What is the most historic thing that had happened in your lifetime? has how the event was portrayed initially changed versus now? how do you think the event will be seen by future generations?
Coming to this planet 258000+ years ago…I’ve had the unique privilege of observing most of Earths history, and at times, participating in making it. Some good and some bad, depending on ones perspective. It is rather difficult to narrow it down to one specific event in history, at least in my lifetime, that would satisfy your question. Perhaps just being here, on this planet, might come close…
9-11 was probably the biggest. It was just so incredibly shocking. I think there has been some changes. Initially, it spiked an incredible amount of anger for such senseless act of violence, and I think that attitude remains pervasive within the continental state of America, That anger breeds support for a government.
I think there has been some questions being considered from those who take a more objective stance on the issue. I don’t think we understand if 9-11 was in fact a provocation, or a reaction and if it was a reaction; what was the reaction to? Why go after Iraq in retaliation, while laying blame on Bin Laden who had way more connections to other Arab states (and American business interests), than he ever had in connection to Saddam Hussein? Why was the disposal of Bin Laden’s body shrouded in secrecy? Was there even an attempt to capture him alive? Wouldn’t that have provided more answers, instead of more questions and what would he may have actually said if he was brought to justice versus vengeance?
I know this is a very sensitive topic for anyone concerned, but I think this is typical when people deeply believe “might makes right”. I’m one who happens to believe right makes right. It also seems like people believe that not questioning is a patriotic behaviour? Were the Fathers of the American Revolution traitors or patriots? Its a hard question to answer without attaching emotion. They were in fact both. It all depends on which side you are looking from.
Maybe one of my greatest learnings, and it may very well attached to this specific experience, is that truth can be true even when it might not be for one side or the other, and it is VERY difficult to try and look from the other side with any degree of complete objectivity.
It also makes me think that all history could have multiple sides to the same story, when the “winners” write it.
@spitfire3dc There’s a reason we say, Before 9/11, or After 9/11. So, America had a disaster on their land on 9/11/01; we immediately made changes to make us safer (most of it was bullshit, but measures to make it appear we are safer.) After mass shootings what do we do?….crickets.
@Scarlett I remember it vividly. I was leaning over a low office cubicle divider talking to a staff member who had the radio playing through her phone. I was half listening at first thinking it was some kind of program. Suddenly it started to click that this was a news bulletin and I remember saying “Are you hearing this?” and she kind of woke up from what she had been concentrating on. People started to migrate towards her desk and soon the whole floor was standing around in silence listening to what was unfolding.
I went into the boardroom and turned on the TV. There it was. Everyone at the office started to flow in to watch and it was eerily silent. We saw the second plane hit live. People with hands over their mouth. Eyes wide in disbelief. Mouths agape. It was all rather surreal. I think we all stayed glued to the TV for about an hour and then I suggested that everybody go home. We shut down and everyone went home to be with their families. I think that happened at a lot of businesses.
It was very hard to go back to work. There was a real sense of mourning pervading the office for at least a couple of weeks after, but Life has a way of eventually going on. I think we all knew that the repercussions would be felt for a long time and we were waiting for the other shoe to drop. This was really no less than a Pearl Harbour incident and I know I wondered how the US would scale up a retaliation when a terrorist organization was claiming responsibility.
For a few years afterward and probably still now, I wondered how how a military portrayed as all powerful with the capacity to use satellites to read a newspaper over someone’s shoulder couldn’t find a guy that become the focal point of the search. How all powerful American dollars couldn’t loosen tongues, how the threat of violence in their own communities wouldn’t wake up a tip, a lead, anything to get the bad guys. Then I wondered if they were really even trying? With 175,000 Iraqui casualties as a result of that war I wondered if the point was to create an ongoing enemy that would eventually want their own form of vengeance…and following the money; who benefits?
Hhhhmmm, I have been alive since JFK was shot (which was the day my little sister was born). …and then assassinations of Malcolm X, Dr. King and Bobby. The Vietnam War was shown on the evening news each night. I remember the Watts Riots, and the LA riots after the Rodney King trail. That trail occurred in my hometown. The killing of Lennon, OJ, 9/11…much history.
But, the historical event that occurred that I was smack dab in the middle of was the AIDS crisis. I was in it from almost the beginning. I was part of raising millions of dollars to help people in my community and beyond who were dying, and our government wasn’t doing shit about it except help spread fear. I trained volunteers, recruited walkers and dancers for the AIDS Project Los Angeles walk-a-thons, and the very first of its kind in the world – the first Dance-a-thon for AIDS. Madonna was there, and the press we got with her being there made it cool to be part of the fight for AIDS. Up until then, no one outside of my community wanted anything to do with it. I posted a video of new reels of the event. That was the first time I heard Tone-Loc’s Funky Cold Medina. (weird things I remember). I didn’t take pictures those days, so it’s so cool to find this event on the internet. When we would go to “hetero” events to try to get people involved, we were yelled at and spat on by many. (So, whenever I get someone trying to demean me on the internet it’s nothing. I have looked at hate right in the face.)
What we did during the AIDS crisis, we showed the world how to raise millions of dollars. We set the bar, the standard for fundraisers. Between our dance-a-thons, walk-a-thons, An Evening in White Garden Parties…We showed the world, when your government fails you; you got to keep fighting.
I also was an educator for the NAMES Project – AIDS Memorial Quilt. I arranged viewings of the quilt on various campuses, including a Catholic College. That was the first time anything AIDS related was allowed on that campus. I even had a display at my workplace, which was a very conservative company. I can be pretty darn persuasive. I attached a short video with Cleve Jones, the man who started the quilt.
“What is the most historic thing that had happened in your lifetime? has how the event was portrayed initially changed versus now? how do you think the event will be seen by future generations?”
I am 47 and the most historic matters I came across all happened in secrecy. I feed my life a lot of secret words and actions, and they come out translated in another way.
Ultimately, will these matters ‘change the world’? Yes. In fact, I have been saying since I was 17 or so that I would change the world.
I was made ashamed of this aspiration when I told it to the social care worker who was bothered by it.
Now, I embrace it and it helps me meet my 5 muhahahas I must eat a day.
12 responses to “History”
history for me or history for the world?
Coming to this planet 258000+ years ago…I’ve had the unique privilege of observing most of Earths history, and at times, participating in making it. Some good and some bad, depending on ones perspective. It is rather difficult to narrow it down to one specific event in history, at least in my lifetime, that would satisfy your question. Perhaps just being here, on this planet, might come close…
eight six seven five three Ohhh….
….NINE-ELEVEN!!!!!!
Future generations won’t understand the change in cultural perception of the pre-we’re all in this together to the post us vs them.
@luftballooneyegouge that is what I was thinking.
There are a lot
9-11 was probably the biggest. It was just so incredibly shocking. I think there has been some changes. Initially, it spiked an incredible amount of anger for such senseless act of violence, and I think that attitude remains pervasive within the continental state of America, That anger breeds support for a government.
I think there has been some questions being considered from those who take a more objective stance on the issue. I don’t think we understand if 9-11 was in fact a provocation, or a reaction and if it was a reaction; what was the reaction to? Why go after Iraq in retaliation, while laying blame on Bin Laden who had way more connections to other Arab states (and American business interests), than he ever had in connection to Saddam Hussein? Why was the disposal of Bin Laden’s body shrouded in secrecy? Was there even an attempt to capture him alive? Wouldn’t that have provided more answers, instead of more questions and what would he may have actually said if he was brought to justice versus vengeance?
I know this is a very sensitive topic for anyone concerned, but I think this is typical when people deeply believe “might makes right”. I’m one who happens to believe right makes right. It also seems like people believe that not questioning is a patriotic behaviour? Were the Fathers of the American Revolution traitors or patriots? Its a hard question to answer without attaching emotion. They were in fact both. It all depends on which side you are looking from.
Maybe one of my greatest learnings, and it may very well attached to this specific experience, is that truth can be true even when it might not be for one side or the other, and it is VERY difficult to try and look from the other side with any degree of complete objectivity.
It also makes me think that all history could have multiple sides to the same story, when the “winners” write it.
@spitfire3dc There’s a reason we say, Before 9/11, or After 9/11. So, America had a disaster on their land on 9/11/01; we immediately made changes to make us safer (most of it was bullshit, but measures to make it appear we are safer.) After mass shootings what do we do?….crickets.
@spitfire3dc what was that day like for you, as a Canadian? did you watch it all unfold on tv? do you recall what you were thinking?
I feel we will never know the whole truth
@Scarlett I remember it vividly. I was leaning over a low office cubicle divider talking to a staff member who had the radio playing through her phone. I was half listening at first thinking it was some kind of program. Suddenly it started to click that this was a news bulletin and I remember saying “Are you hearing this?” and she kind of woke up from what she had been concentrating on. People started to migrate towards her desk and soon the whole floor was standing around in silence listening to what was unfolding.
I went into the boardroom and turned on the TV. There it was. Everyone at the office started to flow in to watch and it was eerily silent. We saw the second plane hit live. People with hands over their mouth. Eyes wide in disbelief. Mouths agape. It was all rather surreal. I think we all stayed glued to the TV for about an hour and then I suggested that everybody go home. We shut down and everyone went home to be with their families. I think that happened at a lot of businesses.
It was very hard to go back to work. There was a real sense of mourning pervading the office for at least a couple of weeks after, but Life has a way of eventually going on. I think we all knew that the repercussions would be felt for a long time and we were waiting for the other shoe to drop. This was really no less than a Pearl Harbour incident and I know I wondered how the US would scale up a retaliation when a terrorist organization was claiming responsibility.
For a few years afterward and probably still now, I wondered how how a military portrayed as all powerful with the capacity to use satellites to read a newspaper over someone’s shoulder couldn’t find a guy that become the focal point of the search. How all powerful American dollars couldn’t loosen tongues, how the threat of violence in their own communities wouldn’t wake up a tip, a lead, anything to get the bad guys. Then I wondered if they were really even trying? With 175,000 Iraqui casualties as a result of that war I wondered if the point was to create an ongoing enemy that would eventually want their own form of vengeance…and following the money; who benefits?
Hhhhmmm, I have been alive since JFK was shot (which was the day my little sister was born). …and then assassinations of Malcolm X, Dr. King and Bobby. The Vietnam War was shown on the evening news each night. I remember the Watts Riots, and the LA riots after the Rodney King trail. That trail occurred in my hometown. The killing of Lennon, OJ, 9/11…much history.
But, the historical event that occurred that I was smack dab in the middle of was the AIDS crisis. I was in it from almost the beginning. I was part of raising millions of dollars to help people in my community and beyond who were dying, and our government wasn’t doing shit about it except help spread fear. I trained volunteers, recruited walkers and dancers for the AIDS Project Los Angeles walk-a-thons, and the very first of its kind in the world – the first Dance-a-thon for AIDS. Madonna was there, and the press we got with her being there made it cool to be part of the fight for AIDS. Up until then, no one outside of my community wanted anything to do with it. I posted a video of new reels of the event. That was the first time I heard Tone-Loc’s Funky Cold Medina. (weird things I remember). I didn’t take pictures those days, so it’s so cool to find this event on the internet. When we would go to “hetero” events to try to get people involved, we were yelled at and spat on by many. (So, whenever I get someone trying to demean me on the internet it’s nothing. I have looked at hate right in the face.)
What we did during the AIDS crisis, we showed the world how to raise millions of dollars. We set the bar, the standard for fundraisers. Between our dance-a-thons, walk-a-thons, An Evening in White Garden Parties…We showed the world, when your government fails you; you got to keep fighting.
I also was an educator for the NAMES Project – AIDS Memorial Quilt. I arranged viewings of the quilt on various campuses, including a Catholic College. That was the first time anything AIDS related was allowed on that campus. I even had a display at my workplace, which was a very conservative company. I can be pretty darn persuasive. I attached a short video with Cleve Jones, the man who started the quilt.
@Gina a good read, now I can’t get rid of funky cold medina
“What is the most historic thing that had happened in your lifetime? has how the event was portrayed initially changed versus now? how do you think the event will be seen by future generations?”
I am 47 and the most historic matters I came across all happened in secrecy. I feed my life a lot of secret words and actions, and they come out translated in another way.
Ultimately, will these matters ‘change the world’? Yes. In fact, I have been saying since I was 17 or so that I would change the world.
I was made ashamed of this aspiration when I told it to the social care worker who was bothered by it.
Now, I embrace it and it helps me meet my 5 muhahahas I must eat a day.
@five2one I understand what you say