Key West Lou / FORGET THEM NOT

Today special for Americans. Even with all the the strife confronting our governments and people. One thing must be kept in mind. Each side believes they are doing right. That they are on the side of God and country.

It is Memorial Day.

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for honoring and mourning the military personnel who died in the performance of their military duties while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

By law, celebrated on the last monday of May.

The day recognized also as the “unofficial” beginning of summer.

Every American should visit Arlington National Cemetery. I stood in awe. My eyes filled with tears. All the grave stones representing someone who made it possible for me to live a protected life.

Arlington was my second military cemetery. My first one 30 years ago. I was staying in Livonia, Italy. A small community near Anzio where the Allied troops landed during World War II.

A horrendous battle. Many died.

National cemeteries exist today where gallant men fell.

I was driving around with no particular place to go. Suddenly, I came upon what had to be a military cemetery. It was. It contained the remains of British military who died in the Anzio battles.

The cemetery was the first military one I had seen anywhere. Arlington came a good 30 years later.

I stopped and walked among the white grave stones representing who lay below.

I was first impressed with the preciseness by which the cemetery was laid out. Straight lines horizontally and vertically. Not one stone out of line. The grounds and shrubbery meticulously manicured.

Reading cemetery grave stones has been an historical activity for me for years. Wherever I am, I find time to stop at least at one.

The inscriptions at the Anzio Cemetery blew my mind!

First, most who died were young. Kids in many instances. Eighteen, nineteen and twenty. At 24, many were already majors.

My most difficult moment came when I found myself among grave stones which all contained the same description: “Known To God Alone.”

The national Democratic Party does not fight as its rival the Republican Party. Republicans wage war. Democrats pussy foot around believing Republicans lies, looking for bipartisanship, etc.

What’s the saying? Fight fire with fire!

Democrats in the Texas House of Representatives showed gumption this past week. They pulled a Mitch McConnell. Utilized the rules. Did the unexpected.

It was the last day of the session. All bills left to be passed had to be passed by midnight.

A quorum is needed before a vote can be taken.

The bill in question was intended to be the new Texas voting rights one. Considered the worst in the country when it comes to preserving and protecting voting rights.

The Democrats without fanfare walked out of the legislative chamber before the vote was to be taken. A quorum no longer existed. The bill would die an automatic death since not dealt with at the moment.

Not only did the Democrats walk out, they en mass went to New Mexico. The reason simple. The Governor has the power to have them arrested and returned to the State Legislature. Such an arrest is considered legal.

The reason the Democrats escaped to New Mexico is that the arrest power of the Texas governor does not extend in this instance over the Texas state line.

The Democratic win may be a short one. The Governor has called for a Special session. Not scheduled yet. Will the Democrats be able to walk out again?

One party walking out to avoid a quorum is not uncommon.

The most famous occurred in 1840 in the Illinois House of Representatives. Lincoln and his party were in the minority. The opposition was sure to vote for the bill. To avoid a quorum, Lincoln jumped out a first floor window.

More recent avoidance of a vote to preclude a quorum has occurred in Oregon, Indiana, and the U.S. Senate. The U.S. Senate one occurred in 1988. The Republicans did not have the necessary votes to block a bill. They played the lack of quorum game.

The Republican avoidance appears to have been a last minute thing. The Republicans were running all around the Capitol looking for places to hide. The Sergeant at Arms was looking for Republicans. His instructions were to arrest and return them to the Senate floor.

Senator Packwood tried to hide in his office. He was pushing one side of his office door to prevent it opening while Sergeant at Arms people were pushing from the other side.

Packwood was not giving up without a fight. They carried him onto the Senate floor feet first.

Yesterday’s blog spoke of the pillory. I would like to follow it up with a specific occurrence.

Men were generally the ones to be pilloried. A lady on occasion.

The most famous pilloried woman was Elizabeth Needham. Known also as Mother Needham.

Elizabeth was an English procuress and brothel keeper. In short, she ran a whore house. The most exclusive one in London. Her clientele were from the highest strata of fashionable society.

Elizabeth ran her brothel beginnig around 1710, ending in 1731.

In 1731, she ran afoul of moral reforms. Led by the wives of the most prominent men in London. Most Elizabeth’s customers, of course.

Her “well connected” customers had kept her protected for years.

She was tried and convicted. Her “friends” tried to protect her. They were powerless to prevent her arrest and trial. It would have meant separate bedrooms at home.

Her sentence was lenient. In spite of the fact her judge was an adamant reformer. He never the less had a soft spot in his heart for brothels. I suspect his friends must have drummed the hell out of him to go easy on Elizabeth.

Elizabeth was convicted of keeping a disorderly house. She was fined one shilling, sentenced to stand twice in the pillory, and to find sureties to speak for her good behavior for 3 years.

The pillorying was thought to be better than several years in jail. The overall sentence considered the work of her male friends continued harassing of the judge.

Her first pillorying was April 30, 1731.

Again because of the influence of her male clientele, she was allowed to lie face down in front of the pillory. A favor. Considered a “safe” approach to the pillorying. Her friends also paid guards to protect her during the pillorying.

Despite the protections, Elizabeth “received such a pillorying” from the very large crowd assembled that she died before her punishment was completed.

It is reported Trump is frustrated about his mounting legal fees. The probe into the Trump organization is heating up. Trump needs more attorneys.

Two interesting observations. Trump’s attorneys are advising him he won’t get indicted. I find it hard to believe he will not. Additionally, Trump announced he is not paying Giuliani’s legal bill. Trump claims he was unhappy with Giuliani’s services in the second impeachment trial.

An interesting afternoon of golf yesterday. The final round of the 2021 Charles Schwab Challenge. John Kokrak was a 2 stroke victor over Jordan Spieth.

I thought Spieth would win. He has been playing excellent golf the past couple of months. He failed to come through when needed yesterday, however.

The last 5-6 holes were tough for both players. Spieth coming from behind, then falling back to 3 strokes behind. It was obvious that Spieth was pushing to win. Such was his problem. He was quick to his shots and did not take his usual deliberate time before hitting.

As a result most of his shots were all over the place

Such is a professional golfer’s life. Calmness does not always prevail.

Money wise, Spieth did not come out badly finishing second. His check for second place $817,500. Kokrak’s for winning $1,350,000.

Stayed in again last night. The finals of the golf tournament and the selection of Memorial weekend movies in the final analysis appealed more.

Enjoy your day!

PILLORIED FOR ONE HOUR

Posted: 30 May 2021 08:48 AM PDT

Keys History continues to provide a glimpse into the past. William Hackley’s diary for this day in 1856 provides such a peek.

Hackley mentions that “a man was put in the pillory for one hour for larceny.”

A pillory is a wooden framework with holes for the head and hands, in which an offender was imprisoned and exposed to public abuse for one hour.

The pillory extends back to Anglo-Saxon times when it was known as “Healsfanj” or “catch-neck.” The Dutch word for pillory when translated to English defines it well: Pole of Shame. In Dutch, “Schandpaal.”

A specific time of the day was involved. Generally from 12 noon to 1 pm. The “dining hour” for persons who made a living by “labor of their hands.” The streets were crowded by the working class during the meal time.

The pillory was intended to physically abuse and humiliate the person in the wood structure. The ordinary working folk enjoyed the activity. Participated in the extreme. It was their “game time.”

I suspect the pillory was a much cheaper way to punish a wrongdoer.

I read somewhere yesterday that a man was convicted of larceny. His sentence 7 years in jail or 1 hour in the pillory. He opted for the pillory. Though the one hour was significantly less than 7 years, the public abused him to the extent that he almost died.

I further suspect it was cheaper for whatever the “government” was at the time to pillory for one hour than incarcerate for 7 years. Imagine the money saved for food and shelter.

Pillorying generally ceased in the early 1800’s world wide. Why Key West still pilloried in 1856, I am not sure. To save money by not having to feed and shelter?

The hurricane season begins tuesday June 1. The date firm. However, hurricanes are unaware. They come and go as they please on whatever their timetable might be. Key West has experienced hurricanes before the first day of hurricane season many times.

The Keys are very much susceptible to hurricanes. Regarding hurricanes, the Keys are referred to as “Hurricane Alley.”

Key West is fortunate in that a National Weather Service operation is located here. A huge building on White Street across from City Hall. Key West’s hurricane news, warnings, etc. are very timely.

Bayview Park today is not the same as it was 30 years ago when I began visiting Key West. There were a couple of statues honoring those who fought in the Spanish American War and also one or two honoring certain Cubans who had a connection to Key West.

In the 30 years however, Key West has developed a memorial park to honor U.S. war participants and war dead.

I recall attending the dedication of the Vietnam Memorial. It was a special day. A very special one.

I was a practicing attorney during the Vietnam years. America was not happy with the war. U.S. military who fought and died there received no special recognition. Not even a well done when they returned.

Time heals all wounds. Ten years ago, I attended the dedication of the Vietnam Memorial. Many Vietnam veterans were in attendance. Proud they were. Their salutes still sharp in their senior years. Key West was finally honoring them. The U.S. at the time as well.

At 10:30 monday morning, there will be another dedication. This time for Key West Blacks who fought in the U.S. Marines.

An overdue honor.

Blacks were not permitted in the U.S. Marines till 1942.

Thirteen men of color will be honored at the dedication.

I plan on being there.

Two major wrongs were committed on this day, though in different years.

In 1921, a massacre of Blacks occurred in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Many killed and beaten. Today the 100th anniversary of the event.

The History Channel is carrying the story beginning at 8 tonight. Worth watching.

Another major wrong occurred on this day, though hundreds of years ago. The year 1431. Joan of Arc was burned at the stake.

Her crime heresy. Two facts purportedly supporting the heresy were she wore pants and she rejected Church authority in favor of direct inspiration from God.

Joan wore pants during the wars she fought. She also wore them during her trial. A no no for women in those days.

Though her pants wearing bothered the judges, she was formally convicted for her alleged rejection of Church authority in favor of direct inspiration from God.

She was sentenced to death.

Joan apparently did not wish to be burned at the stake. She recanted. Her new sentence was perpetual imprisonment. Life. She also was ordered to cease wearing pants and wear solely women’s clothing.

Two days after her reduction in sentence and admonition to dress like a woman, the judges visited Joan in her cell.

She was wearing pants again. The judges were upset.

Joan’s excuse to the judges was that St. Catherine and St. Margaret appeared to her. She claimed they reproached her for giving into the Church and the Church’s will.

Her death sentence was in effect signed.

The judges found her to be a “relapsed heretic.” Joan’s original sentence of being burned at the stake was reinstated.

There is a new game being played weekends. Every weekend without fail. Mass shootings.

In the early hours of this morning, a mass shooting occurred at Northwest Miami-Dade. Three assailants jumped out of a SUV and shot into a crowd of persons attending an event at a Florida club.

Two were killed and 25 injured. Assault weapons and hand guns were used.

No further information is available at this time.

When will we pass necessary legislation to somewhat control what is happening?

Jews and the yellow star. The brainchild of Hitler’s Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels who sold the idea to Adolph Hitler. The star to be worn on the left side of a Jew’s coat.

The first place the star was ordered worn was Paris.

There was another time when Jews were required to wear a yellow star. Catholics in central Italy were responsible.

When Parisian Jews were required by the Nazis to wear the yellow star in Paris, a French newspaper wrote: “It renews the most strictly Catholic tradition intermittently, through out the history of the Papal States, that in territory in central Italy, controlled by the Pope, Jews were often confined to ghettos and forced to wear either yellow hats or yellow stars.”

The Department of Homeland Security warned law enforcement this week about increasing attacks against Jews and Jewish institutions in the U.S. The DHS wrote that such were “motivated in part by the conflict between Israel and Hamas.”

The thrust of the warning: Be prepared to act.

Terri White sings again today. At Marylin’s from 3-5.

I plan on being there. Hopefully I will make it.

My good intentions have been poorly paved. The last time I was out was a week ago wednesday.

Yesterday, I had a good excuse. Anna was my housekeeper for 20 years. She stopped by to visit. Brought me a bowl full of perogis. Love perogis! Why go out when I could sit home and enjoy the perogis. Anna had already cooked them

Anna was born and raised in Poland. She cooks Polish dishes well!

Enjoy your day!

[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]