Saturday, February 23, 2008

I bet you're wondering what Fifth Generation Leftist Means.

I would be. But then, I'm naturally inquisitive. And talkative.

Fifth Generation Leftist is a reference to my family history, on both sides, distaff and spear. My ancestors are more interesting than those in my extended family today, unfortunately. Once the "Greatest Generation" people died out...well not many good stories left to hear. I am the baby out of my first and second cousins, and an only child. They are 18 to 25 years older than I. Though oddly, I know much more about the family history than they do, for I actually listened. I spent a great deal of time with the old folks-the family members who were born in the 19th century, who remembered the Depression, who fought in WWI, who were suffragettes, and in a couple of instances bootleggers, who kept detailed records, pictures, diaries, and had been as curious as I was when they were young children. They had had the opportunity to sit at the feet of the women who were the first American Feminists, and men who were Abolitionists, grandchildren of people who fought in the Revolution. As you can gather, we've been in America a really long time. The earliest they could trace was 1632.

These people I come from all fell under what is considered the left side of the political spectrum. Thank God. So therefore, I am the fifth generation leftist in my family tree.

No comments: