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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (181280)	10/2/2006 4:28:38 PM
From: RinConRon	Respond to of 793887

The real Lewis & Clark: imdb.com Everything else is merely History.

To: LindyBill who wrote (181280)	10/2/2006 5:17:56 PM
From: Snowshoe	Respond to of 793887

>>Lewis and Clark: Stop celebrating. They don't matter.<< Not sure I agree with the premise of this article. I'm no expert in this area, but I suspect that the L&C expedition helped tip the balance in favor of ultimate US settlement of the Pacific Northwest, vs. British/Canadian. ManyMoose knows a lot about this topic and could probably comment further. BTW, I know a very old man whose ancestor was a French fur trader who worked for Lewis and Clark on part of their expedition. He's mentioned in the expedition journal as being quite fascinated by the method the Arikara Indians used to make their own glass beads. My friend is also rather obsessed with technology, and I suppose this trait has been passed down thru the generations.

To: LindyBill who wrote (181280)	10/3/2006 11:08:36 PM
From: ManyMoose	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793887

WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' HEROES I’m well aware that this response is a day late and a dollar short. I had a timely one all written, but as usually happens when I’m fired up I managed to send it into cyberspace, never to be seen again. It took me until now to revive the requisite passion to rebut this cynical essay by David Plotz. So forget that the entire Corps of Discovery typically walked farther every day than most of us drive to work on snow or cactus spines, in their bare feet, on days when the likes of us would be taking a sick day and glad of it. Forget that the Captains were two of the finest Company Commanders this nation’s military has ever known, according to historian Stephen Ambrose. Forget that they had no clear idea of what lay before them and pressed on anyway day after day for almost three years. Past bears bigger than any they had ever heard of. Past Native Americans whose temperament was unknown. Past mountains higher than they ever dreamt of. Past waterfalls and hazards of every sort, they proceeded on. Forget that they made more scientific discoveries than any other explorers of their era, and documented those discoveries in amazing and perceptive detail. They got little credit for their findings because of delays in publication, but they were nevertheless first. Forget that they lost only one man – to appendicitis – and made their journey with the most unlikely complement imaginable, including a woman and a baby. Forget that the Captains and their men were perfectly suited to their challenge, and met their challenge unflinchingly. The reason the trail remains scenic and unspoiled is that it was so useless ???? I hardly think this remark is worthy of a response, but it is insulting. The trail is unspoiled because it is rugged beyond all expectations and scenic because it is beautiful beyond description. I know. I’ve seen the best parts of it, and they do not deserve such a slander. Alexander McKenzie and David Thompson are British explorers and heroes. Let Britain celebrate them. Lewis and Clark are genuine AMERICAN HEROES and are worthy of all the attention given to them by people who know and love the story, AND PREPARED MANY CELEBRATIONS ALONG THE ROUTE. It is a grave defect of our people that they fail to appreciate the historic milestone that passes forever this year, the Bicentennial of the return of the Corps of Discovery. I guess they are too busy on video games and cell phones to be distracted. David Plotz’s derisive remark “The American infatuation with Lewis and Clark grows more fervent with every passing year” cuts no ice with me. At least some of us recognize heroes when we see them. At least some of us recognize the NEED for heroes. Lack of them is a national anemia that may well lead to our downfall. We don’t need no stinkin' heroes?? Oh yes we do. And we have them. Lewis and Clark and the entire Corps of Discovery are the finest examples we have. The Corps of Discovery matters. David Plotz does not matter.