Friday, August 19, 2011
Friday Shootout - Quotations
First of all, I got my days mixed up. (But at least I have my post already done for next week.
Secondly, I found myself unable to identify a favorite quotes although my head was full of old maxims -- A penny saved is a penny earned or the early bird gets the worm (although I often wondered if that translated into "the early worm gets eaten by the bird?")....
But Friday is already half over but I'll come in late. Better late than never. Hey! That's a quote!
And trying to find a quote and match a picture with it....anyhow, I did the reverse....found some old pictures that illustrated one aspect of Charleston -- re-enacting the Civil War.
Personally, I think all wars suck. What kind of species tries to annihilate other members of its species because of collective self-righteousness. No matter which side of whatever war you look at, there are "leaders" at the top who are blinded by their own interpretation of truth. Oops! I'm on a soapbox.
But while I'm on the soapbox, I should risk offending my fellow South Carolinians and mention that I'm not really all that fond of Civil War Re-enactments either. But they are very popular in Charleston -- at least among the white folk. All the re-enactors claim loudly in newspaper editorials that they are only honoring history. But somehow I think that at least some of them wish that they could re-enact it with a different outcome.
And most of them, I think, just enjoy running around and playing with guns.
And yet, I've attended a few re-enactments to shoot pictures because they offer lots of unusual photo opportunities. And probably, if I had to look deeper into the darker recesses of my soul, for the same reason that I crane my head to see what I can see when I drive past an automobile accident.
Anyhow - I did find some quotes I like to go along with them:
Give me the money that has been spent in war and I will clothe every man, woman, and child in an attire of which kings and queens will be proud. I will build a schoolhouse in every valley over the whole earth. I will crown every hillside with a place of worship consecrated to peace. ~Charles Sumner
War does not determine who is right - only who is left. ~Bertrand Russell
It'll be a great day when education gets all the money it wants and the Air Force has to hold a bake sale to buy bombers. ~Author unknown, quoted in You Said a Mouthful edited by Ronald D. Fuchs
I dream of giving birth to a child who will ask, "Mother, what was war?" ~Eve Merriam
Secondly, I found myself unable to identify a favorite quotes although my head was full of old maxims -- A penny saved is a penny earned or the early bird gets the worm (although I often wondered if that translated into "the early worm gets eaten by the bird?")....
But Friday is already half over but I'll come in late. Better late than never. Hey! That's a quote!
And trying to find a quote and match a picture with it....anyhow, I did the reverse....found some old pictures that illustrated one aspect of Charleston -- re-enacting the Civil War.
Personally, I think all wars suck. What kind of species tries to annihilate other members of its species because of collective self-righteousness. No matter which side of whatever war you look at, there are "leaders" at the top who are blinded by their own interpretation of truth. Oops! I'm on a soapbox.
But while I'm on the soapbox, I should risk offending my fellow South Carolinians and mention that I'm not really all that fond of Civil War Re-enactments either. But they are very popular in Charleston -- at least among the white folk. All the re-enactors claim loudly in newspaper editorials that they are only honoring history. But somehow I think that at least some of them wish that they could re-enact it with a different outcome.
And most of them, I think, just enjoy running around and playing with guns.
And yet, I've attended a few re-enactments to shoot pictures because they offer lots of unusual photo opportunities. And probably, if I had to look deeper into the darker recesses of my soul, for the same reason that I crane my head to see what I can see when I drive past an automobile accident.
Anyhow - I did find some quotes I like to go along with them:
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Give me the money that has been spent in war and I will clothe every man, woman, and child in an attire of which kings and queens will be proud. I will build a schoolhouse in every valley over the whole earth. I will crown every hillside with a place of worship consecrated to peace. ~Charles Sumner
War does not determine who is right - only who is left. ~Bertrand Russell
It'll be a great day when education gets all the money it wants and the Air Force has to hold a bake sale to buy bombers. ~Author unknown, quoted in You Said a Mouthful edited by Ronald D. Fuchs
I dream of giving birth to a child who will ask, "Mother, what was war?" ~Eve Merriam
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I like your perspective from atop the soapbox. The militaristic governement that we now have is eating us up - quickly from the outside in. A study of history will show that societies that spread their military across nations fail.
ReplyDeleteBecause I feel this way, so strongly, I found your Charles Summer quote of particular interest.
Wow, Mark...WOW. Way to go. I also am struck by the Sumner quote (it's so true), and also by the juxtaposition of the last photo with the quote just above it. Nice job.
ReplyDeleteYou said it so well, what else can I saY?
ReplyDeleteBrilliant. The first quotation and the last are so good. I think this week's shoot-out (oops!) has been the best yet. And you go to the top of the class!
ReplyDeleteAll wars do suck! I like it when you're on your soapbox--I'm usually right there with you in spirit. Very poignant pictures, my friend.
ReplyDeleteVery nicely done. I thought you were off on your days, but that's what happens when you are retired.
ReplyDeleteWell written! My favourite quote is the Bertrand Russell one.
ReplyDeleteRussell and Marriam are two that I particularly like. There is a lot of that here in Bardstown too. I agree with you they probably would like to shoot somebody in Washington. LOL
ReplyDeleteQMM
I was late posting this week too and I also had little sayings running through my head like, "The borrower is slave to the lender", "if it's not your job to do it, then maybe it's your opportunity."
ReplyDeleteI don't mind you being on your soapbox. Love the last photo and the Bertrand Russell quote.
boys are boys, right now in the school grounds, the boys are playing combat games and imaginary guns.
ReplyDeleteMy brothers made their own guns.
Amen.
ReplyDeleteVery sad but very well done!
ReplyDeleteAmen! I'm very glad to be married to a historian who doesn't enjoy reenactments!
ReplyDeleteAs meaningful a post as I've read. War is one of my soapbox subjects. After all it accounted for the loss of about 240 million lives last century alone.
ReplyDeleteHowever on a rather lighter note I enjoyed your reversal of the bird/worm maxim to read "the early worm gets eaten by the bird". I shall use that.
100% in agreement. Often wish that last someday were this day.
ReplyDeleteYou literally did a Friday Shootout. Great pictures. BTW: You're right, I think most of those guys just like running around with guns.
ReplyDeletevery powerful post. the last quote with the last pic did it for me.
ReplyDelete