Preserving History

On visits to San Francisco I have heard memorable speakers at the Jewish Community Center there. One of these is now making headlines; the other will speak in Aspen next week. Both are concerned with preserving history.

Professor Henry Louis Gates, foremost scholar of African-American literature and history whose arrest has inflamed a raw nerve on the national racial divide, spoke about his continuous quest to preserve history by finding documents that enhance the slavery narrative. That narrative's horrific origin was highlighted by President Obama's recent visit to the infamous Door of No Return in Ghana where he reflected that, like the Holocaust, the door leading to the slave ships represents the cruelty of which human beings are capable and must never be forgotten.

Preserving the past is the mission of another speaker I heard in San Francisco, Father Patrick Desbois, a resolute French priest who has dedicated his life to documenting a surprisingly little known aspect of the Holocaust, the death by firing squad of 1.5 million Jews in the Ukraine. Father Desbois will be speaking on Aug. 4 at the invitation of the Aspen Jewish Community Center, describing his method of interviewing elderly Ukrainians, who as children and teenagers witnessed the mass shootings, in a race against time while the “Holocaust by Bullets,” is still within living memory.

Another witness to Holocaust history will also be speaking in Aspen at the invitation of the Jewish Community Center. On Aug. 19, Leon Leyson will share his childhood memories of working in the factory of Oskar Schindler, who is credited with saving almost 1,200 Jews.

To learn more about these two speaker events, go online to http://www.jccaspen.com/ or call 544-3770.

Judith King

Glenwood Springs

Bravo, to the Glenwood Vaudeville Revue

I have lived in Glenwood Springs for thirty years and have been to many theatrical productions. I've been in a few myself. I am always amazed at the high quality of theater I have seen, the quality getting better and better now.

To bring that point home, I really got a treat last week. The Glenwood Springs Vaudeville Revue was as one of the most professional and entertaining shows that I have ever seen here.

We spent two and a half hours being totally entertained. We ate good food, we hounded it up, we saw great Vaudeville and even learned what it was and how to do Vaudeville today. The Masonic Lodge was fixed up, you have to see it. The night we went to was a full house of laughing faces. The show was nonstop action with not a cue missed or a step stumbled (unless they wanted to). The comedy was right on, silliness was allowed and encouraged.

We had a full table of friends that only had to go a few miles to arrive and a few miles to go home.

Thank you, thank you to all the organizers of this show. It was a brave act to go after such a quality show in this town and to pull it off with such class.

I think that we all need to keep shows like this afloat around here. They make their living by doing quality work for our enjoyment. If we attend, and they make a living at acting then there will be a Fall show and we can go again.

Jack Green

Glenwood Springs

Was it a dream or a nightmare?

Oh, I had a dream or was it a nightmare? I awoke in a hospital bed after a night of emergency diagnostic procedures and there, consulting with my doctor, were Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and the President of the United States.

Wow! The big three in health care with the ability to make decisions about my care, but with no medical training and probably little healthcare experience.

Golly! They seem to be arguing with my doctor about treatment!

Services will be held Tuesday at 1100 hours at Veterans' Cemetery.

Federal law mandates contributions will be to the BHO Need For Change Health Care Plan.

Jack E. Blankenship

Battlement Mesa