 As a child the word ‘Feminist’ meant little more than hazy black and white images in the newspaper. Images of semi-hysterical women, mouths agape, angrily screaming towards the photographer’s camera, all the while burning their undergarments and waving placards expressing solidarity with other women doing the same. These newspaper photos generally sat next to similar photos showing angry mobs of long haired people calling for the United States to get out of Vietnam, or Laos, or Cambodia or some such place that meant not much more to me than coloured countries in the Atlas. These events in the news barely registered on my radar. I was collecting stickers and articles about the race to get to the moon, Sputnik be damned!
Then, as I grew into a teenager I became more politically and socially aware. I didn’t fully understand why the US was in southeast Asia, but I knew that all those fellows around my own age shouldn’t be forced to be there, killing and being killed. I sure as hell wouldn’t have wanted to be told I had to go! As for feminism, my first real exposure to the concept of what was happening was John & Yoko’s song on their 1972 release Sometime in New York City. “Woman is the Nigger of the World” sent shock waves around the world! I might add that in this day and age of ‘political correctness’ that song would be censored as entirely offensive to just about anyone! But the truth of the matter is this; it took courage to call out the wrongs of the world, and it still does. Their song coupled with an increasing understanding of the ways of the world, nudged me into looking a little deeper into the issue of women’s rights. I was in grade nine. In its essence, women’s rights meant equality with men. Imagine my shock when I realized that women did not have equal rights with men! Let me back up a bit…I was raised in a (I think) typical Newfoundland family where mother and sister had every bit as much say in the domestic affairs of the household and anyone else. Everyone was expected to pull their share of the weight (I am guilty of evading the dishwashing whenever I could, but that was not a gender thing, it was a ‘teen doesn’t want to do it’ thing – besides, I shoveled my share of snow). My environment was apparently way ahead of a large portion of the world in terms of gender equality, I just didn’t realize it. It was only later that I clued into the fact that women actually had to organize into the Suffrage Movement and fight for the right to vote in Canada, something they were denied until 1916 and in some provinces even later. The story is a similar one in those one would consider ‘forward thinking’ countries worldwide. More shockingly, in some countries women are still treated as chattel! Once I grew up (or what passes for growing up...let's call it 'aging') I soaked up some experiences, managed to get an education, became more 'worldly' and have concluded that I was born and raised, and most certainly still am, a Feminist! I believe in equal pay for equal work; equal rights and equal opportunity. In fact my line of business is very heavily loaded on the masculine side (shipbuilding and technical design) but in the thirty odd years that I've been in this racket there's been great strides towards gender balance in all of the engineering fields. Not only that, the capacity that I normally work, as a contractor for hire, the women that do the same work as I get exactly the same rates! I'm not saying that this is always the case but its been my experience that this is so. And if it isn't it certainly should be. I have a son and daughters, equally sharing in all that I have and I've raised them to respect one another as people, and to respect others as people, not on the basis and bias of gender. I hope that I've instilled a work ethic that will help them get what they desire and I see no reason that either of them, son or daughter, should tolerate anything less than total equality. Men and women are different in many ways, but not in equality nor gender based rights. These rights are Human Rights and we should all live by them. I know lately that there's been some conflict in the press where female journalists have been ridiculed, put down, harassed and have had many other distasteful acts prosecuted against them. To those women I say Keep it up, do not bow down to the bullying of anyone who would see you belittled, and accept nothing less than total respect. And also take strength that you are not alone in this. There are far more feminists than there are antagonists in a true free society. I remember an old cigarette advertisement (Virginia Slims?) that stated “We’ve come a long ways baby”. Well, that's true, although having equal rights to die of lung cancer is not much of an endorsement in my mind. But there's still a long ways to go.
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Well, the sign of a good summer is the lack of online activity as far as I'm concerned. I'm still on the road 'building boats' but managed to get a few trips to the cabin and a few after work activities. Not enough activity ... but...as the weather cools ... Anyways, last trip we went on a short hike, related as follows: On a beautiful August morning we set off from the cabin on Random Island to hike up to the site of the 1953 US B-36 ‘Peacemaker’ crash, a trek we’ve been meaning to make for a couple of summers now. Finally the stars aligned and the opportunity presented itself so off we went, not really knowing what to expect. The drive took about an hour from Weybridge, off the island and onto the old Bonavista Highway for a short distance. Veering off to follow the road out the north shore of Smith Sound nearly down to its termination in Burgoyne’s Cove, Trinity Bay. Burgoyne’s Cove is on the map mostly because it is the location of one of the best ‘purple & green’ slate quarries around these parts. The rock in the quarry has adorned houses and public buildings far and wide, and also is historically sort of famous for helping to add to the proof of tectonic plate theory (the rock has been matched with slate found in Wales in the UK, showing that the Atlantic Ocean has been widening for ages and ages). More recently and more tragically, Burgoyne’s Cove is also known for the crash of a Cold War era US Bomber with the loss of all 23 airmen aboard. The aircraft was on a top secret mission to test the north American air defense systems as a part of number of bombers flying a mock bombing run at the United States. The operation was to fly from the Azores at 500 feet, effectively below radar, and once over continental US, climb to 40,000ft and head over several cities and states. The crews were to fly by ‘dead reckoning’ which relies on celestial navigation and accurate weather forecasts. Sadly, on the night of March 18 the mission had neither the stars nor the weather in their favour. The plane was hundreds of miles off course and flying blind when they slammed into the ridge of hills above Burgoyne’s Cove and Nut Cove. The tale is related in much more detail in a book by Tom Drodge entitled ‘Under the Radar: A Newfoundland Disaster’ published in 2011, for any who may want to delve deeper into the tragedy. A further tragic footnote to this event is the loss of another US aircraft sent out to search from the base in Stephenville, which has never been found. Also there are many accounts online should one want to read the musings of visitors such as ourselves. The entrance to the trail is marked by a small sign, leading to an almost immediate uphill climb through deep woods, loose rocks and exposed roots. It’s well marked and there are several benches to rest along the way. It is a steep climb for probably a kilometer or more. Then, near the top, the trail widens into a plateau and we began to see debris. I was expecting a few twists of metal, not the thousands of bits of wreckage strewn over the hilltop! It is quite sobering to think of the violence that happened here that night, in the storm and snow.  After the climb it begins to level out. The first piece of debris sits propped up unnaturally against a tree.  Once at the top, there's a clearing covered in mosses and blueberries and other vegetation. Our eyes were not quite ready for the sight of so much destruction from so long ago. This is a tailpiece torn to shreds on impact!  On the tailpiece there's a plaque that explains the tragedy and gives the particulars of that type of long distance bomber. Note also the scratches all over the fuselage...visitors that somehow felt it appropriate to desecrate this scene with their 'Look at me! I was here' BS.  The tailpiece and most of the debris lies in a valley of sorts. I'm told that the rest of the aircraft blew all over the hills and into the bogs beyond. Further up the hill, above the wreckage there's a monument to the fallen airmen, overlooking the peaceful waters of Smith Sound.  I am standing near the monument and looking out over the site. The tailpiece is there on the right. The other shiny items are pieces of the plane...thousands of them, from gnarled engines to tiny shards of plate. We took a lot of pics but there's too much to show here. If you really want to get a good look at this site, and it is worth the climb, you should visit. The day we were there we ran into 4 other people who shared much the same feelings. One fellow was talking of returning with a drone to fly over the entire area. Maybe it will pop up on YouTube one of these days. Who knows?
Also there have been many other visitors over time. I'm sure we all have come away with a solemn feeling in our hearts. It's indescribable really, except to say "Rest in Peace gentlemen." |
AuthorSnowden Walters Archives
July 2020
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