A Product of Where We've Been
Thoughts on a dynamic focus on history58 total reviews
Comment from livingwords
Who says we're perfect? Each of these events must be viewed in the context of time and events, including living the daily lives of the people involved. If we assume most people were morale , we must adde they did what they thought was bedy.:)) Dan
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2012
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Who says we're perfect? Each of these events must be viewed in the context of time and events, including living the daily lives of the people involved. If we assume most people were morale , we must adde they did what they thought was bedy.:)) Dan
Comment Written 24-Jan-2012
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2012
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Hi Dan - you are of course right. A central point I was trying to make is the danger of not recognizing the fluid nature of history. Comparisons made without thinking of the context you talk about is flawed. Regards, Bill
Comment from The Stranger
well there are so many truths written in here, no we are not perfect, nor without sin, gteed and blasphemy. This should hang on the wall of every home on earth!
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2012
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well there are so many truths written in here, no we are not perfect, nor without sin, gteed and blasphemy. This should hang on the wall of every home on earth!
Comment Written 24-Jan-2012
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2012
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Thanks for reading and your interesting reply! Bill
Comment from Rdfrdmom2
bhogg:
I gave this a six as much for your willingness to be so
brutally honest with readers about the warts on our
history as you remind us not to be so quick to cast
aspersions on other countries. It is important we be
aware of these things less we repeat them.
thanks for sharing
love,
jan
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2012
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bhogg:
I gave this a six as much for your willingness to be so
brutally honest with readers about the warts on our
history as you remind us not to be so quick to cast
aspersions on other countries. It is important we be
aware of these things less we repeat them.
thanks for sharing
love,
jan
Comment Written 24-Jan-2012
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2012
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Thank you very much Jan - I've had this article bouncing around in my mind for a long time. Regards, Bill
Comment from Glasstruth
A very well thought out piece of writing. You cover a lot of ground. From Columbus to the present. The first paragraph really set the tone. After that I had to find out where you were going with this. The quality of your writing never waned. Superb! Les
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2012
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A very well thought out piece of writing. You cover a lot of ground. From Columbus to the present. The first paragraph really set the tone. After that I had to find out where you were going with this. The quality of your writing never waned. Superb! Les
Comment Written 23-Jan-2012
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2012
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Thank you very much Les. I appreciate you reading and for your kind comments. We get so few sixes, that I'm always humbled to get one. Regards, Bill
Comment from Adri7enne
Well done, Bill. A hard look at a system and a society that suffered through its own growing pains. Still, as a Canadian, I've often said that if we had to have a glowering giant crouched below us, I'd rather have it be the USA than any other country on earth. While it's made its share of mistakes as a super power, it still has a good control system which seems to allow it to always return to its high ideals. Americans want to be a good people. They know what that means and they keep trying to return to it. The fact that people like you have a right to say, "Hey, maybe we missed the mark a few times", is proof of how well your system works. Well done, Bill.
"Yet, our expectation is for other COUNTRY'S to be just ...." COUNTRIES. Plain plural, no capital.
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2012
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Well done, Bill. A hard look at a system and a society that suffered through its own growing pains. Still, as a Canadian, I've often said that if we had to have a glowering giant crouched below us, I'd rather have it be the USA than any other country on earth. While it's made its share of mistakes as a super power, it still has a good control system which seems to allow it to always return to its high ideals. Americans want to be a good people. They know what that means and they keep trying to return to it. The fact that people like you have a right to say, "Hey, maybe we missed the mark a few times", is proof of how well your system works. Well done, Bill.
"Yet, our expectation is for other COUNTRY'S to be just ...." COUNTRIES. Plain plural, no capital.
Comment Written 23-Jan-2012
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2012
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Thanks for reading Adri and for your nice reply. Fact is, I wouldn't really want to live in another Country. Thanks for the spot. I really thought that had been corrected. Regards, Bill
Comment from cthompson4
I have read other pieces of yours and I have the impression you like to write about history. You write well, and this piece is no exception. It gets a person thinking about real life and what we do to others in the name of justice. Thank you for sharing. Take care, Charlene
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2012
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I have read other pieces of yours and I have the impression you like to write about history. You write well, and this piece is no exception. It gets a person thinking about real life and what we do to others in the name of justice. Thank you for sharing. Take care, Charlene
Comment Written 23-Jan-2012
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2012
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Hi Charlene - I do like to write about history. I appreciate that you took the time to read this one. Actually, this has been bouncing around in my head for quite awhile, so I thought it was time to capture it. Regards, Bill
Comment from Rama Rao
Whew! What an essay Bill!
First,I am not an American but all my children and grandchildren are.
Second, there is no perfect nation. So to think America is not perfect is neither here nor there.
Third, there is too much of righteous interference in the world. Every country is sure it's better off than the next one and rushes to set the other one right leaving it's own middens to look after themselves.
Fourth, imagine what your economy would have been had you guys not intervened in Iraq and later Afghanistan?
That said, The American dream still persists.
A great job.
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2012
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Whew! What an essay Bill!
First,I am not an American but all my children and grandchildren are.
Second, there is no perfect nation. So to think America is not perfect is neither here nor there.
Third, there is too much of righteous interference in the world. Every country is sure it's better off than the next one and rushes to set the other one right leaving it's own middens to look after themselves.
Fourth, imagine what your economy would have been had you guys not intervened in Iraq and later Afghanistan?
That said, The American dream still persists.
A great job.
Comment Written 23-Jan-2012
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2012
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Thanks for reading RR and for your insightful review! Regards, Bill
Comment from sweetwoodjax
this is very well wrirtten, william, you did a great job writing this essay on the history of our country that we aren't proud of; war is never fair on either side. only found one spag, Some of those stories aren't pleasant either. instead of stores.
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2012
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this is very well wrirtten, william, you did a great job writing this essay on the history of our country that we aren't proud of; war is never fair on either side. only found one spag, Some of those stories aren't pleasant either. instead of stores.
Comment Written 23-Jan-2012
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2012
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Thanks for reading Pam and for the spot. I appreciate both. Bill
Comment from jaeladarling
I agree with you on this essay. Many times, I am ashamed to be an American. Our greed, pride, and impatience is a serious thorn. My dad has told me stories of, when he was a little boy, how it wasn't uncommon to hear people shout, "Hey, n*****" as a black person walked down the street. It really wasn't so long ago, and we tend to forget that.
I appreciate your essay, and I thank you for sharing these thoughts with us.
Here are a few technical nits:
"is for other Country's to be" (Change "Country's" to "countries")
"My son was recently visiting and we stayed up one night and watched the movie, "Pearl Harbor." (Comma after "visiting" and no comma after "movie")
"My son, made the" (No comma)
"and just plain sneaky, certainly" (Change the comma to a semi-colon)
"The war was winding down, as the United States" (No comma)
"Flying at 30,000 feet and even with" (Comma after "feet")
"in Nazi Germany, the Holocaust." (Change the comma to a colon)
"tragedies of all times." (Change "times" to "time")
"committed by American's." (No apostrophe)
"I write it, not because" (No comma)
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2012
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I agree with you on this essay. Many times, I am ashamed to be an American. Our greed, pride, and impatience is a serious thorn. My dad has told me stories of, when he was a little boy, how it wasn't uncommon to hear people shout, "Hey, n*****" as a black person walked down the street. It really wasn't so long ago, and we tend to forget that.
I appreciate your essay, and I thank you for sharing these thoughts with us.
Here are a few technical nits:
"is for other Country's to be" (Change "Country's" to "countries")
"My son was recently visiting and we stayed up one night and watched the movie, "Pearl Harbor." (Comma after "visiting" and no comma after "movie")
"My son, made the" (No comma)
"and just plain sneaky, certainly" (Change the comma to a semi-colon)
"The war was winding down, as the United States" (No comma)
"Flying at 30,000 feet and even with" (Comma after "feet")
"in Nazi Germany, the Holocaust." (Change the comma to a colon)
"tragedies of all times." (Change "times" to "time")
"committed by American's." (No apostrophe)
"I write it, not because" (No comma)
Comment Written 23-Jan-2012
reply by the author on 24-Jan-2012
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Thank you very much for reading and your excellent editing help. Both are appreciated. Regards, Bill
Comment from Kingsland
You wrote the truth here. This country is far from being perfection. Everything you wrote about here was true and I could add more to it. But I don't believe that to be necessary here. We still live in the best country in the world as I see it. But we as a people and the governing that it has needs a lot of corrections. I enjoyed reading this article and could not disagree with anything you said here... John
reply by the author on 23-Jan-2012
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You wrote the truth here. This country is far from being perfection. Everything you wrote about here was true and I could add more to it. But I don't believe that to be necessary here. We still live in the best country in the world as I see it. But we as a people and the governing that it has needs a lot of corrections. I enjoyed reading this article and could not disagree with anything you said here... John
Comment Written 23-Jan-2012
reply by the author on 23-Jan-2012
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Thanks John - I too believe that we live in the best country in the world. Sometimes though, I think we just need to open our eyes (and hearts) to others. Always warm regards, Bill