Back to the Blog...

I promised Huple that I would be more concientious in blogging more than once every year. But, like buying cat food on a regular basis, I have been remiss. I will try to do better. My involvement in "Facebook" has shown me that they cut me off after so many letters; so if I want to go on and on about my bitch de jour I have to retreat to my blog. My last line of defense. The Alamo.

With my children starting a new semester of college, I recall that many hours in lecture halls were wasted moments better spent drinking coffee, feeling self-important, or getting high. However, occasionally a lecture was memorable. Above all the lectures I sat or dozed through, Dr. Vierney's final lecture in Western Civilization, (M-W-F, 9:30 am-10:20 am, University of Arizona, 1973-4), has stuck with me over the las 25 years. At the end a two semester survey of western history, the old professor put his notes aside to issue a warning to his students. He devoted the last ten minutes of his class to a brief summary of the Cold War fear of communism; a destructive paronia destroying thought and freedom in our country. He argued that the threat is not from the left-but the right. He suggested that the great menace to our country would come from flag-drapped patriots, aided by poorly educated and bitter lower-class whites, flying the false flag of nationalism; ill equipt to comprehend complex issues.

Dr. Vierney warned us that America has facist tendencies. I have been on the watch ever since that lecture in May, 1974. The old guy called it right.