Maybe it’s an omen: so many good things happening on this date in years past:

• In 1776, Rhode Island became the first colony to renounce allegiance to George III.
  
  On this 250th anniversary of that momentous occasion, perhaps we could take the hint and continue the “No Kings” trend.
  

• In 1929, Audrey Hepburn was born.
  
  She graced the world with her beauty, her strength (surviving World War II in Europe), her kindness, and her talent.
• In 1948, Norman Mailer’s first novel, “The Naked and the Dead,” was published.
  
  And the world discovered another great writer.
• In 1956, Gene Vincent recorded “Be-Bop-A-Lula.”
  
  Okay, so they weren’t all great. But sometimes just having fun is enough.
• In 1994 — also in the “just-for-fun” category — a member of the U.K. Parliament introduced the pun, “May the Fourth be with you.”
  
  It was, of course, a pun on “May the Force be with you” from the “Star Wars” movie. And he was speaking, not about the film, but about U.S. President Reagan’s proposed Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), which was being humorously referred to as “Star Wars.” It was corny, as are most puns; but it stuck, ad it has carried over to this day.
  

• In 1961, the first Freedom Ride departed from Washington, D.C. — 13 young people, headed for New Orleans, beginning a crusade that has gone far, but hasn’t completely ended yet.
  
  We could use more of these, for slightly different — but all too similar — reasons.
• In 1959, jazz singing great Ella Fitzgerald became the first Black woman to win a Grammy Award.
  
  Long overdue, and much deserved. A true historic landmark.
  

• In 1990, an electric chair malfunctioned in Florida.
  
  A horrible incident, but with the beneficial result that it led states to change their methods of execution. Unfortunately, it hasn’t led to the total elimination of capital punishment.
• In 1904, the U.S. officially acquired the Panama Canal, which might otherwise never have been completed. Its beneficial effect on world trade cannot be overstated.
  
  In 1979, during the Carter administration, the U.S. agreed to transfer management of the Canal to Panama. And now the Trump administration wants to reclaim it. Indian givers!
• In 1994, Israel’s Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat signed an accord for Palestinian self-rule.
  
  Well, it was nice while it lasted.
  

Those were such different times. But wouldn’t it be nice if we could only . . . well, you know.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
5/4/26