November 13, the day that Paris exploded, was my birthday. And shortly after the early news reports confirmed the extent of the terror, I turned off the television. Most of the weekend was spent reading. Living in the DC area, staying on top of the news is as much a part of life as ridiculous traffic.
I can no longer spend endless hours glued to the repetition of the same information. While the terrorists attacked the lives and livelihoods of the citizens of Brussels, the ripples of their actions wound everyone seeing the reports.
Daily news reports talk of isolationism, interventionists, refugee crises and political intractability. Reading Erik Larson’s Dead Wake about the last voyage of the Lusitania and Churchhill’s calculated effort to bring the US into WWI brings to mind President Wilson’s policy of isolation which only changed after many American lives were lost in the sinking of the ship. This echoes some of today’s political rhetoric.
In Epitaph, Mary Doria Russell’s compelling historical novel about the circumstances leading up to the shootout at the OK Corral, the Republicans and Democrats have vastly different approaches to border issues between Mexico and the Arizona territory. Some of the politicians turn a blind eye to the incursions of rustling cowboys and the killing parties across the border. The lack of cooperation among the parties and the border economic and political issues are all too familiar.
George Santayana is credited with saying, “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.” Whether I am reading fiction or narrative nonfiction, I remain alert to the lessons shared. If anything, my reading gives me a much better perspective on the extraordinary domestic and foreign policy challenges we face as Americans.
As the day that changed Belgium forever ends, I watch the late news because information is power. And then there are the rare stories of people reaching out to help strangers, a reminder that when we treat each other with kindness rather than hate good can and will happen.
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This is a great post, thanks. I feel the same way and I understand.
Thank you.
Warfare has changed since the days of WWI; today do you think that Belgium will actively engage in combat operations now that they have been baptized by fire?
George, I think Belgium and the EU will have to rethink their approaches. Listening to Belgium citizens it sounds like they were waiting for this to happen. I’m not sure the citizens are voicing the actions they want taken in their defense. Then the question is will they arm cyber-ly and with weapons internally, strengthen the borders contrary to the EU plan, and/or join others to try and take out the training camps? Far more questions than answers.
I stopped watching the news a while ago. Too much hate. It’s not that I don’t care. I do! But I cannot change others. I believe God can help us if we turn to Him.
I spent the morning walking through Washington last week, not looking at museums, but praying for our nation. I had one morning in the town, and that is how I spent it.
I also believe that I can change my little piece of the world by being kind to others around me, by being light in dark places. Feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, giving to the poor.
I can’t stop a bomber, but I can fill the pantry of the family I know who don’t have a job right now. So that’s what I do.
Kindness. One person at a time. We can change the world. Together.
I second that!
I remember years ago (back when I was a young adult myself) watching an interview with YA author Katherine Paterson. In the interview she said that that literature was meant to prepare kids for possible events in their own lives. I never forgot her saying it because it was the first time I began to look at fiction books that way–as more than just entertainment, but as tools to help us understand the world around us.
Now that I am (much) older, every time I read books I can’t help but to see the connections to my own life or to current events. This is the case for the non-fiction books I read, but also the fiction. I love YA non-fiction writer Steve Sheinkin who, it seems, always encourages his readers to connect history to current events. I love historical fiction like The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah in which the characters have such complex and conflicting emotions, that they teach readers about empathy and show the various levels of complexity to the decisions we make.
But I think it’s worth mentioning, too, that books not only help us understand ourselves and current events better, but they can also *change* the course of events completely–they can change the world. The first one that comes to mind for me is Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
What are some other books that you see as changing history–books that altered what would have been?
Lonna, George Orwell’s 1984 and Animal Farm are as timely as when first written. Daily, we question the appropriate competing interests of personal privacy versus surveillance for security. The airport security cameras are deemed vital for our safety but ought there be cameras at each corner? Animal Farm has application in the middle school hallway (the mean girls) and on the national and international level. Thanks for such a thought provoking question!
Definitely! I know we need to be informed but I would like for media coverage to focus on more good news stories and not give these attacks so much air time. It’s like adding ‘fuel to a fire’, whatever you focus on, gets bigger. A simplistic view I suppose, but I believe it to be a truth. My thoughts are with the people of Belgium. Thank you for writing this though provoking post.
Do you ever get historical fiction confused with historically accurate accounts?
I am fascinated by the line between historically accurate and historical fiction. After quite a bit of research I’ve come to the following conclusions: 1)There is often tremendous inaccuracy in nonfiction. Sometimes it is interpretive choices or it may be a result of missing information. The inclusion of newly found documents in newer histories speaks to that. 2) Narrative nonfiction uses diaries, letters and other documents from ordinary people to tell extraordinary stories. The dialogue may be imagined and supported by letters or other documents that tell of an event (of course the telling is an interpretation in itself.) 3) Historical fiction may be the stringing together of accurate historical events with real people but without the necessary documentation to corroborate the day to day details and conversations. I’m guessing that Epitaph in large measure is in this category. 4) Finally, there is old school historical fiction which sets its own story in a time period with only tangential connection to real, identifiable people. More recently with access to so much information on the internet and through international resources, these may accurately portray the background with totally fictional people. After all that, I try to recognize the differences but understand that there are many questions about what is historical accuracy.
I don’t know what I think. I do like what you wrote. But I can’t help wondering about the people who die in drone strikes in various countries. We don’t seem to have those events on the News as tragedies. I am sure people reach out to each other there too when innocents die. And aren’t all soldiers innocents too? Don’t we all do what we think is right every day? Don’t we all think that sometimes we just are forced to do bad things because we have no choice? We kill because that is our nature. It’s sad, but true. I do feel awful for the victims, but for the victims on both sides in this struggle, and for the perpetrators too because they too are just people who got wrapped up in this mess. I hate the killing, maiming, suffering, broken families, but they are on both sides. Lots of people have said “An Eye for an Eye Will Make the Whole World Blind” and we hunt down the remaining terrorists in the name of justice. Yes I agree, but I wonder about the sense of it. It’s a war on terror as Bush described it, but it’s still a war. See? I really don’t understand or know what I think. There are so many questions.
There is nothing clear cut or simple about the contradictory issues you raise. You are passionate about the injustices of the world. just keep trying to see the good.
And that is the sad truth, there are no clear cut answers. Surely though we must strive to find peace. We are all so focused on our own beliefs and trying to be heard that we won’t listen to others.
Great conversation going here! I can’t help but harken back to the words of Anne Frank, who said:
“In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can’t build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, and death. I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again.”
Now that’s being pretty positive. If all of us could believe as she did, what a difference it might make. All I know is this world is very frightening now. All we can do is keep looking for the good–somehow. 🙂
On November 13, I awoke in London. My partner and I had just flown to the UK from Canada the day before. We had planned to go to the City of London for the Lord Mayer’s parade, but news of the bombing stopped us cold.
Yesterday, news of Brussels had friends contacting us, telling us to be careful. How can people be careful? How do we avoid lunatics with backpacks full of hatred?
“Those who cannot remember….”. I agree. It is important to remember. It is important to be aware. There are times, however, when I bury my head in the sand for my own sanity. There are times I just want to read those stories of people being kind to one another. There are days I turn off the news and watch funny videos on youtube.
Leah, for some crazy reason your comment ended up in the spam queue. I’m glad I found it so others can read your words. We do the best we can at any given moment. Usually we step out the door and take life as it comes. Some days we need a time out with a blankie and a cup of tea. I’m not prepared to give in to those who cultivate fear. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Hello Ellen!
I nominated you for the Liebster Award! Congratulations and enjoy!
http://scratchesandscribbles.com/2016/03/25/liebster-award/
Many thanks!
I like what Kathleen said. What hurts the most is to see innocent people pay for what they have no part in. Can’t these attackers avoid making innocent people suffer. Why not go for those who are causing the problem that is hurting them?. Why should we make people who don’t even know what is going on pay so highly? What is their crime? People should not pay for crimes they have not committed; please!
Unfortunately those who choose this path want innocents to be murdered and maimed, they want every single person to see his or herself as a possible target. That is what terror is. In ideologically based conflicts those perpetrating the acts of terror see themselves as the righteous. So very sad.