Nancy Reagan

Former First Lady Nancy Reagan has died in California at the age of 94. She was both loved and despised during her time in the White House.

The role of First Lady is not mentioned in the Constitution so it is up to the women (and perhaps someday man) whose spouse was elected President to find her own way through his term.  First Lady is a position with great privileges and perks and it also is a position that satisfies few and comes with many sacrifices.

When the President is popular the First Lady is sometime heavily criticized by the people can't touch him. When the President is unpopular she is often used by the White House staff to improve the President's image.  She goes to places that are unworthy of the President's presences.  She is his surrogate at tedious local party fundraisers.  Her clothing, hair, shoes, personal spending habits are critiqued. She takes a trip overseas people bitch and if she does not travel people bitch.  She is expected to take up any number of causes and the moment she does she is hammered for the cause.

But, she is the second most powerful person in the world.  It is she who has the last word before the President goes to bed at night and the first word when the President wakes up.  She is the only person on the planet the President trusts completely.

Those of us on the left have been indignant and outraged by the treatment Roslyn, Hillary and Michelle have received by their husband's opponents.  And, for good reason.

How many of us had empathy for or spoke out against the absolutely vile things that were said about Nancy, Barbara or Laura? 

Nancy Reagan was a great First Lady because she fulfilled the undefined duties of her role with grace, with humor and with great diligence.  She stood with her man who just happened to be President of The United States as they both tried to do what they thought was right for the country. 

I disagreed with President Reagan on almost everything but I never lost respect for his office or his First Lady.

Nancy Reagan has served her nation well.  I hope we are all thanking her today.

The New York Times remembers Nancy Reagan here.  http://nyti.ms/1TjAALa

POTUS Remembers Mandela

The President of the United States remarks at the memorial service of Nelson Mandela.

Share Your Story About President Kennedy's Death & Funeral

I was 4 years old so my memory of President Kennedy's assassination is not very extensive.

Apparently as a child I used play with my mother's pots and pans a lot and I guess I had them out and in front of the TV watching Julia Child.

I remember my mother rushing to the front of the TV and then she started to cry not weeping but really crying.  I knew that a tissue would not do the job so I remember grabbing a dish towel and handing it to her.

Other than that I just remember my parents being glued to the TV and black and white flickering images.

The New York Times assembles an interesting cross section of Americans to share what they remember of that fateful day.

Where were you that day/weekend?  What do you remember about it?


If you are too young to have a memory what did your older family members tell you about that time?

Share your stories in the comments.
.

150 Years Ago The President Said This

President Abraham Lincoln came to a little town in Pennsylvania to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.  This speech and Lincoln's second inaugural remain the gold standard for Presidential addresses.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Abraham Lincoln
November 19, 1863

Remember 9/11/01

We must always remember that the horrific acts carried out on 9/11/01 were attacks on all of humanity. 

Today is a day for remembering, mourning and honoring.

Tonight we will hope that tomorrow will bring us a better world.

Shalom 

Apparently Gore Vidal Had Sex

I adored Gore Vidal!..........

I know I know it may be an over the top kind of statement but I did.

I think I read every novel (I could be wrong) his essays about the world in which he lived were at times out there but I rarely disagreed with his premise and his television appearances were legendary.

I grew up on Gore Vidal.

I read "The City and the Pillar" during my coming out process and even though it was written in 1947 it was startling in is frankness and oddly I found it comforting.  I knew it was not going to be easy but I had to be me.

Do yourself a favor and watch "The Best Man" he wrote the screen play based on his play.

I could write for days about the impact Gore Vidal had on our culture, our art, our movies, our theater and my life, and I may at another time.

In November "In Bed With Gore Vidal - Hustlers, Hollywood and the Private Life of an American Master" will be published. Apparently the book details Mr. Vidal's sex life; something he refused to discuss.

Do we really need to know?

Will I buy the book?

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/07/31/how-gay-was-gore-vidal.html

I may.

.

Remembering Lindy Boggs

Lindy Boggs was a descendant of the Louisiana's first governor, she was born and raised on a plantation, she was a child of privilege who spent her life fighting for human rights, social justice and against government and public corruption.  She went to Washington in 1940 as the wife of a congressman but she was nor ordinary congressional spouse she worked behind the scenes for the civil rights act. women's equality and economic justice.

When her powerful husband Hale Boggs died in a plane crash in 1973 she was elected to complete his term and held the seat until she retired in 1991. Throughout her congressional career she worked for the same issues she had before holding office.  She was a leading light in congress and a role model for future Congresswomen.  Upon her retirement they named a room in the capital building after her.

In 1997 she was appointed Ambassador to the Vatican she held that post until 2001.

I posted some links so we can learn a little something about this remarkable women.

Oh....she is also Cokie Roberts mom.

We need a couple of dozen people like Lindy Boggs in Congress these days.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindy_Boggs

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/28/us/politics/lindy-boggs-longtime-representative-from-louisiana-dies-at-97.html?_r=0

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/lindy-boggs-congresswoman-and-democratic-leader-dies-at-97/2013/07/27/02f452ae-f6c8-11e2-aa2e-4088616498b4_story.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/27/lindy-boggs-dead-dies_n_3663330.html

.

Toshi Seeger Has Died

Folk music icon, fighter for social justice and believer in people & peace: Pete Seeger announced today that his wife Toshi Seeger, to whom he was married for almost 70 years has died.

In the amazing the story that is Pete Seeger it is widely accepted that none it would have happened and continued for so long without Toshi.

Below are are the Times and NPR profiles.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/12/arts/music/toshi-seeger-wife-of-folk-singing-legend-dies-at-91.html?smid=pl-share

http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/07/11/201159066/Toshi-Seeger-Wife-Of-Folk-Singer-Pete-Seeger-Dies-At-91

I could not find the Fox profile.

Rev. William H. Gray

Former Philadelphia Congressman and Pennsylvania political heavy weight Bill Gray died yesterday in London, he was attending Wimbledon with one of his sons.

He succeeded his father as pastor of a church and remained in the pulpit of Bright Hope Baptist Church  while he served as a Congressman, President of The United Negro College Fund, special adviser to President Clinton & the Secretary of State for Haitian affairs and founding an international consulting company on weekends he would come home to preach.

While in Congress he was the first black member to serve as Chairman of the powerful Budget committee and also the first to serve as Majority Whip, he was on track to eventually becoming Majority Leader or Speaker. He authored the legislation that began the process of sanctions against apartheid South Africa. Then in 1991he answered another calling, he resigned from Congress and all that power to become the leader of The United Negro College Fund

Nothing got done in Philadelphia unless Rev. Gray was briefed on it first.  His position in the pulpit, in Congress, as head of UNCF and the fact that he could pick up the phone and call Presidents and Kings made him almost an indispensable leader for not only his city but his state and nation as well.

I had been in Mr. Gray's company a few times during his time in Congress and he owned the room each and every time.  Things would almost come to a complete stop when he entered a room because everyone needed to know what he was doing, whom he was speaking to and what he was saying.  And, let me tell you the man could preach.  I attended a service in which he was the guest preacher and it was a tour de force performance.  I have heard many a good preacher in my day and a few that were great but hearing Rev. Gray preach was an experience like no other.

Bill Gray's life made a difference and today I mourn his passing and honor the legacy he has left us with.


http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20130702_William_H__Gray_III__pillar_in_Congress_and_city__dead_at_71.html