I dont often focus on those who died, it is the life of a person that is testament to their character. But time stretches things, and alters meaning, and it is important to revisit what happened. Some despise the Crusades, pointing to the futile and death and despair, linked to religion. But that final assault of the first Crusade in 1099 led to the foundation of a remarkable jewel, a European nation in the Middle East with knights and castles and peoples speaking French. The dreams of those people being realized fifty years after on the same day with a reconstructed church. But while those people died with their dream intact, the dream did not last as long as two hundred years. It is worth thinking of that while considering a fractured United States in the 1860s and her great leader, Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln died, and his dream of a United States was being realized. He left behind children. But one child died on this day in 1871, Tad Lincoln. Tad was only 18 years old. He had not been well educated, as he had had a speech impediment and cleft lip and was reputed to be impulsive and unrestrained. He was known to interrupt meetings in the white house and even charge visitors to see his dad. When his father was assassinated, Tad was taken to see his dying dad, and aftterwards is recorded as having said Pa is dead. I can hardly believe that I shall never see him again. I must learn to take care of myself now. Yes, Pa is dead, and I am only Tad Lincoln now, little Tad, like other little boys. I am not a presidents son now. I wont have many presents anymore. Well, I will try and be a good boy, and will hope to go someday to Pa and brother Willie, in Heaven. Tads passing was not the end of the Lincoln line. The last recorded Lincoln was Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith who died in 1985. There is a disputed son of Roberts but it is a mistake to link mere property and progeny as being Lincolns heritage. It is Liberty. The freedom of anyone to prosper regardless of colour, or creed. And it is not linked solely to the US, but to all lands aligned with her. And so on this day a young man trying to be good went to be with his family. But today, we have the liberty to be with our living ones. John Ball was executed on this day. He was hung, drawn and quartered. As an itinerant preacher, Ball, inspired by the work of Wycliffe, had preached of egalitarian values during a time of high taxation. The then King Richard II was about fourteen years old and ruling with the aid of advisers who were infighting for political power. Richard IIs grandfather had England fighting an expensive war with France. Much credit is given the young king for facing his rebellious subjects. However, Johns preaching was inconsistent with what England could accept, he called for an end to serfdom. Serfdom would end in England, but it needed the civil war to end the old world. In some ways, the execution of John was the beginning of the English Civil War known as the War of the Roses. The Rosetta Stone was found on this day, 1799 by French soldiers of Napoleon. It had been made circa 200 BC during the reign of Ptolemy V Epiphanes. It is a decree, the same decree, in three different languages. Two thousand years after it was made, no one knew how to read Egyptian hieroglyphs anymore. However, two of the languages were known, and because it was the same text, it became the key to understanding how Egyptian was written. And so now all the writing in Egypt is available for the world to learn about what life was like back then. === For twenty two years I have been responsibly addressing an issue, and I cannot carry on. I am petitioning the Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott to remedy my distress. I leave it up to him if he chooses to address the issue. Regardless of your opinion of conservative government, the issue is pressing. Please sign my petition at https://change.org/en-AU/petitions/tony-abbott-remedy-the-persecution-of-dd-ball Douglas Sutherland-Bruce via David Daniel Ball Mr Ball, I will not sign your petition as it will do no good, but I will share your message and ask as many of friends who read it, to share it also. Let us see if we cannot use the power of the internet to spread the word of these infamous killings. As a father and a former soldier, I cannot, could not, justify ignoring this appalling action by the perpetrators, whoever they may; I thank you Douglas. You are wrong about the petition. Signing it is as worthless and meaningless an act as voting. A stand up guy would know that. - ed Lorraine Allen Hider I signed the petition ages ago David, with pleasure, nobody knows what its like until theyve been there. Keep heart David take care. I have begun a bulletin board (theconservativevoice.freeforums.net) which will allow greater latitude for members to post and interact. It is not subject to FB policy and so greater range is allowed in posts. Also there are private members rooms in which nothing is censored, except abuse. All welcome, registration is free.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 06:59:56 +0000
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