Monday, February 9, 2009
55 Years ago today
President Eisenhower warned against America's intervention in Vietnam. Just a quirky bit of trivia that obviously wasn't heard by the United States Government. The Vietnam War occurred, and although fifty-five years have passed, this date is historical. Dwight said, "No," but eventually America said, "yes."
Without the war, would the social revolutions and protests have occurred in the United States?
Without the war, I would probably not have met the incredible Vietnamese American students who changed my life in Kentucky. I wonder, too, if the famous Vietnam Kitchen would exist in the south end of Louisville. There would be no movie, Apocalypse Now or Good Morning Vietnam. Their wouldn't be a Miss Saigon musical which my mother absolutely loved.
My point is simple. History matters and all butterfly effects are real. Eisenhower was right. Our intervention might not have been a good idea. Yet, an intervention resulted in a changed America.
This makes me think, "What is happening today that will drastically change tomorrow?"
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this is true...similar thoughts have followed difficult and seemingly unyielding times. perhaps it was the ending sigh, somehow transforming the leaves into a brighter shade of green. or maybe the exorcism of a prolonged funk just made everything smell that much sweeter.
ReplyDeleteand i would parallel this to much of the debates surrounding decisions as simple as what to eat and as complex as social political policy. decisions are made and fate is reveled as chance, luck, or whatever gods endowed us with, but i take comfort in knowing that chaos and order are illusions. neither one can be identified, tested, proven - i have noticed that teaching operates on this level.