Remember, Remember, the 5th of November.

[Kelly]

A great little rhyme. Intended to teach children about the consequences of treason. I'm sure that our UK sisters can tell us all kinds of stories. (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_Plot" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;).

For me, a yank, and a history buff (well the history the I find interesting) it represents a quest for tolerance and freedom. After all the gun powder plot was really an attempt at raising awareness for the need for religious tolerance. In modern terms is was an act of terrorism, probably misguided; but we remember.

Every 11/5 I have a glass or two of scotch and think about where society is today versus 1605. In a lot of ways we, as a people, have come a long way. But tonight - other than the fact that it is kalua rather than scotch - I look at it from the perspective of a scared, closet dwelling cross dresser. Not much has happened regarding tolerance. There is little freedom in being able to live your life the way that makes you happy.

From my perspective, it is a shame. A shame on humanity (or at least humanity of the western persuasion). From the perspective of the un-enlightened, it is just the fact that we are abnormal, sick, maladjusted, misfits that should be shunned, ridiculed, and marginalized - and fixed.

Yes, there are point stories about acceptance, I rejoice when I see them posted here. For each, though, there is a multitude of accounts about rejection and disappointment. It's just sad.

Maybe, it is our own; no, my own, fear of rejection, and marginalization, that prevents us, no me, from entering the world as a way, dressed in a way, acting in a way that suites our, no my, need for expression. I just don't know.

I guess that is part of the process. If living were easy then any rock could do it.

I joined this forum intending to be Miss Happy Go Lucky, instead I write downer posts such as this. The benefit has been more profound than just an outlet for 'awe gee isn't being a girl fun'. The amount of perspective, introspection and self examination, for me, has been - well - life altering. All I can say - as if finish my (virtual) glass of scotch - is thank you.

Thank You to whoever makes this forum possible. I remember each time I log in your support and thoughtfulness.

Thank You to all the wonderful gals that post for bearing the souls. I remember your stories and take them to heart.

Thank You to all you wonderful women out there that listen to me when I bear my soul. I remember how good I fell after I have aired what I am feeling.

Thank You for tolerance, thank you for providing my island of freedom. I will always remember.

Next November, please remember tolerance and freedom.

Good Night all. I love you all,

Kelly

[Paulette]

Yes, a great little rhyme. But as you say, now apparently a salute to independent thought and action. Not for me.

Like many others, I have a V mask, and wear it and a cape and broad brimmed hat for appropriate occasions. I much prefer gradual, democratic change to sudden and bloody revolutionary change. But I fear the powers that be will push and push until nothing but revolution is left. (Paul Goodman remains my anarchist model and hero. Gandhi and A.J. Muste, my strategists.)

The tale and moral lesson is what it is, for its time, and I can certainly accept that as an historical truth.

I hated the movie, though. Having to prove your love and loyalty by suffering imprisonment and torture rather than rat on another? Even if it was a fake prison and only mental torture, it's still abuse, imprisonment and torture. I'd call that betrayal. But then both tales, the original and the movie version, treat people as means to an end.

But as always these days, the scenery and explosions were wonderfully done.

[Anita]

I like your post Kelly, and I like hearing that the site has meaning for you. The site has archives, and that means that all these threads and individual posts go on "working," long past the time when they were created. I spent time on a site where messages disappeared within a day or two, and some of those messages were profound. You could find them again if you searched hard, perhaps, but here you have better access to what you might need in the moment.

I remembered that November 5th was Guy Fawkes day, as I had looked up Guy Fawkes last year. Still, I couldn't remember what the plot had been about. I can understand how the celebration might be controversial in Northern Ireland, as Wikipedia notes.

[Martine Amance]

I assume you are talking about Guy Faulks ( I think that is the correct spelling) and the attempted blowing up of Parliament. It has its pros and cons.

[Kelly]

The correct spelling is Fawkes. He was involved of an attempt to blow up the House of Lords during the opening of parliament on Nov. 5 1605. The real goal was to assassinate King James, who would be in attendance. Fawkes was not the leader of the conspiracy, but as one of the few with a background as a military officer was in charge of the gunpowder. Most of the group were killed during capture, but Fawkes and a handful of others were tried and sentenced to be hanged drawn and quartered. Yech.

There are no pros, only cons. The monarchy allowed persecution of English Catholics to occur. The persecuted resorted to terrorism to force a resolution. Two wrongs, zero rights.

Now this little blip in history probably wouldn't be all the well remembered if not for the catchy little rhyme that commemorates it. That is what catches me every year when I have to acknowledge the date 5 November.

Why drink scotch you may ask. Well some accounts have it that Fawkes was also in charge of as many casks of whiskey as there were barrels of gunpowder. A few years ago a good friend gifted me a bottle of Scotch for my birthday. So a break it out each year and have a glass ifI remember the fifth. By the way I also do the same six day latter on Veterans Day. The bottle goes back into the cupboard for the next November. Looks like there is enough for a couple more years.....

Even though everything around the 'gunpowder plot' was terribly, terribly misguided the yearning for tolerance and freedom was sincere. That is all that is worth remembering.