12/23/2020 ********** December 21 - Monday was kind of an important date. No, not because it was the winter solstice. And not because of that silly conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn - the so called return of the "Star of Bethlehem". I realize that's kinda cute, but I don't think the conjunction has anything more to do with the birth of Jesus Christ than the sun coming up tomorrow morning does. In fact, as a Christian, I think it smacks of astrology and superstition to say so. ********** No. Monday was the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrim's landing at Plymouth Rock in 1620. December 21st 1620: Mayflower Pilgrims land at Plymouth Rock https://todayinhistory.tumblr.com/post/14578679513/december-21st-1620-mayflower-pilgrims-land-at Did you see ANYTHING about this on the news? I didn't. Seems like a pretty important date to me. At least worth mentioning. Okay, it's a little more complicated than this, the 102 Pilgrims sailed from their temporary home in Holland on September 6, 1620. After 65 days at sea, they sighted land on November 9, 1620. They made a few preliminary scouting landings after realizing they were in the wrong place - they were suppose to go to Virginia. Their official landing at the "rock" was December 21. The Mayflower Compact "Before going ashore, 41 male passengers—heads of families, single men and three male servants—signed the famous Mayflower Compact, agreeing to submit to a government chosen by common consent and to obey all laws made for the good of the colony." From the very beginnings of America one our basic values is that of "self rule". We are a nation of free men and women who govern ourselves. No potentate or dictator or king for us - no "indispensable man" who lords over us. Politicians are NOT our masters but our employees and servants. I think it's interesting that the names of the Pilgrim leaders are largely forgotten to most people (even me), William Brewster, John Carver, Edward Winslow and William Bradford. ********** So why the silence about this anniversary? We used to think of this intrepid little band of Pilgrims as heroic immigrants getting into a crappy little sailboat, sailing for 2 months across the storm tossed Atlantic, all to escape the tyrannies and oppressions of the kings of Europe in order to carve out a New World in the wildernesses - a new and better world. My oldest American ancestor, John Swezey, came here in 1629 with his two sons, not on the Mayflower (not the first - or last - Swezey to ever "miss the boat" :-) but still pretty early. I always say we Swezeys were in this country for 150 years before it was "this country" :-) Anyway, I was always raised with a profound appreciation and respect for our American heritage. I always assumed most Americans felt that way - it doesn't take 400 years to get it baked into your DNA - but evidently not. When I was a kid back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, I think people used to be more patriotic than they are now. Everyone had their basic rights to liberty and freedom, sure, but people did at least consider what was in the best interest of country as a whole and at least sometimes acted on that. I don't think I see much of that "putting the country first" anymore. Now it's gimme gimme gimme what I want and screw you if you get in my way. Since Reagan there's been a growing "hate the government" movement. They don't seem to understand that in America WE ARE the government - a government "of the people, by the people, for the people". "We the people" - remember? - I guess not. JFK didn't land a man on the moon, nor Nixon either - it was America that did that. Together a free people can do anything. But sometimes I think we're not really Americans anymore - we just live here. ********** Here's an interesting article about the 1960 election. Hijacking the electoral college: The plot to deny JFK the presidency 60 years ago https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2020/12/13/electoral-college-jfk-trump/ In spite of election irregularities "Nixon took no part in the vote challenges and told a reporter that 'our country cannot afford the agony of a constitutional crisis.'" That was Richard "I am not a crook" Nixon who said that! Instead, he ran again in 1968 and won. (Okay, he turned out to be one of our worst presidents ever, but that's beside the point :-) Nixon did the right thing in 1960 - for the country's sake. By the way, the Pilgrims were headed toward a rather rough winter that first year. "By spring, 50 of the original 102 Mayflower passengers were dead." ********** The full text of the Mayflower Compact is as follows: In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, defender of the Faith, etc.: Having undertaken, for the Glory of God, and advancements of the Christian faith, and the honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one another; covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic; for our better ordering, and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, 1620. ********** An interesting side note - the King James they refer to is the same King James that the "Authorized King James Version" translation of the Bible is named after (1611). Have a Merry Christmas! and Stay Jazzed in the New Year! --Tom Swezey ...