Are we at war? 11/8/02

2723 Gallivan Loop

Park City, Utah 84060

November 8, 2002

To the Editor

The Park Record

P.O. Box 3688

Park City, Utah 84060

Dear Sirs:

A Lesson in History -- Indeed!!

How sad it was last Wednesday (November 6) in a letter to the Editor that someone felt compelled to make even a distant association between our President and Hermann Goering--even if only words by the latter. As a veteran of WW ll, I found it very repugnant.

But then assuming the writer felt the need of some sensationalism to help make his point, what was he trying to say? Apparently it is his belief that we have not been attacked--that 9/11, Lebanon, and elsewhere were either fabrication or not really acts of war against the United States. Surely what we have learned in the last several months about terrorism world wide

points to a real enemy existing in several countries. Our President indicated we have no choice but to clearly state that countries that are willing to harbor terrorists are our enemies too. It may not be a pretty picture but neither is the specter of blindness to reality and impractical idealism that could lead to another Munich--Peace in Our Time!

Sincerely,

Ralph Gates

tel: 645-8136

Receptive Listening 2/14/10

February 14, 2010

Well, It's about 4:00 AM and i have to get up and write before the mode passes. I have sometimes called it "midnight musings" and have wondered why this frequently happens to me. I think I may have finally figured it out, thanks to a phone conversation yesterday with Pheobe Ballard, now Phoebe Ballard Ford. In this conversation I suddenly blurted out that "Receptive Listening" was probably one of the most significant formative experiences in my life.

Receptive Listening was a 6 month program developed by Phoebe and Jack Ballad that brought together about 25 or so young (?) adults for a weekend once a month at the home of General Skinny Wainwright in Rye, New York. The program was mostly based on Carl Jung psychology about which I can't do justice in detailed, appropriate explanation. However I do recall that people, supposedly, can be categorized by 4 different types -- thinking, feeling, sensing and intuition. One of those types is usually predominant and its opposite is buried in the subconscious. In my case the predominant seemed to be "thinking" and its opposite, "feellng", was buried to some extent. The surprising hypothesis to me was that creativity in a person likely comes out when it is possible to bring to consciousness, at least temporarily, the inferior or un-predominant mode. In my case, shifting from thinking to feeling seemed to work a bit.

Getting into that inferior mode was part of what "Receptive Listening" was all about. We would all "center down", frequently flat on the floor, with no conversation at all for 15 minutes or so, listening to appropriate music while attempting to individually feel and relax every muscle in the body, head to toe. I can remember being totally unaware after a few minutes of where I was or the other people around me. It must be similar to the feeling of being immersed in yoga. At the end of this centering down time we would start to write or to paint or to mold clay on different sessions, with no conversation that might collapse the temporary flight into the inferior mode. For me the painting or clay modling didn't indicate much creativity. But I was surprised at what came out of me in the writing sessions.

I think this is what happens to me now, some 40 years later when I awaken in the wee hours, can't sleep for all the stuff whirling around in my head, and feel I must get to the computer and write for a while if I am ever going to be able to go back to sleep. I must have been centering down into my inferior type (feeling) while sleeping. For whatever it may be worth to me, when I read the stuff I have written later on in the day when I am clearly back in a thinking type mode in the noisey world, I am often amazed or puzzled by what I have written and can't change a single word of it (except for spelling, of course).

Well I am going back to bed now and I bet I will fall asleep instantly, fully relaxed.

There was another somewhat different revelation to me from the Receptive Listening course and that had to do with actually listening deeply to other people and discovering wonderful qualities in every one of them. Maybe I will reveal a confession on my part, related to this, during another inferior session.

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It is now early in the morning of February 15 and I need to describe the "confession" mentioned above.

When I met the other participants the Friday evening of the first monthly session I remember mentally asking myself what in the world have I gotten into! I figured there were a half dozen or so in total with whom I might enjoy this six month program. Wow! What a changing experience for me! During the next six months we met with each other in twos, sometimes in threes, after centering down, probably in our respective inferior modes, and listened intently.

In short by the time the six months were over I knew there was something remarkable and great about everyone of them. Several had serious problems, all of us to some degree -- things we would ordinarily be reluctant to discuss. I remember thinking later on that I bet I would find something great about Hitler even, if I had a chance to center down with him! Now that is way out, don't you think?

We were ordinary people. But this experience has led me to my current mission in life, recording life stories of people who came to Park City with a passion for skiing and other outdoor life experiences and took on any kind of work to permit them to stay here. They have handsomely prospered in the last 35 years or so and made this town quite remarkable. I call them Extraordinarily Ordinary Passionate People of Park City with Imagination, Initiative and Perseverance. They are affectionately known as successful Ski Bums (not a pejorative title around here!). And I now like to consider myself as an Elder Ski Bum.

Bush Bashing January 2003

Just one possible scenario January 2003

To all my friends who together with me try to figure out what we should do!!

When we are all talking at the same time it seems difficult, in my opinion, to stay focused on the above subject. It is so easy to fall into Bush bashing and why we are in current difficulties. I am not at this writing attempting to be an apologist for President Bush. I believe the mess we are in is the result of something far beyond just Bush.

At the outset, I believe we are indeed in the early stages of a major world war. So for the moment, try to accept this as just an hypothesis and see if my analogies make any sense. (If you disagree with this, l hope you will put in writing a different analogy and a scenario of your own as to what we might do.)

We (the USA) were ill prepared for either WWI or WWIl. When we finally were forced to enter these conflicts, we made several feints that were not decisive victories but were appropriate in the overall conflict while we marshaled our strengths and moved slowly in the right direction. It took a long time with island hopping along the way before we could even consider attacking Japan directly. So when I hear that we should have attacked Iran (or North Korea) rather than Iraq, I am reminded that it is necessary to choose battles carefully. And if, once again, you are willing to accept my thesis that we are in a major world war, perhaps it is reasonable to consider that our leaders chose an acceptable feint.

I try to make an analogy of our current situation like a boil on my body that has been slowly growing for several years (at least since early attacks on our culture by Muslim terrorists in the 1980s). I don't have a certain explanation for why this boil is on my body. Some folks (the Mea Culpa group) tell me it is my fault for doing something bad that caused the infection. Maybe that is so but maybe it is simply the fault of my less-than-perfect humanity and my genes. Now what should I do about this boil? Let it slowly grow until it festers? Or maybe my body will cure it without any action by me! If it does continue to get worse, I expect I will eventually be forced to lance it, go through painful time and recover. If I follow the latter course of action I feel the healing will be more difficult and I expect I would be better off doing something about it now since it is growing rapidly.

Straight Party Vote

Straight Party Vote 10/6/10

Once again, at the NATIONAL LEVEL, I think it is extremely wise to vote the straight party to make sure as best we can that our party will be as strong as possible in Congress. As you can see from recent difficulties a shortage of Republican votes allowed passage of some pretty awful stuff. I would hate to see an opportunity to prevent such blockage be lost because an individually chosen representative of the Republican party in a wayward state was not to someone's liking because of some particular issue or issues. Their defeat in a national election could have much greater affect on overall national policy. No doubt we have had some pretty sorry representatives but the state may need to wake up, not the party as a whole. I don't know how close the election will be in the Senate but I don't want to take a chance on losing because of a doubtful representative in Alaska or Delaware. I am concerned about any single-issue voter unless the issue be "less government control over our lives". --Ralph

A New Iraq

Message from sender: Call me a blinded optimist but I choose to believe Iraq has gone through enough and advanced far enough that the people will not permit civil war based on religious differences -- no matter sensationalist reporting. WORLD | October 17, 2010 Sunnis in Iraq Allied With U.S. Quitting to Rejoin Rebels By TIMOTHY WILLIAMS and DURAID ADNAN The loss of the fighters, whose switch to the government's side was pivotal in pulling Iraq back from sectarian warfare in 2006, poses a new threat.

terrorists

Bullies just get stronger until challenged 10/14/10

I just had forwarded to you an article indicating that the Amsterdam judiciary appears to be taking a strong stand against threats from extremists. They are brave indeed.

Historically standing up to a bully by any name or stripe usually has a salutary effect, as scary as it may be. Maybe Islam will attempt to police itself and begin to delegitimize actions of its more terrorist elements if they see Western Culture willing to redefine the demands of "political correctness". If they don't the bully element will likely only get stronger on the back of success and tend to lead the world into another fascist era, similar to the 1930's but far more destructive than the 1940's.

As frequently happens I have awakened far too early this morning, 7/11/10, and realize I am not going to be able to go back to sleep because of all the thoughts swirling around in my head. So I might as well try to get some of the stuff down before the clatter of the day drowns them out.

Yesterday I met with a close friend who believes my new business is worthy of pursuing and is trying to help me get it started so that others may also think it has some merit. She wants me to develop something called a rack piece (?) that can be handed out with a short but pithy description of why this is important.

There can be many generic groups that might be approached but two come to mind quickly: your parents of grandparents who may still be with us; or you, who may be parents today and grandparents tomorrow.

The older generations have possibly lived through the depression years, WWll, the Cold War, Civil Rights,the fear of MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction), the decline of the Soviet Union and communism, and the tremendous explosion of technology. How wonderful and probably important it could be to see and hear them talk about such events as 9/11, Iraq, our first black President, healthcare, immigration, etc.

Can you imagine what it would be like if you could take a DVD down from your shelf and see your mother or grandfather talking 50 years ago about their past and current experiences and thoughts about their world at that time? Would that not be significant to your family and possibly historically?

Now consider how your children or grandchildren, 20 or more years from now, would welcome seeing a similar DVD of you recorded today. I don't think for a moment that it would not be important! Change is occurring so rapidly today we have no idea what is coming. Your expressed ideas of what may happen may turn out to be inconsequential, important, or naive -- but of some historic value.

I am reminded of the letter I wrote home as a 20 year old on the afternoon following the dropping of the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. I naively said there could never be another war. I wonder what other words of wisdom (?) might have come out if I had been questioned by someone with a camcorder back then.

If any of you who may read this blog would like to comment or make suggestions, positive or negative, I would be honored.

How it all started

Sunday Morning 6/21/09 -- Musings

it is now about 4:45 AM and I have finally given in and made myself get up to start writing. I've been awake for a couple of hours, trying go back to sleep but finally realizing all the thoughts going around in my head won't permit it. Also I think these ideas have some merit and if I don't flesh them out to some extent right now, they will escape in the clamor of the day.

Why do I think there is some value in all these visual, camcorder recordings I have been doing for a few years now? Primarily because the technical capability is new. Probably only ten years ago this would not have been easily done by amateurs in a low key relaxed manner. Camcorders have made this possible. Written autobiographies have been around for a long time. But I think it is a major advancement to be able see a person tell their story in person. Libraries are full of written autobiographies. Perhaps soon we will see shelves of visual autobiographies that will be important for future generations.

But that is quite a way off from what I want to do.I want to record the life stories of ordinary (?) people who have lived in and made Park City the unique place it is. I describe these people as ordinary only in the sense that they come from everywhere and with all kinds of backgrounds. I further like to describe them as extraordinary in that they were among those who were willing to leave their current situation and come here with a passion of some sort, put roots down and make a constructive life here -- probably overcoming a number of difficulties along the way. They remind me of our immigrant ancestors who came to this country for a variety of reasons, perhaps to escape religious persecution, for a better economic life, or just for a free spirit of adventure. On my father's side they came from England in the mid 1600's, probably for economic opportunity primarily but also for religious freedom. On my mother's side, they came from Germany in 1850 and from Norway in 1890 -- in both cases for economic opportunity. In Norway my grandmother was one of seven children, living comfortably as a child on a large farm. Her father realized that all of his children, particularly the girls, would not likely have the same chance for such a comfortable life. America was indeed the land of opportunity and those individuals who "had it in their genes" or the passion to get up and go made our country the unique place it is.

I think Park City is a microcosm of the America of a 100 or more years ago. Immigration is a major concern today as it was then and I like to ask early in the interview, "Where did your ancestors come from and why?". In general, people who have been willing to emigrate from their homeland have truly made America. That same spirit seems embodied in our neighbors here in Park City. I like to refer to them as:

Extraordinarily Ordinary

Passionate People of Park City with Imagination, Initiative and Perseverance

I want to record their life stories, where their ancestors came from and how did it happen that their parents were where they were when the interviewee was born.Their life stories are primarily for their descendants who will not just read about Grandma or Grandpa but will be able to see them talk first hand about what life was like, including pleasures and difficulties, as well as concerns of the times and hopes for the future. The last 50 or 100 years have seen unbelievable changes to those of us alive today and it is probable that major changes will continue. I am reminded that my father was in the trenches in the first World War -- the "War to End All Wars". I was in WWll, a member of the so-called "Greatest Generation". Was our "greatest contribution" ending the war with the introduction of nuclear power and 50 years or so of MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction)? At least the world has not destroyed itself yet. Will succeeding generations truly be the "Greatest" by profiting from our experiences and thoughts today? Maybe they will smile at how naive we were, like I do now when I read a letter I (as a 20 year old) sent home to my mother from Los Alamos, written the afternoon after the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and I could let her know where I had secretly been in the Army. I was proud that what I had been doing ended the war and was certain there could never be another war -- not just because it was too destructive but also because it gave us an unlimited source of practically free power that would eliminate the needs of mankind. That was naive!

The stories are not for self aggrandizement by either the recorder or the interviewee. The finished DVD will go to no one other than the interviewee without permission. With this in mind I encourage recounting experiences and thoughts that are both negative and positive -- that presumably could be beneficial as well as just interesting to later viewers.

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(letter I wrote to my Mother in Nashville the afternoon after the first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and I could tell her where I had been in secret)

Tuesday Afternoon

August 7, 1945

P.O. Box 180

Sante Fe, New Mexico

Dear Mom,

Well at last you know approximately what goes on up here. I guess by now the cat is completely out of the bag and you know of the little “Yo-Yo” we’re making. It’s quite a destructive thing as Japan should know. Ever since that day, July 16 (when the first bomb was exploded in the desert in southern New Mexico), everyone here on the “hill” has known what was coming. You can understand now why such a device was guarded so closely, why not one of us dared mention it off the area; and why all our mail was censored.

I wish I had been here several months sooner to actually have taken part in some of the early and more exciting experimentation. The day after I arrived here they told us what was expected; however, it took two days to actually comprehend its full extent. Now when one was actually dropped on Japan perhaps I was a little better prepared than you but certainly just as

amazed and fearful! It must certainly be true that there can never be another war; however, I think that one side of this subject has been forgotten or at least slighted. It’s not just because destruction would be universal, but more because positive construction can be world wide. An accumulation of unlimited power for the good should erase economic reasons for wars. It’s not likely that wars could begin for any other reason.

Maybe I can let you in on a little of Army life up at this place. We, as you have probably heard, do not live directly in Sante Fe but off up in the mountains at a little old boy’s school known as Los Alamos. We must be at least 1000 feet above Sante Fe, and it does get quite cold at night; however, the warm weather that I like so well takes over completely during the day.The Special Engineering Detachment and a group of M.P.’s make up the Army complement. The rest of the group are civilians living in trailers and huts right here on the hill.

I consider myself very fortunate to have seen such men as Dr. Oppenheimer and Dr. Kistiakowski. They are now rather famous as the promoters of this new discovery. They were the men present at the trial experiment down south of Albuquerque.

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It is now Wednesday and I hear that Russia has just declared war on Japan. I believe (as Drew Pearson did last Fall) that the war should be over in a week! Let’s see. This new bomb may sound inhuman but the relatively few people who have been fortunate enough to have worked on the project and to have known in advance what was up, like myself, would be sorely disallusioned if the American people or any part of them should be afraid to face the fact that this thing will mean peace forever, even with the cost of several

thousands of Japanese civilians’ lives at the present. Let us pray that it will be unnecessary to use any more even on our enemy. However, if they should doubt our intentions and refuse to give unconditional surrender, Japan may well be completely obliterated!!

I’m sorry I haven’t been writing quite regularly but you can imagine how excited we were knowing of the world’s greatest secret.

love, Buddy

P.S. Important! Please send me a gas ticket immediately if possible. I need it immediately for transportation in Sante Fe. Also please save the first paper mentioning the bomb and any reference to Los Alamos or Sante Fe. Also get a paper of Russia’s entry and Japan’s surrender. Get all you may think of and save the whole paper.

I’ve been going to Post Chapel and an evening fellowship group. Can you rush my picture and appr. 6 coat hangers?

On July 1, 2010 I formally started my new business "Life Stories by Ralph".