A Coke was a Coke

By Mark W. Danielson

 

I love music.  For me, nothing lifts the soul or occupies the mind like a well-constructed tune.  Even though most of the time music serves as background, there are times when the lyrics draw me in.  One song in particular was Tim McGraw’s reflective hit, I Miss Back When.  As the title implies, it examines how our morals and language have changed over the last few decades.  If you’re unfamiliar with his song, Tim sings about how a coke was a coke, a hoe was a hoe, crack was something you did when someone told a joke, and so on.  Talk about nailing it, we’d all be better off if we could turn back time. 

Far more disturbing than our moral decline is how so many people are letting others think for them.  While some blame this on apathy, broken marriages, both parents working, whatever, I think the simplest explanation is younger people tend to lack imagination.  Play sets like Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys, and Erector Sets that once challenged kids’ minds and promoted logical and mechanical thinking have been replaced with electronic games that snare kids and keep them from noticing the outside world.  Even Legos shed their imaginative play sets in favor of theme kits.  Rather than keep their original variable-sized building blocks, Lego kits have gone to specific models.  Build whatever’s on the box and you’re done.  Forget about creating your own starship because the pieces limit what you can do. Okay, this is an exaggeration, but these policy shifts still parody our society. 

For the sake of argument, I’m labeling this societal transferal media selection because it affects every aspect of our lives.  As much as people love social networking, television remains our most influential media, bombarding us with biased reporting and suggestive commercials and shows.  Turn on the TV and it will show you how you should look, tell you what to eat, how to medicate, vote and treat other people.  Mulling over commercials selling us on pharmaceuticals reminds me of the sixties song about how one pill makes you larger, another makes you small, and the one that mother gives you does nothing at all.  The bottom line is pharmaceutical companies want you hooked on their medicine, and too many fall into their trap.

But far worse than the medical industry’s tact is award recipients and talk show hosts preaching about how we should live our lives.  The grandest display appeared on the recent Grammy Awards.  Please explain to me what a mass marriage ceremony has to do with music or an awards show?  We just saw the media focus on a Duck Dynasty actor and NBA player attending the President’s State of the Union Address.  What’s next?  Live sex change operations at the Oscars?  People, whatever you do on your own time is your business, but awards shows should limit themselves to the awards, and the recipients should keep their comments to thanking whoever is responsible for getting them there before quietly leaving the stage, just like they did back when. 

Speaking of politics, I’m tired of people voting based on celebrity endorsements.  I’m tired of celebrities slamming potential contenders before they ever appear on a ballot.  I’m tired of our soldiers dying overseas while the media focusses on gay issues rather than our debt and war losses.  Most of all, I’m tired of seeing our citizens act like sheep.  While it’s is easier to follow another’s lead than gathering facts, everyone should realize our free society depends on us doing our own research and making intelligent choices, so why not open your minds and stop being guided by the media?  It should not surprise anyone that not everything seen on the TV or Internet is true. 

While The US Constitution protects the media’s freedom of speech, it should never impair your freedom of choice.  Realize that every politician caters to the media to get elected, and to stay in office they glad-hand and grovel to keep the media on their side.  Also realize that when a favored politician blunders, their incident or indiscretion disappears, but for those less favored, anything negative becomes front page news, lingering like a sewer leak.  No matter which medium you get your news from, fairness is a myth.

I used to wonder why older people were so cynical and now I understand.  Despite their expansive lives’ experiences and vast educations, the only ones paying attention to the gray generations are pharmaceutical companies.  So, how about it, Tim?  It won’t be long before AARP finds you.  You have an updated version of Back When?  Oh yeah, I do miss it . . .

 

Preserving our Constitution

By Mark W. Danielson

With a new president in office who has taught Constitutional law, one might think that I’m referring to our country’s governing document, but this story is about the USS Constitution; one of our nation’s most valuable artifacts. Amazingly, this proud ship was never boarded by enemy forces or lost a battle, yet she barely survived her post-war days. This is a brief look at her unique history.

George Washington may have argued to form the US Navy, but that service branch wasn’t established until 1794. Congress approved its foundation after our merchant ships were repeatedly harassed off of Africa’s Barbary Coast. In the same year, plans were drawn to build a warship that could defeat a ship of the same size or out sail a stronger opponent. On October 21, 1797, that ship, named the USS Constitution, was launched for the staggering sum of $302,718.

Tripoli declared war on the United States over the issue of merchant ship tariffs in 1801, and in response, the USS Constitution joined the US naval blockade in 1803, making her presence known by bombarding Tripoli’s forts. The war ended on June 3, 1805, when Tripoli officials signed the treaty aboard the USS Constitution.

While her action in Tripoli was a significant event in her history, it was the War of 1812 that earned the USS Constitution her notoriety. In spite of being severely outnumbered, the US Navy sailed into a far superior British fleet to defend our nation’s freedom. In one of her most memorable battles, the USS Constitution pulled alongside one of Britain’s largest warship. Cannons blazing, the USS Constitution’s cannon balls tore into the HMS Guerriere while the enemy’s shots bounced off her hull. Observing this, one of the HMS Guerriere’s crew exclaimed, “Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron!” From that point on, the USS Constitution became known as “Old Ironsides”. This historic thirty-five minute clash left 78 Brits dead or injured compared to the US Navy’s minimal loss of 14.

In 1830, Old Ironsides was declared unseaworthy, but a poem of her nickname by Oliver Wendell Holmes saved her from being scrapped. In 1833, under pressure from its constituents, Congress approved money for Old Ironsides’ restoration. From 1835 to 1855, she made numerous voyages, including a record journey of 495 days at sea that covered 52,279 miles. From 1853 to 1855, she patrolled the African Coast in search of illegal slave traders, but then sat out the Civil War. Later, she became a training ship at the US Naval Academy, and in 1878 made her last cruise abroad, sailing to Paris for the Universal Exposition. Sadly, her sailing days ended in 1881 when she became a navy barracks ship in Portsmouth, NH. (photo below)

In 1887, Massachusetts Senator and grandfather of future president John F. Kennedy, John Fitzgerald, spearheaded the effort to bring Old Ironsides back to her birthplace of Boston harbor. This action may have bought the warship some time, but in 1905, the Secretary of the Navy planned to use her as a target until she was sunk. Once again, the public’s outcry meant the US Navy had no choice but to keep her afloat.

In the late 1920’s, America’s citizens funded another major restoration, and from 1931 to 1934, the USS Constitution toured 75 cities along all three US coastlines, covering 22,000 miles. By the time she returned to Boston harbor, six million visitors had walked her decks. In 1997, during her 200th birthday celebration, she sailed under her own power for the first time in over a century. Today, the USS Constitution still graces Boston harbor as the US Navy’s oldest commissioned ship, and on every July 4th, makes way into the harbor to celebrate our Nation’s birthday. She returns to her dock one hundred-eighty out to ensure that she weathers evenly. Her present mission as the US Navy’s ambassador is suiting, for there is no better symbol to represent our American spirit.