List 10 songs that should play during your funeral (bit dark maybe, but its a tricky question, because the songs have to say something about you, but also should be appropriate)
OK, this one is hard. As long as I can prepare Brenda for these, I think they'll do. I'm not really describing death in my song choices but more the sort of things I'd want my friends and family to remember about me and our times together. Some of these are Bre's faves too, so I can probably get away with it. Remember, I'm not having a funeral, but my friends and family can get together, have their favorite libations, and hopefully laugh more than they cry.
"Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole
"Ask" by the Smiths
"Fairytale of New York" by the Pogues with Kirsty MacColl
"Closer to Fine" by the Indigo Girls
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Judy Garland
"Pyramid Song" by Radiohead
"Forever Paradise" by the Undertones
"My Way is to You" by Paul Kelly
"In My Life" by the Beatles
"We'll Meet Again" by Vera Lynn
What was your opninion on the Vietnam War?
It was an unfortunate occurrence. I feel sorry for all the people who were adversely affected by it. I feel lucky that it didn't affect too many of my closest friends and family. I don't believe in war on general principle, but I understand that it's necessary to sometimes fight to obtain or maintain your freedoms.
Are you against the current war, or would you enlist if you were younger?
I certainly am against the current war. I actually have had former students who have died in Iraq, and I mourn them. They chose to join the Armed Forces, many knowing they would go to Iraq. I applaud their patriotism and their desire to come to the aid of their country, but I hope they understood what they were doing and why someone felt is was necessary to send them there. I told my students on 9/11 that it was the most important event of my entire life, and I still feel that way. The ramifications of successful outside terrorist acts on the U.S. will basically mean that we will be in an unending war against terrorism. This will obviously cause increased danger here, but also, depending on what happens in the future and who's in charge, will mean erosion of personal liberty, including those of all U.S. citizens. I definitely agree with Benjamin Franklin when he said that "Those that would give up essential liberty in pursuit of a little temporary security deserve neither liberty nor security."
I felt before the current war that if/when the U.S. invaded Iraq, it would cause an escalation in violence there by the different factions and result in a Civil War. I still believe that, and the only thing which will stop the Civil War is when another strongman takes over, but this time it'll be a fundamentalist. I'm not sure when the U.S. will leave, but at this point they are in one of those places where if you leave, you look impotent, but if you stay, you may never leave and things will continue to escalate. I believe that most Americans want us to leave for our quick-term sake, but be careful what happens. It won't be any prettier. Does that answer my question about enlisting too?
Who's your favorite historical hero?
I don't know. History has a way of constantly being revised, so that the people you felt were heroes also had a dark side. Now, I don't feel that's a news flash, but it makes it more difficult to feel secure in your feelings about "heroes". For me as an American, I would probably pick somebody among the following three: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King. Washington was the only person with the guts, stamina and charisma who could have led the Revolutionary Army and become the first President. I've always looked up to Lincoln as the President who had to deal with the most difficult time of any American leader. Recently, he has come under attacks as a racist, but that seems a major revision to everything I've read. Martin Luther King, whose flaws were already known at the time of his life and struggle for equal rights, was the biggest influence on the enactment of civil rights in my lifetime, at least in the legislation of them. You'll never be able to legislate a person's mind, although there have been some interesting movies on the subject.
Whew! I hope somebody reads this because that took a long time.
OK, this one is hard. As long as I can prepare Brenda for these, I think they'll do. I'm not really describing death in my song choices but more the sort of things I'd want my friends and family to remember about me and our times together. Some of these are Bre's faves too, so I can probably get away with it. Remember, I'm not having a funeral, but my friends and family can get together, have their favorite libations, and hopefully laugh more than they cry.
"Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole
"Ask" by the Smiths
"Fairytale of New York" by the Pogues with Kirsty MacColl
"Closer to Fine" by the Indigo Girls
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Judy Garland
"Pyramid Song" by Radiohead
"Forever Paradise" by the Undertones
"My Way is to You" by Paul Kelly
"In My Life" by the Beatles
"We'll Meet Again" by Vera Lynn
What was your opninion on the Vietnam War?
It was an unfortunate occurrence. I feel sorry for all the people who were adversely affected by it. I feel lucky that it didn't affect too many of my closest friends and family. I don't believe in war on general principle, but I understand that it's necessary to sometimes fight to obtain or maintain your freedoms.
Are you against the current war, or would you enlist if you were younger?
I certainly am against the current war. I actually have had former students who have died in Iraq, and I mourn them. They chose to join the Armed Forces, many knowing they would go to Iraq. I applaud their patriotism and their desire to come to the aid of their country, but I hope they understood what they were doing and why someone felt is was necessary to send them there. I told my students on 9/11 that it was the most important event of my entire life, and I still feel that way. The ramifications of successful outside terrorist acts on the U.S. will basically mean that we will be in an unending war against terrorism. This will obviously cause increased danger here, but also, depending on what happens in the future and who's in charge, will mean erosion of personal liberty, including those of all U.S. citizens. I definitely agree with Benjamin Franklin when he said that "Those that would give up essential liberty in pursuit of a little temporary security deserve neither liberty nor security."
I felt before the current war that if/when the U.S. invaded Iraq, it would cause an escalation in violence there by the different factions and result in a Civil War. I still believe that, and the only thing which will stop the Civil War is when another strongman takes over, but this time it'll be a fundamentalist. I'm not sure when the U.S. will leave, but at this point they are in one of those places where if you leave, you look impotent, but if you stay, you may never leave and things will continue to escalate. I believe that most Americans want us to leave for our quick-term sake, but be careful what happens. It won't be any prettier. Does that answer my question about enlisting too?
Who's your favorite historical hero?
I don't know. History has a way of constantly being revised, so that the people you felt were heroes also had a dark side. Now, I don't feel that's a news flash, but it makes it more difficult to feel secure in your feelings about "heroes". For me as an American, I would probably pick somebody among the following three: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King. Washington was the only person with the guts, stamina and charisma who could have led the Revolutionary Army and become the first President. I've always looked up to Lincoln as the President who had to deal with the most difficult time of any American leader. Recently, he has come under attacks as a racist, but that seems a major revision to everything I've read. Martin Luther King, whose flaws were already known at the time of his life and struggle for equal rights, was the biggest influence on the enactment of civil rights in my lifetime, at least in the legislation of them. You'll never be able to legislate a person's mind, although there have been some interesting movies on the subject.
Whew! I hope somebody reads this because that took a long time.
__________________
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page
Last edited by mark f; 03-13-09 at 01:23 AM.