Forget Not

WWVB and I had a short online exchange about the importance of memory. Like most things I discuss with him, the subject is deeper and more important than I thought. This is the benefit of talking to people that are smarter than you are. (Try to remember that -- while we're on the subject.)

Accordingly, here are some things you need to remember. Tell your children. Make sure they are educated on these matters. Don't leave it up to the schools. Grandparents -- make sure your children have passed these lessons on to your grandchildren.

1) Right now -- right this very second -- there is another Hitler (probably several) plotting his way to power. He has the intelligence and the capability. All he (or she) needs is the means. With it, he will not hesitate to start a war and slaughter 6 million Jews, Tutsis, Russians or Igbos.

2) Today -- somewhere on Capitol Hill -- somebody is trying to get a Congressman to introduce a Bill that starts us on the path to the 3rd Great Depression. Make no mistake, we're in the 2nd one still. And the only difference between this one and the first one is Social Security and unemployment insurance. Don't take my word for it. Ask the unemployed in Spain. Or Greece. By the way -- if you'll remember -- both of those countries once dominated the known world, just as America does now.

3) Never, ever, drive in Atlanta during a snow storm. Next time will not be different. It will probably be another decade before it happens again (which seems to be slightly longer that most human memory) but Google cars, traffic cams and the Facebook of the day won't change it. You'll just be able to document it and share it faster. Southerns can't drive in the snow and Atlanta will never have enough money to buy snowplows and salt trucks in quantities that could help.

Stay home. Be safe. Read some history. And try to remember it.

Don Brown
January 29, 2014