Arkansas Blog

Parting The Waters is magnificent. How I wish I could be at the lecture. Alas, I have a class at the same time.

Me, too, Hugh--though I'll admit I'm fonder of David Garrow's work than Taylor Branch's. A matter of taste, I think.

I've been listening to this audio book, "Lies My Teacher Told Me". Last night I heard a passage discuss Hoover and the role of the FBI in investingating Civil Rights activists while actively not investigating the KKK and other organization that were making death threats, burning churches, and murdering civil rights activists. Apparently all this was done with the knowledge and approval of AG Bobby Kennedy and Pres Johnson. It also said that the FBI sent a tape of King having sex with a note suggesting he kill himself to King's headquarters, hoping Corretta would leave him so he would loose credibility, the book suggests.

The book discusses the origins of the FBI as a way to keep tabs on blacks in the post reconstruction era. Even though the FBI had origianlly employed some blacks, they did not do so during the Hoover era.

Again, this all according to the recolection of a foggy mind half awake on a road trip at 4am. Sorry I can't cite anything here. I know I left out lots of important facts regarding the above that seem properly represented in the book. Read it, it's more accurate than the above rant and very, very interesting.

Just hearing all this, awaking from a deep sleep in the pasengers side, was shocking. Some I'm sure I've heard before but forgotten. That's why these books, programs, etc. are so important.

Lest we forget...

OK...I admit it...it's things like this that make me so jealous of you Little Rock people! I'd love to have been able to take my girls to this lecture by Taylor Branch.

Did anyone else attend the Marie Tillman "speech" at the Clinton School last week? What a disappointment...

All this publicity about her first public speaking appearance after Pat's death, and it's nothing more than 5 minutes of her personal anecdotes about how great a guy Pat was. Then she turned it over to the brother-in-law to discuss inane details of the Pat Tillman Foundation and Scholars program at Arizona State University. This would be an absolutely spell-binding presentation if you were planning a leadership program for undergraduate college students, but other than that, who really cares about the factual minutiae of leadership program administration?

While the audience questions probably weren't scripted, they sure sounded like it. They reminded me of the softballs lobbed to Bush during his town meeting after the 9/11 attacks (e.g., "President Bush, how has your faith guided you through this difficult time?") All the while, the 800 lb. gorilla in the room (i.e., Dept of Defense lies and coverup) was blissfully ignored...

After attending several presentations at the Clinton School over the past couple of months, I've been disappointed by the intellectual lightness of every one. So, DBI, I think it's safe to say that your presence would not be appreciated at Clinton School events because they don't want anybody making trouble by asking the hard questions...

DrRingDing,

I've been to several programs, and they usually conclude with an open Q&A. I would suggest that you stop criticizing and start raising your hand.