Six Crises, Podcast Episode 0: Introduction
Dr. Fleming and Rex begin a conversation on the plunge of the United States into anarcho-tyranny and on the American refusal to look reality in the face without flinching. In the next six (possibly seven) episodes, they will take up, one by one, the key events that turned a naive American boy into a Jeremiah, First up will be the downing of the U-2 spy plane shot down in 1960.
Excellent as always. I am of course nostalgic but not for a particular period in time. Odysseus finally left Ogygia when nostalgia got the best of him. Men who have no home have no nostalgia and for those types, who could blame them for wanting to find an island or simply remain on one with Calypso, like Peter Pan and never never land. Words change and so we are stuck with all the sap and syrupy sentiments of nostalgia as Rex refers to them and Dr Fleming’s examples illustrate But since “the other fall we call the Fall” from paradise, serious men have always been nostalgic and in some sense reminded of it every year during “the other fall we call the fall.” All souls, Gay, Litany, solemnity, nostalgia … all in pieces now. But at least they are beautiful pieces. Thank you both for what will be another great series.
Great introduction. My appetite is whetted. Looking forward to hearing what you make of all this. I can’t remember the U-2 Incident, was blithely ignorant of the Bay of Pigs (at age 6), but I do remember where I was when I found out Kennedy was assassinated. And it seems to me that every time one of these big national crises comes along, educated people will look at you knowingly, nod their head, and solemnly intone: “I think we just lost our innocence.” Most people will never live long enough to lose their ignor–er, innocence. Also, we’ve evolved into a nation full of Mrs. Jellybys, telescopic grievers and hand wringers, more concerned with the outcome of the Johnny Depp trial, than the dying relative on his deathbed.
No real country would deliberately refuse to send aid to soldiers risking their lives in its service when the soldiers are being brutally attacked by a foreign country, as happened in the case of the USS Liberty on June 8, 1967. No real country would refuse to do a proper investigation of this incident and effectively forget about it, as has happened with the Liberty incident. Not to mention that the American government believed the testimony of the vicious foreign attackers of the Liberty rather than the honorable crew of the Liberty. This would not happen in any real country
Joe Porreca: Excellent point! And thanks to Judge Reavis and Ken. The Judge points out that the true meaning of nostalgia is the painful longing to return home. That is exactly what Odysseus longed for–his nostos. There was even a Homeric poem devoted to the sufferings of the heroes returning from Troy.
Tom, Podcast Null was not only insightful but was also very entertaining. Y’all should take this on the road as a routine. Last week, a neighbor called me to pick up some vegetables. When I arrived at his house, he and his wife were sitting under a shade tree and enjoying a pleasant afternoon even though the temperature was about 95 degrees. The shade and the attendant breeze took us back to those years before air conditioning when Southern life in the summer was sitting on the porch or under a shade tree, usually shelling peas or peeling peaches while telling stories. I spent an hour with them. We went over those days before air conditioning and enjoyed every recollection in the process. The downing of the U-2 spy plane and the capture of Francis Gary Powers and Eisenhower’s initial denial of that reality did have its impact on the image of Eisenhower. I look forward to your next podcast.
So well-said, Mr. Porreca! I have posted a piece on Facebook on the USS Liberty on or about the anniversary for several years. With a couple noble exceptions, complete silence. No one has come forward to comment or even try to defend the indefensible. As the good Dr. said in the podcast, we have the “leaders” we deserve.