Funny about the Midwest

[David S. Brownlee]

This is kind of a reply to a previous post - but I thought it might generate some agrees/notes of interest - not solving anything of course.

I grew up in the Midwest of the USA (Southern Illinois)..a rural area with small towns. I remember I was about kindergarten age when I sat playing with some toys while Mom ironed our Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes in front of our black and white TV. I think I was playing with a toy truck and some smaller cars - I remember that because (at that snapshot in time) the cars were too small for the truck. My Mom, a Democrat (all of our people were) exclaimed "Oh my God". They were all good Baptists so Mom might not have said "God"...but words to that effect. President John F. Kennedy had been shot in Dallas and Walter Cronkite was telling us about it. I had watched Walter Cronkite before (waiting on the good shows) so I knew he was an authority figure - kind of like my Dad (Dad always followed the evening news). Mom was flabbergasted...crying. I had no clue what to do, nor could I do anything - I was newly 5 years old. We got through the day watching the releases. We did have a telephone and I think Mom was able to talk to Dad. Dad came home and of course and he and Mom did some talking beyond my ears.

Dad was the president of the union of machinists at the factory he worked for - and second in command for the district. I didn't know it at the time of course - I was playing with toys. I grew up in Williamson County Illinois, a place I later found out was a hotbed of union vs owner violence (do a quick google search on "bloody williamson"or "Herrin Massacre"- wiki will tell you all you need to know).

Anyways, as I said - I was only 5 at the time....I've learned some since then.

Edited January 28, 2010 by David S. Brownlee

[Guest Stephen Turner]

This is kind of a reply to a previous post - but I thought it might generate some agrees/notes of interest - not solving anything of course.

I grew up in the Midwest of the USA (Southern Illinois)..a rural area with small towns. I remember I was about kindergarten age when I sat playing with some toys while Mom ironed our Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes in front of our black and white TV. I think I was playing with a toy truck and some smaller cars - I remember that because (at that snapshot in time) the cars were too small for the truck. My Mom, a Democrat (all of our people were) exclaimed "Oh my God". They were all good Baptists so Mom might not have said "God"...but words to that effect. President John F. Kennedy had been shot in Dallas and Walter Cronkite was telling us about it. I had watched Walter Cronkite before (waiting on the good shows) so I knew he was an authority figure - kind of like my Dad (Dad always followed the evening news). Mom was flabbergasted...crying. I had no clue what to do, nor could I do anything - I was newly 5 years old. We got through the day watching the releases. We did have a telephone and I think Mom was able to talk to Dad. Dad came home and of course and he and Mom did some talking beyond my ears.

Dad was the president of the union of machinists at the factory he worked for - and second in command for the district. I didn't know it at the time of course - I was playing with toys. I grew up in Williamson County Illinois, a place I later found out was a hotbed of union vs owner violence (do a quick google search on "bloody williamson"or "Herrin Massacre"- wiki will tell you all you need to know).

Anyways, as I said - I was only 5 at the time....I've learned some since then.

Hello David, i too grew up in a small town, in England, My Dad was Union Rep for the BWF, (Building Workers Fed) and I can still remember being at home with my Mum and younger Brother when the news broke ( I was eight) My Mum cried as well, and later explained to me that a good man had been killed. My Father was of the opinion, till the day he died, that crazy right wingers had assassinated Kennedy...............Small World Huh? Regards, Steve.

Edited January 28, 2010 by Stephen Turner