I was in Washington D. C. last week, on a business trip regarding my worldwide gold interests. While there, I stopped in Brentwood to catch up with some relatives of friends I had visited in Luanda in September (https://joem18b.wordpress.com/2019/09/14/luanda-angola/).
Washington is almost 50% African-American and Angola was active in the slave trade back in the day. The folks in Brentwood have roots in Southwest Africa stretching back to the 1700s.
We spent a quiet weekend, in part discussing the John McWhorter book “Talking Back, Talking Black,” which describes and explains the Black English dialect. I had a great opportunity to observe the dialect in action.
The family lost a grandfather in 1945 at Iwo Jima and by chance they were visiting the Marine Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery for a Sunday ceremony. I went along. It was quite moving. The past is still with us.
for What Pegman Saw
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: What Pegman Saw, writing prompt |
Does writing excuse watching? 
Joe Rosenthal’s chance photo became an incredible statue for sure. The best memoir of the Marines I ever read was With the Old Breed by Eugene Sledge. He captured the hell of combat better than anyone.
I’m holding the book in my hand. Can’t remember if I’ve read it, but of course I saw The Pacific, which was based on it. My father served in China till the war broke out, then spent the rest of it on Pearl. He got his real baptism of fire at Chosin with Chesty Puller.
Cheers.
The past is with us indeed!
interesting to think that every second becomes the past in a second.
Wonderful choice of locations to visit. I remember that monument and leaving flowers there when I was younger.
good to hear. good place for flowers.
The past is still with us indeed, for better or for worse. But will we learn from our past sins? History — and too often the present day — make me fear not.
mostly we haven’t yet. rather the reverse. cheers.
Oh that is a really good way of tying it in. Well done.
thanks! 🙂