Human Events

"But wouldn't it be great if scholars peered into the lives of your most beloved historic figures and discovered that they were even cooler than you thought? What if Franklin Roosevelt kicked ass at dominoes? Or Harriet Tubman built her own soapbox derby racers? Imagine if you opened the paper some morning and read a little item detailing that some prof at Temple had just found private letters detailing Elizabeth Cady Stanton's lifelong search for the world's greatest chili recipe? "

Sure, I found that as part of an advertising blurb promoting a shirt bearing a picture of Abe Lincoln fighting Bigfoot. So? I love the truth in it and that it stirs up some idle thoughts about what these people (and others like them) were really like. It's weird to think how idealistic and two-dimensional we have made our historical big shots. Just because these people managed to become integral movers and shapers in events far bigger than themselves doesn't mean it is okay to pretend that they never had other hobbies and human moments as well.

-- G 'Bye, Sonya --

. ( 4.2.07 ) .