If you read my last post, about Crystal City, I said something about episodes or turning points in our lives. Some turning points obviously are more major than others, such as what happened to people at Crystal City. My story here is a minor inconvenience by comparison.
Pink Floyd: On the Run (Dark Side of the Moon)
It Was Only a Small Rock!
I run. Sometimes I talk with others when I run. My left foot landed squarely on top of a rock, not large, but it fractured the fifth metatarsal bone – that’s the one that connects the little toe to the ankle. Metatarsals help provide arch support and balance. Sometimes called a stress fracture, people who do physical activities like dancing or running tend to be more prone to this type of injury. On my x-ray you could hardly even see the faint line that indicated a fracture – hopefully it will heal quickly.
Pink Floyd: Time (Dark Side of the Moon)
What’s Plan B?
When stuff happens that affects your life and your lifestyle, such as being very active (running, cycling, swimming, working out), then what? Maybe I’ll find some good quotes and include those – if life gives you lemons, make lemonade or whatever. You might like Ron White’s updated version of the lemonade quote below.
What the heck, try these quotes on for size.
Steve Jobs
Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith.
I believe that if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade… And try to find somebody whose life has given them vodka, and have a party.
Pink Floyd: Breathe in the Air (Dark Side of the Moon)
What’s Your Point?
Actually, that’s what a family member (near and dear) says to me when I start rambling on about some run I just did – she’s not a runner, but I still love her. Not sure I have a specific point, just killing time while my foot heals. Got tired of Netflix, so I thought I’d do some blogging.
The pictures in the slide show I took after one of my favorite 10K runs in Estacada, Oregon. Very interesting place as you can see in the pictures. Be sure to check out Fearless Brewing if you’re in the neighboorhood.
Signing off for now, time for more boring Netflix. Never fear, I’ll be trucking on down the road before you know it! Enjoy the pictures and the music!
On February 27, 1948, the Crystal City Internment Camp officially closed. I’m writing this 68 years later in August 2016. I’m not by nature a history buff, never was when I was in school, and I’m only a bit more of a history buff now. However, the whole story about Crystal City got under my skin and made me want to try to understand why it happened.
Stuff Happens, but All Lives Matter
Try this, to put it in perspective for you, to make it personal. Think about something that happened in your life, perhaps a turning point, a wrong decision, a happenstance that sent you down a whole different path. Maybe it was temporary and your life later returned to “normal”. I can think of several episodes in my life – serving a year in Vietnam as a sailor, moving my family cross-country not once but twice. Give it some thought, and you’ll probably come up with at least one episode. How would it have affected your life if you had been one of the thousands of Germans, Italians, or Japanese who were interned (confined) in a camp during WWII?
The answer is “dramatically” of course. Read the following quotes from the book.
More Quotes from Jan Russell’s Book
“Eb Fuhr, who was 17 when he was interned and 22 when he was released said, ‘No one can appreciate the intense terror of government power and the despair of hopelessness that we felt behind that barbed-wire fence’. Then he said, ‘By the same token, no one can appreciate the thrilling sense of freedom I felt when it was over.'”
“Carmen Higa Mochizuki was eleven years old when her father, a poor farmer in Peru who made his living selling milk from his cows was arrested. The government seized her father’s assets. They lost everything in an instant. Her mother, father, and nine siblings were transported to the United States, under American military guard, from Callao, Peru to New Orleans. Their passports and visa were confiscated.”
“At the port in New Orleans, the women, and children were marched to a warehouse, forced to strip, and made to stand in line naked. ‘Then we were all sprayed with insecticide that stung our skin,’ remembered Carmen. ‘Since we had no passports or proof of identity we were arrested as illegal aliens and put on a train to Crystal City. During the train ride, the sister thought we might be killed there.'”
“Politics” Defined: Merriam-Webster
“Activities that relate to influencing the actions and policies of a government or getting and keeping power in a government
The work or job of people (such as elected officials) who are part of a government
The opinions that someone has about what should be done by governments : a person’s political thoughts and opinions”
Does politics enter into any of this? Was Executive Order 9066, the order that allowed FDR to set up Crystal City even legal. I decided to do some research to answer that question.
Some Wikipedia Stuff
“United States presidents issue executive orders to help officers and agencies of the executive branch manage the operations within the federal government itself.”
By the way, don’t feel obligated to use the links, but you might find the information edifying.
Use this link to see a list of the number of executive orders issued by past presidents and the current president. By far the most, FDR issued over 3,000 executive orders. You might note that the Federal Register, especially if you’re a “research hound” like me, makes for some very interesting reading about what has been published by various agencies.
There is no constitutional provision nor statute that explicitly permits executive orders. The term executive power in Article II, Section 1, Clause 1 of the Constitution refers to the office of President as the executive. He (or she) is instructed therein by the declaration “take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed” made in Article II, Section 3, Clause 5 or face impeachment.
From ThisNation.com (August 8, 2016)
“Executive Orders are controversial because they allow the President to make major decisions, even law, without the consent of Congress. This, of course, runs against the general logic of the Constitution — that no one should have power to act unilaterally. Nevertheless, Congress often gives the President considerable leeway in implementing and administering federal law and programs. Sometimes, Congress cannot agree exactly how to implement a law or program. In effect, this leaves the decision to the federal agencies involved and the President that stands at their head. When Congress fails to spell out in detail how a law is to be executed, it leaves the door open for the President to provide those details in the form of Executive Orders.”
Wrapping it Up
Remember Howard Beale in Network. See my earlier blog, America, Part 2, August 1, 2013. Are you madder than hell and not willing to take it anymore?
I told myself I’d let this piece about Crystal City speak for itself and not politicize over it. But I felt compelled to add a bit of political content to educate and make sure the issues were clear.
For me, the bottom line question is, if in fact the U.S. government was instituted (from day 1) to serve the needs of the American people, are the American people’s needs being served?
That’s it, I hope Crystal City was a good read for you!
Blogger’s Note
I am admittedly a “train freak”, something about the sounds, the vibrations as it passes, etc. If you happen to be in Sacramento, I highly recommend you go to the California State Railroad Museum. I was there in 2008 and was very impressed with the exhibits (several full-size engines) and a well-presented history of the transcontinental railroad. The museum sits on the site where it ended.
In Part I, there is a picture with the caption, “What is It?”. Maybe you weren’t fooled ..
It was merely a garden ornament masquerading as a miniature planet (somewhat earth-like).
The Power of Love (from the Back to the Future soundtrack)
What’s the Big Deal?
OK, so what, the federal government decided to imprison a lot of people against their will because they might be a threat to America. That seems reasonable and justifiable, right? Obviously, not the power of love.
I had to think about what all of it meant to me after I started reading Jan Russell’s book, which as I said before, is really quite interesting and revealing. Note the following passage from her book. Go to Amazon if you want to snag a copy.
“By August 1945, the machinery of internment implemented during the run-up to the war in December 1941, was already being taken apart. Already many of the fifty-four internment camps operated by the US military and the thirty camps operated by the Immigration and Naturalization Service had shut down. The camp at Crystal City, the only family camp, was still open, but with a reduced population That summer 2,548 Japanese, 756 Germans, and 12 Italian internees were left.”
The author estimated that there were approximately 6,000 internees incarcerated at Crystal City during its six years of operation. It was officially closed on February 27, 1948. I had just turned three at the time and was living in Texas.
In her preface to the book, the author talks about the 120,000 Japanese (62% of them American-born) who were forcibly evacuated from the Pacific coast after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. She also talks about the executive order signed by President Roosevelt, which permitted the secretary of war to arrest and incarcerate Japanese, Germans, and Italians who had been declared “enemy aliens”.
Just an aside, as you mull over the previous two paragraphs, I want to comment on the effort and methods used to write the book, which author Russell describes in detail in the sources and notes. As a writer, I thoroughly appreciate the effort it took to compile the information. Interestingly, another book, Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand, also involved internment during World War II and was very well-researched and written and also relied heavily on personal interviews.
It Is a Big Deal!
The answer of course is yes, it is a big deal. I may do more Crystal City installments, after going through the book in more detail and gaining more insights into how I feel about what happened and how I should respond. OK, it was just plain wrong, all of it – there, I’ve said it. Am I going to recommend to others how they should respond? No, it’s up to each individual to make up their mind how to respond.
Back to the Future Main Theme (City of Prague Philharmonic)
A Quick Tour of Washington and Yamhill Counties in Oregon
Is it an important holiday and how should we celebrate it?
I think most, if not all of us, would answer “yes” to the first part of the question. It’s the second part that I want to focus on. I’ll explain what prompted me to do this blog today. Don’t miss the important web link at the bottom.
Supertramp – Take the Long Road Home
United States of America
I was not shuffling around my house (doctor’s post-surgical instructions) but sitting in my lounger with my legs elevated and my cryo cuff with ice cold water firmly attached to my right knee joint, and I looked at my crutches that were propped up on the couch. Obviously, this being November 11, Veterans Day, I had been thinking about stuff – for example, my crutches are temporary (hopefully), but how about the vets who are permanently disabled.
Let me briefly interject a thought here. I’m hoping that my readers will be open-minded about war. Whether you are pro-war or anti-war is none of my business. All I’m asking of you in this modest, non-political piece is to respect and honor what others have done on our behalf.
How about some word pictures? A double amputee in a wheel chair rolls up the ramp and into the airport waiting area. He has a family there to greet him, which is a good thing. His young daughter bends down to give him a big hug. They both have tears in their eyes. On the same flight a young woman walks off the plane. One side of her face is disfigured. No one is there to greet her, and she is disappointed, but she manages a smile. She’s back in America and so glad to be here.
I’m a vet and proud of it. Ironically, I wasn’t always patriotic. However, I received my draft notice from the “BBQ King” (that’s what we called LBJ in those days). I’ll skip the details about how I failed my induction physical and ended up in the Navy Reserves. Those details are in another section of this blog.
It’s time to get to the point. Here’s what I would like to suggest. Make it your mission to honor a vet, any vet, not just today but often. It could be something as simple as saying hello, shaking their hand, or patting them on the back to acknowledge what they did. If you have time, buy them a cup of coffee or just spend a few minutes talking to them. Ask them about their service. If they don’t want to talk about, don’t push it. For some the memories are too painful. Remember, you’re recognizing the fact that they gave of themselves in serving this great country.
Ending Notes
I would like to end with music and a web link. The music is an old piece that brings back memories from my shipboard life in Vietnam. One of the pasttimes of the sailors on my ship was to record music (reel-to-reel tape in those days) to send back home. It was a nice diversion.
Blind Faith – Can’t Find My Way Home
Here is a link to a local charity that works with vets. I’ve done volunteer work for them and can vouch for their mission, which is to help our vets to survive (literally) and to be able to reassimilate into society after their service. Consider donating in whatever way you can to their very worthy cause.
“The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them . . . but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:7-8)
I first met Chris in California when I was visiting the Weaver’s in the early 70’s. I had met his sister, Sandra, my wife now, in Texas where I lived. I soon discovered that life in the fast lane was the norm amongst the Weaver clan as Sandra and I did our best to use as many of the California freeways as possible visiting her five brothers.
Here’s a favorite quote from Hunter S. Thompson that I think describes Chris Weaver’s life as well as any words can:
“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: ‘Wow, what a ride’.”
Another favorite quote from Nelson Demille’s book, Up Country:
“The journey home is never a direct route – it is in fact always circuitous, and somewhere along the way we discover that the journey is more significant than the destination and that the people we meet along the way will be the traveling companions of our lives forever.”
It’s a comfort to me that Chris will always be a traveling companion in my life as well as in the lives of many others. It was a real honor knowing him.
About Chris Weaver
Chris was the middle child of 6 and spent his youth in Grand Rapids, Michigan where he attended Ottawa Hills High School. Joining the Air Force in 1965, he served as a military police officer and retired as Sergeant in 1969.
On June 28, 1969, he married his sweetheart Carol Ann Tengesdahl with whom he spent 48 wonderful years. They moved to Minneapolis and on October 21, 1970 welcomed their daughter Tammy into the world. In 1971 he graduated from Brown Institute majoring in Radio Communications. Later that same year Chris moved his family to California to work with his father, the legendary Eric Weaver, in the motion picture industry. On December 3, 1974 they welcomed their son Christopher Weaver II into the world.
In 1980 Chris began his career with LMI. Due to his U.S. government top secret security clearance and a Diplomatic Passport, he went on to travel the world – China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Russia, Africa, and many more amazing places.
He had a very colorful and exciting life spending months abroad installing top security rooms for governments and large industries. Chris had a way with people, he knew no stranger, and made many friends across the world, most of whom he remained in touch with until his passing.
After many years he stopped traveling and started working out of his house as a project manager. He loved being home and close to the family. He soon joined a dart league, and in usual Chris fashion, he excelled at darts and making lots of new friends, eventually playing darts with his son as a partner.
He was an amazing father, husband, and soul mate, father-in-law, uncle, brother, son, and best friend to many! Chris brought laughter and joy to those he touched. He was a force of nature and will continue to be loved beyond belief. . . .
I think I can blame my birthday and various media for inspiring this blog.
A broadcast news item about raising the flag at Iwo Jima (see the Wikipedia piece).
Bachman Turner Overdrive’s Taking Care of Business coming out of my PC speakers.
OK, get over it, I’m old school, it’s a Dell desktop, and the music is coming out of external speakers my son was nice enough to install, small but with an impressive bass response. Thanks, son!
I won’t name all the songs I was listening to, but there were 3 BTO, 3 Canned Heat, and 3 Chicago tracks, obviously music I like. One of the Canned Heat tracks was Let’s Work Together (Let’s Stick Together). I believe it’s on Disc 2 of Uncanned: The Best of Canned Heat album if you’re interested. Music and images (Iwo Jima) is a segue . . . possibly.
Today was a pretty darn good birthday. Even work was kind of fun – go figure, eh! I got happy birthdays from my Facebook friends, which I was checking out on my lunch break of course. I liked it and got a little buzzed about having 34 people wish me a happy birthday! I should try to move along in this modest literary exercise, tomorrow is another workday. Perhaps you glanced at my 2015 Preview – here are a few snippets to wet your curiosity.
“Who is Peter Finch?” – The title of this upcoming post should be, “Who is Howard Beale?” because he is the character that Peter Finch played. You should at least google it or read the imdb.com summary of the film. Better yet, buy a copy or rent it on Amazon. The movie was highly acclaimed, winning several academy awards that year. But why was he shouting “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore.” Remember it was a “satire”, but you should look up the definition if you aren’t familiar with that word.
An even better question is, “why aren’t we mad as hell and shouting I’m not going to take it anymore”? For now, I will mention just this one more thing, which is a carryover from my college days at a military school. People used to say things like, “Your head is so far up your _ _ _ that you need a glass belt buckle to see where you’re going.” Now as I recall more clearly, that was often what an upperclassman (usually a sophomore) would say to an underclassman (a freshman) when the cadet couldn’t answer a question about some obscure fact related to the college. Do we as Americans have our heads up our _ _ _ _ _ about what’s going on?
Remember my blog post on December 21, 2014, about mindfulness – try this just for fun. The next time you’re in a serious conversation with someone, really listen to what they’re saying and try to respond, rather than, while they’re talking, thinking about your own ideas and what you want to say. More in my next installment about mindfulness.
I’m about done. Two more items to complete the segue from the two bullets above. The Canned Heat songs (titles and music) speak for themselves, as does the Iwo Jima photograph. Think about it. There are six people raising the flag in the famous photograph, five Marines and a Navy Corpsman. Three of the Marines were killed in action over the next few days. Any flag raisers out there? God I hope so!
It was a humbling experience, standing there looking out over Pearl Harbor where it all happened on December 7, 1941, where over 2400 American servicemen died and 1,178 were wounded. Here’s the Wikipedia link if you’re interested:
A bit of back-story on why I was there on December 7, 1996.
I had flown to Honolulu the day before with friends, actually teammates, who were all part of Team in Training that raised money for the Leukemia Society (now called Leukemia & Lymphoma Society). We all raised money and trained for weeks and weeks to run the marathon in Honolulu. For me, because I’m a runner and because my mom died of Leukemia when I was 19, it was the right thing to do. I was honoring her memory. After we checked into our hotel in Waikiki on December 6, Quentin, the runner sharing a hotel room with me and I talked it over and decided to spend our free day before the marathon at Pearl Harbor.
Every year Honolulu honors the Pearl Harbor casualties with a dockside memorial service in front of the museum. If you go there, you should go to the museum and take the tour out to the Arizona site. Along the dockside were tripods set up with a wreath and the picture and name of the honoree. There was an informal service. I don’t remember for sure, but I think there were about 20 people being honored. Then we took the launch out to the site of the U.S.S. Arizona (BB-39). Right next to the partially submerged battleship was a memorial with all the names of the Arizona servicemen who died inscribed on a stone monument. Regardless of how you feel about war and the results of war, it’s hard not to be moved by visiting Pearl Harbor.
Although running the Honolulu marathon the next day was a bit anticlimactic after the Pearl Harbor tour, everyone on the Team in Training team finished the marathon and had a great time celebrating afterwards.
blazinbernie
Looking for a Rufous 