L. Frank Baum, creator of the Wizard of Oz books and many other series, earlier wrote something not so enchanting. We don't need YouTube to read his remarks. Make of it what you will.
Aberdeen [South Dakota] Saturday Pioneer, December 20, 1890 -- Sitting Bull editorial by Baum:
The proud spirit of the original owners of these vast prairies inherited through centuries of fierce and bloody wars for their possession, lingered last in the bosom of Sitting Bull. With his fall the nobility of the Redskin is extinguished, and what few are left are a pack of whining curs who lick the hand that smites them. The Whites, by law of conquest, by justice of civilization, are masters of the American continent, and the best safety of the frontier settlements will be secured by the total annihilation of the few remaining Indians. Why not annihilation? Their glory has fled, their spirit broken, their manhood effaced; better that they die than live the miserable wretches that they are. History would forget these latter despicable beings, and speak, in later ages of the glory of these grand Kings of forest and plain that [James Fenimore] Cooper loved to heroism.
A boatload of birthdays today: René Goupil, L[yman] Frank Baum (aka Edith Van Dyne, et al), Katherine Anne Porter (b. Callie Russell Porter), Joseph Cotton, James Mason, Max Frisch, Eddy Arnold, Richard Avedon, Peter and Anthony Shaffer, Jasper Johns, Wavy Gravy (b. Hugh Romney), Trini Lopez, Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno, Calogero Lorenzo “Chazz” Palminteri, Jonathan Richman, Andrew Eldritch (b. Andrew William Harvey Taylor), Mele Mel (b. Melvin Glover) .
6 comments:
Manifest Destiny defined at it's very best.
I only wish the Souix had the faith to make the Ghost Dance a reality.
Maybe this nation has NEVER known peace because of the karma from all of the peoples we made war against.
peace to you Erik and all who practice it.
TWM
Wow- that's amazing.
I pass by his old house at 1667 N. Humboldt Blvd, where he wrote The Wizard of Oz, on the way to and from work every day.
Now this has got me thinking about the symbolism in The Wizard of Oz.
He sounded a bit lacking. Did he ever get A HEART? Enjoying the posts Erik. MW
Unpleasant words from someone I always imagined was a pleasant man.
Thanks all for the comments! It was especially bad timing, this editorial by Baum -- little more than a week before the Wounded Knee Massacre.
Holy cow, where did you run across that?
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