The music of Steve Mcdonald
I had the privilege of walking the Culloden battlefield in 2004. It was freezing cold and gray, but worth it to see the place and soak in what happened there. My brothers and I were researching our heritage and we found it in ways we could not have imagined.
Live on! Live on! Live on my warrior son!
"I pity the man who has heard the pipes and wasn’t born a Scot.”—Some Guy
Posted by MAJ Mike
12/23/2011 at 09:18 PM
I envy you grayjohn. Lots of places I’d like to see in the British Isles; Stonehenge, Hadrian’s Wall, several battlefields, Culloden being just one.
MAJ Mike, if you mean that, I’m with you. The pipes can be annoying, but sometimes they just lift your spirit.
My ex gave me a tape (see how long ago that was) with Scottish music (forgive us Lord, and some Irish too) - as that was to be our leaving of Germany - going to Scotland. I left him before we pcs’d out of Germany - so I believe he went alone. It was also when I found out that my Mom’s family - umm, lied about where they came from - Farley is a family name - turns out that it was originally O’Fairleigh.
And the blacks continue to think that they were the only people mistreated and victimized in American social history. Shows what a crappy education and race baiters can do - keep ‘em slaves forever.
It was freezing cold and gray
Chris it’s Scotland, it’s nearly always like that. Why do you think most sweaty socks are such a dour bunch? Still roll on independance and we can be shot of them at last. I take it you are aware of the Darien Scheme?
To be truthful LyndonB, I wasn’t aware of the Darien Scheme. I am now, thanks to you and if Wikipedia can be believed.
I’ve known a lot of Scots, or at least they were descended from Scots. Half my family are descended from Scots. The other half are German. Now there’s a ‘dour’ bunch.
I can’t honestly categorize the Scots as ‘dour’. I’ve rarely encountered a more hearty people. Could it be that the best emigrated? And all that’s left is ‘dour’?
So I’m half Scot on one side, half German on the other. Interesting. I am, however, 100% American. Honorable discharge after 6yrs, 1month in the US Navy. That one month requires explanation. We were on deployment: My choices were to be flown to the mainland off the USS Enterprise, or extend my enlistment to finish the deployment. I put in a request to extend my enlistment to complete the current deployment. Said request was granted; “at the convenience of the Navy”. I was, after all, a highly trained nuclear power plant operator serving on a nuclear-powered ship. We’d have been short-handed. These were my friends and family.
But once we returned to port, I mustered out. My Senior Chief and my Division Petty Officer, and the Ship’s Engineer, tried to talk my into another 6-year enlistment.
I declined. I saw what was coming: they’ve put women on warships. Already had a casualty: the captain of the new USS Truxtun (my old nuclear USS Truxtun was scrapped by the Clinton Administration) has already been cashiered for screwing a woman under his command.
I foresaw this back in the 80’s. I wanted no part of potential sexual harassment charges. So I left.
Christopher—I’m serious. The pipes stir my blood and lift my spirits. They make me want to invade England, burn their houses and steal their cattle.
Posted by MAJ Mike
12/24/2011 at 10:06 AM
MAJ Mike, you’re not Scottish, you’re Irish! Or Viking!
Christopher—my middle name is Angus. Let’s say we have a wee dram and plot treason and sedition. My mother’s people were Irish.
Posted by MAJ Mike
12/24/2011 at 11:16 PM
MAJ Mike, ‘twas cattle stealing that gave you away. That’s an Irish pastime. I don’t know about a dram, but I stand you for a pint or two.
One of these days we should have a BMEWS get-together. Somewhere, somehow. Drew? Peiper? Should we start planning something like that? Was denken Sie?
That choked me up, for sure. I too am a mutt, but it’s Scot/Irish/English/Shawnee. That song was simply beautiful!
Hadrians wall was awesome. We saw it at Steel Rigg. Took my breath away. I wish I could go back again. I hope you get to see it all Chris.
Maybe peiper can explain this. He’s always called Bonny’Prince’ Charlie. Does that mean he had a legitimate claim on the throne?
Chris,
“Bonny” Prince Charlie did indeed have a claim on the throne. His family name was Stuart. he was the grandson of James II (the brother of Charles II). As you may recall England broke from the Catholic Church under Henry VIII This caused the Pope and his supporters in Spain and Fwance to become very cross. They tried to force us to go back to the church of Rome by sending the Spanish Armada but Drake and his fireships sorted those buggers out. After that the Pope and his minions plotted to overthrow the Protestant crown, but the people would have none of it. They actually managed to do it themselves when they beheaded Charles I (bonny Prince Charlie’s great grandfather) In many respects this was a precursor to the US revolution.
However under Cromwell’s religious dictatorship things didn’t work out so well. Charles II who had been living in France was brought back after Cromwells death and crowned. When he died his brother James took over, but the establishment (including such worthies as John Churchill the Duke of Marlborough and Winston’s ancestor) were wary of him as he was a practicing Catholic. All the time he had no son and heir this was not considered an issue, but when his second wife gave birth to a son they decided enough was enough. They invited William of Orange (a Prince in Holland) who was married the daughter of James II to take over in what is known as the Glorious Revolution. It introduced to England a Bill of Rights which codified certain basic rights for all Englishmen and limited the power of the King. James II believed in the “Divine Right of Kings” which was by this period getting a bit old for the people living under such despotism.
After this the Catholic monarchs in Spain and France plotted to overthrow the Protestant crown and they used Ireland which had always been a majority Catholic country as their proxy. James with French troops landed in Ireland and attempted a counter revolution, but was defeated at the Battle of the Boyne which is still celebrated by the Protestants in Northern Ireland who refer to William of Orange as “Good King Billy” the despots in Europe however were still not finished in their attempts to overthrow the English king. In 1745 they attempted it again by sending “Bonny” Prince Charlie to stir up the jocks and he nearly succeeded since most of the English troops were fighting the French elsewhere. They got as far as Derby before getting cold feet. The English eventually got together their army under George II’s son and defeated them at Culloden.
So yes he did have a claim on the throne but fortunately he was defeated and the despots were unsuccessful. After this the rise of the Royal Navy put paid to their popish plots and the Revolution in France did away with the monarchy there unfortunately it lead to another despot Napolean but that’s another story!
btw I really envy your service aboad a ship as impressive as the Enterprise. My thanks to you and all service people for keeping us safe from those that would do us ill.
Yeah, I knew that from text books. I think we can all agree that Cromwell went too far the other way.
In fact, if we weren’t in a religious war (Islam vs Civilization) I wouldn’t bother.
I have to thank your for the history lesson LyndonB. I occasionally teach GED classes at my church. Always nice to have recent sources. Though I always prefer original sources.
What I don’t understand is why they thought any particular flavor of Christianity was important. Was it worth fighting and dying for? Catholic vs Protestant when you could have just called another Crusade against Islam?
BTW, I wasn’t on the Enterprise, I was on the USS Truxtun (CGN-35). We were just part of the USS Enterprise’s escort in 1986. We had two jobs back then:
In case of war with the USSR, protect Enterprise long enough to launch the counter-strike. Estimated time of survival was 12 minutes. (we were expecting to be nuked.)
Else, pick up pilots who missed the flight deck. I don’t recall we ever had to do that, but I’ve heard that most pilots got their diapers awarded on first landing on a carrier.
I don’t blame them. I’d have made sure to defecate before attempting my first carrier landing.
Other than that, I appreciate that you appreciate. Note that I volunteered. There was no draft in 1980.
12/24/2011 at 08:52 AM
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