The Changing World of Saint Nick

WARNING: Very political topic. Move on to the jokes if you’re not into this.

Everybody knows that the jolly, obese, white bearded man in the red suit is the American version of Old Saint Nicholas — a lanky philanthropist from Turkey … wait! Isn’t Turkey a Muslim country? Muslims don’t have saints! What’s wrong with this picture?!?

Bullies

At one time there were a lot of Christians in Turkey. In fact, the apostle Paul had planted some of the earliest churches like Ephesus and Antioch in that country which is today 99% Muslim. So where did the Christians go? Simply stated, I guess they were bullied out. In fact, the Christians and followers of other religions in Turkey are in hiding for fear of their lives. How ironic that Saint Nick would be beheaded in his own country today.

Division From Within

The war in Israel and Palestine has fed the world with genuine and fake news which has festered warring factions of sympathizers for either the Jews or Hamas. There’s no confusion where the conservatives stand — their position has remained the same since the Jewish state was established in 1948. The confusion is among the liberals. It’s interesting that the true ideologies within the liberal party are now unraveling. A recent Congressional hearing with the Presidents of Harvard, Penn State and MIT has revealed the uniform antisemitism of these ivy league schools. These universities are in panic mode because Jewish donors and other alumni are pulling out. The cancer within has finally been exposed.

We know full well that (1) leaders can be bought; (2) news can be slanted to media biases; (3) rotten apples exist in law enforcement organizations like the FBI, the CIA, etc.— so if it’s true that millions of people are easily fooled, perhaps it’s time to reconsider one’s allegiance — should one be loyal to a party regardless of how far its moral compass has drifted? Does one fear the bullies or fear being ostracized by society?

I really hope we all open our innocent eyes to current events and discern the evil, monied, powerful elites that are out to destroy our nation. Regardless of party affiliation, let the facts fall where they may. Stop defending a wrong. Legal or illegal — does the end justify any means? What if one’s belief is wrong? Afraid to discuss the issues? That’s sad.

Speaking From Experience

I grew up during the Marcos dictatorship. Believe me, It’s no fun to live where poorly educated, heartless, short-sighted buffoons rob and kill with the blessings of the powerful. I survived a judicial system where one’s connection determined who was innocent. I have friends who went missing … friends who were shot because they dared to stand up against those bullies. The longer the regime dragged, the more abusive the bullies became.

Yesterday was Pearl Harbor Day — a day that awakened a sleeping America to the bullies in Japan. Will history repeat itself? If you’re still wondering who to side with, perhaps this video below might help. Let me know what you think of it.

THE MIDDLE EAST PROBLEM

Of course there are exceptions. I have good friends who are Muslims … just had a fun chat with one of them this morning. Of course I’ve made some general statements — but stop using this gaslight excuse to remain undecided. And of course, this is just my opinion. TGIF people!

Raoul

p.s.
In case you’re wondering, no matter which country or how many nations gang up on little Israel, Israel will never be wiped out. It says so in the Bible. Deservedly or undeservedly. these Jews are the Chosen People. They will never be eliminated.

“Those who believe in nothing are very, very jealous of those who believe in something.” – Dennis Praeger

JOKE OF THE WEEK

Thanks to Riley of Wisconsin

Parting Shots

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA

Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre. CA

I found these

Hey, click on the picture of “Abe” to read my article of the
Ford Theatre (in Washington, DC) where Lincoln was shot.

The Traveling Boy

My good friend (and jokester) Terry and I came up with these.

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I used to live around the Washington, DC area in my college days and I’d been to the Smithsonian Museum and the different monuments. But it never occurred to me that this is also the town where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. So to my delight and surprise I found out, through a museum information booth, that the original Ford Theatre where he was shot and the house where he died had been preserved all these years and it was just a few blocks away.

I only had a typical general tourist map (with hardly any detail) to get to my destination — I just knew I was walking in the general direction. Once I saw tourist buses and a souvenir shop full of Lincoln memorabilia I knew I was at least in the vicinity. But as I gazed around, I saw nothing but blocks of modern buildings. And then I saw a security guard wearing a standard beige uniform guarding an old fashioned stairway entrance of a brick façade of a house. It was literally a hole in the wall among the modern buildings. It turned out to be the boarding home of the Petersen family where Lincoln was carried to after the shooting.

Fortunately for me, it was an off-season so there were just 2 families ahead of me. One could get claustrophobic easily in this cramped hallway where posters and enlarged pictures of old newspaper headlines unfolded the assassination. Less than a hundred paces from the entrance was a little door at the end. I entered the room and there it was — the famous bed where Lincoln breathed his last. I knew Lincoln stood head and shoulders above everyone so I was surprised that he fit in that short bed. The bed sheet, the pillows, the clutter in the room where they carried him to safety seem to have been preserved. There was a sense of reverence as tourists took turns gazing at the room where this great man died.  Not much could be said about the room. No elaborate decoration. It was what it was. And then the path towards the exit showed more pictures and displays of the aftermath — John Wilkes Booth’s escape route, the hunting party, the judges, etc.. The architects of this display were pretty clever in blending this 1860s home with the modern age. There was a large spiral stairway standing from the bottom floor to the 3^rd floor and in the center was an odd pillar of books. Upon closer inspection, I realized that every single one of those books — from the children’s books to the scholarly writings — had been dedicated to Abraham Lincoln. Such was this man’s legacy to the world.

I asked the guard where the Ford Theatre was and he was amused at my blindness. He pointed right across the street. I expected to find an old building instead of a glass façade. The proximity just made sense because this was the closest accommodation to rush the body to safety right after the shooting.

Again, the theatre was an architectural marvel – a blending of the old and new eras. One step past the double door entrance brings you back in time. The interior reminded me of some of the New York Broadway theaters where intricate wood carvings adorn the walls and the ceiling.

A Little History

The tourist guide narrated the events of the assassination like a seasoned orator.  He said the Civil War had just ended. Many lives were lost on both sides. Lincoln was bereft and carried the deaths of 618,222 soldiers on his weary shoulders. It was a hollow victory. There were still loyalists of the Confederate army who considered Lincoln a traitor to the white race. Among them was the most popular actor of that day, John Wilkes Booth (JWB).  

With victory fresh in the air, the people in D.C. clamored for the President to give a speech; however, contrary to popular belief, speaking in public was not one of Lincoln’s strong suits and he passed the opportunity the first night. But he prepared for the second night and on April 11, 1865, speaking from the White House window to the crowd below, he reluctantly gave his speech about reconstruction and unity … it was his final speech on this earth. The speech angered JWB and it was there that he vowed to assassinate the President. To put things in context, the sentiments against slavery in the country was divided. Lincoln went against the grain and he had made genuine enemies. Ironically, it was his death that unified the country.

On that fateful week, with his long-time connections with the Ford Theatre, JWB learned that Lincoln had a change of schedule and was going to attend the show — a comedy entitled “Our American Family,” on Good Friday, April 14, 1865. The theater grounds was practically his “home” so he had full access to every room in the building. He was familiar with the play so he knew the perfect time to carry out his dastardly deed. He entered the side door on the 2^nd floor that led to the Presidential Box. He barred the door with a 2×4, put a derringer pistol at the left nape of the President and fired. The President’s body slumped forward. 29 year old Major Henry Rathbone (who was sitting near Lincoln) rushed to Lincoln’s aide but JWB drew his dagger and slashed Rathbone’s arm. The audience below were unaware of the violence taking place … thinking the shot was part of the performance until JWB leapt from the balcony and broke his leg; but despite his injury, he escaped through the backdoor and rode away on horseback. With a $100,000 reward on his head, JWB was cornered by federal troops in a Virginia farm on April 26. He refused to surrender so they burned down the farm and JWB was shot and killed. Eight of his fellow conspirators were also captured. Some were hanged and others were locked in prison. Justice was served amidst mixed sentiments.

Dr. Charles Leale attended to the President. The bullet had entered through the left ear and lodged behind the right eye. He had seen enough of the wounds in the Civil War to predict that there was no hope for survival.  Lincoln was carried to the Petersen’s home across the street where he died 9 hours later at 7:22 am. Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton famously pronounced, “Now he belongs to the ages.”

Our group of tourists made our way out of the theater. As I walked out from the centuries-old theater into the streets surrounded by modern buildings, I couldn’t help but compare the uncertainties of Lincoln’s time with that of today.  One day the politics of today will certainly find their way into our history books. Will the fake news and the conspiracy theories be convincingly revealed by objective historians? Will we recognize the greedy influencers who lurked in the shadows and will the unsung heroes finally get their thanks? Or will history repeat itself and will we need an assassin’s bullet to unite our divided country? Hmm …

The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

Ten Facts About Lincoln’s Assassination

Ford Theatre

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Display City: Washington D.C.

I visited my aunt in Washington DC. My plan was to visit all the museums DC had to offer but, by the 3rd day, I was exhausted because I traveled by subway and by foot.

Note: If you plan to go here, do enough exercise to prepare for a marathon. Here’s a map of some of the places I visited.

I was planning to list the different exhibits but I realized there are just too many to jot down; so let me just give you my overall impression.

Washington DC, is a smorgasbord of museums. I stayed there for a week but even that was not enough time to go through all that DC has to offer. There are sites to see both inside (the museums) and outside (Lincoln Memorial, the Korean and Vietnam War Memorials, the WW II Memorial, the MLK Jr Memorial, etc.). Most of them are free. The ones that you have to pay to get in (like the Spy Museum, the Holocaust, Memorial Museum, the Museum of the Bible, etc.) are privately funded and the entrance is usually about $30.

DIRECTIONS

It’s hard to figure the logic of the roads near the Washington Monument but it helps to imagine a spider web where the Washington Monument is in the center and all the streets are radiating from that (that’s why there are a lot of wedges and curved streets). If you look at Google Maps there isn’t too much detail and I think that’s done on purpose for security reasons. Traveling by foot I noticed buildings and organizations I never even knew existed. Another good visual to start a map in your head is to envision a rectangular shape from the Lincoln Memorial to the World War II Memorial to the Washington Monument and to the US Capitol building. I figured the best way to get around was to simply ask the locals.

AWESOME

There is majesty in the design and size of the buildings. And there is serenity in the open spaces. There is endless variety in the themes of each exhibit. There are priceless paintings, sculptures and furniture that remind you of the hardship of eras long gone by that brought about the birth of a new nation. Different ethnicities — African, Asian, European, South American — cry out to be heard. Fossils, stuffed animals/birds and insects reminded me of Noah’s ark; while airplanes and rocket ships made me wonder what else God has hidden for us to discover.

There was so much to absorb for visitors like me that I found myself rushing and taking endless pictures to be appreciated back home. There were no seats nor benches to pause and breathe in the masterpieces. It was as if the museums were designed to herd the tourists through as quickly as possible.

GOVERNMENT

Aside from the exhibits, I had to remember that this “little town” is the heart of America. Inside the surrounding buildings powerful leaders were making decisions that would resonate around the nation and rest of the world. The Executive, the Legislative, and the Judicial branches are in close proximity to each other — hey, what’s that I smell? Corruption? Off with their heads! How I wish our leaders are still in awe of their huge responsibility to mankind.

Whatever your race, skin color, gender, age, religion or political party, when you go to DC, you can be proud of the tapestry of our country — the great political experiment called the United States of America.

TGIF People!

“In known history, nobody has had such capacity for altering the universe than the people of the United States of America. And nobody has gone about it in such an aggressive way.” — Alan Watts

“If they hear and serve Him,
They will end their days in prosperity
And their years in pleasures.” – Job 36:11

JOKE OF THE WEEK

Thanks to Clinton of Arizona

Parting Shots

Thanks to Maling of New Manila, Philippines

Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre. CA

I found these

The Traveling Boy

My good friend (and jokester) Terry and I came up with these.

SUBSCRIBE

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