“Those who surrender freedom for security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”
―
Benjamin Franklin
Friday, November 20, 2015
We'll Always Have Paris
From our village in southern Belgium to downtown Paris was about a three hour drive. About the same as from Oriental to Raleigh.
Two decades later, we lived in Paris and my office was in the Marais (third arrondisement). It was a ten minute walk to Boulevard Beamarchais for lunch near some of last Friday's shootings.
It was pleasant to stroll around the streets, sharing Paris with a diverse populace of Parisians and visitors.
I take exception to the MSNBC reporter recently describing the events of last Friday 13th as having "devastated Paris."
Paris is not devastated.
Parisians are back at their outdoor cafes. They gather at Place de la Republique and hug each other. They lay flowers as a memorial to victims. Life goes on much as before.
Vive le France!
Yet we must not forget that the terrorists who attacked Paris were themselves French men and Belgians. Not Syrians. Not refugees.
The France that was so welcoming to African Americans like Josephine Baker and James Baldwin has not been so welcoming to Algerians and Moroccans. I have seen it with my own eyes.
Two decades later, we lived in Paris and my office was in the Marais (third arrondisement). It was a ten minute walk to Boulevard Beamarchais for lunch near some of last Friday's shootings.
It was pleasant to stroll around the streets, sharing Paris with a diverse populace of Parisians and visitors.
I take exception to the MSNBC reporter recently describing the events of last Friday 13th as having "devastated Paris."
Paris is not devastated.
Parisians are back at their outdoor cafes. They gather at Place de la Republique and hug each other. They lay flowers as a memorial to victims. Life goes on much as before.
Vive le France!
Yet we must not forget that the terrorists who attacked Paris were themselves French men and Belgians. Not Syrians. Not refugees.
The France that was so welcoming to African Americans like Josephine Baker and James Baldwin has not been so welcoming to Algerians and Moroccans. I have seen it with my own eyes.
Saturday, November 7, 2015
May Day, 1960
May Day, 1960, CIA pilot (former Air Force officer) Francis Gary Powers, flying alone at more than 70,000 feet, was on his 27th U-2 mission, flying over Sverdlovsk in the Soviet Union. The CIA estimated the altitude of the U-2 was above the reach of any Soviet missile or aircraft. That estimate proved to be too optimistic, and Gary Powers was shot down on one of the biggest Soviet holidays.
Contrary to the CIA's expectations in such an event, Powers survived and was captured.
Stephen Spielberg captures much of the drama of that time in the Cold War in his new movie,Bridge of Spies, starring Tom Hanks. The main hero of the story is a New York lawyer who negotiated the eventual release of Powers. A second important character is the Soviet spy, Rudolf Abel, who was offered in exchange.
It is mostly a true story, with some embellishment for effect. Here is a useful comparison of the true events with the fictional movie version: http://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/bridge-of-spies/
Go see Bridge of Spies.
Contrary to the CIA's expectations in such an event, Powers survived and was captured.
Stephen Spielberg captures much of the drama of that time in the Cold War in his new movie,Bridge of Spies, starring Tom Hanks. The main hero of the story is a New York lawyer who negotiated the eventual release of Powers. A second important character is the Soviet spy, Rudolf Abel, who was offered in exchange.
It is mostly a true story, with some embellishment for effect. Here is a useful comparison of the true events with the fictional movie version: http://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/bridge-of-spies/
Go see Bridge of Spies.
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