A Paradoxing Post

It's a little after 9 AM here on a Friday. It's cool outside. it's hardly been cold at all and hasn't rained in a few weeks. In a few days I go on my Mid-Tour Leave. I look forward to it, though I have nothing to look forward to. Colder weather, rain...My own bed. Oh yeah, grass beneath my feet, trees and hills...Dogs barking in the distance.

The Jolly Red Headed Giant hooked me up. He gave me his set for Christmas and I'm having fun with it. I believe he got it when it was on sale though.

I try to keep up with news back home, eases the boredom. This is a boring place. One thing I've kept up with is troubles for the Sheriff's department in the next county over, Henderson. A while back, the Sheriff decided to take a leave of absence because he had been diagnosed Bi-Polar. Some weeks later a concerned citizen, a man named Hill, went to the Commissioners about hearing tell of a pay off in a sexual harassment suit. It turned out to be credible. The Commisioners were unaware that the County's Insurance had paid out for a settlement. That's a little spooky, but, a county like Henderson is a complex thing. The Commisioners asked the Sheriff for answers, he decided to retire. Apparently it's not stopping there. This same man that approached the Commissioners to begin with went back to them about "rumors". Now he is petitioning for an investigation of the Sheriff's Department. In the meantime the Henderson County Sheriff's Department is doing it's job.

It's a paradox of our society. A cop catches a murderer or a thief. He's a "Good Guy". A cop beats up a drunk or sells the drugs he confiscated(thievery?). He's a "Bad Guy". Now, I don't have anything against Henderson County. This could be so, could be not. It's me making talk mainly. But the Libertarian in me says "Ha Ha! Why do we make people anymore powerful than they need to be?". Sometimes things get messy and people get hurt. Maybe there is no "Good Guy" or "Bad Guy", but a "Not a Bad Guy" and a "Not a Good Guy"? I have no conclusion. But I know Hill's not a bad guy. And I know that some people will treat him like one for simply disturbing the status qua. While all along he has forced nothing on anyone for "their own good", or imposed his belief for a "greater purpose". That is another paradox of our society, biting the hand that defends.

Last night I was thinking about what it's like to look for the brighter side of people. It's bright like a flame flickering from a candle. It dances in the dark to it's own rhythm, it is light and it gives a warmth...And it can burn. That's not a paradox, that's just life.


Life is full of paradoxes (Insert grinning Icon here).
The Appalachianist

"The Brave Captain Kirkwood"

Today is the 17Th of January. You've seen every image of Martin Luther King Jr. and heard "I have a dream" sound bites all day long. You know it's Martin Luther King Jr. day. The media is not going to let you forget. If you ask me, and you just did, you read my blog, it's a bunch of silly hero worship. Don't get me wrong. I have allot of respect and admiration for the man. He was a Freedom Fighter. He was not the only one sticking up for the colored folk, allot more did. But, to carry on like all of this, it's hero worship. He was just a man trying to do the right thing. Thanks to the way everyone acts, allot of others are becoming forgotten. Allot of lessons go with them.

But, let's back up to get to the reason of this post. Today is the 17Th of January and in 1781 on this day backwoods militias and Continentals stood toe to toe with a well organized and disciplined British Legion and won. Lord Cornwallis had lost one of his flanking forces already at Kings Mountain and with Cowpens, he lost the other. Afterwards Cornwallis chased Nathanial Greene to his demise at Yorktown.



With Yorktown, the British were finally forced to admit defeat. It was something a long time coming. The Tories of New England seemed to only be with the King in spirit. The British openly talked of writing off those Colonies. The British had taken troops from where ever they could be spared and hired Germans soldiers to fight. Their Navy was stretched thin from Gilbatrar to Dominica and proving not up to the task. The French and Spanish smelled blood and were eager to help the United States. The Continental Army and Militias were becoming a more professional force and despite some humiliating defeats were managing to drain the British as they attempted to re colonize the South. It was too much for Britain. Something finally gave.



What was taking place in the backwoods of the Southern States was a brutal guerrilla warfare. South Carolina had around 800 different skirmishes. It was not pretty. Loyalists and Whigs fought bloody fights and left each others families hungry. Many of the men at Cowpens were the expendables. Young men without families to feed, widowers and the like. Many had had experience as Continental Soldiers and were serving a time in the Militia. The Continentals were far from their homes in Maryland and Delaware.



Maybe you've figured it out by now, but I went down to the Battlefield this last weekend and snapped a few pictures.

Captain Kirkwood was the Commander of the Delaware Company of Continentals. The Company was noted for their actions, as well as himself. Cpt. Kirkwood never rose further in rank and was never highly decorated. He was killed after the Revolution fighting Indians. From what I've read, he never asked for nothing.

I would say, the best book to read on the battle itself, is "A Devil Of Wipping"

Remember The Waxaws
The Appalachianist