Welcome to this month's reading group selection. David Von Drehle mentions The Melting Pot , a play by Israel Zangwill, that premiered on Broadway in 1908. At that time theater was accessible to a broad section of the public, not the exclusive domain it has become over the decades. Zangwill carried a hopeful message that America was a place where old hatreds and prejudices were pointless, and that in this new country immigrants would find a more open society. I suppose the reference was more an ironic one for Von Drehle, as he notes the racial and ethnic hatreds were on display everywhere, and at best Zangwill's play helped persons forget for a moment how deep these divides ran. Nevertheless, "the melting pot" made its way into the American lexicon, even if New York could best be describing as a boiling cauldron in the early twentieth century. Triangle: The Fire That Changed America takes a broad view of events that led up the notorious fire, not...
For Bo (and Rick, you too!):
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Happy Fourth! Not much chance to celebrate here with the focus on Dainu Svente, a celebration of Lithuanian folk song, dance and crafts. Brings in Lithuanians from the world over in a 6-day celebration culminating in the anniversary of King Mindaugas' coronation. Lithuania is celebrating its 1000th anniversary of being first shown on a European map.
ReplyDeleteHappy Dainu Svente to you too Gintaras. Somehow that celebration sounds as good if not better than barbeques and fireworks. I'm taking the day to work in the garden (and chase squirrels and deer).
ReplyDeleteFROM THE DIARY OF JOHN ADAMS
ReplyDeleteBY PETER KRINKE
July 3, 1776
"Tomorrow the congress shall vote on wording for the Declaration of Our Independence from England. While I shall endorse its passage, I cannot deny my contempt for its author, the foul Virginian, Thomas Jefferson.
Today, as the congress was being called to order, I was heard to remark that I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress. While Delegate Cushing struggled at breath for his chortling, Delegate Jefferson closed his eyes, cocked his head askew (pretending to rest it upon a "pillow" of his hands) and pretended to snore loudly...."
see http://www.mcsweeneys.net/
My son has just left with his Vietnamese girlfriend for the 9:30 fireworks display in Decatur, Georgia. Decatur is a trendy suburb, and/or satelite city, of metro Atlanta. Out here in the sub-suburbs where I live, the fireworks won't begin until shortly after midnight, right about when I have finally dropped off to sleep.
ReplyDeleteRick, you can always do as I did today and watch the eruption of Old Faithful instead. Much more patriotic in my mind, and you can watch it by daylight (next eruption in 30 minutes):
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I have no choice. Fireworks are abundant here in the South, as are young people who keep late hours during the summer. But I'm not complaining. Anything that reminds me of the joys of my youth can't be all bad.
ReplyDeleteI'm lucky in that the country club up the street puts on a decent show each year which I can watch real good from my bedroom window on the 2nd floor.The show should be starting any minute now.
ReplyDeleteMarti, add the fox to my neighborhood watch list. Just saw him in the neighbor's yard (my dog chased it off). I guess it really is a jungle up here.
ReplyDeleteI went to the Macy's fireworks here last night. I'd never gone before, although I've lived in this city for 35+ years. I was pleased that they decided to have them on the Hudson River this year (I'm on the west side). I heard that the reason was to honor Henry Hudson for an anniversary of him sailing up the river.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the display a lot. We were in Clinton Cove park, a relatively new part of the greening of the land along the Hudson in Manhattan. It's just below Riverside Park South. It was closed last night when we got there, but we managed to get in. Got a spot at a railing on the river and it was not overly crowded as 12th Ave. in the 40s and 50s were.
It's the 400th anniversary:
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Marti: My daughter & son-in-law were able to see more than a half hour's worth of 6 separate sets of those NYC fireworks from a rooftop on 42nd St. and were mightily impressed, too. According to them, this is the first year since 9/11 when they were resumed at such a location/scale. Were they correct about that?
ReplyDeleteIn 2000, they were moved to the East River. Before that, they were on the Hudson and more visible to people on the west side.
ReplyDeleteI no longer have access to the roof of the building I live in, but since it's a 5 story walk-up, some of the taller buildings to the west of 10th Ave. probably would have blocked my view.
Thanks, and sorry 'bout the loss o' roof access. The tenants in a San Francisco bldg. I used to live in (next door to a bldg. featured in "Vertigo") suffered the same loss. I am almost embarrassed to say that I brought that loss up in a meeting of the Rent Board when we tenants were trying to offset some capital improvements pass-throughs and truly embarrassed to say that "Betrayed by On the Waterfront" was how I began my remarks.
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