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| John Atherton (1900-19520 Dover Press |
Today, as I am writing this for tomorrow's blog post, is Patriots Day in Boston, Massachusetts and today was the scene of the Boston Marathon and bomb attacks at the finish line. Two people are reported dead and scores more are injured.
New York City was the scene of a horrific terrorist attack on 9/11/2001. I selected this poster originally to be my "N" choice to somehow tie in the date the poster was printed, 1939, and the planning of the New York World's Fair amid the "winds of war" and the march of Fascism in Europe.
In 1935, a group of New York retired policemen met to plan an international exposition to lift New York's and the country's spirits out of the depression and to encourage much needed business to New York.
Many countries all over the world took part in the World's Fair, even countries that were already under the Fascist boot. Poland, Czechoslovakia and France, ran their pavilions with nationalistic pride. When the Fair ended, many of the staff could not return to their home countries so they remained in the U.S.
President Franklin Roosevelt gave the opening day address; Albert Einstein gave a speech discussing cosmic rays. The theme was, "Dawn of a New Day."
And. . . there was a bomb planted in the British Embassy Pavilion. Two bomb squad policeman were killed as they carried the bomb away, but they saved many lives.
And on it goes. Hope for the future and then. . . .
"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald
Such a great idea to use posters to illustrate your posts. What happened yesterday at the Boston Marathon is horrible. I can just image that little boy who got killed, sitting there maybe dreaming of running a marathon one day. Thanks for stopping by my blog. I can't answer your question about Baja, but as we just saw, we really are not safe anywhere, sadly.....
ReplyDeleteSo true, Inger. So we hold our loved ones closer, remember our good memories like yours in Baja, and try to make some sense of all this.
ReplyDeleteWhat a thought-provoking post. It's nothing new that a large gathering of people is always going to be a target for someone's ideology that probably isn't even understandable to anyone else. Thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the tragedy in Boston.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Nick. What is interesting about these bombings in the distant past, is that the "why" of the bombings is obscured by time.
ReplyDeleteSometimes my mother talks about the good old days...things are getting worse, she says. I ask, really? As an author of historical fiction, my research has revealed unimaginable atrocities committed in everyday lives. Though this is a horrific crime that needs to be treated as such, I believe that we are evolving to be a more caring and conscientious race.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your insightful post.
Thanks, Amy. It is so true about "history repeating itself." There were so many good and caring people in Boston, people who helped immediately without concern for their safety. But my heart goes out for the parents who lost their children both young, as the little 8 year old, and adult children as well. The thought of violent death happening to our children is almost too hard to bear.
ReplyDeleteYet another tragedy to scar the people of America. Couldn't believe it when I first heard the news - and still can't if I'm honest. And sadly, it's always the innocent that suffer. Those who did this are nothing more than monsters - and that's an insult to the word 'monsters'.
ReplyDeleteGood of you to make mention of this. So many did not.
This is a very meaningful reflection on yesterday's events. It is so terribly sad...and confusing...and tempts one to be very pessimistic about the state of our world. I've seen a lot of posts on Facebook the last couple of days about seeing the good - such as all the helpers who arise in response to the tragedy. I like that. But it still does not take away the grief of those who lost...or the renewed horror for those who have lost in previous terrorist attacks.
ReplyDeleteSo far, no real news about who did this. But I do understand that there are horrific events all over the world, so the Boston events don't particularly move many people one way or another. For many countries, bombing is a way of life. I never understood this before I saw a special on Israel and they mentioned the bomb shelters in many newer apartments. Reading about what the UK went through during WW II, seeing some of the movies, hard to imagine what it was like to be in the midst of it.
ReplyDeletethe more things change, the more they stay the same <3
ReplyDeleteSo true, Lynn.
ReplyDeleteIt is very sad and my thoughts and prayers are with the families. Thank you for sharing today, I have listed your blog in my post today. Blessings,
ReplyDeleteAmanda - Realityarts-Creativity
Art Blog
Thanks, Amanda, I am a new follower.
Deletethe worlds fair. those were the epicenter of humanity. good and bad. h.h. holmes selected an untold amount of his victims from there in 1893 and ernest a hamwi invented the ice cream cone
ReplyDeleteSo true. When you think of how many people attend a world's fair, a tiny percentage have evil and mayhem in their minds. Being in a crowd makes you anonymous (cowardly as well).
ReplyDeleteI am having trouble posting a comment so I am leaving this in the "reply" instead.
DeleteI have visited your blog and appreciate you stopping by mine as well. I would like to nominate you rblog for the Liebster Award! If you would like to accept, please see how to at http://elayneminich.blogspot.com/2013/04/n-nominated_17.html
Best Wishes with the A~Z Challenge!
Thanks Elayne. I will check it out and let you know.
ReplyDelete