I was in Claremore, Oklahoma last weekend celebrating “my” 140th birthday. Even Google.com got in on the celebration all day November 4.
Jennifer Rogers Etcheverry (great-granddaughter) was there as usual. Joel McCrea (represented by grandson Wyatt McCrea) and Barry Corbin received major awards from the Memorial Museum. I asked Barry Corbin how many movies he has made. He said, “Oh, between 200 and 300, starting with Urban Cowboy.” He’s no stranger to television either, including starring in Northern Exposure.
The Oklahoma Legislature has a bill that would rename part of historic U.S. Route 66 for President Trump. Now I don’t want to sound egotistical but that road already has a name: the Will Rogers Highway. Maybe the Legislature can find an anonymous stretch of highway out in the panhandle and name it the Trump Road.
Did you ever hear a preacher deliver a sermon based on Route 66? You may know that Route 66 goes right through downtown Claremore. Rev. Ray Crawford at the First United Methodist Church figured out a way to tie the 22nd Chapter of 1 Chronicles, which is about David preparing resources to leave for his son Solomon, to kind of a marathon relay race the whole length of Route 66. Personally, if I had to be in a relay race, I would run my part on horseback. Well, Dr. Crawford said the relay is more about time (years) rather than distance. We need to pass the faith and our resources to the ones following along behind us.
I think that’s a great idea even if you’re not a Methodist. What we do with what we have is a powerful measure of who we are. As two examples, I think Jennifer Rogers and Wyatt McCrea have been well prepared and accepted the baton passed down from their famous ancestors.
I heard that CNN completed some essential investigative reporting on President Trump’s tweets. CNN’s team of journalists unearthed 186 misspelled words in three years of Trump tweets.
Lord, I’m glad CNN wasn’t around when I was writing daily and weekly newspaper articles in the 1920s and 30s. English teachers was the only ones back then concerned about my lack of interest in proper grammar and spelling. Everybody else that could read understood what I aimed to say except mayby the professors at Harvard.
Tomorrow is Armistice Day, November 11, a day to honor our military and have a parade. They changed the name to Veterans Day, but were practically forced to keep it on Nov. 11, even when it’s not a Monday. We’re also celebrating the end of the Berlin Wall 30 years ago. You’ll remember President Reagan saying, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” And he did.
Historic quotes by Will Rogers:
“Been reading editorials on President Coolidge’s armament speech. Several papers have asked, ‘What would Europe do if we were in difficulties and needed help?’ (My) reply to those inquiries: Europe would hold a celebration.” DT #717, Nov. 14, 1928
“If we really want to honor our (veterans), why don’t we let THEM sit in the reviewing stands and make the people march by?” WA #36, Aug. 19, 1923
[I received this nice compliment: “Randall Reeder really does a nice job –I heard it said when a person dies ,he is soon forgotten –not in Will’s case ! Thank you very much!” Yes, we try to keep Will alive.]