One Last Attempt: (The Last Angry Man)

By Jack B. Walters

It has become impossible to resolve the many serious problems we face in America. My token efforts in this book details the issues as I see them. Whether you agree with me or not, at least give me the credit for devoting the last twenty years of my life trying to make sense out of it all and proposing solutions. I did not do it for financial gain but as an American who reveres our heritage and hopes we can find a way to pull together and once again be that shining city on the hill.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Jan 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9781698713809

Jack B. Walters

I graduated from the University of Buffalo in 1954. I joined The Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. and worked for Firestone for the next 28 years. I was promoted to the position of Plant Manager for three ever larger plants ending my career at the Des Moines, Iowa plant in 1982. A few months later, I was invited to be a member of newly elected Governor Terry Branstad’s staff as the Director of General Services. I served in that position for 8 years. When my wife died suddenly in Feb., 1991, I resigned and have been retired since that time. Two projects stand out as my favorites. The first was the design and construction of a new $25 million dollar Historical and Library Building. The second was starting and completing 35% of the exterior restoration of the State Capitol Building. I retired to Tucson 20 years ago. I am an outdoor enthusiast. I belong to the Southern Arizona Hiking Club and just before my 70th birthday I completed the 315 peaks award which at that time was the highest award given. These peaks were within 75 miles of Tucson. Later a new club goal was established at 400 peaks. The distance from Tucson was increased to 100 miles. This added several new mountain ranges. I accomplished this goal just before my 80th birthday in April 2008 .On November 2, 2009 I achieved my final goal of climbing 1,000 peaks. Since there are only a little over 400 recognized by our club, what this means is that a number were repeated. I got them mostly by leading others. I enjoyed that as much as when I did it just for my own goal. I am sad to report that I can no longer hike. My current exercise consists of walking around our neighborhood for 20 minutes or so. At least I am able to do this. As to my other love golf, for the past year all I have done is play nine holes with my friend Doug Morris. A few months ago we decided that to continue was useless, as our abilities were depleted to the point it was useless to continue. We donated all of our equipment to a golf course who gives them to children. I started writing in March, 2003 when I purchased my first computer. My first book, “The Life and Times of Jack B. Walters” was essentially my recollection of important events in my lifetime. After finishing the story portion, I decided to add letters I had written during those years, to explain as best I could what I believed, so that the reader would know not just the events but my beliefs as well. While I was concentrating on my biography I was also composing articles of general interest relative to our country. Some were published as editorials in the Arizona Daily Star. I decided to collect them and put them in my second book. I entitled it “The Last Angry Man” because most are very negative as I railed at the lack of leadership from the major parties. These were written between 2003 and 2006. As discouraged as I was, I believed I would just stop there but I didn’t, I continued to write and published my third book. It was entitled “Still Angry”. It contained articles from 2006 to 2010. It began during the final years of President Bush’s Administration. It ends at the start of President Obama’s second year in office. The fourth book was entitled “An American History Lesson and a Wake Up call for America”. It covers the years starting in 2010 and ending in 2013 with two separate sections, one about history books and the other books about Islam. This book continues my effort to put into print concerns about the continuing deterioration of our country. It begins on 9/22/2013 through 9/28/2022. I fully understand the futility of trying to make a difference. I had hoped from the beginning that I could get my messages out to the general public. The cost to advertise is outrageous, particularly when there is no profit motive, so with only a few exceptions all copies were given to friends and family, always with the hope they might agree and share thoughts with others. There is one thing you should know, that is that my writings are not politically correct. I do my best to say it as clearly as I can. Read, analyze, discuss and do something for your country.

Book preview

Copyright 2023 Jack B. Walters.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval

system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,

recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

ISBN: 978-1-6987-1381-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6987-1379-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6987-1380-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023900128

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in

this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views

expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the

views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such

images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Trafford rev.  01/10/2023

33164.png www.trafford.com

North America & international

toll-free: 844-688-6899 (USA & Canada)

fax: [phone]

CONTENTS

About the Author

Preface

Historical Book Reports

Sapiens

White Trash

Lexington and Concord

Indispensables

Washington’s Crossing

Jefferson

Andrew Jackson and The Miracle of New Orleans

Grant’s Final Victory

The Complete Personal Memoirs of General Ulysses S. Grant

The Life of Abraham Lincoln

The Civil War

The River War; An Account of The Reconquest of The Sudan

Hero of The Empire

The Wright Brothers

The World Crisis

The 19th Amendment

Ty Cobb

Beyond Wealth

The Woman Behind The New Deal

The Roosevelt I Knew

Hero

To Hell and Back

The Darkest Hour

Five Days in London

Dunkirk- The Movie

1941

Commander in Chief

The Mantle of Command

Eisenhower

George Marshall

The Flying Tigers

Soldier, Sailor, Frogman, Spy, Airman, Gangster, Kill or Die

The Storm on Our Shores

The Secret of Sherwood Forrest

The Mathews Men

Roosevelt’s Centurions

Air War in The Pacific

The Splendid and The Vile

Normandie: D-Day to Saint- Lo: through German Eyes

A Higher Call

Helmet for My Pillow: from Parris Island to The Pacific

The Things Our Fathers Saw

D-Day

The Good Shepard

One World

1944

Tin Cans & Greyhounds

The Last Fighter Pilot

Night

Stalin’s War

Three Days in January: Dwight Eisenhower’s Final Mission

The Blood Telegram

The Kennedy Half Century

Justice Rising

A Full Life

Death of A King

Border

Reagan: The American President

Nixon’s Secrets

When The Center Held

One If by Land

The Arab Mind

American Betrayal

Red Notice

Who Stole The American Dream?

America’s War

How Civilizations Die

The Longest War

A Time to Attack

Dog Whistle Politics

The Author of Dog Whisper Politics Responded to My Book Report

American Sniper

It’s Even Worse than It Looks

Khartoum-a movie

Lone Survivor

One Nation

Pump-A Documentary Film

The Death of Money

A Fighting Chance

Defending Beef

Clinton Cash

Leon Panetta’s New Book

What Money Can’t Buy

Ben Carson Documentaries

Heretic

Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus

Lights Out

Call Sign Chaos

Peak Trump

The Confessions of Congressman X

The ISIS Apocalypse

America’s War

In Trump We Trust

Republic Lost

The Killing of Osama Bin Laden

Suicide of The West

American Wolf

Hillbilly Elegy

Death of A Nation

The American Jubilee

Black Klansman-a movie

Andre Iguodala

The President’s Club

The Soul of America

Victor Davis Hanson

The Hill to Die On

With All Due Respect

Dare to Fly

Don’t Lie to Me

How to Fight Anti-Semitism

American Carnage

Capital

The Captured Economy

The Dying Citizen

2013-2015

Response About American Jobs

Critique of Election Results 2012

Syria is Potentially Our Next Victim

President Obama’s Syria Decision

Senator John McCain’s Response to The Syria Question

Another Example of The Inability of Congress to Function

Government Out of Control

The Star Glorifies Law Breakers

Honor Flight Program

My Opinion

Arden Mary Limeres Visit to Tucson-11/22-30/2013

New Penalties Required for Home Gun Accidents

Swimming Pools VS Guns

Ukraine Suggestions

Ukraine Dilemma

Federal Highway Trust Fund Update

Contact Your Congressional Representatives

Should Congress Raise The Minimum Wage?

Aircraft Carriers

Russia is Guilty

Ferguson, Mo.

Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooreesi

I’m Ashamed

Our Derelict President

Barack (no strategy) Obama

Another Example of Our Federal Government Not Correcting Abuses

13 Hours-Benghazi

13 Hours- The True Story of Benghazi

Playing at War

Common Genius

Predictable Tragedy in Paris, France

My Response to The State of The Union Address

The New Religious Freedom Laws

Trans-Pacific Partnership

Follow-up Article on The Trans-Pacific Partnership

Internal Revenue E-Filing Scam

Thanks Don and Bernie

I Sent This to The Star

Meet John Doe

Reflections

Iran Nuclear Deal

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)

Ben Carson Speaks Out

Obama’s gift to Warren Buffett

My Attempt to Understand the Pressure Our Military Faces on a Daily Basis

Veteran’s Day Thoughts

Muslims, Christians have much in Common Article

Islamization of America

2016-2019

H.Res.569

Leonard Pitts Editorial 1/14, 2016 Comparing Trump to Hitler

Falling Oil Prices

Do You Ever Wonder?

Cruz’s Dirty Trick Played On Carson during The Iowa Caucus

Leadership Needed on Historical Building

Islamic Terrorism

Orlando Tragedy-June 12, 2016

How Pathetic

Obama Did It Again

Patricia McKnight’s Response to My Benghazi article of 7/2/2016

Radicalized

Letter to The Editor-Arizona Daily Star

Surprise, Surprise

Message for Colin Kaepernick and His Supporters

And So It Continues

Chaos in Charlotte September 23, 2016

Hillary

Trump is Crude-Clinton is A Liar

An Attempt to Bring Clarity for The Disarray in The Middle East Today

Open Letter to Senator McCain

I Have Had A Great Week

George W. Bush Speaks Out

Ouch/oops article

Title VI of The Civil Rights Act of 1964

Legislatures are Making A Big Mistake by Allowing Public Funds for Religious Education

Education of American Children is Failing to Install Respect for Our Country

Letters to The Editor

Enough is Enough

Leonard Pitts Jr. Article 7/16/2017

Mr. Tim Steller

Jerusalem- Israel’s Capitol

Lockport High School Distinguished Graduate Talk

President Trump Changes Course

Where this Will End

No One Gets It

Arizona Star Letter-5/4/18

Arizona Star Anti-Trump Bias Continues

Arizona Daily Star Headline-September17, 2018

9⁰th Birthday Hike

New Democratic Party

Shutdown Comments

Solution to Colorado Water Shortage

Judge Jeanine Pirro

Your article—Ducey’s Position on Border

Tim Steller

Robbins’ Leadership Needed as UA Brand Takes A Beating

Harassment of President Trump

Nike Shoe Decision

College Athletes being Paid

2020-2022

Biden-Sanders Debate

Coronavirus Pandemic

Made in America is Now More Important than Ever

Reflecting on The Difference between The Early Years and Today

China, McSally Column

Every Good Thing has to End Sometime

George Floyd

Brett Favre Comments

My Country Right or Wrong, My Country

Charley Wilson’s War

Dereliction of duty

The Basic Responsibility of Government is to Protect The People

Democrat Party is Anti-Black

We Have One Last Chance

Nobel Peace Prize

Comments on The Conventions, Climate Change and The Middle East

Public Speaking 101

$1.6 Trillion Stimulus Package

FEMA Program Giving $9,000 to Cover The Cost Of Funerals for Those Who Died of Covid

Our Borders

Hospitals Have It All Wrong

Marine Lt. Col Stu Sheller

My Latest Epistle

Biden’s Inflation

Playing War Games

Russia Must Pay for The Outrageous Invasion of Ukraine

I Blame Biden

Russia Oil Embargo

We are Not a Racist Nation

Leaked Memo will Save The New Democratic Party

Body Armor

This Standard Practice Must End

Second Amendment

My Thoughts on The Abortion Issue

The Current Naturalization Oath Reads as Follows

The Colorado River can No Longer Serve Our Needs

Masters VS Kelly

Who are MAGA- Republicans?

2022 Election Comments

My Last Article for This Book

Epilogue

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

au%20photo.jpg

I graduated from the University of Buffalo in 1954. I joined The Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. and worked for Firestone for the next 28 years. I was promoted to the position of Plant Manager for three ever larger plants ending my career at the Des Moines, Iowa plant in 1982.

A few months later, I was invited to be a member of newly elected Governor Terry Branstad’s staff as the Director of General Services. I served in that position for 8 years. When my wife died suddenly in Feb., 1991, I resigned and have been retired since that time. Two projects stand out as my favorites. The first was the design and construction of a new $25 million dollar Historical and Library Building. The second was starting and completing 35% of the exterior restoration of the State Capitol Building.

I retired to Tucson 20 years ago. I am an outdoor enthusiast. I belong to the Southern Arizona Hiking Club and just before my 70th birthday I completed the 315 peaks award which at that time was the highest award given. These peaks were within 75 miles of Tucson. Later a new club goal was established at 400 peaks. The distance from Tucson was increased to 100 miles. This added several new mountain ranges. I accomplished this goal just before my 80th birthday in April 2008. On November 2, 2009 I achieved my final goal of climbing 1,000 peaks. Since there are only a little over 400 recognized by our club, what this means is that a number were repeated. I got them mostly by leading others. I enjoyed that as much as when I did it just for my own goal. I am sad to report that I can no longer hike. My current exercise consists of walking around our neighborhood for 20 minutes or so. At least I am able to do this. As to my other love golf, for the past year all I have done is play nine holes with my friend Doug Morris. A few months ago we decided that to continue was useless, as our abilities were depleted to the point it was useless to continue. We donated all of our equipment to a golf course who gives them to children.

I started writing in March, 2003 when I purchased my first computer.

My first book, The Life and Times of Jack B. Walters was essentially my recollection of important events in my lifetime.

After finishing the story portion, I decided to add letters I had written during those years, to explain as best I could what I believed, so that the reader would know not just the events but my beliefs as well.

While I was concentrating on my biography I was also composing articles of general interest relative to our country. Some were published as editorials in the Arizona Daily Star. I decided to collect them and put them in my second book. I entitled it The Last Angry Man because most are very negative as I railed at the lack of leadership from the major parties. These were written between 2003 and 2006. As discouraged as I was, I believed I would just stop there but I didn’t, I continued to write and published my third book. It was entitled Still Angry. It contained articles from 2006 to 2010. It began during the final years of President Bush’s Administration. It ends at the start of President Obama’s second year in office. The fourth book was entitled An American History Lesson and a Wake Up call for America. It covers the years starting in 2010 and ending in 2013 with two separate sections, one about history books and the other books about Islam.

This book continues my effort to put into print concerns about the continuing deterioration of our country. It begins on 9/22/2013 through 9/28/2022. I fully understand the futility of trying to make a difference. I had hoped from the beginning that I could get my messages out to the general public. The cost to advertise is outrageous, particularly when there is no profit motive, so with only a few exceptions all copies were given to friends and family, always with the hope they might agree and share thoughts with others.

There is one thing you should know, that is that my writings are not politically correct. I do my best to say it as clearly as I can.

Read, analyze, discuss and do something for your country.

PREFACE

This book covers the last years with Obama as president. It then continues the four year term of Trump and ends with Biden as president for nearly two years. As I have done in my other books I share many book reports. The book begins with them. They include books about the early years of our Republic. There are many covering WWII. I lived through it and am never bored with reading about those perilous years. Others are biographies and stirring books by heroic authors who care about our country. I tried to put them in chronological order. The remainder of the book consists of articles I have written broken into three sections, 2013-2015, 2016-2019 and 2020-2022.

I allowed myself to intersperse among the serious articles things of a personal matter.

In re-reading my four Angry man books I have come to the realization that unless they are read in the order written, the reader can get lost in trying to understand where I am going. I am sometimes a staunch supporter of Democrats and then I switch to Republicans. I swear I will never vote for this party and the next I am saying the same thing about the other party. The why is because I keep hoping that one or the other will restore our country. I am disappointed many times. If you follow in order you may realize why I keep changing and why when Trump arrived, I and those others who voted for him hoped he would be the one. He really tried but the system was rigged against him. Even before he was in office there were calls for impeachment. Almost all media crucified him for every word spoken. I came to the conclusion that those elite in power (both parties) conspired to stop him. I include the powerful Federal employees, especially the Justice Department. For example he requested $5 Billion to start building a wall, which resulted in the longest government shutdown, after which all employees earnings were fully restored. He lost. Now under Biden over $4Trillion has been appropriated without any concern that our national debt exceeds $31Trillion.

I realize that my making this effort will in the end amount to shouting in the wind with few if any hearing me and even if they did it is likely that it will not change their thinking. I still try to reach the general public but due to the cost to advertise, I have only been minimally successful, so mostly only my long suffering friends and family have been exposed.

I sincerely believe that there is no another American citizen has devoted so much time and effort for the last twenty years following current events or reading American history books, then putting thoughts to paper to share with others without a thought of financial gain. As I near the end perhaps this may be my heritage to pass on.

HISTORICAL BOOK REPORTS

During the past 20 years I have been a prolific reader of history. If you have read my previous books you will agree. This book contains more than any of the others. I give myself credit that I am able to write the essence of the author’s intent and hopefully create your interest in reading, but at least you will get a short lesson of our history.

HISTORICAL BOOK REPORTS

Sapiens By; Yuval Noah Harari

White Trash By; Nancy Isenberg

Lexington and Concord By; George Daughan

Indispensables By; Patrick K. O’Donnell

Washington’s Crossing By; David Hackett Fischer

Jefferson By; John Boles

Andrew Jackson By; Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger

Grant’s Final Victory By; Charles Bracelen Flood

The Complete Personal Memoirs of General Ulysses S. Grant

The Life of Abraham Lincoln By; Henry Katcham

The Civil War By; Shelby Foote

The River War By; Winston Churchill

Hero of the Empire By; Candice Millard

The Wright Brothers By; David Mc Cullough

The World Crisis By; Winston S. Churchill

The 19th Amendment- A four Hour Documentary on NPR

Ty Cobb By; Charles Leerhsen

Beyond Wealth By; Alexander Green

Commander in Chief By; Nigel Hamilton

The Woman behind the New Deal By; Kirstin Downey

The Roosevelt I Knew By; Francis Perkins

Justice Rising By; Patricia Sullivan

Hero By; Michael Korda

To Hell and Back By; Ian Kershaw

The Mantle of Command By; Nigel Hamilton

The Darkest Hour- A movie

Five Days in London By; John Lucas

Dunkirk-The Movie

1941 By; Andrew Nagorski

Commander in Chief By; Nigel Hamilton

The Mantle of Command By; Nigel Hamilton

Eisenhower By; Carlo D’Este

George Marshall By; David L. Roll

The Flying Tigers By; Sam Kleiner

One World By; Wendell Willke

Soldier, Sailor, Frogman, Spy, Airman Gangster, kill or die By; Giles Milton

The Storm on our Shores By; Mark Obmascik

The Secret of Sherwood Forrest By; Guy Woodward and Grace Steele Woodward

The Mathews Men By; William Geroux

Roosevelt’s Centurions By; Joseph E. Persico

Air War on the Pacific By; George C. Kenney

The splendid and the Vile By; Erik Larson

Normandie:D-Day to Saint-Lo:Through German Eyes By; Vince Milano

and Bruce Conner

A Higher Call By; Adam Makos

Helmet for my Pillow By; Robert Leckie

The Things Our Fathers Saw By; Mathew A. Russell

D-Day Through German Eyes By; Holger Eckertz

The Good Shepard By; C.S. Forester

One World By; Wendell Willke

1944 By; Jay Winik

Tin Cans and Greyhounds By; Clint Johnston

The Last Fighter Pilot By; Don Brown with Captain Jerry Yellen

Night By; Elie Wiesel

Stalin’s War By; Sean McMeekin

Three Days on January By; Bret Baier

The Blood Telegraph By; Gary J. Bass

The Kennedy Half Century By; Larry Serato

Justice Rising By; Patricia Sullivan

A Full Life By; Jimmy Carter

Death of a King By; Tavis Smiley

Border By; Leon C. Metz

Reagan, the American President By; Larry Schweikart

When the Center Held By; Donald Rumsfeld

One if by Land By; William K. Daniel

The Arab Mind By; Ralphael Patai

American Betrayal By; Diana West

Red Notice By; Bill Browder

Who Stole the American Dream By; Hedrick Smith

America’s War By; Andrew J. Bacevich

How Civilizations Die By;, David P. Goodman

The Longest War By; By; Peter L. Bergen

A Time to Attack By; Mathew Kroenig

Clinton Cash By; Peter Schweitzer

Dog Whistle Politics By; Ian Haney Lopez

My Response to Mr. Lopez after he read my book report of Dog Whistle Politics

American Sniper-A Movie

It’s Even Worse Than It Looks By; Thomas F. Mann and Norman J. Ornstein

Khartoum- The Movie

Lone Survivor- A Movie

One Nation By; Dr. Ben Carson

Pump- A Documentary

Death of Money By; James Rickards

A Fighting Chance By; Elizabeth Warren

Defending Beef By; Nicholette Hahn Niman

Clinton Cash By; Peter Schweitzer

Worthy Fights; By Leon Panetta

What Money Can’t Buy By; Michael

Ben Carson Documentary

Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus By;

Lights Out By; Ted Koppel

Call Sign Chaos By; Jim Mattis and Bing West

Peak Trump By; David A. Stockman

The Confessions of Congressman X By; Robert Atkinson

The ISIS Apocalypse By; William Mc Cants

America’s War By; Andrew J. Bacevich

In Trump We Trust By; Ann Coulter

Republic Lost By; Lawrence Lessig

The Killing of Osama bin Laden By;

Suicide of the West By; Brink Lindsey and Steven M. Teles

The Captured Economy By;

American Wolf By; Nate Blakeslee

Hillbilly Elegy By; J.D. Vance

Death of A nation By; Dinessh D’Souza

The American Jubilee By; Porter Stansberry

Black Klansman – A Movie

Andre Iguodala By; Carvel Wallace

The President’s Club By; Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy

The Soul of America By; Jon Meacham

The Case for Trump By Victor Davis Hanson

The Hill to Die On By; Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer

With All Due Respect By; Nikki R. Haley

Dare to Fly By; Martha McSally

Don’t Lie To Me By; Judge Jeanine Pirro

How to Fight Anti- Semitism By; Bari Weiss

American Carnage By; Tim Alberta

Capital BY; Thomas Piketty

The Captured Economy By;

The Dying Citizen By; Victor Davis Hanson

Sapiens

(A Brief History of Humankind)

By; Yuval Noah Harari

The author starts at the beginning and brings us to the present with concerns about where it will all end. You have no doubt learned about how humans began.

It is well researched and I recommend reading if this is something of interest to you.

Other than history the parts that got my attention were the following;

1– He does not believe there is a God ruling over us, whatever God you choose to follow.

2– He believes that all of creation is important including animals. Today animals are regarded as another item in inventory without feelings or of value. Factory processing denies them the short life that they might have enjoyed being raised on farms as they were in the past.

3– We just don’t realize how lucky we are in this Century. The loss of life due to warfare is miniscule compared to the 20th Century.

4– We are on the cusp, with the ability to create super human beings. There are many examples of cloning. Just last week we learned that they were able to take the DNA of a dead white rhino and inseminate into a female as they attempt to keep this species from extinction. On 60 minutes several weeks ago a humans brain connected to the Internet was able to answer a complicated math problem within seconds. Somewhere the attempt will be made. It is just a matter of when or where.

Lastly our Earth as we know it may cease to exist due to nuclear destruction or severe climate change. It can be either a great future or the end of civilization. Humans are in control.

Jack B. Walters

September 15, 2019

White Trash

(The 400 Year Untold History of Class in America)

By; Nancy Isenberg

This is one of the most depressing books I have ever read. The author shreds any idea the reader might have of how our country came to be. She attacks all of my heroes including Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Jackson and Thomas Paine. She only stops when she ran out of time and published the book. She ends with Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney.

To give you an idea, on page 320 she lists all of the adjectives that she used throughout the book to describe the lowest element of society; Waste people, Offscourings, Lubbers, Bogtrotters, Rascals, Rubbish, Squatters, Crackers, Clay-eaters, Tackies, Mudsills, Scalawags, Briar-hoppers, Hillbillies, Low-downers, White-niggers, Degenerates, White-trash, Swamp people. I had never even heard of some of these descriptions.

Our wholesome history as taught when we were in school had us think of the good people leaving on the Mayflower to be allowed freedom of worship. She describes boatloads of criminals emptied out of jails and poor people who went as indentured servants. We, of course, knew about this. She makes it worse by describing early settlers as indigent, lazy bums looking for an easy way out. This doesn’t change throughout the book.

Everything she wrote may be completely accurate. I read it to the end as I always do. I do not recommend reading but if you are interested the Tucson Library has over 10 copies in circulation.

Jack B. Walters

January 5, 2017

Lexington and Concord

(The Battle Heard Round the World)

By; George Daughan

What I learned by reading this book was that most Americans at the time were satisfied to be a part of the English Empire. This changed when England started exacting income from the Colonies. The Stamp Tax had been repealed in 1765 but King George insisted that at least one tax should be in effect. This was the Tea Tax. The famous Tea Party incident occurred December 16, 1773 in Boston Harbor when a hundred well organized townsmen, thinly disguised as Mohawks, boarded the British cargo vessels Dartmouth, Beaver and Eleanor and dumped 92,000 pounds of Tea into the water to protest being taxed without consent. Thousands gathered at the wharf to watch.

When news of this reached London, King George III was furious and resolved to punish the offenders. The Parliament agreed and an edict was approved to close down Boston Harbor until reparations had been paid. Not content with this, another Act was approved referred to as the Regulating Bill. It removed political power from the people, nullified the Massachusetts Charter of 1691 and gave the power to the King and Parliament. The thought was this would regain control by cowing the Americans. It did just the opposite feelings were stirred not only in New England but throughout the colonies creating a togetherness that had not existed before.

A continental Congress was established meeting in Philadelphia of all of the colonies except Georgia to decide on a course of action. They wrote a letter to the King swearing allegiance but insisting on local government and no tax without consent. This was summarily rejected by the King. He resolved to force his will. The colonists responded by forming militias in every town and started training. The General in charge of Boston was General Gage. The King insisted he be aggressive but he controlled his troops until finally he was forced to take offensive action. He sent a force to destroy military stores known to exist in Concord. Knowing of this, militias gathered from all over New England. There were about 50 in Lexington as the British troops came near. The British troops opened fire killing and wounding a number of Americans. As they headed towards Concord the militias started firing at them. There were thousands. The British retreated towards Boston taking heavy casualties.

From here there was no turning back, the American Revolution started shortly thereafter.

Jack B. Walters

August 25, 2018

Indispensables

The diverse Soldier-Mariners who shaped the country, formed

the Navy, and rowed Washington across the Delaware

By Patrick K. O’Donnell

I am sure we have all read numerous books about the years of conflict that created a new country, The United States of America. This one is a detailed recount of the invaluable contribution by a small seaside town next to Boston Marblehead. The livelihood of this community was fishing for Cod off of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. The skill developed and the physical fitness prepared them for the strenuous ordeals they would be required to do on many occasions, as Washington’s most reliable soldiers.

They created a Navy of sloops that became our first Navy. Mostly they looked for merchant ships to bring into port with valuable supplies. In the battle for New York, the overwhelming forces of England were posed to destroy the army. Only the daring transport of 9,000 troops and equipment from Brooklyn to Manhattan saved the Army. They rowed across a mile wide river in the night, some as many as eleven times. A miraculous fog developed that covered the escape in the early morning hours. They were the ones who rowed across the ice clogged Delaware to Trenton at Christmas time in the night in a blizzard with bone chilling cold. This was a most important victory which kept the revolution from failing.

Their steadfast allegiance and devotion to duty as soldiers and sailors are credited with being the dependable core of Washington’s Army.

This is a well-researched book with many names and details hard to believe can be found. I recommend reading. I found it at our local Library.

Jack B. Walters

January 25, 2022

Washington’s Crossing

By; David Hackett Fischer

This book was a gift from my daughter Amy who knows of my extreme interest in history. This is an excellent book covering 1776, the first year of the War of Independence. It starts with our crushing defeat in New York and ends with the tide turning against the British. By then it was beginning to be understood that England could not conquer colonies that were about three million in population with the men owning accurate long rifles and willing to fight.

In a bitter cold December, Washington was able to garner enough able bodied men to cross the ice filled Delaware river in the night and stage a surprise raid on the Hessian soldiers in Trenton, New Jersey, defeat them in an overwhelming victory. Washington returned to his base camp and decided to attack again. He returned to Trenton and was attacked by a superior force from Lexington. He won the first day’s battle and slipped away during the night avoiding the British troops and attacked a smaller force at Lexington which was defeated. He then returned to his base to recoup his Army. For the rest of the winter, partisans attacked small patrols sent out to find fodder for their horses severely weakening the British forces.

An important aspect of this war was the brutal treatment of American prisoners compared to the positive treatment by our Army. Washington, John Adams and the Continental Congress determined to establish an American tradition completely different from Europe’s. At the end of the war over three thousand Hessians stayed in America rather than returning home.

I was feeling cold as I read of the nearly shoeless soldiers, poorly clad in the bitter cold. Their courage and devotion was a testament to their love of country and of General Washington, a man they respected and followed thru hard times.

I hope you will be interested in reading. You won’t be disappointed and it might rekindle love of country which appears to be weakening, in my opinion.

Jack B. Walters

December 15, 2017

Jefferson

Architect of Liberty

By; John Boles

History has been very much on my mind. I had the opportunity to give a talk in my home town of Lockport, N.Y. I was given recognition as a Distinguished Graduate. I took the occasion to pay tribute to the educational system in Lockport and all across America in the 30’s and 40’s. We were taught to appreciate our heritage and were grateful to be American citizens. That obviously is no longer the norm. The Millennial Generation in particular doesn’t agree. The movement to destroy Civil War Monuments and change the name of buildings, Streets, etc. is reaching a crescendo. I don’t believe it will end until all of our history is erased from view. We will pretend our history never happened. The condemnation of great men because of slavery is unconscionable. Slavery was a fact of life before we became a country. Many realized it was wrong but for many reasons it remained until ended by the Civil War. Even then, for the next 100 years blacks were treated poorly, particularly in the South but the North was just as guilty.

I recently purchased a book entitled Slavery and the Founders. It was a short book but after reading I had a better understanding of how ingrained slavery was at our beginning. You are probably aware of the 3/5 rule that granted a larger count of citizens in the South by including black men in the count at the 3/5 ratio. The debates as our Constitution was written included many sessions where slavery was discussed. My contention after reading is that there never would have been a new country formed if the North had insisted of ending slavery. In fact I was amazed to realize that slavery existed in every State not just the South. Gradually over the years one State after another phased it out. George Washington upon his death granted freedom to all of his slaves. While he was alive he didn’t purchase or sell any and treated them kindly. Thomas Jefferson on the other hand kept his slaves even though on many occasions during his life he proposed ending the practice. Upon his death only five were granted freedom. They were relatives of Sally Hemmings. Supposedly when they were living in Paris he promised he would if she returned. Had she stayed she would have been free by French Law. His problem was one of money. When he left Washington after serving eight years as President he was deep in debt. No matter what he attempted during the years after, he was still deep in debt when he died. One of the reasons was his support of all of his family but also his desire to make Monticello a great home. He too was kind to his slaves and treated them well. At his death they were all sold as well as the property. It was years later that the debts were finally settled.

Putting the above subject aside there can be no question that Jefferson was a great man and accomplished much good for our Country. He is highly regarded as the most intelligent of all the Presidents. He never stopped learning. It was a passion to him. He did after all author The Declaration of Independence that started it all. He fought for and obtained freedom of religion in his State on Virginia and the United States as well. He founded the University of Virginia. It was while he was President that the Louisiana Purchase occurred more than doubling the size of our Country. Of great importance was his strong belief in the Constitution. His Republican Party included the people. The Federalist Party favored the British Parliamentary System with a House of Lords. The reason Jefferson stayed on for a