Friday, November 14, 2003

WHITE ART VS REAL LIFE
"The author of An Imperfect God : George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America was on (NPR), talking about the book. There were a couple of interesting tidbits, such as the fact that Martha owned a slave who was her half-sister, but what I really found interesting was talk about the degree to which the military during the revolution was both multi-racial and integrated. This itself wasn't news to me, although the fact that there were units such as the 1st Rhode Island Regiment that were integrated in a surprising way - 75% black/25% white - was. But, it got me thinking about revolutionary war art - the portrayals on canvas of various events and battles, such as Yorktown where the 1st RI played a prominent role. I couldn't remember seeing a single black face. I went hunting around the internet, and couldn't find a single one.

I'm sure Jonah Goldberg can tell me why it's racist for me to even bring this up."
Atrios



TO ORPHEUS

As once the winged energy of delight
carried you over childhood's dark abysses,
now beyond your own life build the great
arch of unimagined bridges.

Wonders happen if we can succeed
in passing through the harshest danger;
but only in a bright and purely granted
achievement can we realize the wonder.

To work with Things in the indescribable
relationship is not too hard for us;
the pattern grows more intricate and subtle,
and being swept along is not enough.

Take your practiced powers and stretch them out
until they span the chasm between two
contradictions . . . For the god
wants to know himself in you.

Rainer Marie Rilke

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