Some old reflections on Columbus Day

Here, here, here and here.  It's barely mentioned now.  In fact, here in Buckeye land, this is the time when different outlets point out the effort by some to change the name of our state's capital.  One network - our local CBS affiliate - now refers to the city and city news as 'C-Bus.'  In fact its morning news magazine that was Wake up Columbus is now Wake Up C-Bus.  That's long been an informal nickname in these parts, but usually not for official use.  

Today Columbus is all but gone, and increasingly if the day is mentioned at all, it's Indigenous Peoples Day, or similar.  Of course now we're seeing challenges against everything from Washington and Jefferson, to the Constitution itself (earlier editorial from the New Yorker).

Things are happening fast.  Vichy Conservatives have long hidden behind the idea that bellyaching about such trivial things is just sissy stuff.  They'll wait until the gulags or the gas chambers are in full swing, then they'll start to worry.  Never a great strategy.  And looking at where things are and where they are going, and how quickly they are getting there, should be all the evidence you need for that appraisal. 

As for the Left venerating cultures who did what Columbus is accused of doing or worse?  Need I prattle on about that?  I think by now the reasons for that strange hypocrisy should be clear. 

Friday Frivolity: Once more unto the breach

Don't weep for France yet, the game favors defenders
We'll see how things look in a turn or two.

So I wrote about the string of ill fortune to hit us over the last year. True, as the dust has settled and clouds have passed, we consider ourselves quite blessed.  In some cases, things ended up better than they were (my wife's promotion).  In the health department, for all that happened, we've emerged relatively unscathed - all things considered.  For the economic hits and problems and urgent needs, we've been able to address them.  Given what we've seen around the world and in the south, we'll take the win and call ourselves more than blessed.

That doesn't mean when these things were happening it was easy.  And as often happens in life, when one trouble or two happens, it seemed to cause a domino effect with things big and small tripping us up along the way.  So even the most trivial annoyance could add to the stress.

I'll put into that trivial category the game World in Flames that we were playing.  We play most of our games in the basement, where several tables are spread about allowing a variety of matches for different people and contests.  This was done during the Covid years, and we've kept it - since there isn't much else for our basement other than our library and a little media space back when the boys wanted a 'Bro Cave' back in the day.  

World in Flames was on our ping pong table, which we've used for everything but ping pong over the years.  It needs that large of a table (9' x 5') to hold even the basic game boards and materials.  For some stupid, annoying reason, a water pipe over the table leaked.  This was when things were pretty intense in the family, and the last thing we cared about was playing boardgames. We had set that aside and hadn't gotten to it for some time. 

When we finally went down to try our hand at a game my 'boardgame afficionado' son got for his birthday, I looked over at the old World in Flames game and noticed something.  The game boards (which are mounted boards, not just paper), seemed to have hills and valleys.  And some of the other materials appeared the same.  I went over, and realized the leak had gotten into them and warped them, ruining two of the four map boards.  

Fortunately none of the playing pieces (those famous 'chits' of strategy wargame fame) were damaged or ruined. The boards appeared to soak up all the water.  As I always keep a spare of most things like that, once things began to settle and slow down, I went through, picked things up, and got the new boards out.  With things slowing for the time being, and a lull before the next round of crazy in their lives and vocations, the boys and I thought we would try again. 

This time, our oldest asked if we could go back and play the early tutorials, particularly the very first one.  For some strange reason, he understood the more convoluted parts of the game but struggled with the 'land' aspects.  Which is weird, because that is the most straightforward and simplest part, at least IMO.  That part is just Axis and Allies on steroids.  Nothing too complicated and pretty straight forward.  But he struggled with it when he jumped into the big campaign game.  So we're pausing from going back to the biggie to breeze through the first scenario, which is only a few turns long.

Times being what they are, this will be a once a week event - if that.  Their schedules and obligations are always such that time isn't what it used to be.  Which is fine.  But as long as they're around, we will spend a little time playing out what might have been in history.  If things go well enough, we might even be able to get another game going for our second oldest to join - when he needs a dose of fiction after being in the real world of fatherhood.   We will have to see.  But otherwise, the hobby is afoot.  Tune in next time for, well, not sure but I'm sure it will be interesting no matter what! 

Oh yeah, that happened

Today is the one year anniversary of the worst single day slaughter of Jews since World War II.  It's easy to forget, since that thing we used to call the news media has done yeoman's work hiding that story under a bushel over the last year. 

Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, and others have the West's number of course.  For various reasons, we in the West have for generations gone out of our way to tear down, criticize, and condemn the heroes and good guys, while bending over backwards to make excuses for the bad guys.  This tendency has fed into the dreams of those Arabic and Muslim factions who desire the eradication of Israel and, if need be, the slaughter of any Jews who get in the way.

They know full well that they can attack Israel, then sit back and wait for the condemnation of Israel as soon as it retaliates.  True, because of the initial shock and horror of October 7th and its scope, that response took a few days.  But it wasn't more than a few days before the West/UN began noting Israel's atrocities, whether accused or verified, and letting that be the emphasis.   

This makes the Hamas tendency of using civilians as human shields a brilliant maneuver.  Because no matter how flagrantly it does this, or - super unspoken secret - however many Palestinians and others willingly allow themselves to be so used in order to topple Israel - they know the West/UN will simply condemn Israel.  If we in the West acknowledge this tactic, that is about all we do.  Then it's back to full condemnation of Israel as our only response. And everyone knows it. 

This isn't to say Israel has done nothing wrong.  It is war.  Horrible things happen in every war ever fought.  And the innocent are often the biggest victims.  But for most of human history - including the Christian world - it was understood that the greater good of fighting evil and protecting the overall wellbeing of the innocent necessitated the risk, and sometimes the sorry tragedies.  

Not today.  Today we will gladly let evil reign as long as it doesn't impact us.  Anything less than perfection, and we'll rip those fallible good guys and give all but a blank check to the baddies.  It's almost like condemning the heroes for failing to win perfectly has become an excuse for not bothering to be one.  That what passes for the virtuous demands for nothing less than perfection in executing the righteous cause is simply cowardice with a Jesus mask.  

This doesn't count the motives of trashing Israel because it is seen as an extension of the West, and therefore the oppressor, and therefore it deserves to go, along with the whole of the Western Tradition.  That's a different ballgame.  This is merely observing that cultural tendency we've developed of having an almost Pavlovian aversion to the ones trying to be the heroes, while excusing and almost supporting those who traditionally would be seen as the villains. 

A special day

Today is the Feast of St. Francis, my patron saint.  I've written about him many times over the years. He was one of those 'anchor' figures for me.  Even in my secular, agnostic, trying to be an atheist days, I conceded St. Francis was quite the fellow.  Though it's worth noting I was never an unbeliever who tried to insist all believers were stupid or in some way wretched and evil.  For instance, I didn't care for the type to insist Mother Theresa was really a racist con.  But then I've always rejected our modern age's tendency to find any way to tear down the good guys while bending over backwards to find excuses for the bad guys so we don't have to confront them.

Because of that, as a non-believer I could still admire St. Francis.  And as a Protestant, including pastor, I had no problem referencing him, mentioning him in sermons, or even having those famous prayers attributed to him hanging in my office. 

So when I entered the Church, it took me all of half a second to figure out who my patron saint would be.  No matter how crazy it has been since we became Catholic, I admit going back to Saint Francis, sometimes more than anything else, is a small place of refuge for me.  Becoming Catholic having made the relationship more than merely gazing at a framed prayer on a wall.  

As a bonus, it's also Ship in a Bottle day! Like you didn't know that.  For those envious of perhaps the most difficult hobby in the history of hobbies, here's an envy inducing little video for your viewing pleasure:

RIP Pete Rose

Never run home when you can dive - a Rose trademark

Every now and then someone whose name was practically etched into your cultural brain comes along, and Rose was one of them.  When I was a kid, and the Big Red Machine was smashing records, every third kid in my school wanted to be Pete Rose. 

I recall my mom and dad driving to Cincinnati to watch them during those crazy, wild days when the Reds were a juggernaut in the sports world.  I even went down a couple times with my dad and the family.  Once my dad and his best friend from the railroad, along with his friend's son, took me all the way down, through torrential rain squalls, to see them play.  It was a little beyond me, since I was never a huge sports fan.  History was my interest even then.  

Yet I knew there was something especial about everything happening. I knew there was something memorable about using my dad's binoculars to see fairly up close (very good binoculars) these players who were household names - Ken Griffey Sr., Johnny Bench, Dave Concepcion, Joe Morgan, George Foster, Cesar Geronimo and - standing high above them all - Pete Rose.  I can still remember in third grade, we had to give a presentation to the class about someone we admired.  I can't even remember mine.  But I remember Cindy C., standing in her Reds jersey and proudly announcing that her hero was none other than Pete Rose.

The all time Hit Champ in baseball history (the most hits of any pro ball player ever), his reputation became marred by the scandal involving his betting on the game. In those days, there was still a residue of the old 'if you do the crime, you do the time.'   And he did it.  Even many fans in the Cincinnati area had to concede that he violated major rules and laws, and that's what happens.  It was sad, it didn't take away from his accomplishments, but he was going to pay a steep price for his violations.

The problem, of course, was continuing to punish him into the modern era, where players may or may not be punished for assault, or cheating, or getting tattoos.  Perhaps someone who sent an off color email twenty years ago will be canned, but another accused by multiple women of assaulting them might go up in the league.  And now, that sports betting is legal and college kids are becoming millionaires as amateur athletes, is this the age that can still hold ol'Pete to the fire?  

Nonetheless, before that conversation could be brought back up, time did what time does, and Pete Rose has died.  Opinions were strong with him, but his fan base and his legacy were strong.  For me, he occupies a place in my memories and my childhood.  So massive his fame that I can't recall the world without him.  But I will have to now.  And pray that he finds some peace that he lost in this life, as well as peace for his loved ones and millions of fans who are left behind. 

The Big Red Machine