Dac Crossley's Western Blog

The Day of Saint Hyachinth

In Texas it’s San Jacinto Day, with a hard “J” if you please. April 21st, 1836, when the Army of the Republic of Texas defeated a Mexican force and ensured the independence of Texas.

Sam Houston entreated his soldiers: “Soldiers of the Army of the Republic of Texas! I leave you one thought to take with you across the plain of San Jacinto and into the camp of Santa Ana. Remember – the – Alamo.” Thus was born the iconic slogan.

For me, Sam Houston will always be the old actor Richard Dix.

Houston’s army included a squad of Tejano soldiers, Mexican men from San Antonio and environs who supported the Revolution. The General assigned them to the rear guard for the upcoming battle. Their leader, Juan Sequin, refused. They would fight for Texas! Houston handed Sr. Seguin a deck of playing cards. He insisted that each Tejano stick a card into his hatband, so they wouldn’t be taken as Mexican soldiers once the battle started.

As it turned out – not a bad idea at all.

Tomorrow, perhaps I will wear a playing card in my own hatband. In recognition of the Tejanos who put it all on the line for the Republic of Texas.

Dac Crossley
April 20, 2017

“If I owned Texas and Hell, I would rent out Texas and live in Hell.” – General Philip Henry Sheridan, Military Governor during the Reconstruction Era in Texas.

A Day for Planet Earth

Yes, Earth Day approaches again. We first celebrated it in 1970, when enthusiasm for ecology was at its peak. I hope April 22, 2017 finds you ready to meet the challenges we face this year.

I believe we can trace that enthusiasm back to Rachel Carson’s book, “The Silent Spring,” and its challenge to the belief that we could conquer the earth with chemicals. I just read that book again. It’s still good, 55 years later. I was an ecologist at Oak Ridge National Lab in 1962. After “the book,” everyone knew what ecology was all about.

Of course there was a backlash from big chemical companies. Carson was vilified. I experienced some of that. I came to the University of Georgia to teach the ecology of insects. My course got a mixed reception. Students of insect control were pretty sure I didn’t know what I was talking about.

Well, they had a point. I had much to learn.

Now, there’s a pretty general awareness that our planet is in trouble. And again we hear the denials. The most pernicious denial is “needs more study.” No, it doesn’t. We need a plan “B”.

Celebrate Earth Day by reading “The Silent Spring.” Again.

Dac Crossley
April 11, 2017

“If a lie be believed only for an hour, it hath done its work.” – Jonathan Swift.