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The True Citizen, Wednesday, February 3, 2021 — Page 5A
Michael N. Searles
"The Man Without a Coun
try" is a short story by Ameri
can writer Edward Everett
Hale, first published in The
Atlantic in December 1863.
It is the story of American
Army lieutenant Philip Nolan,
who renounces his country
during a trial for treason, and
is consequently sentenced to
spend the rest of his days at sea
without so much as a word of
news about the United States.
The short story is a work of
fiction with a punishment
that legally could not be sus
tained, yet seems like a fitting
punishment for someone who
utters an oath and shouts, “I
wish I may never hear of the
United States again!” For the
rest of his life, Philip Nolan is
transported from ship to ship,
lives out his life as a prisoner
on the high seas, and is never
allowed back in a homeport.
Though he is treated according
to his former rank, nothing of
his country is ever mentioned
to him. None of the sailors in
whose custody Nolan remains
is allowed to speak to him
about the U.S., and his news
papers are censored.
While at first, Nolan is un
repentant, he becomes sadder
and wiser and desperate for
news. As years pass, he makes
his quarters on the ship a shrine
to the United States and he
asks for a copy of the Presby
terian Book of Public Prayer
and reads the page at which it
automatically opens. "Most
heartily we beseech Thee with
Thy favor to behold and bless
Thy servant, the President of
the United States, and all oth
ers in authority." Nolan dies a
remorseful man and asks to be
buried at sea and have a grave
stone placed in at Fort Adams,
Mississippi or at New Orleans
with the following words:: "In
memory of PHILIP NOLAN,
Lieutenant in the Army of the
United States. He loved his
country as no other man has
loved her; but no man deserved
less at her hands." “The Man
Without a Country” is a moral
ity tale that instructs readers to
guard their words and wishes
and not to renounce the in
stitutions that give their lives
A MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY
strength and structure.
How should a person be
treated who has done irrepa
rable harm and has no remorse?
We find ourselves as a nation in
a place where the leader of our
country has sowed the wind and
we are reaping the whirlwind.
What should happen to such a
person? Should he be exiled,
deported to an island nation
and never be heard of again?
Should he be tried in a court of
law, and if found guilty for his
numerous offenses, sentenced
and imprisoned? Should his
egregious actions,policies, and
words be erased and removed
from the nation’s memory?
Should we act as if the past four
years never happened? These
are real questions facing the
nation. We also must reconcile
why so many citizens identified
with his actions and gave him
support.
Shakespeare often expressed
the depth and breadth of the
human experience. In the play
Julius Caesar, Cassius, a noble
man speaks to his friend Brutus
and tries to persuade him that
it is in the best interest of the
public that Julius Caesar not
allowed to become monarch
of Rome. Brutus is aware of
Caesar’s intentions and torn
between his love of his friend
Caesar and his duty to the re
public. Cassius reminds Brutus
that Caesar is just a man, not a
god, and they are equal men to
Caesar. Julius Caesar, a gener
al and statesman, was popular
with the people because they
approved of his ideas. He
promised much needed reforms
and gained a following. Ro
man leaders seeing Caesar’s
popularity supported him due
to fear or the favors he be
stowed on them. Shakespeare
wrote his play around 1599
and told a story about the years
46-44 BCE (Before the Chris
tian Era). Gaius Julius Caesar
through his popularity played a
critical role in the demise of the
Roman Republic and the rise of
the Roman Empire. Cassius,
in an effort to keep Caesar
from becoming a monarch,
utters a Shakespearean phrase
that has become a caution and
a warning: "The fault, dear
Brutus, is not in our stars but
in ourselves.”
Diana Royal
V-DAY SHOPPING TIPS
Ah, Valentine’s Day. We
either love it or we hate it.
There’s not much of an in
between. For those who are
attached, the holiday can be
somewhat strenuous as folks
shuffle between the traditional
and the creative in an attempt
to find the perfect gift for
the objects of their affection.
You have 11 days left until
the blessed (blasted?) holi
day. Here’s some thoughts
to consider while you’re out
shopping.
Stuffed animals. While these
are perfectly acceptable for
children, it’s really rather both
ersome to give an adult an
inanimate object that’s ulti
mately going to collect dust
somewhere out of sight. Noth
ing says, “I just bought this to
buy it,” quite like a 75-pound
gorilla staring menacingly at
you from underneath a pink
Afro. Or maybe the twerking
llama says just that. Either way,
if it’s too big to fit in the car or
it dances longer than the time it
takes you to shower, don’t buy
it. Chances are, your other half
has already seen it in Walmart
and “pressed here” or watched
a YouTube video of it.
Flowers. I usually say this
typical, go-to gift of (normally)
red roses comes with an un
original stigma; however, 2020
changed me. Buy the flow
ers. Support local businesses
who’ve been hit hard by this
pandemic. They offer color in a
world that’s just not pretty right
now. And they smell good. Do
make sure you write something
special on the card. Don’t just
sign your name.
Dinner. Food is never a bad
idea for a date, but keep in
mind that restaurants are ex
tremely busy (and crowded!)
on V-Day. Maybe less crowded
right now because of the pan
demic, but maybe not. Either
way, you can always inquire
about to-go orders and take
your party to the house or you
can skip a night out altogether
and prepare a special meal at
home. Gift cards will also help
support your favorite local
establishments and promise
a date in the future when the
environment is (hopefully!)
COVID-free.
Gadgets. If you haven’t al
ready bought a million of them
during long quarantine periods,
go ahead and get that noodle
attachment. Or InstaPot. Air
fryer. I also recommend a mini
waffle maker and a Google
search of chaffle recipes if
you’ve not jumped on that
train yet. There is no limit to
the wizardry.
Candy. A word to the wise:
99 cent chocolate tastes like 65
cent chocolate. Get the heart-
shaped Reese’s; they somehow
figured out a way to make them
taste even better.
Jewelry. I’m pretty sure the
most sought after piece is an
engagement ring. This is also
fairly predictable and unorigi
nal, but hey, Feb. 14th is the
day of love, and this year it
falls on the day of the Lord so
go. for. it.
Pets. They all eat, poop,
whine and come with commit
ment requirements. Don’t get
blinded by the vision of a tiny,
clumsy pawed puppy decorated
with a red bow; make sure
whomever actually wants a pet
before you go there.
Pizza and murder mystery
documentaries is a pretty ap
pealing date night activity. I
also think you can get away
with hand sanitizer and a cute
face mask with conversation
hearts all over it.
Just remember it’s time to
gether that really matters more
than anything. All the fancy,
expensive stuff is second fiddle
to the smiles and laughter
shared with someone special,
and right now, as the song
says, “What the world needs
now is love, sweet love. It’s
the only thing that there’s just
too little of.”
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