Tag: Civil War

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USA CAME CLOSE TO A COUP D’ETAT

When was the last time a United States presidency faced a military takeover?  I think it was talked about back in 1861, after Lincoln was elected president. Southern politicians who supported  slavery  attempted a military takeover to prevent Lincoln’s inauguration.  They even planned an assassination before he was able to reach Washington DC by rail.  The coup d’etat didn’t succeed, but Civil War soon broke out.  After that, there has never been such an attempt—until now.  Last year, the USA came close to a coup d’etat.

USA Came Close to a Coup D'Etat with Pelosi and Milley.
USA came close to a Coup D’Etat when Pelosi and Milley decided to intervene in presidential powers.

Republican Donald Trump was probably one of the most divisive presidents we’ve ever had in the United States.  Nevertheless, he won the election, defeating Hillary Clinton in 2016.  Like it or not, he was the president until January of 2021..  Now, along comes General MIlley, chairman of the  Joint Chiefs of Staff who, with Democratic  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, decides Trump is going crazy after losing the 2020 election. .  No medical diagnosis, just a gut feeling.. They fear that he will attempt a coup to stay in power, and might even start a war with China. .With the encouragement of Pelosi, Milley calls China and offers to give them a heads up if Trump launches an attack.

To me, when one political party tries to undermine the powers of  an elected president with the help of the military,  that constitutes an attempted  coup d’etat.

Coup d’etats were pretty common in Latin  American countries.  In fact, our government actually supported the 1955 military takeover of Argentina when Peron was the elected president. (Remember “Don’t Cry for me Argentina?) However,  for the past 160 years, our country has always had a peaceful transfer of power, even in hotly contested elections like Bush vs Gore in the year 2000.

But now,  a military commander planned to  usurp the  presidency with permission of  the opposing party.   This  tells me the country is as close to a civil war as it’s ever been.  When one political  party colludes with the military to take over the powers of the president, that’s a coup d’eat.  If we were that close to such a possibility in the year  2021, what will happen next in this deeply divided country?

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SALUTE TO UNCLE REN & COMPANY D

What does Memorial Day mean to you?  When I was a kid, it was the first big summer holiday.  It meant picnics, flying flags, and the end of school. As a teenager, it still hadn’t sunk in.  Yes, I knew of people who had lost their menfolk during World War II. but Memorial Day was a time for fairs, graduations, and parties, mainly.  My mother always went to the cemetery to decorate her parents’ graves, but it didn’t seem like anything I would want to do.  And then, one day, it all kicked in. My generation’s boyfriends, husbands, and brothers fought in the Korean War.  Some of them came home wounded, or not at all.  The Korean War Memorial is my favorite in Washington, DC.  But at Clinton, Indiana  it’s a simple monument erected by my great, great uncle after the Civil War.   Here’s  a Memorial Day salute to Uncle Ren and Company D. 

 Memorial Day is special for me.  Many of my ancestors and immediate family are buried in a small country cemetery.  Usually, my husband and I drive up to a nearby shelter for a picnic, then over to visit the graves. That’s a hard time for me—missing them so much that a hollow feeling rises in my chest and tears blur my vision.

 After arranging the flowers, the highlight of the day awaits me at the top of a hill, under a towering oak tree.  For there, my great, great, great uncle, Ren White, came back from fighting in the Civil War to erect a memorial to the men who served with him in “Company D.”  Every man in the company is listed, but it doesn’t say which ones didn’t return.  Uncle Ren wasn’t a captain, either—just a mere sergeant.  But when he came home, he spent the time and money to erect this memorial to the men who fought to free this country of slavery.  Wow! Gives me the shivers, just thinking of how proud I am of him.

Memorial Day Salute to Uncle Ren
Memorial day salute to Uncle Ren and Company D. After the Civil War, he erected this monument to Company D.

I wonder what motivated him to enlist. Knowing that branch of the family, I’m sure his motives were not mercenary, because they owned thousands of acres of Indiana farmland. My mother, who loved genealogy, probably knew if Ren had a wife and children, but I don’t.

 Little did he realize that one day, a photo of that thoughtfully erected monument would be shown over the internet.  On this Memorial Day holiday, I salute you, Uncle Ren White, for your courage and patriotism.