September 4, 2011 (See blog of August 29, 2011: “America’s Involvement in Vietnam, etc.” for the broader context of struggle in Indochina that includes Laos and Cambodia America’s Vietnam War inevitably engulfed Laos and Cambodia resulting in the Third Vietnam War. The final outcome determined Vietnamese hegemony over both Laos and Cambodia with each in aContinue reading “LAOS AND CAMBODIA ENGULFED BY AMERICA’S VIETNAM WAR”
Author Archives: profbartling1
TEA PARTY 2011 INAPPROPRIATELY NAMED
The historic context of the Boston Tea Party in 1773 makes clear that the so-called Tea Party in 2011 has a misapplied name. The roots of the Boston Tea Party lies in the last of four 18th century great European and intercolonial wars. Britain and France each with allies were pitted against
AMERICA’S INVOLVEMENT IN VIETNAM IN THE CONTEXT OF VIETNAMESE HISTORY
August 29, 2011 The Tet Offensive in 1968 was a turning point for a nation at war in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. For most Americans the “Vietnam War” began in 1965. For most, too, it was something that took place in Vietnam, not really including Laos and Cambodia. A longer view of the history of IndochinaContinue reading “AMERICA’S INVOLVEMENT IN VIETNAM IN THE CONTEXT OF VIETNAMESE HISTORY”
HELP WANTED – MAIDS OF HONOR and “KILLERS of the DREAM”
August 21, 2011 Yesterday a bumper sticker caught my attention which read: ” no one is free where others are oppressed”. This is particularly relevant regarding the current reviews of the four star movie “Help” based upon Kathryn Stockett’s best selling novel of 2009.
PASSIONATE OPINION – LACK OF RATIONAL CONVICTION
July 22, 2011 The Opinion Page of the Startribune (7-18) printed a political commentary you don’t say by L k. Hanson. My attention riveted on his quoting Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) – British philosopher and mathematician. “The opinions that are held with passion are always those of which no good ground exists: indeed the passion isContinue reading “PASSIONATE OPINION – LACK OF RATIONAL CONVICTION”
POLITICAL TALK – THREAT TO FRIENDSHIPS
My wife and I are residents at Becketwood Cooperative in Minneapolis. Daily mid-morning and mid-afternoon about five to ten gentlemen meet in the basement workroom for coffee, talk, and snacks. All of these men are in their mid-eighties to lower-nineties. Almost without exception they are WWII veterans and received their education under the GI Bill.
CEREBRATING THE CONSTITUTION – JULY 4, 2011
The 1987 bicentennial year of the adoption of the Constitution my wife and I while on sabbatical at the University of Wisconsin attended a seminar titled: Cerebrating the Constitution. Each week a nationally renowned scholar addressed a topic regarding the history of or important questions regarding the Constitution. This past week the news media have involved significantly in CerebratingContinue reading “CEREBRATING THE CONSTITUTION – JULY 4, 2011”
POLITICAL CORRECTNESS AND LAKE CALHOUN
Recently it was suggested in the Minneapolis Startribune to change the name of Minneapolis’ Lake Calhoun. The lake’s namesake, it is argued, makes the name inappropriate. Why? John C. Calhoun, it is stated, was a Southern racist politician who championed slavery. A letter to the editor (6/19) put it succinctly that
HUBERT H. HUMPHREY’S 100TH BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY
On Humphrey’s 100th birthday anniversary last Friday (5-27) our cooperative showed a new documentary, “The Art of the Possible” dealing with his political career. Bill Moyers remarked in the documentary: “while we may not remember Hubert Humphrey’s name his fingerprints are all over the America of today”. Humphrey shepherded New Deal, Fair Deal, and Great Society programsContinue reading “HUBERT H. HUMPHREY’S 100TH BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY”
RATKO MLADIC — GENOCIDE– SULEIMAN THE MAGNIFICENT
Thursday (May 26) Serbian security forces apprehended Ratko Mladic accused of war crimes and genocide. Trial at a war crimes tribunal in the Hague likely to follow. Mladic was a general in the Bosnia Serb army during the Bosnian War (1992-1995) and led the siege of Serajevo and the genocidal execution of 8000 men and boys (1995) in Srebrenica. BringingContinue reading “RATKO MLADIC — GENOCIDE– SULEIMAN THE MAGNIFICENT”
The Bartling Scholarship 