our trash cans had blown over three times, especially with small dead branches and twigs coming off the trees. After the third time, we decided to bring the trash containers next the house where thay would be sheltered from the wind.

As we were heading back indoors, I heard a sound like sheet metal roofing ripping loose. We looked around to see if we could find the cause and discovered we had several trees down in our acre east of the house. Great. We’ll deal with that later.

Soon after we got back in the house, we lost power. That was at 1 P.M. When we called the utility company, the automated system said that they were aware of the power outage and that power would be restored by 9 P.M.. It’s now after 9 P.M. the next day and power is still out.

Not long after we lost power, I got a phone call from the consulting company that my contract is going to be through with word that they had received the purchase order and that the client would like me to start today. So I went to work this morning, even though employment paperwork could not be done because I didn’t have computer access due to the power outage.

Tonight, I have a generator running to provide power for the fan in our fireplace insert, a light, our DSL modem, wireless router, laptop, television and satellite dish — and power to the printer so I could print out the employment paperwork so I can get it all filled out and faxed in from work in the morning. Bedrooms are closed off, so we are sleeping on couches in the living room tonight. They’ve opened shelters in a nearby town for people that don’t have heat. In Ft. Chaffee, the wind wind spread a fire through over 100 buildings slated for a 21 million dollar demolition project — the building that Elvis got his haircut in when he went in the army wasn’t affected, though.

They’re predicting snow for tomorrow.

……Previous posts on this (most recent on top):

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An Interesting Story of the Civil War

December 16, 2007

I’ve been busy since we got home “loading” one of my blogs with articles from a book from the time of the American Civil War. The blog is Anecdotes & Images – Storys, Articles, Poetry, and Images @ Chronicles of the American Civil War and it generally has at least one post a day.

Today, I posted an interesting article that gives the view of one Union soldier, largely on his view of the war, but more importantly, slavery since he’s gone south into Virginia. The following is from the article, titled One of the Army of Martyrs.

“Before I came here, I was often told that I should not think so badly of slavery, if I had been in the Slave States. But I must say I have not yet seen any beauty in the system. When I do, I will inform you. While on picket duty, I often meet with slaves, and have opportunities of conversing with them. I said to one, who came into camp the other day, ‘How have you been treated, Robert?’ ‘Pretty well, sar.’ ‘Have you been well fed and clothed?’ ‘Pretty well, till dis year. Massa hab no money to spare dis year.’ ‘Were you contented?’ ‘No, sar.’ ‘You say you were pretty well treated, and pretty well supplied with food and clothes; why wasn’t you contented then?’ ‘Cause I wanted to be free, sar.’ ‘But what could you do to support yourself and your wife and children, if you were all free?’ His face brightened, and you could see his eyes sparkle, as he replied, ‘I’d hire a little hut, and hab a little garden, and keep a pig and a cow, and I’d work out by the day, and save money. I could save money. I’ve laid up eight dollars this summer; but if I couldn’t lay up a cent, I should like to be free. I should feel better.’ ‘Can you read and write?’ ‘No, sar. But massa’s mighty fraid to have us touch a paper; they say Massa Lincoln is going to free all the slaves.’ ‘Where did you hear that?’ ‘We used to hear massa say so, last fall, before Massa Lincoln was President.’ ‘Did you ever hear of John Brown?’ ‘Yes, indeed, sar. There was great times down here when he come to Harper’s Ferry. The folks was all akeered to death. They went from all round here to see him hung.’ ‘Do you think he was a good man?’ ‘Yes, sar, a mighty fine man.’

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