Too Loud
The Maundy Monday Newsletter - This Week in History July 6 - 12.
The noise was unrelenting on Friday morning.
I had already been up since 5:00 a.m. – I had my monthly prayer group gathering, and we finished the book The Cloud of Unknowing. After breakfast, I walked laboriously in the dense humid weather to the hardware store, because nothing is more American than walking to the hardware store on the 4th of July holiday (I ended up doing it TWICE – like a true patriot).
After getting home around 10:00 and settling in upstairs to crank out some work – the noise arrived with force.
It sounded like we were under attack.
As a part of the 250th celebration of America, the United States military showed off its aerial power by practicing for hours on Friday flying all over the National Mall – which included the White House, the Capitol, and of course our house.
In which our boy, Blue, lives.
Nothing bothers dogs more than not knowing where terrifying noises are generating from, so walking Blue on Friday was especially fun - the noise coming from a different cloud of the unknowing for him, and the temperature was a scorching 115 degrees. Since he doesn’t have the ability to know that he is safe, especially when he’s with Anonymous or me, Blue spent the weekend looking inquisitively at everything.
Anonymous was brave enough to head down the Mall on Friday and take in all the glory that is the 250 American State Fair, and other highlights the 4th of July had to offer. This weekend was supposed to be the celebration of completed construction that has been taking place for years on the Mall, but for months I have noticed the lack of progress in many areas that were supposed to be ready – like the Tidal Basin where the Jefferson Memorial sits. I haven’t been over there much recently, but the Lincoln Memorial looks like crap, and there are rows and rows of portable toilets that line the side. Add in the disaster that is the Reflecting Pool and the gigantic cage fight we had on Flag Day, and Washington DC looks like a mess.
On top of this – the fair was shut down that morning and early afternoon, which did not make Anonymous happy. And you really don’t want to do that. But perhaps the decision was made because of the heat, or people forgot to come to work that day, or something else. Either way, Anonymous shared these pictures of how empty the place was:
Saturday wasn’t much better – neither the weather or the scheduling of events. It would feature more jets and more noise, leading up to President Trump’s speech about himself, then fireworks after every reasonable person has gone to bed.
We usually host a 4th of July party – something I look forward to every year, especially this one since it was on a Saturday – but since everything was pushed back by like ten hours, we decided to cancel it this year. Booting the party this year was made easier because everyone who lives here left – at least it felt that way. Plenty of parking on Capitol Hill!
Instead it was just the three of us and the oncoming cloud attack Part II. Before the onslaught of planes, we hit the local 4th of July parade – which is always fun. It was 45 minutes and featured not one, but two high school marching bands from the state of Nebraska, along with one from Utah. God bless these kids for braving such oppressive weather to play some good patriotic music.
Finally the time arrived for the planes to get here and Anonymous wanted to watch them pass over the neighborhood. I tried to stay focused on grilling, but got big-time distracted because you got real close and personal with some sophisticated killing machines as they flew right over your house.
After pausing the grilling, we eventually caught the new Air Force One and the other jets flying along side it. We can’t afford universal healthcare and increase the minimum wage – but we can spend money on flying our toys around. They do look pretty though.
I must admit, I do like looking at planes, expect for the ones who remind you that if enemy aircraft ever entered DC airspace, I’d be cooked instantly. But it is special to sit in the neighborhood and at least spend some time in community celebrating something.
Most of all, I just look forward to this 4th of July being a one-off feeling and not an indication of a new era of unpleasantness. I’d be grateful if next year was just 5 – 10 degrees cooler.
Okay, let’s get to what else happened this week. As a reminder, these events mark anniversaries ending in 5 or 0.
1. West Point admitted the first women cadets on July 7, 1976. The country’s military academy had been created exclusively for men. For the bicentennial celebration of the country, President Ford signed into law allowing the first class of women to join the ranks. 119 women entered that Fall, and four years later – 62 of them graduated.
2. President Reagan announced Sandra Day O’Connor as a Supreme Court Justice nominee on July 7, 1981. Probably spurred by the five year anniversary of West Point and the year anniversary of their graduation, President Gipper told everyone he wanted Sandra to become the first female to sit on the Supreme Court bench. She would be confirmed unanimously by the Senate that September, serve until she retired in 2006, when a Republican was president and was initially to be replaced by John Roberts, only to have the Chief Justice William Rehnquist pass away in the middle of it. So Roberts took Rehnquist job and Samuel Alito took O’Connor in an extraordinary downgrade in respectability. O’Connor passed away in 2023 at the age of 93.
3. Union forces won the Battle of Rich Mountain on July 11, 1861. Union forces under McClellan and Rosecrans defeated Lt. Col. John Pegram’s Confederates in western Virginia along the Allegheny mountain range. Once word reached Gen. Robert Garnett’s separate command up at Laurel Hill, not to be confused with singer Lauryn Hill, his men abandoned their position, only to be caught two days later at Corrick’s Ford, where Garnett became the war’s first general officer killed in action. The victory secured that portion of the state that did not want to secede, leading to the eventual creation of West Virginia, a state I ranked highly four years ago, despite the fact it leads the country in Neo Confederate hate groups. I guess you can make the case McClellan didn’t actually win.
I have one more important personal anniversary to share. It’s Christy Week.
Christy Week you may not remember is the week spent flying the Appeal to Heaven Flag, in memory of my college friend, Christy Male, who died tragically when she was hit by a train on the way to a friend’s house. It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years now this Friday, July 10.
Last year around this time I was able to go back to Cincinnati and celebrate Christy’s 50th birthday with her friends and family (her birthday is July 14 – so she died four days before turning 26). Her dad, Greg Male, passed away in December 2024 and used to be a big Okay History supporter.
I miss them both.
I had to move Christy Week up since family beach week arrives this Saturday. So let’s fly the flag and remember the good times that our loved ones shared with us and remain grateful for the fun and good times ahead with loved ones who are still with us.
I appreciate your continued support of Okay History. Have a wonderful week and I’ll try and see you here next Monday. Hopefully it will be a lot cooler than the blazing hell we experience this weekend.
Okay,
Chris
