Ray Charles and James Brown - A. Troutt

Ray Charles and James Brown
by Arlin Troutt

2006 sure took its toll. I loved Ray Charles and James Brown. Who did more to promote peace, love, joy and harmony on this planet? The world should have celebrated their lives and the gifts they gave us for a month. Larry King should have interviewed every friend they had and recalled every kind deed and funny story they ever told. All the networks should have aired New Specials that lasted 2 weeks straight with no commercials during their funerals.

Blind Ray and the God Father of Soul picked bad times to die. Presidents Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford stole the spotlight and got top billing in history. President Reagan "tore down that wall" between the Free World and Russia. Ironically, President Bush is rebuilding it between the US and Mexico. Reagan was involved in training and funding Middle Eastern terrorists by trading weapons between Iran and the Contras in Central America. Alzheimer's set in when congress questioned him about it and that was the end of it. Reagan's drawn out funeral didn't leave much airtime for Ray who did a lot more to promote peace on earth.

President Ford's claim to fame was pardoning Richard Nixon for Vietnam, not Watergate as they claim. The American People got rid of Nixon, not Gerald Ford. Richard Nixon's resignation was pure show business, which is now being pawned off as history.

Our kids were listening to Ray Charles and James Brown in Vietnam and they are probably listening to them in Iraq and wondering the same thing: "what the hell are we doing here". They deserve an answer.

President Ford granted immunity to Nixon and associates for war crimes against humanity in Southeast Asia. Had Nixon and his corporate buddies been held accountable for the Vietnam bloodbath, we would not be in Iraq fighting an identical war for these same corporate interests. Look at the names and faces of these men and their companies. The flags change but the mission remains the same.

At the last minute Saddam Hussein has thrown his hat in the ring for most publicized death of 2006. How do you compete with that? --- Our Sons and Daughters

The stink of death has followed our solders into the poppy fields of South East Asia and the Middle East for a thousand years. Those lucky enough to return are scarred for life. That is the nature of war and mankind. The Nixons, Reagans, Fords, Bushs and Husseins of the world have been around forever and have changed nothing---But there will never be another Ray Charles and James Brown.

Arlin Troutt