This 24-hour period of time/space is named April 16, 2023. This morning I woke up thinking about the lack of empathy in the world. That there is too much ‘them and us’ and not enough ‘we’. When I use the word ‘chaos’ this is what I’m referring to. Our only defense is to refuse to participate, and I know that’s hard because humans are tribal by nature. Now I’ll step down from my soap box and let’s see what holidays have been designated for today: It’s Day of the Mushroom, Go Fly a Kit Day, Good Deeds Day, National Bean Counter’s Day, National Eggs Benedict Day, National Librarian Day, National Orchid Day, Save the Elephant Day, and World Semicolon Day. I will do my best to celebrate Good Deeds Day. Now some history: On this day in 1457 BC the Battle of Megiddo was fought between Egyptian forces and a large Canaanite coalition. This is history’s first battle reported with a reliable account. Each army had around 25,000 soldiers with 1,000 war chariots and I’m sure lots of people died but I can’t find a body count. On this day in 1818 the US Senate ratified the Rush-Bagot amendment establishing an unarmed US-Canada border. On this day in 1854 the steamer ‘Long Beach’ sunk off Long Beach, NY and 311 people died. On this day in 1861 President Lincoln outlawed doing business with confederate States. On this day in 1862 the American Confederate Congress approved the conscription act for all white males between the ages of 18 and 35. On this day in 1881 in Dodge City Kansas, Bat Masterson fought his last gun fight. This is the day in 1900 that the US Post Office issued the 1st book of stamps. Today’s dead person is the French aristocrat Alexis de Tocqueville who observed “It is easier for the world to accept a simple lie than a complex truth.” “I do not know if the people of the United States would vote for superior men if they ran for office, but there can be no doubt that such men do not run.” “In politics shared hatreds are almost always the basis of friendships.” I’ll end with this quote which resonates with me: “Everybody feels the evil, but no one has courage or energy enough to seek the cure.” That’s enough to think about on this day. Abide.
