Category Archives: History

A comment on Florida school book bans

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It is interesting to look at the book bans in Florida educational institutions. These are set at the county level and not all counties have imposed bans. The number of complaints targeting each book are small. A few zealots are imposing their will on the other 21.5 million Floridians. Here is the list of banned books as compiled by the FL Dept of Education: https://www.fldoe.org/…/5574/urlt/2223ObjectionList.pdf .

Some three hundred county actions have resulted in the banning of a book. This seems outrageous to me. The list of titles includes a diverse mix, ranging from best sellers to possible junk. Have any of you read, “Assassination Classroom?”. The movie scored just 5.7 on IMDB, but the book turned up at 4.8 on Amazon. Some books may contain controversial material that could prompt a discussion, like “The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood. I don’t see any truly dangerous titles (eg, nothing on how to build a bomb). But, some bans appear clearly mistargeted by most indicators. How about “Relish: My Life in the Kitchen” by Lucy Kinsley (Amazon 4.5), 2013, about growing up around chefs and her memories of foods and tastes? You can read a sample of Relish here: https://a.co/d/fel2lMU .

With climate change, pandemics, the war in Ukraine, and the rise of political extremism, I would rather focus directly on tackling the big existential issues. But, by successfully starting to censor access to literature, the zealots pose a further threat to the health of our society. They could undermine our ability to think critically and to consider the full range of solutions to these bigger problems. And, more basically. they could deprive some of the pleasure of their free choice of a simple good read.

Florida book bans: A library tilting to one side

Comment: President Zelensky’s visit to Washington, DC

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President Zelensky is the right person for this moment in history. He has risen to the challenge. His leadership has transformed Ukraine’s initially-bleak prospects to counter Russian aggression. His speech tonight in the US Congress was emotionally powerful. He has earned our respect through his actions. I am grateful that the US has responded with support on a scale that corresponds to the gravity of the authoritarian threat. In the face of storm clouds, the collaborative international partnership that has emerged among democracies is providing strength that is greater than the simple sum of the inputs from each of the partners.

Here is a gift link to the New York Times coverage of President Zelensky’s speech in the US Congress (21 December 2022).

Soaring above the storm clouds (Photo: D. C. Lippoldt)

Cold War – The Film

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The Polish film “Cold War” (2018, Director: Pawel Pawlikowski) is a masterful depiction of the imposition of socialism in Poland after World War II and the impacts this had on peoples’ lives. It is musically powered, well-anchored initially by the traditions of the Central and East European region. Subsequently, this musicality provides openings to take the plot to points beyond, including Berlin and Paris.

Cold War is incredibly evocative of a certain time and place in history. The film interprets the cold war through the prism of a love story and a select group of performers. Mainly set in the 1950s, it presents a scenario with sex, the emergence of rock & roll, and — in one scene — a particular type of drugs. There is way too much smoking by today’s standards.

Pawlikowski shot the film in black and white, which conveys the mood of the time. The dialogue in Polish, with a bit of French and German, reinforces the authenticity. That is, the audio corresponds to the geography of the film. (Viewers can opt for English subtitles.)

The movie provides insights into the historical record for Poland. But, it is also relevant as a lesson and contrasting example in today’s geopolitical context more broadly. The viewer may infer the exceptional value of freedom and openness from the negative experiences presented. And, as depicted, the depth of actual trauma from the socialism of the real cold war should serve to chastise those who would trivialize the term “socialist” to slander their opponents in the US today.

Here is a link to the trailer: Cold War. In the US, it is available for free to Amazon Prime members.

Białowieża Forest, Poland Photo (C) Doug Lippoldt, 2017

The Uffington White Horse and my holiday tree

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The Uffington White Horse and my holiday tree

At Uffington, in a corner of Oxfordshire, is a gigantic white chalk horse that was etched in the landscape sometime around 500BC. It spans an area of about 110 meters across. And, thanks to the care of many generations, the Uffington White Horse has survived the ebb and flow of several eras and peoples.

At the time of its creation, the area around the white horse was occupied by the Atrebates. They were a tribe of Britons, a Celtic people and they may have created this work of art. But, the reverence for horses is prehistoric, certainly dating back before 3000BC. Horses featured prominently in the cultures of early peoples such as the Yamnaya and Sintashta in the eastern reaches of Europe and in Central Asia. This is also the region from which some of the early Germanic tribes may have originated.

In time, the Celtic tribes in the area of Oxfordshire and Berkshire fell under Roman rule. The Romans’ polytheism managed to easily accommodate the local Briton reverence for the Uffington White Horse. The locals continued to maintain it during the Roman occupation from 43AD to the 400s AD.

Uffington White Horse

Saxons, Angles and Britons had faith in trees and horses

The germanic Saxons and Angles launched their gradual conquest of southern England starting in the 400s AD. The Saxons arrived at Ebbsfleet in Kent, reputedly led by Hengist and Horsa, names meaning stallion and horse. They brought with them a similar reverence for the horse and also for trees. This included a sacred myth of a divinity, Irmisul, a tree that held up the sky. Likewise, Danish invaders in East England revered a giant mythological ash tree. Known as Yggdrasil, their religious leaders claimed that it “grows from the underworld and supports the sky”. Such ideas found fertile ground in England, where the Celts had long revered trees. The word “druid” may even be interpreted to mean “oak men”.

Already in Roman times, Christians had arrived in England. Yet, the Christian faith did not take hold widely in an exclusive manner. Even after the Emperor Constantine legalised the faith in 313AD, Romans only gradually accepted it. But Roman rule did not uniformly blanket and transform England. And with the departure of the Roman legions in 410AD, locals broadly continued to practice pagan beliefs well into the first centuries of Anglo-Saxon or, in some areas, Danish rule. The specifics of the theology varied across England. But, often their faith blended a reverence for horses (including in burials), the sun, and trees. Scholars can trace some of these features back to Nordic and Central Asian cultural roots.

Christians and sacred trees

In 597AD, Pope Gregory sent Augustine to England as his missionary. His objective was to re-establish the primacy of Christianity, as its practice had diminished on the isle of Great Britain. We have documentation in the form of a letter from Pope Gregory suggesting use of diplomacy and toleration of pre-existing traditions. The pope advised that “the temples of the idols in that country should on no account be destroyed”, but rather Christianised. Gradually, Saxon leaders came around and embraced the new faith, though the population continued to practice mixed beliefs. The White Horse of Uffington was maintained.

In the 700s AD, Charlemagne waged war on the Saxon homeland in what is now Germany. He destroyed their sacred trees and pagan ways. However, the now dominant Saxons in England (somewhat counterintuitively meaning “land of the Angles”) continued to show reverence for horses and trees as evidenced in more recent times by archeological discovery of their grave goods. In the upper Thames area, the Saxons viewed the site around the White Horse of Uffington as a prime burial site, underscoring the continued deep respect for the horse.

Thus, as I set up my tree (and my yule horse) this holiday season, I had an eye on my family roots (so to speak). The tree provides a link for me to some of those who have come before, be they Saxons, Angles, Danes or Celts.

Sources (and great references for further reading):

  1. David Miles (2019), The Land of the White Horse: Visions of England, Thames & Hudson
  2. Jean Favier (1999), Charlemagne, Fayard (in French)
  3. Arboriculture Blog, Trees and Religion – Paganism, 16 October 2016

Bruce Springsteen-Don Winslow Video

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On the occasion of President Trump’s Pennsylvania Rally in 2020

The great new Bruce Springsteen-Don Wilson video delivers the right music for the moment. A clear and moving picture of the situation in the USA, illustrated using the case of Pennsylvania. Check it out, here, and scroll down slightly to see the video.

Or click here for direct access: https://twitter.com/i/status/1316058801456308224

The Bruce Springsteen-Don Winslow video highlights the zoo-like conditions that we are facing in the run up to the US election in 2020.
The Bruce Springsteen-Don Winslow Video highlights the zoo-like conditions that we have faced.

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Belvedere Renewable-Power Circular Hike

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A church visit becomes the Great Belvedere Renewable-Power Circular Hike

This is the story of my Great Belvedere Renewable-Power Circular Hike. The hike emerged spontaneously on a brilliant, gusty day in September 2020. It started out as a quest to chase up reports of a few surviving fragments of Lesnes Abbey. As I set out, a storm was brewing on the horizon. And so, with a bit of trepidation, I exited from Belvedere National Rail station in search of the church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist in Erith, England.

The trail took me through Frank’s Park, which is a 17 hectare oasis of old woodland and a grass field (1 hectare = 2.47 acres). The local government acquired these lands through the generosity of an industrialist (Frank Beadle) in 1920. The church is just a few blocks further, across a highway pedestrian overpass. From St John’s, my hike morphed into a wonderful unplanned wander along the River Thames. I ventured past renewable power plants and through patches set aside for nature to have its way.

Connecting with St John the Baptist

I arrived at St John’s just prior to a mid-week service. The church warden nonetheless kindly took the time to show me the highlights. I had read that the church incorporated some materials from the destroyed Lesnes Abbey. Perhaps the locals brought some items in by cart back in the day (ca 1526AD), adding other bits after more recent excavations at the Abbey. In the bell tower at St John’s, the church warden pointed out several stone covers from Lesnes Abbey sarcophagi. In the vestry, there are two sections of tiles from the abbey floors.

The Normans initiated construction of the St John the Baptist church in the 1100s. And, some old French inscriptions are still visible. They built on the site of an older Saxon church. The new structure was expanded later in the middle ages and again in the 1800s. It incorporates some older materials including Roman tiles. Some observers hypothesise there may be additional materials from the abbey may be incorporated, as well. Sadly, most of the medieval stained glass windows at St John’s were blown out during WWII bombings. The churchyard is a jumble of destroyed and maintained graves in an ancient setting.

Having been spiritually renewed by my stop at the church, I headed out to the River Thames. Stepping up onto the river wall, one emerges onto a great open space of river and marshlands. It is wonderful to experience. So, I decided to carry on, making a dash on the path upstream. I aimed to beat the approaching storm. What I found was amazing. A cluster of renewable-energy installations and a nature reserve that attest to a great act on the part of policy makers.

A place to recharge my batteries

Like many folks trapped at home during the pandemic, I craved this exposure to open spaces and nature. It provided inspiration for an extended walk. As a threaded my way on an elevated path through disused docks, grain elevators and mudflats, a seal bobbed in the river along the riverbank. A shag flew past. The Rainham Marsh preserve of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) provided a big swath of green on the other side of the Thames, as did the London landfill.

But an impressive feat of engineering awaited me at Crossness. The first bit sighted is a huge dock where barges of shipping containers arrive with London’s trash. A crane winches them up and trucks carry them over to a generating plant that burns the contents cleanly (as far as I could tell) in order to provide electrical power. A bit further down is a massive waste water treatment facility that processes sewage equivalent in volume to 20 Olympic pools every hour. The composted sludge fuels a separate power plant. From what I could see, it also burned cleanly. Meanwhile, four massive wind turbines churn to produce further renewable power. Some of this wind energy serves to power the Ford diesel engine factory across the River Thames.

Crossness Nature Reserve

On the south side of the river, nestled between the power plants, is the Crossness nature reserve. The nature reserve includes an old pumping station from 1865. In the Victorian era struggle to eradicate cholera, this served to manage sewage and excess water in the marshes. Part of the reserve is highly protected, but other parts are open to hikers. Along the Thames just outside of the reserve, I think I saw a hen harrier (female) and shelducks. Inside, I saw moorhens, herons, little egrets, and others darting among the reeds along the margins of the ponds. There were some wonderful cob horses in the paddocks that the path crosses.

It must be a challenge to maintain the reserve in the face of pressures from the surrounding industry and suburbia. Reports indicate that they have struggled a bit with stolen materials, vandalism, and litter. My hat is off to Thames Water, the owner and manager of the reserve. A team of local volunteers supports their good work: The Friends of Crossness Nature Reserve provide extra TLC in maintaining, monitoring and protecting the wildlife habitat.

From Crossness Nature Reserve, it was just a short hop back to Belvedere National Rail Station. And, thus ended my Great Belvedere Renewable-Power Circular Hike.

Belvedere Renewable-Power Circular Hike - A Map
A hike from Belvedere National Rail station to Erith, on to Crossness with three types of renewable power generation (sludge, trash and wind), through the Crossness nature reserve, and back to the station.

The Great Belvedere Renewable-Power Circular Hike in pictures

(click here if you don’t see the slideshow link)

Hiking around Erith, England
Hiking around Erith, England
31 photos

=> Slideshow <=

=> Gallery <=

Here are a few more posts on these issues: Nature and History

WWI, They Shall Not Grow Old… and a few thoughts on Brexit

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Lest we forget

It is nearly the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI, which ended on 11/11/1918 at 11:00. And a brand-new film has just been released: They Shall Not Grow Old. Directed by Peter Jackson, the film uses original film from the war recovered and colorised. Its sound track draws on period music and recordings made by historians after the war in conversation with WWI veterans. It is a technological marvel and an incredibly compelling story. IMDB has given the film a rating of 8.9/10, which is extraordinary. Check out the trailer here!

I have just had the most amazing experience at a special showing of the film, here in Greenwich (London). This was to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI. The theatre was packed and once the film started you could hear a pin drop. The film really brings you into the scene, with all of the horror, fear, laughter, and terrible conditions. It is stunning. And, after it ended, there was silence as folks stayed until the end of the credits. Some 700,000 UK soldiers died (a kill rate of more than 1 in 10). Another 200,000 died from other parts of the British empire. Of course, this was a just a small fraction of the 19 million who died overall in WWI across Europe.

An interesting footnote is just how many of the British veterans had fond memories of the Germans captured. They got along well. In the insanity of the war, front line soldiers on both sides could not understand why they were fighting each other. Perhaps some other true enemy, but why the Brits and Germans with their shared history?

Every year, I buy a poppy from the UK veterans association in November. It is a way to honour of those who have died and the other UK veterans who have often fought alongside us Americans (e.g., in Iraq and Afghanistan). I certainly felt solidarity with folks in the theatre today.

European disunion

The film definitely registered with the audience. One of the sad points of Brexit is that — outside of Scotland, London and Northern Ireland — many folks in UK seem to have forgotten why the EU was founded. This was, in part, to prevent such tragedies as WWI and WWII from happening again in Europe. Depending on the poll and the day, perhaps 50% of Brits still want to go it alone. Though, admittedly, an increasing share are having doubts.

From my childhood, I have known folks who were alive at the time of WWI and heard their stories. During holiday visits, my grandfather would tell me stories from his time during the war in the US merchant marine traversing the North Atlantic. My wife’s great aunt Coressa impressed me with her memories of the local support in North Carolina for Woodrow Wilson during the war and his peace efforts afterwards. Mom’s uncle Joe died in France during WWI, a point that was still hard for the older generation to discuss when I was a kid. I have been to Belleau Wood in France, where the freshly arrived Americans scrambled in 1918 to plug a hole in the front line and stop the German assault on Paris. There are still bomb craters and twisted metal to be seen there.

From various conversations, first hand observations, and histories and economic studies, it seems clear that Europe is better off united than it was when it was divided.

November Poppy

Pop Quiz: US history

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Oh crumb, it is the weekend and Dr D done sprung a pop quiz on us:

1. Who knows where this text is from?

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

2. Bonus question: Who was the lead author?

3. Extra bonus question: Do you think it is true?

(Answers are in the replies/comments, below)

Dr D done sprung a pop quiz on us
Dr D. (Photo Credit: E. Lippoldt)

Francis Fukuyama in debate with Pankaj Mishra

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London, 14 October 2018

Francis Fukuyama in debate with Pankaj Mishra
Francis Fukuyama in debate with Pankaj Mishra

Doug’s notes from the live debate inside of Islington Municipal Hall (packed to capacity)

Francis Fukuyama

There is an ongoing threat to liberal democracy inside two of the oldest established liberal democracies: US and UK
⁃ also Poland Hungary and others

Start in 2016, why 2016?

most explainers say economic issues drove this, such as offshoring from wealthy countries to developing countries, China

but also: Loss of identity,
⁃ many feel inner dignity not adequately recognised, stolen honour of their identity due to cultural change, migration, multiculturalism

pre 1960s, left of Western political spectrum was focused on working class, white males at centre

then left shifted to help those disenfranchised: feminism, minorities

traditional left of centre voters shifted away because “we are not recognized”

elites neglected white males, compared to the past

anger over loss of identity

toxic arguments over gender race religion tribe, are unlike economic arguments: we can’t split the difference, you are either in or out

Pankaj Mishra

humiliation fuels want for recognition and a desire for equality

universalist history in fukuyama is derived from a Western story, misses rest of world

liberal democracy is complicit with imperialism: napoleonic armed expansion one example

majoritarianism trampled smaller voices also in East: eg, in india, Kashmir

Ideals of universalism such as in US revolution are fake, a lot about slave owners seeking to assert their own rights

Francis Fukuyama

In US civil war, Lincoln in his Gettysburg address shifted US society focus to an American identity not tied to race or gender, but rather one based on principles

American democracy is still a work in progress

how to have a multicultural society
need to have shared principles instead of an anchor in race, ethnicity

what other form of political organisation is there that would permit multiculturalism?

US system and UK system are not perfect, but better than alternatives

Pankaj Mishra

inequalities need to be addressed first,
then can fix political system

left has not been in power for a long long time

current left is really centrist, not leftist

injecting identity politics came from right Napoleonic oppression of blacks in Haiti

It was not 1960s left in USA initiating identity politics over feminism or race, as Francis said, identity had older darker roots in majoritarianism

Francis Fukuyama

He has been travelling to developing nations, teaching a course in Kurdistan for example

institutions of developing countries are often anchored by ethnicity, religion etc

But this is a formula for ongoing conflict

One can’t hold a nation together without a shared ideal

Syria, Iraq, others often build institutions often where ethnicity reigns (partly also a cultural legacy

Reagan Thatcher took liberal democracy and capitalism too far, he admits

but a more moderate form of liberal democracy is the best model we have got, so far

Pankaj Mishra

What is the answer? Should we carry on in same way?Just try to do better?
We need to transform this economic system that has imposed inequality

Liberal democracy is unable to meet this challenge

The conflict of liberal democracy vs capitalism that has not yet been reconciled

Francis Fukuyama

The concentration of political power is the problem, tyrannical power, as President Trump is trying to claim for himself, as are Orban, Erdogan, others.
A sound constitutional order can help to balance this.

We need lib democracy tied to mkt economy, anchored by a sound constitution

The rise of the right is threat

They are working to undermine liberal democracy
Not all trump supporters are elitist identity advocates.
Many coal miners, blue collar mfg worker, and others are losing out; they have legitimate concerns that must be addressed, and they must be peeled away from the Republican base if we want to exit the right from power

demogogic populism must be prevented from undermining democracy

We must also recognise that migration and sovereignty need to be managed democratically

On migration, the solution is a path to citizenship for those here, but also
enforcement of existing laws to regulate future arrivals

In the US excessive checks on concentration of power have impeded wishes of electorate; right has used this to block progress; need democracy with controls but also a right to govern. Balanced system.

There is no practical alternative to liberal democracy and capitalism,
China delivers growth but social and political model is unsatisfactory.

(Big spontaneous applause in the jam packed Islington Municipal Hall)

(C) Doug 14 October 2018 (including sketch above)