Website Wednesday

Two hospitals are moving in my part of the state. One from a less desirable location; one from a very desirable but land-poor location. I’ve seen the artist’s rendition of one hospital (sorry, about my outdated term, I know they like to be referred to as medical centers these days) and it’s another modern obscenity to greed and glitz. But that’s not what has me puzzled since under capitalism I understand the never ending quest for profits. What puzzles me is the fact that this hospital is coming to our community tonight to talk to us. Why? The blurb sent out says that the CEO has “graciously agreed”...... What? Are we in negotiations with these guys and they are setting up a meeting with the head pooh bear? I just don’t get it. Why would a hospital come and talk to us about its new location? And, no, it’s being built in an adjoining town so this isn’t a “Oh, please don’t organize and storm the Zoning Board” type of meeting? What makes me even more curious is that they (the CEO) is serving light refreshments and we had to RSVP? “Wining and dining” us, even curiouser.

And my curiosity, or more accurately, my interest in curiosity, got even more piqued with two other things I learned this week. First, a friend is watching the PBS series on the U.S. Native American and she said: I didn’t know we gave smallpox infected blankets to the Indians. Her lack of knowledge doesn’t surprise me since the U.S. is curiously reluctant to discuss or teach our genocide of the indigenous people. But I was happy she now knew that fact. Second, there is a thread on Ravelry where some woman posted a simple request for a pattern for a U.S. confederate flag for a baby’s blanket and set off a firestorm which is still going strong with 250 postings. One posting from an non-American was interesting She wrote that she didn’t realize that the confederate flag was as volatile as the swastika is in Europe and she would have to learn about U.S. Civil War history.

So, I got two examples of people learning new facts this week; their curiosity being satisfied with knowledge. And that got me thinking about all the main stream news in this country which wrings its hands about some miscreant, some misdeed, some horror, as if this was the first time it was occurred in human history.

For example, we are bizarrely debating the good and bad side of torture today and just a few years ago we saw horrendous pictures of tortured and degraded humans with their smiling handlers. How can humans act this way? I bring you the Salem Witch Trials for your edification:

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/salem.htm

and for further primary source material: http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/

First, you should read a summary (albeit a long one) of the trials and time period at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem_Witch_Trials

Wikipedia is, of course, a secondary source but this is a very well-written article. However, the true macabre reality of this time in American history can best be explored in the primary sources of the first website listed above.

You do get secondary sources on this site: a chronology of the trials, biographies of the people involved, procedures for the trials. Some primary sources include: “COTTON MATHER, MEMORABLE PROVIDENCES, RELATING TO WITCHCRAFT'S AND POSSESSIONS (1689)”, an arrest warrant, the actual wording of the testimony of the accused, the petitions from the condemned, and petitions for compensation by descendants.

The second web site listed above is basically primary sources so it should probably be viewed after the first and third. This site also seems to have a lot of broken links, especially the deeper you dig into it.

The Salem Witch trials were only a small, shameful piece of American history but it had all the ingredients which are still defining our culture: religion, torture, popular hysteria, belief in moral superiority. Read these sites and you may find some answers to: How can this be happening now? It's good to be curious.