It's wearying for me to be an American in the fall of 2007. For some reason, the destruction of democracy and our decent into fascism upsets me from time to time. Oh, and that illegal war thingy. Sometimes I need to take a break from the republican congressional sex scandals of the day and think back to a kinder, gentler time.
Ah, the fifties- those tailfinned, poodle skirted fifties. How innocent they were.
Fifty years ago today, September 4, 1957, the Russians announced that they had an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile that could reach the world. They could attack us in our beds. Sleep well, kids. Did you say your prayers?
Fifty years ago today, in Little Rock, Arkansas, nine teen aged black girls were turned away from going to high school- by the National Guard. These fifteen and sixteen year old girls were caught between armed Guardsmen and an angry mob of racists. It started a crisis that resulted in the cancellation of the entire 1958 school year for three Little Rock High Schools and would not be resolved until the fall of 1959 when the schools reopened, integrated.
And last but not least, fifty years ago today, Ford Motor Company introduced its latest line of automobiles. It was the first introduction of a new medium priced American make since the Mercury of 1939, It offered two and four door sedans and hardtops, two and four door wagons, and two convertible models. It was called the Edsel.
At least two of the three turned out okay.
Happy Birthday, Ed.
Um, can I go back to 2007 now?
1 comment:
my mother's best friend drove an edsel from my earliest memory ~ probably around 1960 or so. i was three and we'd all pile into the thing and cruise around town. it was an enormous boat of a car and i loved it with all my heart. i would give anything to have one of those big cruisers now. when i hear people talking about the american culture of the car, it's those cars i think of. such a seemingly innocent time but, as you point out, with its dark side.
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