Tuesday, October 18, 2011
[1859 - John Brown and most of his armed followers are killed or captured in their raid on Harper's Ferry, Virginia]
[1859 - Henri Bergson, Nobel prize-winning philosopher, author, born in Paris]
[1898 - Lotte Lenya (Karoline Blamauer), Tony Award-winning singer, actress, born in Vienna, Austria]
[1902 - (Ellen) Miriam Hopkins, actress, born in Savannah, Georgia]
[1906 - James Brooks, abstract artist, born in St. Louis, Missouri]
[1920 - (Maria Amalia) Melina Mercouri, actress, politician, born in Athens, Greece]
[1927 - George C. (Campbell) Scott, Academy Award-winning actor, born in Wise, Virginia]
[1934 - Inger Stevens (Stensland), actress, born in Stockholm, Sweden]
[1935 - Peter Boyle, Emmy Award-winning actor, born in Norristown, Pennsylvania]
[1942 - Vice Admiral William Halsey is named the new Commander South Pacific]
John Brown would undoubtedly be labeled a terrorist had he conducted his raid in today's atmosphere of fear instead of in 1859. He would be in good company; Nobel Peace Prize winner and first president of a non-apartheid South Africa, Nelson Mandela, was carried on the U.S. list of terrorists for about a quarter century.
Now, if it is deemed necessary that I should forfeit my life, for the furtherance of the ends of justice, and MINGLE MY BLOOD FURTHER WITH THE BLOOD OF MY CHILDREN, and with the blood of millions in this Slave country, whose rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments,--I say LET IT BE DONE.
Address of John Brown to the Virginia Court,
when about to receive the sentence of death, 1859.
William's Whimsical Words:
One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter or martyr.
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