Instead of writing about the meaning of Veteran’s Day as I suspect many will today, I wish to show you the men who served my country and whom I call my family. As I collect and write this post, I am listening to the soundtrack from the HBO series Band Of Brothers, inspiration that, to this day, makes my eyes water when I hear its orchestral notes — such as they are now, though I continue typing.
(Please note that, depending on how many photographs Blogger will allow me to publish at one time, I may have to break my thoughts into a number of smaller posts.)
Charles A. Johns served in the Civil War for the North. He was my great-grandfather on my father’s side. Here is a photograph of Charles Johns taken shortly after the Civil War itself. He had a brother named Lafayette Johns.
Charles Johns served his nation during the Civil War as a Second Lieutenant, Company “K”, the 9th Regiment, of the Kansas Volunteers Cavalry. He was promoted to 2nd Lt. at Topeka, on the 22nd of November, 1864, by Kansas Governor Thomas Carney.
I have Charles Johns’ original promotional papers as well as his original discharge. His discharge is on the right, and indicates that he served three years in the war and was honorably discharged on the 24th of June, 1865, at DeValls Bluff in Kansas, under Government Order #83. Further, his discharge papers indicate he was born in Germany, was 25 years of age upon discharge, 5’9″, light complexion, blue eyes, sandy hair and, by occupation, when enrolled, a “clerk.”
The photo on the left is from a hand tinted original photo I have of Grandpa Johns from the 1920s.
Clearly, my family had served in the Civil War on the side of the United States. Reparations? Besides not being a viable plan and a ridiculous idea on its face, I and the line of my family owe no reparations to any one for any reason.
If anything, those desiring reparations owe my family, me and my future kin extended reparations for fighting on the proper side over 131 years ago.
Blogger has now limited the photos I can upload so it is time to conclude this post.
BZ
Thanks for sharing bloviating Zeppelin, it is nice that you can go into your family history and trace it back so far. You are a person who is so lucky many people don’t have that luxury. More power to you B. Zep there is something soothing about being able to touch history it makes a tear fall down your cheek some times.
By Chance
To The Bloviating Zeppelin only and not other commenters so please do not comment on my comment this is for the bloviating Zeppelin. I don’t wont to deal with negativity from others leave your own comments and ignore mine now if you have something positive to add then that is different.
Bloviating Zeppelin: Clearly, my family had served in the Civil War on the side of the United States. Reparations? Besides not being a viable plan and a ridiculous idea on its face, I and the line of my family owe no reparations to any one for any reason.
If anything, those desiring reparations owe my family, me and my future kin extended reparations for fighting on the proper side over 131 years ago.
Reparations, Civil rights, The Al Loving Case, American Government
Chancellor: I see your point here Zeppelin but I guess it is kind of like asking, how come the other non-white racial groups benefit off of all of the benefits and privileges that blacks fought and won during the various time periods in American history. Like affirmative action, minority contracts, jobs based upon affirmative action, university admission based upon affirmative action, and many other privileges. Should blacks demand reparations for this from other non-whites? Even illegal immigrants benefits from the hard fought privileges that blacks won.
Chancellor: The Japanese sought reparations because of the intermittent camps during world war two, and were compensated for it but the war was something of the past. And the president during that time and many American Whites during that time had already died, but the descendants of these whites (politicians and tax payers) had to pay the Japanese who were still alive and their descendants’ reparations (some of the Japanese had died so their children received the reparations).
Also, if the American government used tax payers’ money too pay reparations to the Japanese that means that non-whites paid also for what happen to the Japanese but it was whites in authority who locked them up. Non-whites pay taxes too, and Tax dollars are given by the government to pay reparations and people forget that non-whites pay taxes too.
Chancellor: The Mexicans during the bracero programs of the 1940s and 1950s were sent back and many of them were not paid their final checks for their hard labor. Years later in the 1990s compensation was sought by those still alive and their descendants. They came all the way from Mexico to meet with American politicians and the American government. Now when the government issues out compensation checks tax payers who are black, white, Hispanic, Asian and from all other racial groups pay taxes but some of their tax money goes to pay for this compensation. But Blacks, Asians, Hispanics were not responsible for the injustice against Mexican migrant workers, but they have to have their tax dollars used as compensation. But yet blacks still help non-whites with benefits that blacks won during the civil rights movement, and blacks helped eliminate the law that said that people from different racial groups especially black and white sexual unions can not marry.
Remember the case of Al Loving the white man married to a black woman? Their case eliminated the law that said people of different racial group especially black and white unions can not marry. They had three beautiful mixed race children I saw their children in an interview and it was nice to hear them talk about their mother and fathers loving relationship.
Chancellor: It is hard to say who gets compensation and reparations some get compensation and reparations because they are hated less. Others don’t get it because they are unjustifiably hated more blacks less say they never get reparations like Mexican migrant workers or Japanese or other non-whites, but yet all of the non-whites, Japanese, Mexicans, Hispanics, Asians, Illegals, etc get the same benefits that blacks won during the civil rights movement and they get affirmative action too. So should the blacks seek reparations from them and compensation too? In other words saying that non-whites need to pay blacks back because blacks gave them. I don’t know I just say we should live and let the chips fall were they may if blacks can get reparations they it was meant to be if they don’t it was meant to be we shall see.
We as Americans of all ethnic colors should continuing enjoying America. You do Bloviating Zeppelin produce posts that make me reflect upon many things — and you make me see things from various view points and not just one side only.
Take care, B Zeppelin
By Chance (Chancellor)