Archive for Roger D. McGrath
Roger D. McGrath is a corresponding editor to Chronicles and the author of Gunfighters, Highwaymen, and Vigilantes. He has appeared on numerous television documentaries and series, including Tales of the Gun, A&E's Biography ("Tokyo Rose," "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "Bonnie & Clyde," "The James Gang," "Anne Oakley") and Wild West Tech.
Response to Unz
Cause can’t you see
You’re torturing me
Torturing me.
—“Torture” by Kris Jensen, 1962
While reading “His-Panic” by Ron Unz in the March issue of The American Conservative, Kris Jensen’s moderately successful 1962 recording of “Torture” kept running through my brain. Please, Ron, you’re torturing me with the most convoluted arguments imaginable; simply admit that you love the cheap labor that illegal aliens provide to employers—but costs taxpayers billions of dollars.
Mr. Outside: Glenn Davis
As the 20th century drew to a close lists of the century’s greatest figures in various fields of endeavor appeared regularly in newspapers and magazines. Revealing that memories were short, the lists tended to be dominated by figures of recent vintage, especially in the sports world. This is probably a consequence of the ephemeral nature of the contributions of athletes, unlike those of scientists or physicians or writers. I should think, though, that athletes should be judged by how they performed against their competition. By that standard, no running back in the history of college football outshines Glenn Davis of West Point fame. Yet, Glenn Davis was left off a few of the top-ten lists I saw for running backs.
Submarine Ace of Aces
Now that the youngest of our World War II veterans, with but a few exceptions, are in their 80’s, I fear that, as they die, memory of them will die also.
White Sprinters
For several years now, professional baseball has been pouring millions of dollars into developing black players. Evidently, the number of black players, at least American blacks, has been in decline. NASCAR is funding programs to develop black drivers after fielding complaints that the sport is too white. Similarly, the NHL now has a “Diversity Program” designed to put more blacks on the ice. I can only imagine the outcry if the 75-percent-black NBA funded development programs for white players. Since I ran the 100 and 220, though, I’m rooting for the “White Sprinter Project.”
Sex Slaves
By the 1950’s, professors at our universities were teaching American history, “warts and all.” By the late 60’s, it was mostly warts. Now, it is all warts, all the time.
The Japanese have taken a different tack. They have sanitized their history, especially their actions during World War II, and only in response to pressure from the outside world have they acknowledged any wrongdoing at all. Even then, their grudging admissions are euphemistically phrased and conspicuous for what they do not include. Most recently, the ugly topic of sex slaves used by Hirohito’s army during World War II has caused the Japanese to squirm, omit, equivocate, euphemize, and deny.
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