Category Archives: History

Imagesby Micheli Oliver, words by Dr. Len Necefer, NativesOutdoors

Blackfeet homelands blend the prairie and the mountains together like two puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly, just as the Creator intended. From one side of the Blackfeet Reservation to the other, the dynamic landscape is captivating, full of stories, lively people, culture, history and all that we are.

The images captured here tell the story of joy, truth, history and life on our homelands. From bikes to laughter, fishing to landscape, the intention is to represent what can really only be felt. There is no time on this land, for simultaneously there is past, present and future. Therefore, these images show people moving forward in time, landscapes shaped by time and artifacts frozen in time. This is a representation of our belief that time is not linear, that we are in a circle, which reflects our ways as a culture. Everything is reciprocal, we eat the food of the land and give back to the land in any way we can. Our lives are inherently tied into the soil and sewn into the wind. As we breathe our presence strengthens the land and the land strengthens us. Even in times of hardship, oppression and cultural erasure, we look to the land to remind us of who we come from. Whispers in the wind from our ancestors whose blood isthe fire and the water of the land, whose words are the whispers in the wind whistling through our thick black and brown hair. In Blackfeet we say iksookapi, which means roughly be goodto move forward in health and happiness, to do good in this life.

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Truth, history and life in Blackfeet homelands - The Wilderness Society

NORTHUMBERLAND An open house planned for next month will show residents of Northumberland the history of the borough.

Barbara Kistner and Lou Latsha, of the Northumberland Museum, said the open house and art show will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 4 at the museum headquarters, 175 Orange St, Northumberland.

Most people dont know the history of Northumberland or whats in the museum, said Kistner. We try to preserve the town. Where else is there another Northumberland?

The museum has hundreds of donated artifacts, items, memorabilia, clothing, paintings and photographs from the boroughs history displayed throughout the hallways of the former C.W. Rice Middle School, which now also serves as the borough offices and police station. There are 12 display cases as well as hundreds of items hanging on the walls.

Its a work in progress, said Latsha. Were always adding stuff.

There are display cases for Little League, school items and high school football, past businesses, railroad, artisans, historic buildings and military service. There are old yearbooks, scrapbooks, diplomas and uniforms from the military, cheerleading or band.

New to the museum that will be on display at the open house are two quilts: one made in 1988 from the Pineknotters Association with names on each patch and another one made in 1972 in honor of the bicentennial with 30 patches featuring places from the borough.

Our goal is to show them and create interest, said Kistner. We want to show off our history. Once its gone, its gone forever.

Many of the items come from yard sales or estate sales, or when young people clean out their parents or grandparents attics or storage units. One such item includes the Distinguished Service Cross of U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Harry James Specht.

Nobody even knew about it, said Kistner. His family didnt even know. He never spoke of it.

During a military operation in Germany on April 9, 1945, during World War II, Specht and nine of his men withstood the pounding of enemy fire. From close range, Specht fired one round from a bazooka and struck a tank in the rear, setting it on fire. Enemy anti-tank weapon fire blew in the door, bringing him face to face with an enemy soldier, according to the citation.

Both Specht and the enemy soldier opened fire, but the enemy soldier fell to his death. Then with rifle and carbine, Specht accounted for six enemy soldiers contributing greatly in repelling the counterattack, according to the citation.

The open house will include members who will be available to provide guided tours and answer questions. The art show will feature the artwork of the late William Hickey with proceeds to be donated to the borough.

T-shirts, posters and other gifts are available for sale in the gift shop.

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Open house to show off Northumberland borough history - Sunbury Daily Item

It was a cool crisp morning in Arlington, Va., Nov. 9, 2021, 100 years after the Unknown Soldier arrived in the United States. The sun poked through the oaks, maples, and elms, catching the white marble headstones in a soft vignette focus, glistening among the rolling, neatly kept green knolls. This was not my first visit to this particular hallowed ground, Arlington National Cemetery, nor would it be my last.

I made haste up Roosevelt Drive. My heels clicked in a rhythmic beat, clutching white roses in my arms. Fixated on the roses, I felt a sense of eternal peace; I clenched the stems close to my chest. Not a word was spoken. I quietly turned inward in reflection as birds chirped, and distant rumblings of trolly engines warmed up. With each step, I grew closer to my destination, and soon I reached the top of the hill.

There was something electric in the air as Tomb guards were scattered about, their awards and buttons catching the morning light, as they provided guidance and maintained order. The marble pillars of the Memorial Amphitheater have a way of making me feel reverential. Respect mixedwithwonder. My thoughts were interrupted by the cemetery staff instructing visitors forward, toward the Tomb.

The short murmurs of travelers sharing how far they had come to be a part of this event grew louder as I drew closer to the Tomb. I approached the two parallel tents layered with hundreds of roses, gerber daisies, carnations and assorted flowers. The fragrances of roses around me felt as if I were smelling them for the first time. At this moment, I became a bit nervous.

For the first time in almost 100 years in part of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Centennial Commemoration, I was able to cross the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Plaza and walk the line paced and worn in stone where the 24-hours-a-day soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, stand watch over the Tomb. The thought of me walking that same line left me awestruck, nervous and patriotic.

Few know that the Old Guard is a combat unit. In 1994, the decorated 289th Military Police Company became attached to the Old Guard. This MP branch is a combat-support unit that includes women. As a former MP, I knew that the reactivation and attachment of the 289th MP Company provided the first opportunity for women to serve as sentinels.

Only five women have been chosen to guard the Tomb. Sgt. Heather Johnson (1996), Sgt. Danyell Wilson (1997), the first Black woman to earn the badge, Staff Sgt. Tonya Bell (1998) first woman to serve as relief commander, Sgt. Ruth Hanks (2015), and Sgt. 1st Class Chelsea Porterfield (2021), the first women sergeant of the guard, and the women who would lead the first all-women shift change in 84 years, on the 30,770th day of continuous protection.

It is funny what floats through your mind to distract you at times like this. A few weeks ago, I looked onward to the steps and memorial display room, where I was finishing the final details of my artwork depicting the sacred duty to guard the Tomb. I was inspired by a recent event at the Military Womens Memorial collaborating with The Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I remember going through multiple drafts, sketching the Tomb, inspired to capture the united diversity of past wars. I wanted to capture the best that each generation has offered in exemplifying selflessness, courage and character.

The next thing I knew, I was standing in front of the line, about to lay down my flower in honor of a soldier whose name will never be known, but who represents all who have served and sacrificed for our nation.

For 100 years, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has served as the heart of Arlington National Cemetery. As a sacred memorial site and the grave of three unknown American service members, the Tomb connects visitors with the legacy of the U.S. Armed Forces throughout our nations history. I was about to be a part of that history. I adjusted my American Legion cap, and in a moment, I stood in front of two men in dress blues. Maam, you may approach the Tomb, the sergeant instructed. I stepped forward, one foot in front of another, emulating my best 30-inch step. I glided along.

Velvet ropes formed the perimeter around the three tombs. I stood in front of the center of three crypts, staring at the sarcophagus inscription: Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God.

I paused in reflection and stared at the carved words. I thought about how you arrived this day, 100 years ago on the USS Olympia at the Navy Yard in Washington D.C., the spray of white roses still resting upon the flag-draped casket, as the National Anthem played, welcoming home its long-awaited son. Here, you rest along with those of subsequent wars.

I clutched my white roses one last time. I knelt to rest them on the cold ground. I spread them out and stood back up, let out a deep breath, lowered my head to my hands and counted 21 seconds. I turned to my right and stepped away. As I did, I glanced back, reflecting onservice, valor and sacrifice a moment in my personal history that has everlasting meaning for all of us who have served and sacrificed, regardless of our military occupational specialty, branch of service, gender or name, known or not.

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Stepping into history at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - The American Legion

Undergraduate students will research the lives of 300 veterans buried in Rock Island National Cemetery on Arsenal Island. After digging through military records, talking to historians, and interviewing family members, they'll create a website with detailed biographies. Then they'll distribute curriculum kits and a lesson plan about the veterans to schools across the region.

Natalie Woodhurst is the Co-Director of the Veterans Legacy Project. She says it will memorialize veterans no matter how prominent they were in life.

"When you go to the Rock Island National Cemetery, it's beautiful and it's great to look at, but each of those stones does hold a story. So we want to make sure to research not just the more notable figures, but also some regular, everyday folks."

The project will start with 300 of the 24,000 veterans buried on Arsenal Island. Woodhurst expects that to take around 3,000 hours to complete, giving undergraduates research experience and teaching younger students about those who served throughout American history.

"There's a Navajo code talker, a couple of Medal of Honor winners, and they're kind of spread out through various wars, all the way back to the Civil War."

The project is being overseen by Woodhurst and Dr. Dale Blesz at St. Ambrose University in Davenport.

The final results are set to be unveiled next year on Veterans Day.

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Documenting the Legacy of Local Veterans Through History - WVIK

CARTHAGE, N.Y. (WWTI) Carthage Pop-Warner Cheerleaders are on the road to making history.

After taking home first place at Cheer Eastern Regional Competition on November 7, the Carthage Comets Pop-Warner PeeWee Cheer Team is heading to the National Pop Warner Championship competition in Orlando Florida. This is the first time the team has reached this milestone in the organizations history.

The team is comprised of ten young athletes, ranging in age from 10 to 12 years old. Many of the team members have been involved in the sport for many years. Half of the team members also are in active military families.

However, the entire team has persevered through COVID obstacles to reach this historic milestone. According to Head Coach Genevive Ball and Assistant Coach Amber Gates, due to quarantines and exposures, they had a full month without a team.

Ball said obstacles really hit when the team first arrived at the Eastern Regional Competition earlier this month.

We werent even sure if we had a full routine. We went out on the practice mat and the girls were so stressed out that they just, everything fell, Ball said. But then when we actually went out to compete, they stuck everything and they were so proud of themselves.

And that is the most rewarding thing is to see those girls actually hit everything and be so proud of themselves. Its it makes everything so worth it, Ball added.

As Carthage Pop Warner is a non-profit organization, the team is now raising money to get the young cheerleaders to Florida for the competition slated to begin in early December. The cost for each athlete is roughly $1,500.

So were just trying to raise the money so that they can. And have a good time, Ball said.

Fundraising efforts include a bake sale at Mimis Diner and Family Dollar in Carthage from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on November 19., a bottle and can drive in Carthage on November 21 and a GoFundMe page titled Carthage Comets road to Nationals, with a goal of $5,000.

Carthage Pop Warner will compete at the National Competition on December 8. Donations can be made online on the GoFund Me page.

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Making history: Carthage youth cheerleaders heading to national competition - WWTI - InformNNY.com

One of the deepest and most embedded rules of photography and videography is to ensure that horizon lines are straight. It is a practice so hardwired into most courses, seeing any deviation from this is deeply unsettling. And thats the point.

In this five minute video from the creative team at Vox, dive into the origins of the tilted horizon, otherwise known as a Dutch Angle, and why this camera technique can be so useful for storytelling.

Typically when telling a story, to emphasize that something is a little off or confusing, the filmmakers will shift the camera off its axis to make the viewer feel as perplexed or uneasy as the character in the frame. The technique known as the Dutch Angle is not actually Dutch, but in fact Deutsch (German), and the styles origins stem from fine art painters, not film and photography despite its much more widespread use there in pop culture.

During World War I, German filmmakers were not influenced by Hollywood since foreign movie imports were banned at the time. Since these creatives had no access to western films, they turned to German Expressionism instead. In its early stages, the cameras remained static and level to the horizon, and the sets were built to be twisted and out of shape to add a nightmarish complexity and uneasiness to the frame. When these films came out, critics called them sensational, weird, and startling, which excited people to see more. As such, the tilts and angles got more extreme.

As the interest in the shots grew, the filmmakers instead started to simply tilt the camera instead of building elaborate sets, and thus the Dutch Angle was born. This tilt is featured prominently in films like Citizen Kane, The Third Man, many of Hitchcocks thrillers, and now it is used in nearly every film and commercial shot when the filmmaker is trying to convey a sense of confusion or anxiety. Vox explains that in films like Marvels 2011 Thor, the directors leaned so heavily into this technique that it was a crutch. Conversely, filmmakers like Spike Lee, Terry Gilliam, and Tim Burton (The Nightmare Before Christmas), all seem to have a masters handle on it. In short, it should be used sparingly to highlight tension and distortion, underscoring the storys dystopian confusion. If used too much, the audience becomes used to it and the effect is weakened.

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History of the 'Dutch Angle' and Why Movies Tilt the Camera - PetaPixel

LAWRENCE Lawrence Heritage State Park has extended its free exhibit, 175 Years of Organized Catholic Worship in Lawrence, 1846 to 2021, through the month of November. The exhibit is on the third floor of Lawrence Heritage State Park, 1 Jackson St.. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Rich Padova, curator, has assembled an exhibit with relics, artifacts and information from past and present Catholic churches in Lawrence, along with some items from Protestant churches. Exhibit items are courtesy of the Padova collection, Lawrence History Center, St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Denise LaRose, Jim Beauchesne, Jonas Stundzia and Cynthia Arsenault.

For more information call 978-794-1655.

Versatile singer to perform Tuesday

HAVERHILL Singer Joey Canzano, known as The Man of Many Voices, will perform hits of Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Tom Jones and others at the Womens City Club of Haverhills meeting Tuesday, Nov. 16.

The club meets monthly at the Advent Christian Church, 160 Carleton St. Start time is 1 p.m. Park in front of the church. The club always welcomes new members and guests. Meetings are in the lower level and the afternoon ends at 3 p.m.

President Phyllis Farfaras will conduct a brief business meeting followed by a light refreshments, coffee and tea.

The club, founded in 1917, is open to all women in the Merrimack Valley and Southern New Hampshire.

Networking event Wednesday

HAVERHILL The Merrimack Valley of Commerce will hold a networking mixer Wednesday, Nov. 17, from 5 to 7 p.m. at DiBurros in Ward Hill.

Tickets are $10 for members and $20 for non-members and include complimentary appetizers, a cash bar, and business card drawings for door prizes.

To register, visit http://www.merrimackvalley.com or call 978-686-0900.

Festival of Trees extends dates

HAVERHILL The Festival Of Trees at the Buttonwoods Museum has extend its drop off dates due to heavy rains and the Veterans Day celebration.

The new dates are Thursday, Nov. 18, from noon to 5 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 19, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 20, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and the final day is Sunday, Nov. 21, from noon to 5 p.m. For more information contact Thomas Spitalere at 978-376-2807.

Job fair slated Thursday

HAVERHILL MakeIT Haverhill at 301 Washington St. will hold a job fair Thursday, Nov. 18, from 4 to 7 p.m.

Bi-lingual assistance will be available for Spanish speakers.

Representatives from Lightspeed Manufacturing and Cabot Corporation will discuss manufacturing jobs. Both offer on-site training and advancement opportunities.

Amazon Workforce Staffing has jobs at 25 Computer Drive. Applicants can complete all forms and oral drug tests during this event. Bring a mobile phone and non-expired documents proving your identity and employment eligibility as required by federal law.

Penacook Place and Atria Senior Living offer healthcare positions for CNA/HHA. Atria offers culinary jobs including waitstaff, bistro and pub attendants. Activities and housekeeping jobs are available at both facilities.

Representatives from Service Providers, including MassHire, the public library and Haverhills Ride Free Program will be on site. MakeIT Haverhill can also connect eligible applicants to free CNA training at Northern Essex Community College.

Joint meeting in Methuen

METHUEN The public is invited to a joint meeting of Methuens City Council and the School Committee Thursday, Nov. 18, at 6 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Searles Building at city hall, 41 Pleasant St.

A special meeting of the city council follows at 7 p.m. to discuss trash related issues. Public participation is limited to trash, recycling, leaf pickup and the transfer station. The session also includes an open discussion with Mayor Neil Perry and members of the council.

The meeting will also be aired locally on Methuen cable TV Comcast channel 8 and Verizon channel 32. A live stream of the meeting is available at http://www.methuentv.org/methuen-government-tv-live-stream/.

Haverhill Planning Commission to meet

HAVERHILL The Merrimack Valley Planning Commission will hold its monthly hybrid meeting Thursday, Nov. 18, at 11 a.m. The agenda includes updates of the Commissions activities and is available online at http://www.mvpc.org. For more information contact Nancy Lavallee at nlavallee@mvpc.org.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

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Exhibit on the history of Catholic worship in Lawrence extended - Eagle-Tribune

WARSAW (JTA) Jewish American historian Eliyana Adler refused to accept an award worth $19,000 from the Polish governments Pilecki Institute, arguing that it suppresses work by historians who strive to show the complex and indeed tragic aspects of Polands wartime past.

Adler, an associate professor at Penn State University, was given a newly inaugurated award for scholarship on 20th-century Poland, the Pilecki Institutes specialty, for her 2020 book Survival on the Margins: Polish Jewish Refugees in the Wartime Soviet Union. The honor was to be co-awarded by the Auschwitz memorial museum.

The Pilecki Institute, while very generous in supporting some historical scholarship on the Second World War, has also been involved in suppressing the work of historians who strive to show the complex and indeed tragic aspects of Polands wartime past, Adler wrote in a letter dated Nov. 4 to the institute. It was published online on Friday.

Polish governmental institutions have been accused by historians of whitewashing the countrys treatment of Jews during the Holocaust. The country passed a widely criticized law in2019 that makes it illegal to blame the Polish nation for Nazi crimes.

A recent high-profile court case pitted historians Jan Grabowski and Barbara Engelking against Polands government, which ruled that the pair had to apologize for their book unearthing alleged atrocities by a Polish mayor. An appeals court overturned the ruling in August.

War and occupation push humans and societies to their limits. The situation during World War II was horrific for all Poles, albeit not in equal measure. Some non-Jewish Poles, as profiled on the institutes website, lost their lives protecting their Jewish compatriots. Others, as we know from the scholarship of Professors Jan T. Gross, Jan Grabowski, and Barbara Engelking among others, profited in a variety of ways from the murder of their neighbors, Adler wrote in her letter.

According to the books press description, Adlers work focuses on Between 1940 and 1946, about 200,000 Jewish refugees from Poland who from 1940 to 1946 lived and toiled in the harsh Soviet interior.

They endured hard labor, bitter cold, and extreme deprivation. But out of reach of the Nazis, they escaped the fate of millions of their coreligionists in the Holocaust, the description reads.

The Pilecki Institute is named after Witold Pilecki, a general who helped found the Secret Polish Army, a major resistance movement against the Nazis during World War II. Pilecki faked his identity to enter Auschwitz, where he helped organize an uprising and gathered reporting on Nazi atrocities.

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Jewish historian refuses award from Polish governments history institute, saying it suppresses Holocaust research - Jewish Telegraphic Agency

The Texas Longhorns are facing something theyve not seen in the modern era.

Not only are they riding the first five-game losing streak since before Darrell K Royal roamed the sidelines, the fifth loss was to the Kansas Jayhawks a team that until Saturday hadnt won a game in Austin. It seems as if there is a cultural issue in the locker room that is carrying itself to the field, especially when it comes to the run defense.

Rushing Defense: 218 yards, 4 TD

With a backup quarterback in the game, the Jayhawks leaned on the ailing ground defense for the Longhorns, which allowed them to dictate the game. It was the third four-touchdown rushing performance allowed by the Texas defense, which marked the first time since 2012 that the Longhorns allowed four or more in three games. Two of those three games are a part of the current five-game losing streak, with the other coming in Week 2 against Arkansas.

As we approach the final two games of the regular season, we can start to situate this run defense against history and they do not stack up favorably. As it stands right now, Texas is just 103 rushing yards away from the ninth-worst rush defense of all time. If they hit their 203.3 yards per game which is the second-highest of all-time over the next two games, Texas will finish with the sixth-worst performance in school history. With 23 rushing touchdowns on the year, Texas is already tied for the fourth-worst performance in school history and sits eight back from the worst all-time.

Casey Thompson: 30/45, 358 yards, 6 TD, INT

You can say Casey Thompson left a few throws on the field, but its impossible to deny that he had one of the all-time great performances for a Longhorn quarterback. After his performance Saturday, Thompson ties Colt McCoy for the most touchdowns thrown in a single game and one of just eight players to have three, 300-yard games in a career.

His 358 yards is No. 19 on the all-time single-game performances, his second appearance on the top 20 list. Thompson is one of just five players that appear on that list two times, joining Colt McCoy, Major Applewhite, Chris Simms and Sam Ehlinger on that list. He now sits just three touchdowns away from the top 5 single-season performances in school history and two from the top 10 in a career.

Xavier Worthy: 14 rec., 152 yards, 3 TD

We also must take a moment to celebrate one of the greatest receiving performances in Texas history, both for in a single game and all-time.

While playing through injury, Xavier Worthy hauled in 14 receptions, tying him with Quan Cosby for the second-best single-game performance in school history. His 152 yards and three touchdowns move him ahead of Roy Williams for the best freshman season in school history while putting him in the top four of any season and within striking distance of the top-10 receiving years of all-time.

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Inside the Numbers: Texas making history, both good and bad - Burnt Orange Nation

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We all saw doubletake-inducing news last week that The National Medal of Honor Museum, a museum in Arlington, Texas that exists for "honoring and preserving the history of the highest military decoration awarded for valor in combat", would be partnering with WWE to create visuals and media for the museum's storytelling experience. It's a strange combination for any number of reasons, not the least of which is WWE has a shaky track record with patriotic presentations at best and a highly questionable one at worst. With that in mind, let's take a look at some of WWE's most odd attempts at patriotism as we try to imagine what they'll create for this solemn museum.

The Undertaker has always been a hard sell as far as wrestling characters go, but thanks to decent storylines throughout the years and especially thanks toMark Callaway's steadfast devotion to the character, Taker became one of the all-time iconic WWE superstars.

But what happens when you take a creepy, gothic, undead mystical monster and have him take pride in his country? Awkwardness, you get awkwardness. And it was indeed awkward at the lead-in to the 1993Survivor Series when "the Deadman" officially joinedLex Luger's team of "All Americans" to take on Yokozunaand his team of "Foreign Fanatics" at the pay per view event.

Taker opened his trenchcoat to reveal the United States flag lining the inside and then cut a promo about American pride, still in his grim deadman voice, mind you.

At the onset of "Hulkamania", Hulk Hogan and the WWF debuted a new theme song for the Hulkster, replacing Survivor'sEye Of The Tiger, which he'd been using since co-starring inRocky III. This new song would of course beRick Derringer's immortal classic,Real American. And to accompany this instant hit, WWE gifted us one of their greatest camp accomplishments in history, theReal American music video.

The imagery here is stunning, opening withJ.F.K.'s iconic inaugural speech and then transitioning to baby pictures of the Hulkster, with star wipes that almost make it look as if he were born from the flag. We see the Hulkster grow and learn to play guitar, something that would of course help America win the Cold War.

From there, it's a virtual onslaught of "oh my god!" We see aPower Rangers-sized Hogan rocking out (or barely playing, depending on how closely you're watching) on a guitar as he towers over iconic American settings. We see arguably the most childish editing in motion picture history, as when the lyrics sing of "crashing down", we see that literally happen with footage of a building collapsing. We see magic folks, pure magic.

Then we are treated to images of the founding fathers and other monumental historical figures, such asMartin Luther King Jr., all juxtaposed against Hogan. It would be an amazing bit of humor if it weren't for the fact that we know Hogan andVince McMahon actually believed in what they were putting up there.

The Pice de rsistance of the video comes towards the end when set against footage of protestors burning the U.S. flag in some foreign country, Hogan stands there holding a picture of Muammar Gaddafi, the former Lybian dictator, and crunches it up in his hands, before then ripping off his shirt and flexing.

TheReal American music video is an amazing watch for any number of reasons, but it is indeed a moment where WWE did patriotism in an incredibly odd way.

WWE has often been criticized for their gung-ho "the show must go on!" practices, such as the night ofOver The Edgein 1999 whenOwen Hart died live at the show, or more recently with the company's powering through with the COVID-19 pandemic.

A time when they received a hefty amount of this brand of criticism was on September 13, 2001, only two days after the largest terrorist attacks on the U.S. in history, when WWE refused to cancel an episode ofSmackDownand instead went forward with a live edition of the usually pre-taped show.

To give you some frame of reference if you are too young to remember those grim days following 9/11, there was nothing on TV except news coverage. Every sports league paused, every entertainment industry production stopped; it was a literal ghost town on television. And there were reasons for that. Not only were we in a state of shock and horror after witnessing something we assumed could never happen to us, but there were genuine security concerns as well. No one knew what could or would happen next and with that in mind, every major U.S. institution was willing to hit the brakes for a moment and wait for guidance from law enforcement. Everyone except for WWE, that is.

They forged ahead with a show that they felt was a big patriotic "rah-rah!" display of American bravery and pride, complete with an opening speech by Vince McMahon and the return of the red, white, and blue ropes. But as a viewer, it was an incredibly uncomfortable two hours of wrestling. There was this haunting feeling of "this doesn't feel right" and a knowing inside that despite their patriotic dressing of this, WWE was forcing this show to fruition for financial reasons.

The lasting images of the show will be the solo videos from the WWE superstars, where they each looked into the camera and reflected on what they were thinking/feeling following the attacks. Most of them were solemn, respectful, and honest thoughts from the wrestlers that were probably similar to the things we were all thinking and saying at the time. And then there wasStephanie McMahon

In a still to this day jaw-dropping rant, one that WWE has tried to wipe from existence, by the way, Stephanie McMahon somehow tried to equate the 1994 federal steroid trial with her father to the 9/11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.

Just try to think about that. Try to see where she's coming from. You can't, can you? Well, now you know how some people felt watching WWE push forward with a show only two days after 9/11.

Alright, so, you knowSgt. Slaughter, right? The wrestler whose entire existence is defined by his proudly being a United States military man. The guy who was so synonymous with being an amazing U.S. soldier, that they actually made him into aG.I. Joe. Yeah, so now imagine that guy turning his back on America and joining sides with a country that we are actually at war with, all so that Hulk Hogan, the muscle-head surfer dude, can look like the "real" American hero next to him on the WWE's biggest stage. This wasWrestlemania VII.

Slaughter turned on America and instead became a soldier ofSaddam Hussein, the Iraqi dictator. This was an unfathomable event for fans and actually generated some of the most intense heel heat in WWE history, due to America being involved in the Gulf War with Iraq at the time.

After defeatingThe Ultimate Warrior at theRoyal Rumble, the same night Hulk Hogan would win the titular match, thus setting up aWrestlemania battle between the expatriate Slaughter and the "real American" Hogan.

WWE didn't shy away from any of the real-world comparisons to the match and heaped as much red, white, and blue onto it as humanly possible, all leading to theWrestlemania main event, where of course, the Hulkster was triumphant and won the belt from the evil Iraqi Slaughter, before running around the ring waving old glory to end the show.

This was always a strange one, as it was both arguably distasteful to incorporate a real war where people were dying into a fictional wrestling storyline and also an odd bit of character assassination to get Hogan over. If they really wanted the U.S. vs Iraq story, why not just use the already well-established Slaughter as the hero representing America? It would have been more logical than having this guy who bled red, white, and blue turn on America and join a foreign dictatorship for no real reason except the see-through one of making Hogan look even better.

The WWE is home to a lot of things. Insightful, well-thought-out debates on American foreign affairs are not one of them. This was a hideous mistake they made on the April 14, 2003 episode ofRaw, wherein some very weak attempt to be edgy/pound that blind patriotism drum, the company held an in-ring debate (moderated by Jerry"The King"Lawler, of course)between Harvard University Graduate/young wrestlerChris Nowinski and pro wrestling's poster boy of intelligence and vocabulary,Scott Steineron the recently-launched U.S. invasion of Iraq. It went about as well as you can imagine

Nowinski played the "heel" here, by being opposed to the military action in the Middle East and arguing now-widely agreed with points about America not needing to invade any foreign government that they don't agree with, our reliance on foreign oil, and the faults of theGeorge W.Bush administration.

Steiner, wearing a chain-link mesh headdress, then provides a retort that was frighteningly stupid, even considering his surroundings. He provides a rant on America being the best, free speech, assholes, terrorism, revenge, and The Dixie Chicks,all of which can of course be found in any highly-regarded dynamic political debate throughout history.

And as Steiner basically reads off conservative bumper stickers, the crowd goes wild for it, cheering him as their hero and booing the cautious intelligent guy out of the building.

The whole thing ends in violence (not as violent as theTrump/Biden debates, but still pretty raucous) and we are left with a segment that has aged as poorly as anything WWE has ever produced. There are truly few moments in WWE history that can be looked back upon as more purely ignorant and stained by the truth of time than this one. It was bad then and my god is it worse now.

So that's what I've got for you folks. I know there are countless other incidents or things WWE has done that involve patriotism (or their warped view of it) that are either completely laughable (Mr. America) or have aged as something incredibly foul (any instance in their long history of "scary foreign guy" racism). Here, I tried to focus on the ones that have stood out to me or that I think some people may have forgotten about over time.

I hope you enjoyed this trip down WWE memory lane!

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WWE & Patriotism: Their Most Odd Moments Throughout History - Bleeding Cool News