Day 23 - Joe Louis vs. Jefferson Davis

Alabama:

Joe Louis is an important person in history, and not just in the pugilistic backdrop. He rallied the entire country behind him against the bombastic Max Schmeling. Hitler's boy was supposed to show the world how the Aryan race was unbeatable. Well, my mustached unfriend, Joe Louis proved you wrong. He kicked your little Teutonic ass so bad that you had your Nazis pull the plug on the radio.

Louis' life later became steeped with harassment from the government for the money he owed the Feds. Muhammad Ali called him an Uncle Tom...but then again, he called everyone that. I have profound respect for Joe Louis and that was why I drove to a grain of rice town called LaFayette, AL to look for his statue. And so there it was, larger than life with the Brown Bomber poised for a fight. Great sculpture, strong and fierce. Then I read the plaque on the back of the statue.

JOE LOUIS IS A CREDIT TO HIS RACE: THE HUMAN RACE. Jimmy Cannon, Sportswriter

I stopped by the Tuskegee Human Rights and Civil Rights Center since it was on the way to Montgomery where I would be hibernating for the night. It wasn't open as expected as it was the 4th of July. The town was nearly all black which reminded me of what that woman said yesterday...about me being weirded out. To answer her question, I went inside a Taco Bell, used their commode, and left without buying anything. Thanks a lot, lady, for getting it in my head that I stand out.

Despite the fact that today is a holiday, I got to take in some sightseeing.

+ Joe Louis
+ Tuskegee Airmen
+ Piggly Wiggly
+ Hank Williams Memorial
+ Southern Poverty Law Center (Maya Lin designed the fountain)
+ F. Scott Fitzgerald Home
+ Dexter AME Church (MLK)
+ White House of the Confederacy

Two things to discuss. BaddicusFinch suggested that I go to the Hank Williams memorial. I said, "Ew! I don't listen to country." He said, "This was before country before the stuff you hear now. Don't be a snob." He was right. I aim to have a listen when I get back.

The other was the White House of the Confederacy. Creepy, let me tell you, and what a strange landmark to see on the most patriotic day of the year. I saw Jefferson Davis standing there, tall as a god. If the war had gone the other way, I'd be in Canada now.

Civil War Reenactment - With One Black Dude

It was about a hundred degrees and I was reluctant to go to Huntington Beach to see some Civil War reenactors. No offense, I love reading about the Just War and I have to admit I'm a bit of a freak about the subject, but the thought of seeing my auto mechanic in Dixie gray makes me pause. And I didn't know there were so many of his kind in Southern California. I do know that there were some actual Northern outposts hereabouts like in Wilmington and San Diego, but I didn't know there would be so many Cali nuts wearing wool and whale bone participating in this event.

The first thing I saw was a kid with a gray Southern hat bought by his oh-so-proud father. Of course this scared me. Why on earth wouldn't the dad choose the blue hat? Then I started wondering about the lack of minorities that were going to be at the reenactment. It really scared the shit out of me. I didn't want to be the only Asian there. What the heck, the railroads weren't even built then.

Tarps and canvas camps were set up from both sides. Pretty cute. Then there were ladies in their corsets and Scarlet O'Hara dresses that gladly posed with our little Flat Penny (a cardboard dog that travels the world - in the vein of Flat Stanley). Surprised to see a giant man in Scottish quilt and the works, we asked him to pose for a picture with our dog. He let us, but said, "The picture's okay, but I don't know the relevance of the dog." Hmm. And what the hell's the relevance of your quilt in Manassas or Antietam, moron?

It was an interesting experience overall, but I was disappointed I only saw one Union soldier that was black. I mean, I saw more "Join the Children of Dixie" booths than was necessary for crying out loud. Scary shit, I tell you.

But at least I learned about Thaddeus S.C. Lowe and the U.S. Balloon Corps. He was the "elevated" eyes of the Potomac on his aeronautic balloon. He was the most shot at person in the Civil War and he survived to invent great things like refrigeration and heating. He built the Pasadena Opera House and the Mt. Lowe Observatory later in his life. For discovering this great man, the heat, the weirdness, and the pathetic one black Union Soldier was well worth the trip.