NYT: For War of 1812 Bicentennial, Indifference From Albany

[Dennis Donovan]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/25/nyregion/war-of-1812-bicentennial-disorganized-in-new-york-state.html?_r=1&smid=tw-nytimes&seid=auto

SACKETS HARBOR, N.Y. — Clayton F. Nans, a 57-year-old retired Marine colonel, halted his Chevrolet pickup truck near Lake Ontario recently and pointed to a grassy embankment. It was the very spot, he said, where British troops first made landfall in this upstate village, before American soldiers fought off their invasion.

That engagement was two centuries ago, in the Second Battle of Sackets Harbor, a key New York moment in the War of 1812, whose bicentennial is fast approaching. And Mr. Nans, who periodically dons the blue woolen coat of an early 19th-century Marine as a War of 1812 re-enactor, is upset that New York State is not doing anything to commemorate it.

“I know people who can go their whole life and will be just as happy not to know about any War of 1812,” said Mr. Nans, who, as the uniform attests, is quite happy to know about the war: a life-size cutout of him and two of his children in period costume is on display in the local 1812 visitors’ center.

“This community thinks it’s important,” he said
</snip>

[Rhiannon12866]

1. K&R. It's essential to remember history and to learn from it.

When we've forgotten, we've made some awful mistakes... x( :hi:

[msongs]

2. "we" still haven't learned anything from history since 2001 nt

[Rhiannon12866]

3. That's one of the mistakes I was referring to...

And there have been so many since then. :(

[provis99]

4. one of the most pointless wars in American history.

Right up there with Vietnam and World War One.

[pennylane100]

5. I do not think that playing dress up and war games

is the best way to learn from history. That is just a game for people who enjoy it and it should not be at the tax payers expense. The lessons of that war and all wars for that matter are best learned from reasonable discussions. However we never highlighted the wars we did not win when I was growing up in England, except to say that we really did win them so I really have not idea what the lessons are.

[Retrograde]

6. Eh, just another example of Albany ignoring WNY

My home town, Buffalo, was totally destroyed during the War of 1812 (not that there was a lot there at the time), and much of the war were fought along the Niagara River. But the region isn't as politically important as NYC and environs so the event that ended in the longest unreinforced border between two countries will be ignored.

[OswegoAtheist]

8. Same in Oswego

The local "Friends of the Fort" are probably going to do something on the anniversary of the Battle of Fort Oswego in 2014, and a few smaller things the next few years, but we learned a long time ago not to rely on NYS for celebrating Upstate events, let alone bother keeping our parks open.

Oswego "You can't spell 'Fort 0sw3go' without 0 and 3" Atheist

[htuttle]

7. I didn't learn until a few years ago that the US actually started that war

...at least insofar as invading Canada first, western frontier skirmishes notwithstanding.

My Canadian great (x4) grandfather sued the government after that war. He owned an Inn at Cook's Point (now submerged in the St Lawrence Seaway) that was commandeered by US commander Wilkinson as a headquarters during the Battle of Crysler's Farm, and then burned as they hightailed it back to the States. He sued for about 360 Pounds, and won about 197.

[Rhiannon12866]

9. When I was a kid, my grandmother was always taking me to museums.

I lived in Albany, Ticonderoga and Saratoga, American Revolution country, so we never ran out of places. I'd be very interested in visiting here as well. :hi: