The other day while watching "Mail Call" on the History Channel and wondering why in "Full Metal Jacket" Vincent D'Onofrio (Pyle) didn't use real bullets in his final scene with R. Lee Ermey (Sgt. Hartman) I had a sudden revelation. This wasn't the first time I had seen R. Lee shooting at a watermelon with a flintlock rifle. It was at that moment I realized what George Santayana meant when he said the "History Channel repeats itself". I was actually watching a rerun.
Naturally, I did a Google search to be sure it was George Santayana who uttered the famous quote and to my surprise it has been attributed to many people. That can only mean one thing. Somebody said it first and everyone else was just repeating it. It is amazing that even a quotation about history and repetition gets repeated throughout history. I am bamboozled, befuddled and bewildered.
OK, so history can repeat itself. Look for example at Presidents Lincoln and Kennedy.
Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846
Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946
Lincoln was elected President in 1860
Kennedy was elected President in 1960
Both Lincoln and Kennedy lost a child while living in the White House and were very involved in Civil Rights.
Both were shot in the back of the head on a Friday and in front of their wives.
Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy who told him not to go to the theater
Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln who told him not to go to Dallas
Lincoln shot in the Ford Theater
Kennedy shot in a Lincoln, made by Ford
Lincoln's successor was Andrew Johnson, born in 1808
Kennedy's successor was Lyndon Johnson, born in 1908
Both VP's were southern Democrats thought by some to
have been involved in a conspiracy.
One of my favorite quotations since The World Trade Center attack has been; "He has committed the crime who profits by it." -Seneca the Younger.
Seneca was a tutor and advisor to the Roman Emperor, Nero. Did these words refer to Nero and his burning of Rome? If so Nero apparently had little sense of humor as he later accused Seneca of trying to kill him. Seneca killed himself before Nero could.
Within days of 9/11/01 it became clear to me who would profit from that crime and I continue to believe it was an inside job. In fact there are historic similarities between Nero and GW Bush.
Nero played the harp while Rome burned.
Bush read a children's book while New York burned.
Many people blamed Nero and his associates as the guilty party.
Many people blame Bush and his associates as the guilty party.
Nero blamed the Christians as the ones responsible.
Bush blames the Muslims as the ones responsible.
Nero tortured and killed Christians in the name of Justice.
Bush tortures and kills Muslims in the name of Justice.
Nero destroyed Rome to build a new Rome of marble meant to last for centuries.
Bush destroyed constitutional America to build a New World Order meant to last for centuries.
Nero wore robes and in cold dark torch lit chambers of carved stone held vile drunken orgies of rampant depraved lustful sex and unrestrained debauchery.
Bush is a member of Skull and Bones.
Seneca said, perhaps, also, in reference to Nero, "Whenever the speech is corrupted so is the mind." Did Nero have a strange way of talking? Did the Romans have to endure Neroisms?
Bush has Bushisms.
If I have to tell you what a Bushism is you are on the wrong web page.
Oh dear, I got to go now, Mail Call is on.
Posted JAN 03, 2008
“He who profits from the crime, committed the crime.” -Seneca the Younger
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