Alternate Current: Who was Will Rogers?
Now, more than ever, America needs the wisdom and kindness of one of our true American heroes, someone I fear is being forgotten as time passes. Will Rogers should be studied in American history classes. Since many students today can”t name more than a few presidents, including our first, I wonder what, if anything, is actually being taught. The fact that Will Rogers was of Cherokee descent is an added bonus for our local Native American students who will feel great pride when they get to know this very special man.
Born in 1879 in the Cherokee nation of what became Oologah, Okla., a freed slave taught him to rope and ride, which resulted in him becoming so good that he was later included in the Guinness Book of Records for his skills, as well as a career in vaudeville and the movies. Soon, his wisecracks and observations became the main attraction.
He starred on Broadway, appeared in 71 movies, became the first popular broadcaster, wrote six books and more than 4,000 syndicated newspaper columns. His advice was sought by presidents, Congress and kings. It seems his 10th-grade education didn”t hold him back. He never stopped learning and teaching lessons that we could all benefit from even today. Fairness, kindness and decency may have gone out of style but are always needed. Think of him as the exact opposite of fictional John Galt, the hideous “hero” of Ayn Rand”s twisted “Atlas Shrugged” novel in which Galt was free to do whatever it took for personal gain regardless of the pain he caused others. The world today would be far better off if Alan Greenspan and the rest of his deregulators had been guided by Will Rogers instead of Ayn Rand.
Rogers is best remembered for his signature line “I never met a man I didn”t like;” remarkable for a guy who grew up seeing firsthand the result of our nations” treatment of American Indians and learning at the knee of a freed slave. He had every reason to be bitter, to hate those who were so callous, but he had no hate in him. His quip regarding politics, “I”m not a member of any organized party, I”m a Democrat!” is more valid today than it was 75 years ago. He counseled members of both parties, was welcomed by all and clearly the most beloved man of his time. He turned down an opportunity to become governor of Oklahoma as he wasn”t in it for personal power.
Politics today is all too often a bare-knuckle affair where even elected officials, who used to be constrained by some rules of common decency, now openly question whether someone they don”t agree with is “a real” American. They scream insults of the worst kind at the top of their lungs. No insult or insinuation is too much, it”s all about going even further off the scale of decency to appeal to the base; which, as the name suggests is apparently the very lowest element of society. What could be more un-American than to question someone else”s patriotism for nothing more than holding the opposite view? Whatever happened to the right of free speech? While it is the essence of being an American to question someone else”s judgment, no one has the right to question someone”s patriotism just because you disagree. I believe George W. Bush made a series of astounding mistakes and that he was simply not smart enough to be President. In fact, I have no doubt about it, but I would never accuse him of being treasonous. It”s one thing to be foolish, another to be a traitor, which is what the radical right-wing openly accuses President Obama of. Those claims are shameful, vicious, completely unfounded, beneath contempt and should be rejected by any decent Republican. There are still decent Republicans and it would be good for America if they spoke up loudly. What would Will Rogers say?
Lowell Grant is a weekly Record-Bee columnist.
