YOU SAY POTATO, AND I SAY POTATOE

A Few Things To Be Thankful For (Harley Sorensen, June 9, 2003, SF Chronicle)

I finished last week's column (a listing of negative events in America during my lifetime) with the suggestion that some day I might write a similar column about positive events.

As a matter of fact, many wonderful things have happened here since I was born. So, by popular demand, I'll list a few of them. And, just offhand, I'm guessing my "positive" list won't be the same as yours.

* Prohibition repealed.

* Social Security enacted.

* United States enters World War II.

* Reconstruction of Japan and Germany.

* A Roman Catholic is elected president.

* The U.S. Supreme Court applies the Constitution -- in particular the Bill of Rights -- to all American citizens.

* Rosa Parks starts the civil rights movement.

* The women's movement begins and takes hold.

* Baby boomers start a movement of their own; many become hippies and flower children.

Not surprisingly, I think every one of those was at least a mixed blessing, if not an outright mistake. Posted by Orrin Judd at June 9, 2003 2:14 PM