I've basically taken a huge hiatus in posting. Other things have garnered my attention and I forgot that this blog even existed. I have re-activated the account and may (or may not) start to post again. I saw a slew of comments out there that need to be be approved. Most were supportive, so thanks!
I realize now that blogging really does require my own accountability to the few who may come across this. I am going to retry for 30 days to see if I have anything of value to say, and if successful will actually make a go of this again.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Friday, April 17, 2009
The Tea Baggers: Forgive them Father for they know not what they do
Been a while since my last blog, sorry. I never promised to do this regularly ya' know.
I've been finishing up a history research paper on the Boston Tea Party...and I know that sounds very banal and trite, or as my daughter would say "so ten minutes ago". My paper actually focuses upon a second "Tea Party", one in Marshfield, Massachusetts that happened nearly three days later. The paper compares them and asks questions as to how our national narratives get told...why does one story become the legend or myth, and why do stories that perhaps are even better suited to the intent of the myth, get forgotten.
What I have found so far in my research is that only one account of the Boston tea event...one...was written down within 90 days of it actually occurring. It was published in the Massachusetts Gazette in February, 1774 (aka the Boston Post-Boy and the Boston Advertiser) and replublished in its entirety in the Boston Weekly Gazette later. (the duplication is why I claim only one account.
There were six other written narratives about the Tea Party: one was anonymous written by "An Impartial Observer" and the other five written over 35 years later. Thats right, the very first book accounts of the event were written nearly four decades later, and two of them were written 53 years after the Tea party event. It is from these books that the entire narrative fiction of Samual Adams firing up the patriots, who donned readily available Indian garb and politely protested the tea tax comes from. Two of the accounts were written by men in their late eighties. tow from men in their nineties.
So why were these books written in time so very close together and so very after the event? What was the impetus?
A newspaper reporter from Boston learned of a tea party "survivor in Boston and saw a way to get a book published. He interviewed the elderly man, who had never really accomplished anything in his life. The man saw the book as a way to leave a legacy. The reporter interviewed him took notes and editted it for drama. His editor further modified it, as do all editors. In the end the dramatic narrative and the phrase "The Boston Tea Party" was born. For a country trying hard top establish a national identity post War of 1812 and pre Civil War, the story was perfect...clam civil American patriots using Yankee ingenuity to peacefully protest without firing a shot.
The other newspaper jumped on this narrative, and found four other survivors. Their stories were also created and witten and sold. The narrative was complete and the "birth of America" had another myth.
In compiling my research on this using the accounts of the events (a page almost buried here: http://www.boston-tea-party.org/accounts.html) and many other books, I learned that nearly none of the accounts agree on the basic facts of the tea event: when it started, what the signal was, how many participated, how many wateched, how they marched from the Meting House to Griffin's Wharf, how they were dressed and disguised (not at all, or copper paint, mud, coal, burnt cork) what weapons they used, (bow and arrow, hand ax, tomahawks, muskets, muskets with bayonets, no weapons) whether they used winch and tackle to bring these 342 400 poind tea chests up from the hold or not, how long it took, what happended to the tea afterwards and what happened to Captain O'Conner who was caught suffing tea into his pockets and coat lining...the stories indicate many of the onlookers and even participants took much of the tea that night (and the next day by rowboat) for their own uses. Principles be damned :)
The numbers vary from 15 to 150 participants, 1000 to 7000 onlookers, the marching order two by two, "Indian style" (single file) a loose mob and three squadrons of marching men led by captains in full and "somber military formation".
None of the facts of these accounts seem to match. The Historical Society says "Interestingly according to the theory of investigations, differences in whiteness testimonies may actually confirm truthfulness of experience-based reports vs. fabricated accounts of events that were not actually experienced". Well, maybe. Or maybe the accounts were fabricated by old men desperate to leave a legacy, written by men desperate to sell books, and agreed to by a nation that desperately needed a populist protest myth for national identity.
There WAS a pure, and much bigger, tea party though, the very same day in Marshfield Mass, at midnight. The patriots burnt the tea on a giant rock, the area today is till called "Tea Rock Hill". I'll talk about that I hope in a later post since it is a great story...one that should have become the national myth narrative...because it is true.
A shame these teabaggers don't understand the very metaphor they are using, they don't understand what the Ta Party really was...because frankly, almost none of us really do.
I've been finishing up a history research paper on the Boston Tea Party...and I know that sounds very banal and trite, or as my daughter would say "so ten minutes ago". My paper actually focuses upon a second "Tea Party", one in Marshfield, Massachusetts that happened nearly three days later. The paper compares them and asks questions as to how our national narratives get told...why does one story become the legend or myth, and why do stories that perhaps are even better suited to the intent of the myth, get forgotten.
What I have found so far in my research is that only one account of the Boston tea event...one...was written down within 90 days of it actually occurring. It was published in the Massachusetts Gazette in February, 1774 (aka the Boston Post-Boy and the Boston Advertiser) and replublished in its entirety in the Boston Weekly Gazette later. (the duplication is why I claim only one account.
There were six other written narratives about the Tea Party: one was anonymous written by "An Impartial Observer" and the other five written over 35 years later. Thats right, the very first book accounts of the event were written nearly four decades later, and two of them were written 53 years after the Tea party event. It is from these books that the entire narrative fiction of Samual Adams firing up the patriots, who donned readily available Indian garb and politely protested the tea tax comes from. Two of the accounts were written by men in their late eighties. tow from men in their nineties.
So why were these books written in time so very close together and so very after the event? What was the impetus?
A newspaper reporter from Boston learned of a tea party "survivor in Boston and saw a way to get a book published. He interviewed the elderly man, who had never really accomplished anything in his life. The man saw the book as a way to leave a legacy. The reporter interviewed him took notes and editted it for drama. His editor further modified it, as do all editors. In the end the dramatic narrative and the phrase "The Boston Tea Party" was born. For a country trying hard top establish a national identity post War of 1812 and pre Civil War, the story was perfect...clam civil American patriots using Yankee ingenuity to peacefully protest without firing a shot.
The other newspaper jumped on this narrative, and found four other survivors. Their stories were also created and witten and sold. The narrative was complete and the "birth of America" had another myth.
In compiling my research on this using the accounts of the events (a page almost buried here: http://www.boston-tea-party.org/accounts.html) and many other books, I learned that nearly none of the accounts agree on the basic facts of the tea event: when it started, what the signal was, how many participated, how many wateched, how they marched from the Meting House to Griffin's Wharf, how they were dressed and disguised (not at all, or copper paint, mud, coal, burnt cork) what weapons they used, (bow and arrow, hand ax, tomahawks, muskets, muskets with bayonets, no weapons) whether they used winch and tackle to bring these 342 400 poind tea chests up from the hold or not, how long it took, what happended to the tea afterwards and what happened to Captain O'Conner who was caught suffing tea into his pockets and coat lining...the stories indicate many of the onlookers and even participants took much of the tea that night (and the next day by rowboat) for their own uses. Principles be damned :)
The numbers vary from 15 to 150 participants, 1000 to 7000 onlookers, the marching order two by two, "Indian style" (single file) a loose mob and three squadrons of marching men led by captains in full and "somber military formation".
None of the facts of these accounts seem to match. The Historical Society says "Interestingly according to the theory of investigations, differences in whiteness testimonies may actually confirm truthfulness of experience-based reports vs. fabricated accounts of events that were not actually experienced". Well, maybe. Or maybe the accounts were fabricated by old men desperate to leave a legacy, written by men desperate to sell books, and agreed to by a nation that desperately needed a populist protest myth for national identity.
There WAS a pure, and much bigger, tea party though, the very same day in Marshfield Mass, at midnight. The patriots burnt the tea on a giant rock, the area today is till called "Tea Rock Hill". I'll talk about that I hope in a later post since it is a great story...one that should have become the national myth narrative...because it is true.
A shame these teabaggers don't understand the very metaphor they are using, they don't understand what the Ta Party really was...because frankly, almost none of us really do.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Been a while
I haven't posted for quite a while (six months) after I got sick and after I got better I hadn't felt the need to post.
Since then I have been very busy at work, and am finishing up my next university degree. It's been a tremendous amount of reading and time, and I apologize for not posting. Not sure anyone really read this site anyway, and of course a part of that is that blogs need to be regularly updated, a requirement I have failed at.
Recently I read a great book called Winterkill. You can find out some good info and a review on this book here at http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm?book_number=1169 and an excerpt here http://www.wattpad.com/29652-Winterkill-by-Karen-Wunderman-Excerpt and of course can order here at http://www.karenwunderman.com/default.aspx at the author's website.
Karen Wunderman is also well known as one of the champions for an Al Gore for President 2004/2008 campaign...one that sadly did not ultimately happen. Her moniker is "Earthmother" and her reputation in political circles/blogs is unparalled. That she is a great writer probably is not therefore a surprise :)
There's a rumor she may be writing another book...Let's hope so!
Since then I have been very busy at work, and am finishing up my next university degree. It's been a tremendous amount of reading and time, and I apologize for not posting. Not sure anyone really read this site anyway, and of course a part of that is that blogs need to be regularly updated, a requirement I have failed at.
Recently I read a great book called Winterkill. You can find out some good info and a review on this book here at http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm?book_number=1169 and an excerpt here http://www.wattpad.com/29652-Winterkill-by-Karen-Wunderman-Excerpt and of course can order here at http://www.karenwunderman.com/default.aspx at the author's website.
Karen Wunderman is also well known as one of the champions for an Al Gore for President 2004/2008 campaign...one that sadly did not ultimately happen. Her moniker is "Earthmother" and her reputation in political circles/blogs is unparalled. That she is a great writer probably is not therefore a surprise :)
There's a rumor she may be writing another book...Let's hope so!
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