Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Deaths, dollars, destruction & disillusion

I have a thousand words to say, but, undoubtedly, will not get to all of them. In the photograph are a few Kennedy half-dollars, symbolic of some of the words in this post. These are not actual silver halves, but, never-the-less, even copper-nickel clad coins are not among those one will find in circulation these days. All Kennedy halves are hoarded. As for the music, the first song is Bon Jovi singing a piece composed by Dion DiMucci reflecting the death by murder of John Kennedy and a few others. Again, this is related to some of the words in the post. The second piece is an entire 1974 performance in California by Deep Purple. If you never have heard music like this live, I feel sorry for you. The last ten or twelve minutes, while Ritchie Blackmore destroys two or three guitars and wreaks havoc on the stage, are the best of it, I think -- in a way. Have you ever noticed the best of many things comes at the end .... hmmm ....

Just one more thing I forgot

A few weeks ago, I wrote these words in a post:

"This probably is the first year since I began my blog in which I did not mention the Marine Corps birthday (November 10) or Veterans Day (November 11). It is not because they were not on my mind; it was because my mind was not on them."

All month long, I have been feeling like there was something other than those two dates which had special meaning for me during the month of November, but I could not recall what it might be. Then, abruptly, it dawned on me. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was murdered on November 22, 1963.

Apparently, I was not the only one to forget the date of this event this year. Did you hear a single word about it on a radio or a television station, or read a single word about it in a newspaper or a magazine or on an internet website? I absolutely did not.

I feel like expressing myself in the language of a once-upon-a-time Marine, but instead I will say it in a polite manner: I absolutely cannot believe this anniversary was forgotten, ignored and abandoned by both public and private America.

Sure, the anniversary date of the murder was the same day as Thanksgiving this year, but to use that as an excuse for neglecting JFK is, in fact, inexcusable.

I watch and read a fair amount of news daily. All week, there was propaganda for and against the arrogant, narcissistic, socialistic president of the U.S. and his lying, corrupt administration. There has been news about the events in Israel and Gaza. There has been political back and forth about the destruction and deaths at the U.S. consulate at Benghazi in Libya. There has been all manner of chatter about the impending "fiscal cliff." And, ever-present was the inane, childish fascination with Black Friday, which has now spilled over onto Thanksgiving Day itself. News, news, news -- but, not a word about the life and times and death of JFK.

Well, I am not a conspiracy buff regarding the assassination of JFK, but I do think there is more to it than the public knows today or, probably, will know tomorrow or even ever. Those words aside, I do not believe -- for a variety of reasons -- that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone shooter, although he might have been among them.

My own thoughts revolve around personal knowledge of people who were alive and present during that era: People who knew Oswald, people who were among the Cuban exiles betrayed by the Kennedy Administration at the Bay of Pigs, people such as an ex-Marine named Gerry Patrick Hemming (AKA Jerry Patrick) and his InterPen group (Intercontinental Penetration Force) and the later Alpha 66 organization.

In any event, I am just a bit ashamed and embarrassed that I literally forget the anniversary of JFK's death this year. It is no consolation to know that apparently most of the rest of the world forgot it, too. I will not forget again.

But, I sometimes do wonder why we remember anyone or anything beyond those we personally hold dear  ....  why?

Do you see what I see? I doubt it

Do you see what I see?

I was looking at three photographs yesterday of the same woman taken within a few minutes of each other, and it was difficult to be certain the photos were of the same woman. Her eyes, her mouth, her expression; there were three different people there.

I happen to know the woman reasonably well. She is more than one person in terms of her personality. Perhaps, that explains the three varied (I will not say three different) faces.

I recall a book and a film entitled, "The Three Faces of Eve." Since that time, individuals with more than one personality -- more than one subconscious individuality -- have been accepted as medical and legal realities. In a personal sense, I do not think I have multiple personalities, but I believe -- as portrayed in the theater masks of the Old Greeks -- that I have two distinct sides to my single personality which dominate my behavior at times: A left side and a right side, a yin and a yang, a Jekyll and a Hyde.

There is nothing new about this -- about what I am writing, I mean -- as there actually is nothing new under the sun, as Solomon or his son or his grandson or whoever wrote Ecclesiastes knew and whoever studies history realizes. But, it is a reminder, a demonstration, that there are more interesting aspects to life than Black Friday and Digital Monday or Cyber Monday or Whatever Monday. Pardon me, while I conjure up a futile wish that humanity will someday reach adulthood.




14 comments:

Kaya said...

That is powerful, Fram! I mean what you wrote here.

Yes, I also didn't hear a single word about John Kennedy on a radio and TV... Do you know that if you were not written about it, I would let it go.

Right now it is difficult to let it go because this stupid Black Friday and Digital Monday turned us into robots. Every year the same and the same.

Are we are only consumers or individuals? Do we have a memory or we just live with a flow and happy about it?

And politics is getting every year more dirty and more about ambitions and ego.

If I understood correctly it's your collection of coins. Am I right? It's nice.

I don't understand anything about guns but these pistols look impressive.

Bon Jovi is great and Deep Purple California Jam I listened for the first time. Very dynamic and powerful.

Fram Actual said...

You touched on many things in your comment, Kaya, and I will begin with answering a question.

They are my coins, but this group is not a collection per se. I do a bit of buying and selling of guns, antiques and coins for my own entertainment. These half dollars have been on the table for nearly a year. I sorted them by year and mint mark with the intention of putting them in rolls and selling them. They are sorted, but I "sort of like" seeing them there, so they will stay there until I tire of the sight. I do not leave actual silver coins lying about in the open.

I do think most people are lemmings, and I think all of us are to one degree or another at some stages in our lives. I was a lemming in regard to professional football when I was in my twenties, and could be seen as a raving, chanting fool at many games. I have been in awe of a few rock bands and gone to great lengths and ridiculous expense to see some perform. Hopefully, most of us will grow up at some point and stop acting like absolute idiots whether at a football game, at a music concert or by risking life and limb to save $10 on Black Friday in Walmart. The problem with Black Friday, however, is that thanks to the news media it has become a national phenomenon all of us are forced to witness because of the constant barrage of news about it.

Finally, my thought about John Kennedy is that he made many mistakes as a president and as a man, but he had displayed genuine heroism during World War II, and he had served six years in the House of Representatives and eight years in the Senate before winning the presidency. He had earned the job. And, I think he would not have turned Vietnam into the debacle it became had he lived. He deserves to be remembered by all Americans and, most certainly, not supplanted by Black Friday mania (and maniacs).

Smareis said...

Olá Fram,

Primeiro quero agradecer pelos comentários inteligentes que sempre faz no meu blog. Gosto muito de receber sua visita, e gosto de estar sempre te lendo. Suas postagem sempre são muito criativa e excelente, os videos sempre maravilhoso que você compartilha. Obrigada sempre meu amigo!

Sobre sua postagem, muito boa por sinal.
Na imagem me parece uma coleção de moedas. os revolver parece bem antigos, coisa de colecionador, são armas bonitas, embora eu ter medo até de colocar a mão numa arma. Tem um baralho também na mesa. Juntando todos os item da imagem, você disse corretamente o titulo da sua postagem, símbolos de algumas palavras que encaixa perfeitamente no que escreveu.
No pouco que sei o Kennedy foi um bom Presidente.
Muitos viram em Kennedy um ícone das esperanças e aspirações americanas, em algumas pesquisas ele ainda é valorizado como um dos melhores presidentes da história da nação. Eu não conheço a verdadeira história dele. Li muitas coisa a respeito dele.Eu acho que ele foi um grande pensador.

Deixo um grande abraço pra ti com desejo de uma grande semana!

Beijos!

Fram Actual said...

I very much appreciate your visits and your comments on my page, too, Smareis. I especially enjoy reading the thoughts and opinions of others, and admire people who are not afraid to share their ideas and feelings.

Both of the handguns were purchased in the 1990s, but the larger of the two actually was manufactured in 1970. I am not particularly skilled with my hands, but I do like to boast that I have made significant modifications to both which have greatly improved their reliability and "shootability."

History has a habit of altering the remembered life, times and deeds of individuals, and it would be fascinating to know how history will view John Kennedy in another hundred years. His life and his presidency were cut short, and history often is a "what if" field of study:

What if, Kennedy had been president instead of Lyndon Johnson as the Vietnam War intensified? I, personally, think it would have been a vastly different war.

What if, Kennedy had finished two terms as president? I, personally, do not think Richard Nixon would have been elected in 1968, and his disastrous, criminal administration would never have occurred. And on and on and on ....

Thank you, for your kind thoughts and words. I wish you the very best in all your endeavors.

Anita said...

I dont know what to say Fram..i dont have any wise words..I am a commom girl..you know that..But i like to see you are busy with something whatever it is..stay HAPPY HAPPY ,GOOD FRIEND♥..•*¨*★ ☆.love☆¸¸.•♥

Fram Actual said...

Well, I never have thought of you as a person without any words or opinions or ideas, Anita. Quite the opposite, as a matter of fact.

I like to discuss, I like to exchange, to talk and to listen -- and, I also like to debate, to argue and to fight about words and opinions and ideas and concepts and theories.

But, that does not mean everyone I know must be the same way. Speak when you feel like it; be silent when you wish. That is what we all do in a sense.

Anita said...

❀✽.¸¸.•*`*❀✽*Beskjedenhet er en dyd❀✽.¸¸.•*`*❀✽.¸¸.•*`*Thank you Fram❀✽.¸¸.•*`*Happy weekend❀✽.¸¸.•*`*

Fram Actual said...

Thank you, Anita.

I wish you an enjoyable weekend, too.

Anita said...

heyyy..come on..what is it..why cant we write?i am working my pants off..so have not time to do anything..i cant belive soo many are sick around christmas..ufff..I am working with a soldiernurse..she is only 22..she gave me this beautiful music by Sarah -Bright Man yesterday..i share it with youhttp://youtu.be/9aOAFKXN2lU

A Cuban In London said...

Good to see you blogging again. I did hear about the JFK anniversary on the news here in the UK. And I think Channel 4 or ITV showed the Stone film, too. Then, again, we don't celebrate Thanksgiving! :-)

Greetings from London.

Fram Actual said...

A very simple answer to your question, Anita: I did not want any comments there.

Just remember, when you are busy working, there is less chance you will get into trouble. Be happy you are working long hours and hard.

Sarah Brightman in among my favorite three or four female vocalists, although I believe her voice was better twenty years ago.

Fram Actual said...

My blogging is sporadic and random, at best, CiL. Some, probably, even add the words remote and archaic when describing it.

As you might suspect, when I think of JFK, I think of Cuba. When I think of Cuba, I think of you. And, I have been doing that recently. I do stop by your blog periodically, but I have not been very faithful about leaving comments the past couple of years.

By the way, did you notice our Canadian blog friend, Peggy, spent some time in Cuba a few months ago? I do not think she stopped by La Floridita for a daiquiri, though.

I will wander by your way in a day or two for a cup of tea. And, do not lose your cowboy boots. You might need them yet.

Smareis said...

Olá Fram,
Estou comentando nesse post, porque não consegui comentar no primeiro de cima.
Essa canção é maravilhosa, a letra é belíssima, eu não a conhecia.
Alguns anos atrás as música tinha letra e falava com o coração, até parecia um poema cantado. Osvaldo Montenegro canta as músicas poetizando adoro as canções dele, Roberto Carlos também, pena que toca muito pouco hoje em dia aqui no Brasil... Hoje quase não faz mais letra de música. As bandas mais recente quase que só tem o refrão, principalmente quando chega a época de carnaval.
Gostei muito do vídeo vou até colocar nos meus favoritos pra ouvir mais vezes.

Obrigada por compartilhar.
Deixo um grande abraço!
Ótimo fim de semana!
Já tem atualização no meu blog.


Clique-Refletindo com a Smareis

Fram Actual said...

I am not a student of the band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, per se, but I know it is possible none of these musicians, who look like boys on the video, are alive today. The vocalist, Ronnie Van Zant, and two others were killed in an airplane crash three years after this concert. Others have died since. Ronnie's brother, Johnny, is the singer today, and the band continues to draw large crowds at its concerts.

"Free Bird" is one of three or four songs which I recall when I first heard it, where I first heard it and who I was with when I first heard it. When anyone asks me the name of my favorite rock song, I reply, "Free Bird," although pieces by Deep Purple, Rainbow and the Scorpions all compete for the title in my mind.

Yes, Smareis, it is wonderful when you find a song in which the lyrics are, in fact, poetry. The right song = poetry in motion. I have written about this in past posts.

Some people like a song simply because of the sound, and, I think, most contemporary pieces are written this way. Some people like songs because they are excellent for dancing. Some people prefer songs which actually display feelings, emotions and meanings through their lyrics. I know which I prefer. It seems you do, too.

Something special ....