Of Men And Monsters

Americans seemed surprised with themselves for having mixed feelings over the death of Osama bin Laden.  I think it's more the manner of how he was killed than the fact that he was.  Even the President seemed uneasy for having ordered then witnessed a very messy execution.  Well, folks, welcome to war.  It's a scenario our soldiers witness on a daily basis in combat.  It's not pretty, is it!

I got to thinking about the term, 'he's the personification of evil'.   That interests me.  First, what is evil?  I think it's a state, not a trait nor an emotion.  When it consumes all that is human in a being than it's personified and the person ceases to be human even while retaining human form.  The exclusion of humanity forfeits all the rights that come with being one.  That includes the niceties of laws and trials and humane extraction of information and painless executions.

There are many such monsters among us.  There always have been.  Hitler.  Any number of middle eastern rulers scrambling for their existence. Any number of Sub-Saharan African rulers. Kim il Jong. Enough others to make my blood run cold. They exist because they surround themselves with  others who have succumbed to evil.  They survive because the good and decent people of the world fear them.  We do not know how to deal with those who have lost all sense of decency and compassion and ignore the differences between right and wrong.  They are above the law because no law applies to them.   They are no longer human.

When I agonize over my feelings about the death penalty, I think of these things.  It isn't easy to willingly kill another human being.  It goes against the grain of who we are.  And that is just the point.  We are human beings with feelings and fears and misgivings and hope and happiness and joy and laughter.

The personification of evil exploits this.  Evil has offended our sensibilities, not the other way around.

We should not agonize over destroying evil.  It does no good to try and equate it to our way of thinking because they are not one and the same.

In looking at history you see it's unlikely we will ever be free from evil.  In Osama bin Laden's case, however, at least one monster has met with a stake through his heart. There is no need to grieve.  There is no need to apologize for having mixed feelings; it's those feelings that differentiate us from him.

Obama Could Be Handling bin Laden Better

The moment for high fives and congratulations over the slaying of Osama bin Laden lasted about as long as it took the news to get out.  It is now a mess of misinformation, information denied and campaign photo ops.

I'd like to make a point or two, considering I've been away from political commenting for a couple of weeks and the cold/flu that still plagues me tests my patience.  That being said, I congratulate the President for having finally made a decision and the right one.  Had he let bin Laden slither away on his watch he'd have been toast.  He may still be by the way the aftermath is going.

Obama is doing little to dispel his reputation for being less than transparent with the public.  Of all Presidents to decide not to release a photograph showing bin Laden dead this should not be the one.  The one who wouldn't produce his own birth certificate, for heavens sake.  Nor his university transcripts.  People doubt his truthfulness on a lot of matters because of these basically inconsequential bouts of stubbornness.  Just release them.  If they show he's less of scholar than we've been lead to believe, who will be surprised?

The other side of the equation is arrogance.  He assures us there is enough evidence that proves bin Laden is dead without showing a photo.  Why spike the ball?  Because people doubt you actually scored in the first place.  Your word isn't good enough.  I'm sorry.  It just isn't.  To a whole lot of the world.  And the frenzy has already begun.

You don't want to stir Muslim sensitivities?  You invaded a private compound without informing the host country, wounded several including your target's wife, killed him under ever questionable circumstances and whisked away the body.  I think that may have already riled the sensitivities of those Muslims who care!

Not that I think what was done was wrong.  It seems to me the manner of the undertaking and the end result, in a time of war against the brain child of this man, was the only logical solution.

But quit playing with the dirty pictures.  Some members of Congress have seen them.  Select members of of the 9/11 families will be allowed to view them.  We should all be allowed to view them should we so desire.  They cannot be any more gruesome than those already out "there" that have been photo shopped!  If you're worried about a photo inflaming sensitivities, how are you going to explain away the fake ones?

Quit playing games, for that's what's being done.  "I've got pictures but you can't see them. "  I've got pictures, shhhh, I'll show them to you if you promise not to tell!

The 9/11 families are seeking closure.  I've got news for you sir.  We are all seeking closure because 9/11 altered all  our lives forever.  Not only those who lost loved ones that day but think of our military families who've lost loved ones over the 10 years we've spent hunting this ******* down!

You, Mr. President, are only a small part of the 9/11 equation. The entire world owns  a share of it from foreign nationals who died that day to the countries who allied with us in the hunt.
Put the pictures out there.  You may find a dead bin Laden generates far fewer hurt sensitivities than a cartoon of Muhammad .

Travelogue Logged Down!

Whew.  A post on Friday.  Nothing Saturday.  Two Sunday.  Nothing yesterday.  Maybe I can finish up today.  The culprit has been the bug that invades your chest and explodes your head.   I never felt it coming and it's taking it's own good time in leaving.  However, on toward home.

Our last stop of any significance was at Zoo Montana in Billings.  We love the little zoo and make it a point to visit when we're in the vicinity.  We were upset to learn they are having financial woes and are having to scramble to keep their accreditation.

Not being locals, we don't know the ins and outs and politics of the situation; I'm sure there are many.  With a zoo it's probably a lack of administrative capability or board capability or both.  It sure can't be the fault of the residents!

Since it is the only zoo in the entire state,  I'd think the locals would see it as a source of pride as well as tourist revenue. It was opening time the Monday after Easter and the place was filling up fast with families.  There was nothing but great enthusiasm.  The youngsters were far more lively than the animals.  Many were just beginning their day and oh, sooo sleepy like the little red panda!

A lot of the displays, like the barn and the petting zoo had not opened yet.  The volunteers were busy at work sprucing up a garden.  This group were ladies of a certain age enjoying the fresh air and sunshine.  The exercise and the chance to chat with anyone willing to engage them.  Zoos aren't just for the young.  Of course, I'm proof positive of that!

They have an eclectic selection of animals, many native to the region like wolves and mountain sheep and grizzly cubs.  Others on loan from other zoos or funded by corporations like the Siberian tiger sponsored by Exxon.

As much as I don't like to see animals fenced, today's zoos, even small ones like this, are a far cry from what they used to be.  Kids learn about these animals in school, to have the opportunity to see them alive and up close can't help but inspire some awe.

A pair of nesting bald eagles.  Mom hunkered down on her eggs.  You look her in the eye and go no further. You just silently wish her and her soon to be young ones well.

A pair of wolves basking in the morning sun.  Photographing through fencing brings home the fact these beautiful creatures are no longer free, but at least they are alive and will never be hunted by man.  I get the urge to open a gate, but...I don't.

Sometimes luck plays out and you find a nook or crannie where there is no fencing and for a brief time you can imagine the otter are entwined on a real river bank.  But of course they are not though I seem to care a lot more than they do!

The most famous current residents are probably the grizzly bear cubs.  They were given to Zoo Montana for care after their mother had been euthanized.  She had attacked some campers and actually ate one of them.  This is a definite breach of bear etiquette!   All the bears were mal-nourished when found.   An autopsy showed the mother was ill and unable to produce milk for her cubs.  I don't know.  Sad animal stories make me sad, but such are the ways of nature as Hub will remind me when I see a hawk grab one of my quail! I'd have never made it as a pioneer!

The story, thus far has a happy ending.  The cubs are as you'd expect.  Full of life and energy and a barrel of fun to watch.  The video is of Ozzie playing in his pool then taking off at full lope for his den, water flying everywhere.  There came to mind a certain Saint Bernard that used to look very much the same after a bath!

Here's to Zoo Montana.  A wonderful end to what had been a great vacation.  I hope they get their problems solved.

Now it's back to the real world.  Oh, my.  Must I?

Cimarron

The name alone conjures up images of the old west doesn't it?  Well, it's as close to the authentic part of the old west there is in that part of New Mexico.  I'm a bit surprised it isn't a bit more developed with a  large NRA facility and the Philmont Scout ranch in close proximity.

We had poked our way into "town" last fall, curious about the St. James Hotel.  Another grand old timer in our never ending quest to seek them out.  We routed this trip just to be able to catch it.  Plain enough on the outside; it is after all from days when practicality outweighed pizazz.

A lot of these old hotels, here in the West, seem to have a sense of  Victorian elegance that is contradictory to their location.  The guests must be comfortable!

The Saint James is different.  You know it's wild west! Maybe it had to do with the number of stuffed animals around the place.

It wasn't anticipated, but we were not surprise to find a film crew wrapping up their day.  I think half the town was waiting to get into the saloon.  Or maybe it was just a big film crew.  As is rumored with many of these old hotels, the Saint James is said to be haunted and the SciFi channel was shooting an episode of an up coming series called Spirit Hunters to be aired around the first of June.

The tin ceilings remained throughout the public areas complete with bullet holes from gun fights.  This too is not unusual to find.  It does lend to the aura.  Especially since their guest registers include everyone from Jesse James to Annie Oakley.

We were sipping a whiskey, you don't call it a cocktail in a place like this,  when a tall, lanky man in complete western garb came in and started greeting everyone in the saloon.  Hub leaned over and informed me he was being interviewed on camera when he was checking in.  It turns out he was the manager.  And a most gracious one. Even when I complained there was no hair dryer in the room.  Actually I told every employee I met I needed a hair dryer and every one told me they would round one up.   More on this in a bit.

Lingering over dinner, we were pretty much the last people in the dining room when the manager, Steve, pulled up a chair and joined us.  He told us about himself and the enterprise that owns the hotel.  Managing it is his second job,  His day job is managing the local operation, a good sized one, of an Oklahoma cattleman.  He could be retired, but why?  He loves what he does on both counts.

What they do right is capitalize on the legends, even to labeling which rooms the celebrated guests occupied.  That's in the main building.  There is an annex, where we were due to occupancy restraints because of the film crew.  It wasn't so nice and this is where having hospitality professionals would be a tremendous boon.  Our room was dark and dingy, the bath linens old and thin and no hair dryer!

It became a running joke but never resolved.  I mentioned it the next morning as we were leaving, my head still damp from inadequate towelling.  There is only so much you can do with one towel after it has already dried a body!

The morning clerk said told me how sorry she was, but they only had two hair dryers and, of course, the film crew had them.

We might have gone back.  The film crew probably not.  It will be a long time before we do.  Come on, folks.  No one travels with a hair dryer anymore.  Hotels have them.  Especially those in out of the way corners that are trying to grow their businesses!

It wasn't a total bust though.  The town's deer were waiting for us in a field across from the hotel as we pulled out of town, an elk herd was just down the highway and of course the ever present antelope.  You know how I am about "critters" no matter how common or how often I see them.  They soothe my soul.

We Missed the Bears!

Climbing from terra firma to heights unknown is not my favorite activity for I am not known to have good balance.  I've been getting better though with all the physical therapy I do.  I was rarin' to go at Bandelier National Monument so we could photograph the ancient petroglyphs.

We had just started down the Main Loop Trial when there was a ruckus in the trees.  Hub decided we ought to go back to the car and get the binoculars.  Of course I'm always the bell hop.  There I was trying to get organized with my own camera, my flip video and the binoculars.  I started to laugh.  How the heck was I going to be  able to climb anything!

As we started off again we hear some rangers talking about seeing the bears just down the trail a bit.  The bears?  How casual.  Oh, well...

Off we went in the opposite direction.  I was clanking and rattling like Marley' s Ghost.  Perhaps it would take the place of bear bells.  Besides, people were beginning to arrive and no doubt would keep the bears at bay.

The top photo  is where we were climbing to and whatour starting point looked like from that vantage. Not so bad,  While narrow, the path was in good condition and I got none of the queasies I had anticipated.

When you look at what's left of these structures you realize what tiny people inhabited them.  If you look closely at the picture below left you can see the petroglyph. Petroglyps are scratched into the rocks.  Pigtographs are pained on with pigments.Click on it to enlarge it if you'd like. The small holes are where the log roof supports used to be.  The ladder leads to a small cave they used for food storage or cooking.  It makes me sad to know the Park Service has to keep charring them to cover graffiti. It's so much a part of our culture you can't even escape it in our national parks.

Hub, at one of these locations, chided me.  "You can climb that ladder!"  Right.  I could have if I wasn't being his bearer!

We walked the ridge line as far as it took us bantering with another couple about our age. " I read," said he, "they had health issues with arthritis and their teeth."  We all laughed, being able to relate to arthritis.  I was surprised about their teeth though.  They certainly ate a more healthy diet than we do!


After a couple of hours we clambered back down.  A family coming toward us said there were deer on the trial a bit further down.  Boy, were they!

It's not that there were so many of them, but how tame they were.  Maybe a half dozen or so.  Licking the lichen off the rocks. It reminded me of the time in Yellowstone when a Bison couldn't get enough of our front bumper.

We literally could have reached out and petted them.  Even the excited pitch of little kids didn't bother them.  I know, they were only deer, but I love seeing them in their own habitat - and that close!

A volunteer park ranger came bopping down the path in a good, cheery mood.  He stopped to chat a bit and told us the deer are always like that.  And the bears?
A mother and her two cubs.  Nothing to mess with. But she seems unfazed by humans.  He found himself between them once and discretion being the better part of valor, got out of the way fast. As a ranger he knows about discretion. She's been there three years now and as long as she remains people neutral they leave her alone.  They might  do a better job of warning visitors however!  One, when she's around.  And two, if careful she's not likely to do harm.  I think I'd still keep my distance!

Back to the car for the next leg of our journey.  Joseph had told us Bandelier was for city folk.  Maybe he's right.  I think I could have handled hiking and climbing everything I saw.  No guarantees in the back country however! As Hub constantly reminds me, I'm old.  Everything is wearing out!  How true, how true.