My Father
Robert, the name my father adopted when he came to America, never lost his European formality. Typical dress was a pressed white shirt with cufflinks, a somber suit, Florsheim wingtips, and a homburg hat. His hair was slicked down with Eau de Pinaud, a Portuguese hair tonic, and an unlit cigarette dangled from his mouth. His outfit reflected his demeanor: he was a serious man – which is why it was so wonderful to see him relax or laugh. Seeing photos of his younger days, you can already see his sense of purpose. My mother was a light spirit by comparison, and that optimism may have buoyed him more than he realized. When she persuaded him to wear casual shirts or branch out into pale blue, it was a banner day.
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Remember
My parents fled the Nazis, arriving in New York in 1941. Born just four years after Germany’s surrender, I was keenly aware of the Holocaust, though my parents rarely shared details, wanting to face forward rather than look back. But, at school, I was puzzled that the Holocaust was barely mentioned in World War 2 history texts. As Germany was developing into an ally against Communism, it seemed that some wanted to downplay the regrettable “mistakes” of the past. Even to me, the systematic murder of six million Jews and other “undesirables” was impossible to comprehend, and seemed a little like ancient history.
Fast forward to the present day, and we see a disheartening trend, particularly among Millenials (now in their forties) and Generation Z (those born 1997-2012). In many ways, these generations are among the best-educated and most socially conscious, yet there is a disturbing lack of knowledge when it comes to the Holocaust.
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Reflections on MLK Day
The beautiful new sculpture “The Embrace” by artist Hank Willis Thomas honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his wife Coretta Scott King, got me thinking about the way things have and haven’t changed, and the overarching need to hold on to one another.
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Damaged
Has the #Me Too movement left victims of domestic violence behind? Will the NRA manage to overturn an important new provision slated to be added to the Violence Against Women Act up for a vote this week? Are we all damaged in one way or another, and how do we move forward? Musings based on current events as they relate to the novel, Angel Unfolding, along with the author’s favorite Grey’s Anatomy lines.
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A Lament and a Promise
Much to consider as 2018 comes to a roaring conclusion. Much to lament as the world faces a plethora of serious issues and our democracy faces challenges straight from the top. As we postulate whether POTUS can be charged, consider this 1872 story of President Grant and his speeding “ticket.” Cozy up to Leadership by Doris Kearns Goodwin or The Soul of America by Jon Meacham. And take a moment to appreciate the goodness around you - and make sure you do your share to spread kindness.
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It’s Almost Time to Vote, Honey-Bun
After this week’s emotional hearings to confirm Brett Kavanaugh as Supreme Court Justice, Bettie Denny takes a look at the strange confluence of women’s rights and alcohol in Oregon in the late nineteenth century, examining the differing strategies of Abigail Scott Duniway and Dr. Esther Pohl Lovejoy in their work to empower women. It seems we still have a long way to go.
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Enemy of the People
Is the press the Enemy of the People? According to Goebbels, Lenin, and Stalin. But does that sort of rhetoric have a place in a democracy? Newspapers around the country collected their voices this week to stand up to President Trump’s accusations of “fake news” and more.
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One Little Question: Are You A Citizen?
Census data provides clues to our ancestral searches, but a 1952 rule prevents the release of individual data for 72 years. So why are immigrant communities so uneasy about the Trump administration adding a question about citizenship to the 2020 census? You need only look to the internment of the Japanese to find the answer.
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