Mark Jerde wrote:

Your parents were shortsighted, but it probably wasn't so much their fault
as the era in which they were raised. My personal library contains many
books written prior to 1920. Everyone grew up in a culture, and the
writers of the early 1900's tended to have a "fixation" on the importance
of the "blood" of someone. We now know this isn't true, but they didn't
know it was true then.

72. But the greatest novelty of all was the new
race of /men/. The people whom the Europeans
found on this continent differed in appearance
and customs from all the inhabitants of the Old
World. They were a new family of mankind.

73. Probably every one of you has seen an
Indian. Now the red man of to-day is much like
his ancestors whom the early explorers of America
met three hundred years ago. The Indian is tall,
straight, and well formed. His skin is of a copper
brown ; his hair long, black, and coarse. Colum-
bus, you remember, gave the red men the name
of "Indians," because he supposed the country
that he discovered was a part of /India./

74. The Indians were not a civilized race.
They lived mainly by hunting and fishing, and cul-
tivating patches of Indian corn, beans, potatoes,
and melons. They could make bows and arrows,
and stone tomahawks, and mortars for pounding
corn, and birch-bark canoes, and they could dress
skins ; but that was about all they could do.

....

79. You must not think, from all this, that the
Indians had /no/ good qualities ; for under their
tawny skins beat human hearts, and in every
human heart there is something divine.

Swinton's First Lessons in Our Country's History-Revised Edition, William
Swinton, Copyright (c) 1900 R. W. E. Swinton

(From my great grandfather's collection.)

politics
I personally have a hard time judging historical figures of another era by
our current knowledge. In most cases, I beleve they would act as I would
if
they had access to the same information I have today. Thoughts?
/politics

Um. No, I guess I wouldn't go that far. Historical figures of another era
would probably act like the future historical figures who are making
history today. That seldom coincides with anything I would do myself, even
though they have access to the same information I have today. So I think
we can conclude that powerful people are smarmy no matter what era they
live in.

Sounds like you need a more mature and refined group of peers... ;-)

I definitely do, but I *am* a truck driver. It's not that surprising
when you think about it a minute, is it?

Silvan, you are not just a truck driver. You are a writer, an observer, a
thinker, a commentator.

Yeahbut, I'm still a truck driver. It doesn't define who I am, but it has a
great influence on the people I encounter. My group of peers.

than just someone who isn't confused by 12+ gears. Your writings of your
family are worthy of Frost or Wright or any # of other "serious" writers.

Now you're making me wonder what writings have so enthralled you. I just
spew this stuff out off the top of my head, you know.

Doggoneit, I'm a Mensan, I've done very well in national HS contests, and

Smarter'n I am. I can't pass their test because I'm a math retard.

I did not watch too much TV growing up. (In western South Dakota we only
got 2 channels, + 1 PBS) But I do recall the one, single episode of

We got NBC. CBS was really fuzzy, and ABC only came in during certain
meteorological conditions.

Banacheck's chauffer was flabbergasted. The truck driver wasn't another
"Knight of the Road" but someone who chose something that gave him enough
free time to persue his passion -- Music!

Either that or he majored in foreign languages, and he needed to eat.

Anyway, surely you don't think he would have chosen to drive for the free
time? Ha ha charade you are.

I think of you often, Silvan, when I read the newgroups or watch TV. IMO
you're not just a truck driver,

Well, of course I'm not JUST a truck driver. I'm a little bit of almost
everything, though I'm taking a pass on gay porn star and politician for
now. (I'm not sure which is worse. Probably being a politician.)

but you're someone storing up expericence
and knowlege in huge silos, and will soon present your understandings in
ways that will enrich your readers and yourself.

Go for it!

I'll just be happy if I can get better at playing this bliffin' trumpet.
I've made up my mind to break the pattern of never having a pattern, and to
practice until I actually get good at something. So far so good. (Ask me
six months from now where my trumpet is. sigh)

Um, thanks for the fawning. It's embarrassing, but maybe a little
encouraging too.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
http://rosegarden.sourceforge.net/tutorial/