One advantage of growing old (perhaps the only one other than the alternative) is remembering that things weren’t always like this. I know that “under God” wasn’t in the Original Pledge of Allegiance as Written by the Founding Fathers because I can remember the discomfort of adding it. When the Duck Dynasty speaks up for the Eternal Verities, I remember when one of the Eternal Verities in their part of the world was beating the crap out of anyone who looked like them. And I remember when there was no Presidents Day.
There were two holidays: the birthdays of Lincoln & Washington. But one thing that hasn’t changed is that in large parts of the country Lincoln was the cruel federal oppressor who deprived them of their God-given right to own dark-skinned people, and they were not about to wish the sumbitch a happy birthday. Presidents Day was a compromise, or perhaps a sellout.
Charles Pierce has some thoughts on the holiday.
There were two holidays: the birthdays of Lincoln & Washington. But one thing that hasn’t changed is that in large parts of the country Lincoln was the cruel federal oppressor who deprived them of their God-given right to own dark-skinned people, and they were not about to wish the sumbitch a happy birthday. Presidents Day was a compromise, or perhaps a sellout.
Charles Pierce has some thoughts on the holiday.