Yufster Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 I've grown extremely fond of history, especially stories of great revolutions. The particular man I'm researching at the moment is Michael Collins. His story was a constant rollercoaster of bravery, hope, dispair, love, hate, war, peace, trust and betrayal, and at the end, of tragedy. Oh, and betrayal. I've even searched public records for evidence of correspondence between Michael and other individuals. His charismatic and upbeat, lively personality is evident quite clearly both through his own writing, and the writing of other people of him. For instance, he was once in a public house with Dan Breen, as they were planning some IRB event. Black and Tans marched in and ordered drinks, and then sat down with Michael Collins and started talking in a drunk manner, unaware that he was the very man they were looking for. They had every intention of beating him up as was normal for Black and Tans to do back then... and then Michael began entertaining them with jokes and conversation. Eventually they were laughing and joking with him. Michael excused himself to go to the toilet, with one parting laugh and joke, and never came back. Narrow escape stories like this litter the story of his life, and every one is both funny and witty. And then there are priceless quotes like, when Winston Churchill asked Michael Collins why he had assassinated the 14 RIC men that led to the bloody sunday shootings, Michael replied: "Well, I heard those old fellows had a nasty shock in store for us, so I gave them a nasty shock back, first." Or the most memorable line (Also used in the movie), "You can arrest me. But when I'm gone, who'll take my place?! Who'll take my place!!!??" (This, when said with a cork accent, is absolutely hilarious, as well as being one of the most inspiring moments in irish history) In my eyes, the story of Michael Collins is so romantic and tragic and touching, Shakespeare truly could not have done better. But d00d! That is t0tally like, the true h34rt of a r3b3l! Who's your particular revolutionary hero? I've grown to admire the many revolutionarys and rebels that have graced history over time, and if there's any that you know of and you would like to share their story, please do. Somebody mentioned Louis Riel earlier; I'm currently looking him up. And d00d! Michael Collins is just so, like... cool! And so the people said, quite good looking. Yum. The perfect rebel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaper Girl Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 Colin did MORE then that. click me My hero? Erm... hmm... ...a man who walked alone... ....on the lonely path.... ....with a sycthe in hand... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamNMax Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 Nixon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernil Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 We're studying European Revolutions of that time right now in World History. I'll ask Mr. Preister. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yufster Posted November 20, 2003 Author Share Posted November 20, 2003 Do watch the movie, Michael Collins. I'm not fond of the way it characterizes Michael Collins, but it's a lovely introduction to the Rising and the War of Independence in Ireland. Unfortunately the movie, in my opinion, makes Collins too docile, and doesn't really show enough of his savage and ruthless side. But especially for somebody who has no prior knowledge of the war, it's a good starting point and for the most part, historically correct. Except the ending, which is guesswork on the part of the director, as there is much dispute about the manner in which he died. Also, the movie doesn't seem too kindly about the RIC. Many RIC members actually aided the Volunteers, and were kind to their prisoners. The Black and Tans and Auxilaries were the truly horrific forces. Revolutions are so damned interesting and awe inspiring. I don't know whether this is a good or bad thing, but my mother told me that if anything like that ever happened again, she wouldn't doubt for a moment my ability to fight and kill. I'm a "passionate, fiery redhead" except, I don't have red hair. I'm not sure if my mother knows this, perhaps I shouldn't mention it. Quite frankly, I can't even see myself being able to kill in cold blood. But what would I do if I were in 1916 Ireland? Well join the Cumann na nBann, probably! Ha ha. No, let's assume there was equal rights and all back then. Yes, I think I could have taken up arms. And killed. I love pondering situations like this. The research on revolutions caused me to research modern revolutionaries, and one of these groups is the IRA. Love them or hate them, they're revolutionaries. My own personal feelings for the modern branches of the IRA are disgust, or at least they were until I read a little about them. You can't really hate a person or people, until you know what they're fighting for, and while I don't approve of the IRAs methods, at least I know what they're fighting for now. D00d, it's an age old battle! If they didn't kill civilians, I'd have respect for them. One part of history I've never liked is the religious part. I was bored stupid by the ... god, I've even forgotten what it was called. Martin Luther, John Knox... those guys. Mored absolutely crapless. Because as an agnostic/athiest/whatever, it's always seemed pointless to me. They break away from one church to start up their own church with infinitely worse rules. It's a painful circle. I could never stand this part of history. Ack. But there's something beautiful about hearing how your ancestors fought for our freedom. Like, my great, great great grandfather... he told Michael Collins not to go to Cork that day. And Collins said, "Sure, they wouldn't shoot me in my own county!" but he was wrong, and my great, great great grandfather was right, and that day, Collins was ambushed and killed a few miles away from his birthplace. My great great great Uncle was a gun-runner. He got weapons for the IRA and smuggled them into and around the country. My other uncle was a messenger, and carried messages written in burned cork (???) on his back. He used to consult Collins on shipments and stuff like that. This was on my MOTHERS side of the family. And interestingly, my OTHER great great great grandfather was stationed in the Dublin RIC. There is a possibility that one of my great great great uncles from my fathers side also was one of the Auxilaries, so more than likely my great great great ancestors met at one stage (My irish family are dubliners). It's a really amazing thought. Hm, does anybody else have any roots in revolutions? I love history Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shivermetimbers Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 William Tecumseh Sherman. I did a term paper on his march through Georgia last year. He truly was a very effective war general, and not at all as awful as he may seem. I read a very long volume of all of his letters during the Civil War. It's kind of odd to see exactly what his orders were, and exactly what was going on at the time. In one there was even a description of what he wanted when he was sent a new horse (I loved that letter). I think that most people can be interesting in some way or another... you just have to dig. The only people who aren't interesting are those who have done nothing at all, and they are the ones who no one will remember anyway becasue they aren't worth remembering. Common people who did soemthing in their life will always be remembered by someone, or have their name written down somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinkie Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 My heros Harrison Ford Tommy Shaw Jack Blades Ed Roland Teddy Roosevelt These men should own the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yufster Posted November 20, 2003 Author Share Posted November 20, 2003 Yup Shiver, he does sound interesting. I'll put him on my list of "look me ups". Mick Collins wasn't as bad as he can often me made out to be either. He even did little things like, when they were burning the Commons house, he ordered the IRA to take out the civilians first. The Civilians who were actually working for the English. They even allowed people to get their hats and coats first. Or when Eamonn de Valera went to America, Mick Collins risked his life every week to visit his family and bring them a present. People often forget that great war generals may have been effective leaders, but they were also people with feelings and friends and laughter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scabb Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 Heracles was the guy. He impregnated all 50 of King Thespius' daughters in one night, became insane and killed his wife and kids, and just kicked ass during those twelve labours. A real hero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Jones Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 petzi der bär macgyver INDIANA JONES bud spencer terrence hill the "first man on the moon" peoples dagobert duck micky maus macgyver mr. spock fix&fax macgyver die digedags die abrafaxe guybrush threepwood INDIANA JONES macgyver my uncle macgyver INDIANA JONES err.. yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yufster Posted November 21, 2003 Author Share Posted November 21, 2003 I just saw the whole movie of Michael Collins for the first time, and ahhh! The ending is so sad! If only Julia Roberts hadn't ****ed up by not changing her facial expression more than twice during the whole entire movie. The ending was complete guesswork and whatever information was available on the true death of Collins, was kinda exaggerated. I mean they added this scene where De Valera practically ordered the assasination of Mick, and then he started crying and weeping and sobbing and gasping for breath. It was just so like, "WTF???". If they wanted to make Dev cry pathetically, why didn't they make him cry at the Dáil meeting only a few scenes before, where it is a historical fact that he did, in fact, burst in to tears. (Ha Ha Ha) In reality the ambush lasted about half an hour. The popular and probably most truthful story is that then, Michael stood up and got shot in the head. They didn't do a dramatic death scene in the movie, but instead just showed it from the snipers point of view; You see the tiny figure of Mick Collins in the distance, running between shelters for just a second. The young man fires, and you see Mick turn and twist, and that's it. I guess it just shows that it was truly luck on the snipers part, and bad luck for Mick. Which it truly was. On the other hand, we'd been shown all these IRA events in horrific detail right up until the moment when we have to say goodbye to Micks character, when we're just shown an inch high figure collapsing. WTF? This was the worst 'historically correct' movie since Elizabeth (Which assumed, among other things, that she screwed that guy like a shameless hussy that she was, and that her servants were having it off with each other left right and centre. Even though the movie didn't show Micks Ruthless side, and exaggerated Dev amazingly, it was still Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philocleon Posted November 21, 2003 Share Posted November 21, 2003 Well, here are mine Socrates. Really shook things up in Athens Peter the Great. He dared to show Russia what their neighbors to west were. Lenny Bruce. During a time when America was largely conservative and no one dared to speak out against the establishment and question what's really going on, he did. He paved the way for such comedians like Richard Pryor and Chris Rock. Frank Zappa. His music is really out there, but making music was something he absolutely loved and he kept on making it his own way despite what people said about him. Josip Tito. I don't know much about the guy, i'm not a fa of communism, but the only thing i know about him is that when Stalin told him to fall in line with the rest of the eastern bloc satellites, he refused to do so and did things his way. That's the only reason why I like him. That he refused to be a puppet of Stalin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akril Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 He's not exactly a hero as much as an idol...and a pretty unnoticed one too...but I'll mention him anyway. Nikola Tesla. He was awarded the patent for the radio (that's right, him, not Marconi), he invented alternating current, sketched up some designs for florescent lights, which weren't invented until years later, and a whole lot of other stuff which was either "stolen" by someone else or completely ignored. And he had a sense of humor about it. Gotta acknowledge this guy. Akril Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alia Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Nikola Tesla? I seem to remember him having his own thread once...*is momentarily haunted by Yufster's voice* You have unleashed a demon, man. Run! Hmm. I don't have many heroes as such, but there are a few I can think of. One of them being that old redheaded bitch Queen Elizabeth I. I loved reading books about her, and then reading books about Mary, Queen of Scots, and then comparing the way she was portrayed in both. It really makes you wonder how much of any biography is up to the author. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yufster Posted November 22, 2003 Author Share Posted November 22, 2003 Nikola Tesla Nikola Tesla Nikola Tesla Nikola Tesla Crotch, Nikola Tesla. Crotch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernil Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 :stash2: Yufster....I've decided that when you posted Nikola Tesla Nikola Tesla Nikola Tesla Nikola Tesla Crotch, Nikola Tesla. You tipped over the edge to insanity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshi Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Homer Simpson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yufster Posted November 22, 2003 Author Share Posted November 22, 2003 Definitely me. Whoops, I mean Alia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alia Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 Yufster's never been less than a mile away from the point of insanity. She's that far on the other side. I, on the other hand, dance on the line almost daily. Since I'm Yuf's puppet, I must say how much I admire me....I mean, her. Yeah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernil Posted November 22, 2003 Share Posted November 22, 2003 I admire whoever sat down one day and thought up the Polka-Dance. And Polka Music. And everyone who listens to it. And everyone who reads this post, thinking about it. I admire you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinkie Posted November 23, 2003 Share Posted November 23, 2003 Sammy Hagar - He was awesome with Van Halen and with a quote like "Tomorrow may not never come" who couldn't respect him? (CURSE YOU EDDIE VAN HALEN!!!!!) Come on reunion...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Burger Posted December 3, 2003 Share Posted December 3, 2003 i'll save this one.... (jeezis skinkie. way to drop the ball.) my hero is hidden far away... but someday i may tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernil Posted December 3, 2003 Share Posted December 3, 2003 a tale of metal tangle, when into your world I fell? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoom Rabbit Posted December 3, 2003 Share Posted December 3, 2003 Martin Luther. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernil Posted December 4, 2003 Share Posted December 4, 2003 Timothy Gillespie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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