A trip to the big easy
In a few hours, I’ll be on my way to New Orleans, a place I’ve yet to visit. Louisiana is one of four states I have yet to see, so I’ll also be knocking off another state. It’s the little things, you know.
Because of its location at the mouth of the mighty Mississippi, the Big Easy has been a significant city in the history of our country. It is also known as the birthplace of jazz and has more nicknames than any other major American city.
At the time of the Revolution, New Orleans was still under Spanish rule, but the Louisianians were sympathetic to the 13 Colonies because Spain was always in conflict with Britain. Though it was technically illegal, the Louisiana Governor supplied arms and gunpowder to American troops. He also shipped medicine and clothing up the Mississippi to George Rogers Clark, a Revolutionary officer on the western front. In 1779 Spain also declared war on Britain, and it became legal to aid the Colonies in the war effort, but there was a story before the story.
The Crescent City was even more important in the War of 1812, once again against those rascally British invaders. After defeating Napoleon, the Brits mounted a three-pointed attack against Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and New Orleans. We won the first two battles (Steelers and Ravens fans, that should make you happy), most famously the battle for Baltimore when Francis Scott Key penned the Star-Spangled Banner, but now the British wanted to capture the port of New Orleans and gain control of our new vast purchase of land in the west along with the supply lifeline, the Mississippi. If they had won, things would be very different today.
However, a Major General named Andrew Jackson, later to become President, led a ragtag group of soldiers, including formerly enslaved people, frontiersmen, Choctaw Americans, and aristocrats, who successfully repelled the invaders. Old Hickory, as he was called (And he wasn’t called that because he was a nice guy), had been held prisoner during the Revolutionary War, and he had a score to settle with his opponents from across the pond. The famous pirate John Lafitte’s men also helped Jackson repel a force twice their size. Frontiersmen, who honed their shooting skills in the woods feeding their families, were deadly shots and nearly 2,000 British Soldiers became casualties, including many officers. Once again, Americans decided they would not speak with a British accent! (Saints fans can be pleased as well).
The Big Easy also played an essential role in our World War II victories on both the European and Pacific fronts. In Travel Industry Today, one columnist writes, “In the 1940s, New Orleans helped shape World War II and played an essential role in securing the Allied victory. Home to Andrew Higgins and Higgins Industries, over 12,500 LCVP’s – more commonly known as “Higgins Boats” – were constructed in New Orleans. Higgins boats were used in every major American amphibious operation in both Europe and the Pacific. The Higgins Boats were so instrumental in securing an Allied victory, that General Eisenhower credited Higgins as “the man who won the war.”
New Orleans also lays credit to the first documented Opera performance, ten Superbowls, the largest exporter of frozen poultry in the country, has over 35,000 buildings on the National Historic Registry, boasts ten universities and colleges, and is the number two importer of coffee which puts this town way up there on my list of significant cities.
But it is so dog-on hot in the summer! That is why now is an excellent time to visit the French Quarter and Bourbon Street. There will be plenty of fantastic music, jambalaya, creole cooking, and those heavenly beignets!
It’s rather impressive how this 300-year-old city affects our world. Much of the world’s populace would recognize the town called “New” Orleans, named after a famous French Regent but also a city in France famous for being freed by Joan of Arc.
Lots of folks are not much interested in history, and I think I get it. Too many history teachers and professors turned unique and critical events that shape our destiny into utter boredom, which is a crime, in my opinion. My son-in-law, a high school history teacher, makes the study come alive, and his students love it. History is alive! You and I live in it and make it every day. And the maxim is accurate in that those who are ignorant of history are doomed to repeat it. Sometimes, when current events take a seemingly tragic turn, and people are in an uproar as if this is the worst thing that’s ever happened, he shakes his head and smiles. “You have no idea,” he’s thinking.
“Okay, Hamilton,” you’re saying, “Nice history lesson, and I’m happy you are getting to visit the Big Easy. Hope you have fun. But what’s your point?”
I’m glad you asked.
What we read in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is history as well as religion. Why? You cannot separate the two. Every page contains stories of real people trying to figure out their lives and their faith, just like you and me. If you fail to recognize this fact, the words of Scripture become lifeless; simply a list of dos and don’ts that have no substance in reality. Bible characters become “caricatures” instead of flesh and blood mortals creating history. When reading about these characters, it is tempting to immortalize or demonize them, neither of which is accurate.
Peter was a great person of faith but also a loud-mouthed, petulant, overbearing, over-confident man at times. It is not helpful to only think of him as Saint Peter. At times, he was anything but a saint.
David was a man after God’s own heart and yet a womanizer and brutal conqueror. He lived many days in depression, and we are the lucky recipients when we read his writings in the Book of Psalms. It is helpful to enjoy his contributions, though, as a real person of history.
Joseph, God's human stepfather, is rarely mentioned after the child’s birth. Is that a raw deal, or what? He seems to have done a pretty good job of raising the Son of God.
James, Jesus’ brother, was embarrassed by his sibling until, one day, his mind changed, and he became the leader of the church.
Elijah, the prophet, a faithful, obedient, and extremely powerful person, became totally exhausted doing “God’s work” until he finally sat down under a tree begging to die!
Moses: what can one say? A miracle worker with a bad temper. “This guy is ticking me off; I’m going to kill him!” And he did. “I’m so stinking sick of these reprobate people; I want out! Go find somebody else to walk around the desert for forty years.” “What! I led this bunch of yahoos out of Egypt and around the desert for forty years, and You’re not letting me into the Promised Land?! What is up with that?” Try to read into the account, the possible thoughts and feelings of the character, and you will learn helpful lessons.
James and John were called “The Sons of Thunder” by their leader, who just happened to be Jesus. I’m thinking they didn’t get that name for being nice guys. At one point, they actually argued about being seated on the right and left of the King of Kings, while the other ten were as ticked off at them as you could get.
When it says that Jesus was royally ticked off, it means just that. You know what that feels like, right? But do the same things that made the Son of God angry tick you off? Good question. It took some real chutzpah to go into the public temple and start turning over tables and yelling at people for capitalizing on the religious system. His loud comment was that this place was supposed to be a place of prayer for all people, and you’ve turned it into Vegas! Is your church, your home, a place of prayer for all people? A thoughtful question I conjure.
Well, time for me to hit the road. I’m staying in an Airbnb in the French Quarter, which appears to have the architectural charm to set the atmosphere for my visit. Meanwhile, I’m hoping to run into at least one of the famous folks of the city, like Nicholas Cage, Sandra Bullock, Reece Witherspoon, Payton Manning, Brad Pitt, Emeril Lagasse (I hope I am invited to dinner), Drew Brees, or Lil Wayne. I think it would be fun to enjoy a Hurricane with Peyton Manning, especially since he won a ring while playing for my birthplace, Indianapolis.
History, including that recorded in the Bible, is stories about real people navigating their lives just like us. No matter how “great” they appear, they all have profound foibles, like you and I. Keep that in mind, and you will appreciate their contributions which will take on a deeper meaning.
And never underestimate what even a tiny little village can contribute to history. I think Bethlehem did okay.
Live Inspired,
Don Mark
