Posted 6:43 AM by Gene

On the preceding subject -- does anyone remember the General Slocum? Over a thousand died when that steamship burned in the East River, not far from where we're supposed to remember. It's highly unlikely anyone does. There may be a statue or a plaque somewhere, but except for someone who's written a book (and that most likely not inspired by the disaster) it has gone in flames and smoke, like the ship. When we remember today we should know catastrophes aren't something holy cockroaches invented. In his autobiographical masterpiece Henry Adams spoke of America's amnesia. Say what you will, it served us well before, and it could serve us well again.