December 7, 1941

In two days, it will be December 7, 2013, seventy two years ago, on December 7, 1941, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, by the Japanese. As FDR  said, "A day that will live, in infamy," I remember hearing that so vividly. The world was never the same after that day, a time of quiet innocence in this country, ended on that day, we were at war.

I have related on many occasions where I was on that day, and my reaction, but more importantly, the reaction of those I was with. A moment frozen in time, still so vivid in my mind, I can close my eyes and relive that moment, and many events of the day, the looks on the faces, in our case, a happy weekend visit at my brothers college and fraternity house, a glorious weekend, ended on that radio broadcast.

I doubt that much will happen on that day, to remember, I think it has become politically impolite to mention the day and the occasion. That day was the first turn of a wheel, that has continued spinning since that day, and has only gained momentum each day. It may now, even be spinning out of control.

Think for a minute, all that has happened in the world since that day, it is staggering. So many things are reality now that were not even imagined in those days. Think of all the lives that have been lost, just in wars, since then. We have almost continually been in a war of some sort, since then. We learned nothing from that experience, only, that when pressed to do it, our nation can mobilize to unimaginable heights. Our technology can produce technological advances as needed. We have the capabilities, the manpower  and the leadership to win wars, when forced in to them.

THE FDR SPEECH

It is rolling around again ..... December 7

I imagine the number of people who vividly remember this date is dwindling. I am 79, born in 1932, and remember that day as if it were yesterday. As FDR said, "A date which will live in infamy."

I was in Greencastle, Indiana, along with my Mom and Dad, we were visiting my Brother Dean, who was attending DePauw University. We had just finished eating lunch in the Delta Tau Delta house dining room, my brother's fraternity. I was reclining on a big leather couch, suffering from a mild allergy attack from eating too may hot homemade Parker House rolls. I knew better, I was allergic to eggs, but could not resist those hot rolls.

News was coming in on the big Philco Radio in the large Commons Room, which was filled with many students and their parents. I remember hearing, Japan, Pearl Harbor, sneak attack, bombs, aircraft, words like devastation, casualties, ships sinking, words that would soon become commonplace.

The stillness in the crowded room, the expressions on faces, there was a foreboding feeling in the room that made me acutely aware that a disaster had happened, one that would have a dramatic affect on the young men in the room. I had a feeling that they sensed how this would affect their future, that their lives would never be the same, a life altering event.

I remember the three hour drive home, in a Packard Clipper, few to no words were exchanged between the three of us. We drove in silence. The country would soon be at war, and we all knew it. My Dad had served in WWI and knew of war, his Father, Caleb,  was in the Civil War, and Dad had heard many stories of the horror of that war. He was the most silent, he knew what the future held.

December 7, 1941, "A date which will live in infamy." We should never forget that date.

13 days into 2010

I feel so sorry for Obama, it seems like he has to do everything himself. I must admit I don't remember any of his cabinet members, I know he has a wife and two kids, but that is about all.

The catastrophe in Haiti, he has to tell us about it. I would think he would have someone around him, maybe even the Ambassador to Haiti, someone, anyone, who would know enough about it to address the nation. Old Hussein has to do it all himself.

I have labeled him the "tennis talker." If you notice, and I don't see how you could not notice, his head goes from left to right, right to left. I have seen that same motion as people watch a tennis match.

The man must have an ego, so large, "how large is it" ..... I don't have a definitive answer for that yet. He must feel he is the only one competent enough to handle any situation that comes along.

I still have to wonder why he didn't take his wife on some of those junkets ...
One reason .................. I got this as an email .....

I was at a Blockbusters renting videos, and as I was going along the wall, there was a video called "Obama". There were two men next to me. We talked about Obama.
These guys were Arabs and I asked them why they thought Michele Obama headed home following her visit in France instead of traveling on to Saudi Arabia and Turkey with her husband..

They told me she couldn't go to Saudi Arabia, Turkey or Iraq.

I said "Laura Bush went to Saudi Arabia , Turkey and Dubai."

They said that Obama is a Muslim, and by Muslim law he would not be allowed to bring his wife into countries that accept Sharia Law.

I just thought it was interesting that two Arabs at Blockbusters accept the idea that we're being led by a Muslim who follows the Islamic creed.

They also said that's the reason he bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia. It was a signal to the Muslim world.

Interesting comments.

I am at a point where I don't worry or contemplate the future. I think, right now, our country is a "runaway locomotive" that no one can stop. Being a occasion, elderly, I only look to tomorrow, or even getting through this day. I worry about the future for my children, grandchildren and great grandchilren's sake, but I am frustrated and feel there is nothing I can do about the future.

I miss the past, the spirit of the past. I remember the feeling that was going through the country during WWII, confident and optimistic, "when we rid the world of Hitler and Tojo." Not IF, WHEN.

Then Korea and the inevitable struggle with Russia, Viet Nam, everything that went on until this "age of terrorism." Now I only understand that there is a nation or two who want to see me dead. I remember the days when an American never went to a foreign country and they expected everyone to speak English.

I received a Christmas gift, I think purchased at Walmart, and the box and the instructions were printed in Spanish.

Speaking of Walmart, we shopped there yesterday. We have shopped there for about six years, and always felt we were getting a good product at the lowest price possible. We always felt we saved money shopping there ............ till yesterday. We noticed they were doing a lot more advertising .... their recent INCREASED prices are paying for those ads.

Could it be that we are being led by a leader who actually believes in the overthrow of this country?

Bring back FDR, the country needs him.

"Sarah, can you help?"

9/11

9/11 will never be forgotten, it is in our vocabulary. 12/7 is not remembered, but December Seventh is. If someone mentioned September eleven, might take some time to realize what happened on that day, but nine/eleven, vivid memory. Not sure if I remember the year.

I don't remember who made the comment, but I remember shortly after 2000 arrived, someone made the comment, "This will be the age of terrorism." How right he was. I don't think our lives have ever been the same since that day. So many things changed.

I felt too, that the Bush administration, whether you liked them or not, agreed or disagreed with their policy, were waging a war against terrorism. I think we all slept better.

With the change in administration, and many questions that arose, I am much more concerned.

I receive Emails from both the Democratic and the Republican parties. I have some questions about some of the policies we are seeing put in to effect. I personally don't feel as comfortable voicing opinions here, as I did a year ago.

For the first time, even though this is not a loud voice, and certainly does not have a tremendous readership, I am concerned about it being read by the "wrong" people. I have never felt that emotion, concern about my opinions, before.

I am reluctant to make "unpopular" comments or observations, because I am not sure what all is happening in this country anymore. I am more inclined to stay in the shadows.

Maybe it is my advanced age, but I am not as "comfortable" as I used to be. I don't feel as "protected" as I once was.

Today concerns me, as FDR said about December 7, 1941, “A Date Which Will Live in Infamy." Little did he know or could he foresee, and we have not seen the last of it.

Hopefully, nothing will happen today to "celebrate" the event.

We met ............ Sara

While we were in NY, son Brad and his fiance Bernie, took us on a tour of the FDR (Franklin Roosevelt) estate. I remembered FDR, and actually saw him in the early 40's in Dayton, he was with Orville Wright and Charles Kettering. They passed our high school in their limo. They reportedly were discussing the early stages of the A-bomb, the Manhatten Project, which had some early secret research done at Runneymead in Oakwood.

The Roosevelt estate preserves a large part of our country's history, and a four-term president who played a major part in a very historical time. The Depression, WWII, the development of the A-bomb. Much history was in that house, and I was awed to see some of the items that were in photographs that I remembered. His oval office desk and chair were there, all the items on his desk were there, the bed and room where FDR was born.

It was a very respectful and awesome atmosphere. It was crowded, but everyone seemed quiet, and absorbing all the history.

We were free to roam a great deal of the area, the Rose Garden where he was buried, but to tour the house, we went on guided tours.

We were in the last group of the day to tour the house, late afternoon, warm, the sun was setting. We went through all the rooms on the first floor, and went up the stairs to the second floor. We passed the small, hand operated elevator that FDR had used so many times, the same ropes that he had pulled.

We saw the room where he was born, his bedroom, a bedroom where the Queen of England had spent the night. Everything was as it had been, except for the carpet traveled by the visitors.

One small room attracted by attention, a little larger than a phone booth, and this room had an old fashioned telephone on the wall. I entered the small room to get a better look at the antique telephone, and as I entered I felt something brush against my right arm, but no one was there.

Right down the hall stood one of the park rangers, and I asked her, "Is there a ghost in this house.?"

"Yes," she replied, "Sara Roosevelt."

"Some time ago there was a fire up here, and they hired guards to keep a 24 hour watch on the building. One of the guards encountered an eerie white figure that told him, 'Get out of my house.' He did, and was never heard from again."

I felt Sara stay with us the rest of the tour, and follow us as we left, felt her in our car, and for the rest of the evening.

On a couch at The Would, as we sat at the bar, a nearby couch had an indentation where she sat. As we ate, curtains slowly moved in time to the music that was playing, yet there was no wind. She spent some time with us, off and on, for the next couple of days. I think she enjoyed the great time we were having during our visit. She reportedly always loved good "family times," and I am sure she was enjoying our visit.

She didn't come back to Ohio with us,, she is still in New York, in her home, that she loved so much, and is where she belongs, among all those treasures and memories.

Thanks Sara, I hope you enjoyed your time with us, we enjoyed having you.