WILL ROGERS—AN AMERICAN ORIGINAL WE HAVE FORGOTTEN

Will was a great American as well as a great humorist. He was at the top of his game 70 years ago as the conscience of America, when we really needed him. We could use him at this time as well. His values were ultimately human and he was a link to the original Americans. He was born in Cherokee territory in Oklahoma and achieved fame as a cowboy, vaudeville showman, stand-up comedian, philosopher, syndicated columnist and radio personality, and even movie star.

We as Americans trusted him intuitively because he was non-partisan and had no enemies anywhere in the world. His method, he said, was “simply to try to keep the truth.” He lived out the American dream of success and he did it without resorting to violence, hatred, or exploitation.

There are books full of his wisdom and humor and some of the ones that stand out include: “Whoever wrote the Ten Commandments made ‘em short. They may not always be kept but they can be understood. They are the same for all.”
“Ninety percent of the people in this country don’t give a damn. Politics ain’t worrying this country one tenth as much as parking space.”
“Lord, the money we do spend on government, and it's not one bit better than the government we got for one third the money twenty years ago."

We miss him in this time of strife and terror and anger and crowding and just bad judgment. He could certainly lift our spirits.