In 1897, Dr. Philip O’Hanlon, was asked by his then eight-year-old daughter, Virginia, whether Santa Claus really existed. Virginia O'Hanlon had begun to doubt there was a Santa Claus, because her friends had told her that he did not exist.
Her father suggested she write to the New York Sun assuring her that "If you see it in The Sun, it's so." Francis Church was the editor of the paper who wrote the most reprinted editorial ever to run in any newspaper in the English language. “Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus” first appeared in The New York Sun in 1897, and was reprinted annually until 1949 when the paper went out of business.
Dear Editor—
I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O’Hanlon
Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Veterans Day
Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day, the day World War I ended. Today we should remember those veterans who served so we can be free. Bellevue has provided its share of citizens as soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines to the defense of the United States of America. From the Revolutionary War, we had four Bellevue soldiers fighting back then, Bellevue residents have displayed their valor for two hundred and thirty three years. Forty Bellevue residents have given their lives for freedom around the world. Our military history records currently have 711 men and women from Bellevue listed as having served our country in time of war and during times of peace. You probably have a family member or neighbor you know who served in the military. Meet some neighbors you may not know.
James Robinson was given the part of Bellevue called Sandy Bottom, from Fremont Avenue to the City line for his service in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Chaplain Hugh Brackinridge was given Sidney for service in the Army, that’s Bellevue from Fremont to the Avalon line. He left Bellevue in 1799 when he was appointed Judge of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. John Wilkins Jr. was then assigned Sidney, for his service in the Continental Army. Bellevue was a part of what was called the Depreciation Lands, or land given to soldiers because our country didn’t have enough money to pay the army at the time. J.C. Schaffnit and 10 others served during the Spanish American War. He was later elected to Council and served as President of Council.
You may have known Charles Delcroix, he lived on North Balph Avenue. He was a bombardier, with 35 combat missions between August and December 1944. He participated in the first daylight raid on Berlin Germany. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal w/ 5 oak leaf clusters. He graduated Bellevue High School in 1942, two years before his valorous service. I’ll bet you didn’t know Joe Giovengo. He was gassed with Mustard Gas during World War I. He came home but died in 1920 after being discharged. His son John fought in World War II in the same unit, the 80th Infantry Division.
We had four McCarthy brothers serve in World War II and Korea, Charles, William, Robert, and Theodore. Robert was killed in the Battle of the Bulge. Theodore was an aerial gunner. His plane was lost on September 15, 1943. He was discovered 55 years later in the jungle of New Guinea. His remains along with another of his crew were buried in Arlington National Cemetery December 11, 1998. John McCloskey Jr. was a B-25 bomber pilot. He was shot down over Burma on his 53rd mission on May 20, 1944. He spent 11 months and 10 days in a bamboo cell in Rangoon, Burma.
John Bragdon served in Co. K 123rd Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers also known as Watt & Butchers Infantry during the Civil War. He was later elected Burgess, we call them Mayor’s now. We have a shelter in Memorial Park named after him. Col Thomas Bayne started Co. H 136th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, the Keystone Infantry. He fought in the battles of Fredricksburg and Chancellorsville. He was elected as a Bellevue Councilman in 1870, and then District Attorney for Allegheny County, he was then elected to the 45th Congress and succeeding six Congresses.
During World War II Melvin Stock was in the Army Office of Strategic Services (OSS), we call it the CIA today. He was in Paris 3 days before liberation and was responsible for taking hundreds of German prisoners prior to the allied forces entering the city. He didn’t do it by himself; he was working with the French resistance. He was elected Mayor of Bellevue in 1975.
Ronald Young was at the Chosen Reservoir in Korea, he later served as a Bellevue Police officer for a couple of decades. Murl Thompson was on ship during the Bay of Pigs before joining the Department of Public Works, the Fire Department and becoming the Commander of the Robert D. Fleming Post 2454 Veterans of Foreign Wars. Robert David Fleming was a member of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. He was Killed in Action in France with 14 other Bellevue Residents.
Elmer Hohn was a Navy flight radar operator aboard the Valley Forge between 1949 and 1953. He had 60 flights off that aircraft carrier and his units exploits were made famous by the book and movie titled “The Bridges at Toko-Ri”. Elmer remembers when the author James Michener was on board where he collected his stories for the book
Captain Levi Bird Duff served in the Army in France during World War I. He became the first Commander of the North Boro’s Post 116 American Legion. The bridge over I-279 on Center Avenue is named after this Bellevue solider.
We had two soldiers Killed in Action in Vietnam. Charles Downey was killed in action by small arms fire on May 17, 1967 while serving with the 196th Light Infantry Brigade in Quang Tin South Vietnam. John Brooks served with the 1st Aviation Brigade he was killed on April 19, 1968 when his helicopter was involved in a battle and crashed in Phu Bon South Vietnam.
The War on Terror has also claimed two soldiers from Bellevue. Robert Hall Jr. served with the 467th Engineer Battalion when he was killed in a car bombing in Ad Dujayl, Iraq while guarding the gate at his military base. Thomas Vandling was in the Army also and was killed when his vehicle ran over a mine in Iraq.
From the American Revolution to the War on Terror residents of Bellevue have given their time, talents, treasures and lives for freedom around the world. As we remember those who served our country in uniform let us remember that freedom is not free.
Make sure those you know are remembered.
James Robinson was given the part of Bellevue called Sandy Bottom, from Fremont Avenue to the City line for his service in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Chaplain Hugh Brackinridge was given Sidney for service in the Army, that’s Bellevue from Fremont to the Avalon line. He left Bellevue in 1799 when he was appointed Judge of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. John Wilkins Jr. was then assigned Sidney, for his service in the Continental Army. Bellevue was a part of what was called the Depreciation Lands, or land given to soldiers because our country didn’t have enough money to pay the army at the time. J.C. Schaffnit and 10 others served during the Spanish American War. He was later elected to Council and served as President of Council.
You may have known Charles Delcroix, he lived on North Balph Avenue. He was a bombardier, with 35 combat missions between August and December 1944. He participated in the first daylight raid on Berlin Germany. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal w/ 5 oak leaf clusters. He graduated Bellevue High School in 1942, two years before his valorous service. I’ll bet you didn’t know Joe Giovengo. He was gassed with Mustard Gas during World War I. He came home but died in 1920 after being discharged. His son John fought in World War II in the same unit, the 80th Infantry Division.
We had four McCarthy brothers serve in World War II and Korea, Charles, William, Robert, and Theodore. Robert was killed in the Battle of the Bulge. Theodore was an aerial gunner. His plane was lost on September 15, 1943. He was discovered 55 years later in the jungle of New Guinea. His remains along with another of his crew were buried in Arlington National Cemetery December 11, 1998. John McCloskey Jr. was a B-25 bomber pilot. He was shot down over Burma on his 53rd mission on May 20, 1944. He spent 11 months and 10 days in a bamboo cell in Rangoon, Burma.
John Bragdon served in Co. K 123rd Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers also known as Watt & Butchers Infantry during the Civil War. He was later elected Burgess, we call them Mayor’s now. We have a shelter in Memorial Park named after him. Col Thomas Bayne started Co. H 136th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, the Keystone Infantry. He fought in the battles of Fredricksburg and Chancellorsville. He was elected as a Bellevue Councilman in 1870, and then District Attorney for Allegheny County, he was then elected to the 45th Congress and succeeding six Congresses.
During World War II Melvin Stock was in the Army Office of Strategic Services (OSS), we call it the CIA today. He was in Paris 3 days before liberation and was responsible for taking hundreds of German prisoners prior to the allied forces entering the city. He didn’t do it by himself; he was working with the French resistance. He was elected Mayor of Bellevue in 1975.
Ronald Young was at the Chosen Reservoir in Korea, he later served as a Bellevue Police officer for a couple of decades. Murl Thompson was on ship during the Bay of Pigs before joining the Department of Public Works, the Fire Department and becoming the Commander of the Robert D. Fleming Post 2454 Veterans of Foreign Wars. Robert David Fleming was a member of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. He was Killed in Action in France with 14 other Bellevue Residents.
Elmer Hohn was a Navy flight radar operator aboard the Valley Forge between 1949 and 1953. He had 60 flights off that aircraft carrier and his units exploits were made famous by the book and movie titled “The Bridges at Toko-Ri”. Elmer remembers when the author James Michener was on board where he collected his stories for the book
Captain Levi Bird Duff served in the Army in France during World War I. He became the first Commander of the North Boro’s Post 116 American Legion. The bridge over I-279 on Center Avenue is named after this Bellevue solider.
We had two soldiers Killed in Action in Vietnam. Charles Downey was killed in action by small arms fire on May 17, 1967 while serving with the 196th Light Infantry Brigade in Quang Tin South Vietnam. John Brooks served with the 1st Aviation Brigade he was killed on April 19, 1968 when his helicopter was involved in a battle and crashed in Phu Bon South Vietnam.
The War on Terror has also claimed two soldiers from Bellevue. Robert Hall Jr. served with the 467th Engineer Battalion when he was killed in a car bombing in Ad Dujayl, Iraq while guarding the gate at his military base. Thomas Vandling was in the Army also and was killed when his vehicle ran over a mine in Iraq.
From the American Revolution to the War on Terror residents of Bellevue have given their time, talents, treasures and lives for freedom around the world. As we remember those who served our country in uniform let us remember that freedom is not free.
Make sure those you know are remembered.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Legalization of Drugs
I started writing this article on February 5, 2009, five days after Barack Obama was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. I don’t know that he was put in for the Nobel on February 1st, I just figured he needed the entire 10 days of being president to get it. I knew this issue was going to be a story but I didn’t think it was going to come this quickly.
The legalization of drugs or at least the decriminalization of drug use has been an issue for a long time. It has not been a topic on the front page of newspapers because it is a controversial topic. I’ll bet you haven’t heard about this issue or if you have you wonder why there wasn’t more news coverage. But, as the world turns so do the stars, and the stars are coming into alignment for drug use.
New guidelines were issued by the Obama administration that just about insures that federal drug agents won’t pursue pot-smoking patients or their sanctioned suppliers in states that allow medical marijuana. Two Justice Department officials described the new policy to The Associated Press, saying prosecutors will be told it is not a good use of their time to arrest people who use or provide medical marijuana in strict compliance with state law. This is the beginning of decriminalization of marijuana.
I would like to be direct with the drug use issue but I have a jaundiced eye. Rather than seeing this as just a decriminalization of marijuana issue I see a wonderful tax opportunity. I think this is even bigger than taxes on gambling licenses and gambling revenues, maybe even bigger than taxing churches, fire department and veteran bingos. Remember, you heard it here first, taxes on illegal drugs will be the driving force to decriminalize or legalize drug use. Now back to drugs.
Fourteen states allow some use of marijuana for medical purposes: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, and a state near you in the future.
California is unique among those for the widespread presence of dispensaries, businesses that sell marijuana and even advertise their services. Colorado also has several dispensaries, and Rhode Island and New Mexico are in the process of licensing providers, according to the Marijuana Policy Project, a group that promotes the decriminalization of marijuana use.
One must understand that we have been in the War On Drugs for over 40 years. That’s because prior to the 60’s marijuana was not illegal. The Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs tried to make marijuana illegal from the 1930’s up to the 60’s when those hippies insured the legislation to make the plant illegal. It’s good we don’t need all that hemp rope like we did in the old days, because the hemp plant couldn’t legally be grown for the past 40 years.
If you didn’t know, our oppressive drug laws go back to the beginning of the 20th Century when two thirds of middle class women were addicted to cocaine. Remember, that’s when Coca Cola had real coke in it, heroine was sold in drug stores and various elixirs were sold off the back of buckboards across the United States.
First we had to clean all our products of that bad cocaine, then we worked on the heroine, then we tackled alcohol. We were doing pretty good until FDR came along and noticed the Roaring 20’s were particularly roaring because of the illegal alcohol being sold in Speakeasies. When the Department of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs came to its senses about 1936 they started calling for legislation to make marijuana illegal.
That didn’t work too well in the middle of the Depression, and then World War II came along and nobody was paying attention. After the war everyone was going to school, having children and starting back to work. Nobody was interested in drugs. Then came the Korean War and people still weren’t listening. But after the war a group of people started drawing attention, Beatnik’s. Did you know that jazz clubs and Beatnik’s were consumers of marijuana? Well, then the 60’s came and the baby boomers started to drop out. The rest is history. Except now we are starting a new page, are you ready for it?
Monday, September 14, 2009
Facts-Truth-News
I was in Shanksville this weekend. Although there is no “official” memorial, visiting the temporary memorial is moving. There were at least a thousand people at the site when I was there. The crowd was so large I stopped on my way out to take a picture of the valley with all the people at the memorial. Except for the History Channel I didn’t see much national news that spent much time on Flight 93.
I asked several times over the weekend if anybody had seen news of what was going on in Washington D.C. with the March on Washington. I didn’t see much coverage on the various network news shows. I thought I was always just missing the news on Washington but by Sunday I was asking everyone what they knew. No one had a clue. How could this be? Surely something was happening.
As it turns out there is a question of how many people showed up in Washington. The major networks claim tens of thousands of people showed up. A British newspaper claimed two to three million people were in the mall. Some blogs had the number between 300,000 and a million. Now even I know there is a difference between tens of thousands and millions. Why the difference in opinion?
I couldn’t find a decent news video on-line but I did find this blog reporter who taped three hours of marchers. Take a look at the number of people in one place during the march.
I’m guessing we are seeing the media playing politics rather than giving us facts. The reason I say this is that the President went to Minneapolis for a health care speech where he addressed thousands. Can you believe that, thousands! In the same article it mentions that he is coming to Pittsburgh to talk to the AFL-CIO convention to push health care reform. I guess there wasn’t enough to talk about in Minneapolis.
How can the employees at the hard news agencies look themselves in the mirror? How can the journalism schools that pump out these “reporters” sleep at night? When I was younger I wondered how the reporters at TASS and Pravda looked at themselves. I think I have my answer.
OUTRAGEOUS NEWS
"I don't even know about it," Gibson (ABC news anchor) said when asked about his thoughts on the ACORN hidden video tapes.
I asked several times over the weekend if anybody had seen news of what was going on in Washington D.C. with the March on Washington. I didn’t see much coverage on the various network news shows. I thought I was always just missing the news on Washington but by Sunday I was asking everyone what they knew. No one had a clue. How could this be? Surely something was happening.
As it turns out there is a question of how many people showed up in Washington. The major networks claim tens of thousands of people showed up. A British newspaper claimed two to three million people were in the mall. Some blogs had the number between 300,000 and a million. Now even I know there is a difference between tens of thousands and millions. Why the difference in opinion?
I couldn’t find a decent news video on-line but I did find this blog reporter who taped three hours of marchers. Take a look at the number of people in one place during the march.
I’m guessing we are seeing the media playing politics rather than giving us facts. The reason I say this is that the President went to Minneapolis for a health care speech where he addressed thousands. Can you believe that, thousands! In the same article it mentions that he is coming to Pittsburgh to talk to the AFL-CIO convention to push health care reform. I guess there wasn’t enough to talk about in Minneapolis.
How can the employees at the hard news agencies look themselves in the mirror? How can the journalism schools that pump out these “reporters” sleep at night? When I was younger I wondered how the reporters at TASS and Pravda looked at themselves. I think I have my answer.
OUTRAGEOUS NEWS
"I don't even know about it," Gibson (ABC news anchor) said when asked about his thoughts on the ACORN hidden video tapes.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Remember
On September 11th I will remember the attacks on U.S. citizens by radical Islamists. I will remember more than just the September 11, 2001 attacks that brought down the World Trade Center. I will remember the attack on the Pentagon and, I will remember the real American Hero’s who caused the aborted attack that ended in Shanksville Pennsylvania. If Islamists would like to atone for their violence through community service or participating in a World Day of Service they are welcome, but I will remember.
Approximately 3,000 lives were lost in the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001. The number of dead at the Pentagon and on the hijacked airliners numbered approximately 385. Since Yasser Arafat "renounced" violence in the Oslo Peace Accords on September 13, 1993, at least 53 Americans have been murdered and at least another 83 Americans have been injured by Palestinian terrorists. Excluding the September 11 attacks, approximately 700 Americans have been killed and 1,600 wounded in terrorist attacks since 1970.
Because September 11th is such a tragic day I will use it to remember a lot of other days that need remembering. For instance, I will remember June 5, 1968 and the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, a United States Senator, by a Palestinian immigrant.
I will remember March 28 and 29, 1970 when seven rockets were fired at U.S. interests in Beirut Lebanon by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
I will remember September 5, 1972 and the attack at the Olympic Games in Munich Germany when a front group for Fatah killed a weightlifter from Cleveland Ohio.
I will remember November 4, 1979 when the Iranian radicals seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held 53 hostages for 444 days.
I will remember October 23, 1983 when a Hizballah drove a vehicle borne improvised explosive device into U.S. Marine headquarters in Beirut Lebanon killing 241 marines.
I will remember April 5, 1986 when a nightclub in Berlin that was frequented by American soldiers was the target of a bombing where an American soldier was killed and 41 soldiers wounded, carried out by Libyans.
I will remember January 25, 1993 when a Pakistani gunman opened fire on CIA employees standing outside of a building killing two agents and wounding three others.
I will remember February 26, 1993 when a bomb exploded in the parking garage below the World Trade Center killing six and wounding 1,042. Four Islamist activists were responsible for the attack.
I will remember October 12, 2000 when the U.S.S. Cole was hit with an explosives laden boat in an al-Qaida operation killing 13 American sailors and injuring 33.
I will remember because some would have us forget. Some would rather we not remember that all of these attacks were operations of Islamist extremists carrying out their plan over a 40 year period. I will remember September 11th like I remember December 7th as a sneak attack by enemies of the United States, but I will remember far more than the day.
Approximately 3,000 lives were lost in the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001. The number of dead at the Pentagon and on the hijacked airliners numbered approximately 385. Since Yasser Arafat "renounced" violence in the Oslo Peace Accords on September 13, 1993, at least 53 Americans have been murdered and at least another 83 Americans have been injured by Palestinian terrorists. Excluding the September 11 attacks, approximately 700 Americans have been killed and 1,600 wounded in terrorist attacks since 1970.
Because September 11th is such a tragic day I will use it to remember a lot of other days that need remembering. For instance, I will remember June 5, 1968 and the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, a United States Senator, by a Palestinian immigrant.
I will remember March 28 and 29, 1970 when seven rockets were fired at U.S. interests in Beirut Lebanon by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
I will remember September 5, 1972 and the attack at the Olympic Games in Munich Germany when a front group for Fatah killed a weightlifter from Cleveland Ohio.
I will remember November 4, 1979 when the Iranian radicals seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held 53 hostages for 444 days.
I will remember October 23, 1983 when a Hizballah drove a vehicle borne improvised explosive device into U.S. Marine headquarters in Beirut Lebanon killing 241 marines.
I will remember April 5, 1986 when a nightclub in Berlin that was frequented by American soldiers was the target of a bombing where an American soldier was killed and 41 soldiers wounded, carried out by Libyans.
I will remember January 25, 1993 when a Pakistani gunman opened fire on CIA employees standing outside of a building killing two agents and wounding three others.
I will remember February 26, 1993 when a bomb exploded in the parking garage below the World Trade Center killing six and wounding 1,042. Four Islamist activists were responsible for the attack.
I will remember October 12, 2000 when the U.S.S. Cole was hit with an explosives laden boat in an al-Qaida operation killing 13 American sailors and injuring 33.
I will remember because some would have us forget. Some would rather we not remember that all of these attacks were operations of Islamist extremists carrying out their plan over a 40 year period. I will remember September 11th like I remember December 7th as a sneak attack by enemies of the United States, but I will remember far more than the day.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
G20
As we get closer to the G20 summit in Pittsburgh, we should be prepared for a few things to happen. When they do happen, we should try to understand what and why it is occurring and try not to get too upset.
One of the things that is sure to happen is demonstrations. Signs will claim that the G20 is responsible for everything from the economy to global warming. Certainly the G20 is responsible for some of the ills of our society but look for the fevered pitch to touch us more directly.
Groups of all kinds are planning and cooperating in their effort to bring their message to the front during the time that the G20 is in town. Some of those planning demonstrations are anarchists. They are people who generally don’t believe in organized anything. However, they are organizing a protest against the G20, go figure! Anarchists are not new, they have been around for a couple of hundred years. We in Pittsburgh should understand anarchists more so than others, but I’m sure we don’t.
Our history has been linked to anarchists for more than 100 years. Back in the 1800’s, after the Civil War, our state and specifically our region, was involved in the labor movement because of the steel mills and coal mines. In 1892 during a steel strike at Carnegie Steel in Homestead the plant manager Henry Clay Frick was shot in an assassination attempt.
If we remember this bit of history from our region we probably think that the shooting was a part of the labor unrest, but it wasn’t. The attempted assassination of Frick was an act of an anarchist taking advantage of the strike and lockout with the company and union members. The anarchist, Alexander Berkman, was carrying out a “propaganda of deed” or inspiring workers into action by his act.
The union did not benefit from the assassination attempt as support for the strike waned and eventually the strike ended. The union became less powerful and eventually was taken over by the United Steel Workers about 30 years later. What is important is the idea of the “propaganda of deed.” The idea of carrying out an act of violence to inspire others is dangerous and we have to be looking at that possibility in the next month.
When you are watching the news and you see demonstrators acting in a violent manner think about the anarchists’goal to cause someone else to act because of their action or “propaganda of deed.” Watch the names of organizations that present themselves for demonstrations. Pay attention to what the groups are doing and see if you can figure out who is practicing “propaganda of deed.”
One of the things that is sure to happen is demonstrations. Signs will claim that the G20 is responsible for everything from the economy to global warming. Certainly the G20 is responsible for some of the ills of our society but look for the fevered pitch to touch us more directly.
Groups of all kinds are planning and cooperating in their effort to bring their message to the front during the time that the G20 is in town. Some of those planning demonstrations are anarchists. They are people who generally don’t believe in organized anything. However, they are organizing a protest against the G20, go figure! Anarchists are not new, they have been around for a couple of hundred years. We in Pittsburgh should understand anarchists more so than others, but I’m sure we don’t.
Our history has been linked to anarchists for more than 100 years. Back in the 1800’s, after the Civil War, our state and specifically our region, was involved in the labor movement because of the steel mills and coal mines. In 1892 during a steel strike at Carnegie Steel in Homestead the plant manager Henry Clay Frick was shot in an assassination attempt.
If we remember this bit of history from our region we probably think that the shooting was a part of the labor unrest, but it wasn’t. The attempted assassination of Frick was an act of an anarchist taking advantage of the strike and lockout with the company and union members. The anarchist, Alexander Berkman, was carrying out a “propaganda of deed” or inspiring workers into action by his act.
The union did not benefit from the assassination attempt as support for the strike waned and eventually the strike ended. The union became less powerful and eventually was taken over by the United Steel Workers about 30 years later. What is important is the idea of the “propaganda of deed.” The idea of carrying out an act of violence to inspire others is dangerous and we have to be looking at that possibility in the next month.
When you are watching the news and you see demonstrators acting in a violent manner think about the anarchists’goal to cause someone else to act because of their action or “propaganda of deed.” Watch the names of organizations that present themselves for demonstrations. Pay attention to what the groups are doing and see if you can figure out who is practicing “propaganda of deed.”
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