The Big Book of Grievances

1936

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

It was late at night when the initial count of the votes came in. The Popular Front had defeated the National Front by just two percentage points. The Center only had five percent of the vote, but they would form a government with the Popular Front. Azaña would be prime minister. General Franco, meanwhile, was celebrating his first anniversary as commander-in-chief in North Africa. He knew that the election results would mean being exiled to the Canary Islands — or at least virtually exiled, as he would still have an army. What to do? He knew Mola would also be "exiled," him to Navarre. Franco decided to try his luck. He phoned Mola, and they spoke. After talking about their likely new assignments, Mola said to Franco, We should go camping this summer when we both have leave. Franco agreed. But where? Franco asked. I'll come to Tenerife, Mola replied. And there we shall discuss our hopes.

2005

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

Chad and Steve registered the domain name and talked strategy. A few hours into the work day, Jawed arrived. This is going to be the greatest Web site in history! Chad exclaimed at one point. Steve piped up in agreement. I beg to differ, Jawed said. I don't like it. What don't you like? Steve asked. Well, for one thing, the name, Jawed replied. What's wrong with the name? Chad asked. YouTube, Jawed said. It'll never catch on.

1919 (February 14)

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

General Nadežniy tried his hand just before dawn, breaking through the Polish line at Bereza Kartuska and Most. The day's fighting went well, and the general was drinking a glass of tea and considering where things would go in the future. His adjutant sat across from him while he said, We'll make short work of these Poles. Russia has dominated Poland for centuries. What difference does it make that the government is now Bolshevik? Wilson and those fools in Paris be damned! The adjutant nodded in agreement. Yes, he said, by March we'll be in Warsaw. They clinked their tea glasses as if they were full of vodka. To your health! the general said. Na zdrowie, his adjutant replied.

1692

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

It was the third anniversary of the accession of William and Mary to the throne of England as co-monarchs, and her father's supporters still would not give allegiance to the new regents. King William had a surprise for them, however, and now his plans had come into motion. That night, the leaders of the clans in Glencoe, Scotland, were murdered in their sleep. King William smiled inwardly as he considered their fate. If the didn't give their allegiance to him, he thought, they might as well be dead. They'd either love him or leave this earth.

1870

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:45:00 +0000

No one could believe that they had done it, but they had: The citizens of the Utah Territory had given the vote to women. Nobody was particularly surprised the previous year, when Wyoming had done the same — the first place in the U.S. to give women the right to vote. But Utah? These Mormons held women in submission! detractors said. They have no respect for women. Why would they let them vote? Maybe they'll be less likely to protest their position if they have more rights, others would say. That seals it then, those in the first group would respond. We're never giving the vote to women! God forbid we'd have to marry more than one at a time!

1946

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:38:00 +0000

When news came across that General Macarthur had approved the new constitution for Japan, the people there wondered whether he had inscribed the fate of the Emperor in that document. It was, after all, their national holiday dedicated to veneration of the Emperor. Unfortunately, since the surrender last summer, there had been rumors that the Emperor would renounce his divinity forever. Later that day, someone who was on the constitutional committee leaked a draft of the constitution; it did not state that the Emperor was not divine and no mention was made of that day's holiday. Sadly, when Macarthur sent his military police out into the streets to crush the celebrations, it was clear where the new government would stand on Kigensetsu.

1258

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:04:00 +0000

Hulagu dithered on whether to have Caliph Mustasim executed. His Shia supporters exhorted him to do it. No bad thing happened when the life of Yahya was taken, they told him, nor Isa. And these men were great prophets. Even Hussein's death, the death of the son of the great Ali, went unavenged by God, they said. This led Hulagu to decide to execute his prisoner. He readied a room for him, and once the Caliph was brought there, he greeted him with a platter of gold. Eat this, Hulagu said to the Caliph. I can't eat gold, the Caliph responded, you know that. So why did you amass so much gold? Hulagu asked the Caliph. If you had spent this gold on fortifications for your city, we wouldn't be having this conversation. The Caliph frowned; he knew Hulagu was right. Enjoy your gold, Hulagu said, exiting the cell. Let him starve, he told the guards.

1950

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

The senator had been going on for hours, it seemed to Margaret, and she hoped he would stop soon. It wasn't as if she could get up and leave: She was sitting right next to the lectern where he was standing and orating. Such a terrible bore! Margaret thought. While I cannot take the time to name all the men in the State Department who have been named as members of the Communist Party and members of a spy ring, the senator went on, I have here in my hand a list of 205 . . . Margaret took a hard look at the paper the senator was holding in his hand. It appeared to be blank, but she couldn't be sure.

1601

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

When the Earl of Essex arrived at the palace and demanded an audience with the Queen, the Earl of Salisbury had him arrested immediately. As Essex and his men sat in a dungeon considering their fates, Essex told the men not to worry. If I had a penny for every time I've been arrested, I'd be a rich man! Besides, everyone knows the Queen won't allow a charge against me stand. The men knew he was correct; after all, he'd been arrested just the last summer and the charges hadn't been dropped, but he had been pardoned by Queen Elizabeth. When the word came down to the dungeon that Essex and his fellow were being held over for trial for treason, he could scarce believe it. But she loves me! Essex cried out. She has loved many, Salisbury said when he came down to gloat. And she may yet love many more. Damn her! Essex yelled. Virgin queen, my arse!

1102

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

When Queen Matilda went into labor, King Henry was ecstatic. He would have an heir, and the crown of England would remain in his family — in his line. But when the queen gave birth to a daughter, King Henry's spirits fell. It meant that his nephew, Stephen, still had the legitimate claim on the crown, provided King Henry's brother Robert predeceased him. Queen Matilda looked dour when King Henry entered her chamber. She knew he would be disappointed. We'll have another child, the queen told King Henry. And the next time it will be a boy. And if it is not? King Henry asked his wife. Well then, the queen responded. Then England will have to have a queen instead of a king. Ridiculous! Henry said. No woman shall ever rule England!

1934

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

Nobody expected that the crowd at the Place de la Concorde would be so large, but there they were, gathered together in front of the National Assembly, demanding that the Prime Minister resign. They were shouting, A bas les voleurs! Vive la France! A few were flying the swastika flag of Germany and placards with Chancellor Hitler's picture on them. Inside the Assembly, in his office, Prime Minister Daladier was directing the police actions against the demonstrators, including giving the authorization to open fire. Former President Doumerge was there as well, as was Mr. Blum, chairman of the SFIO. You must not use force! Doumerge told the Prime Minister. It will be your undoing. On the contrary, Mr. Blum said in response. You must use force. To not do so will be your undoing. Doumerge broke in, You are leading us down the road to Moscow! On the contrary, Mr. Blum said again, You — Mr. Blum pointed to the former President — are leading us down the road to Berlin.

1885

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:41:00 +0000

Most of King Leopold's ancestors were Germans, but he didn't like going to Germany. And he hated their Chancellor, that Bismarck. All that blood on his hands from his wars for German unification. Still, Leopold thought, it seemed to be going rather well. For all his faults, Bismarck seemed to be a fair broker, willing to mitigate claims in Africa made by Britain and France in favor of other powers. The final decision they'd brokered promised to Leopold a private expanse in west Africa — a personal possession he could call his own. It would be called a free state, but it would, in reality, belong to him. He smiled inwardly as he considered the implications. Belgium finally had an empire!

1992

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:14:00 +0000

The colonel had led five units into the capital. He was ready to seize, among other installations, the national television station and play a tape he'd prepared, telling the people that President Pérez had been ousted and new elections would be held. Unfortunately, the colonel had overplayed his hand. With only ten percent of the military behind him, his forces were able to take several large cities, but the capital would not fall, and the colonel was now holed up in the national museum. His aides were negotiating a surrender. When word came through that his demands, including one that he be allowed to address the people, were agreed to, the colonel was exuberant. He went on television late that evening and asked his forces to give up. He was surrendering, he told the people, but only for now. Before he was taken into custody, he reminded his top aide that Hitler had failed in his coup attempt. I guess we'll try the democratic route, the colonel said, smiling broadly.

1969

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

After Karameh, the ranks of Fatah swelled. The Israelis had prevailed, but the Palestinians had won a moral victory. Arafat had emerged as the hero, but he still remained a shady figure among many observers. Who was this small bearded man? Nobody knew for sure, though he claimed ancestry from the al-Husseini clan. Chairman Hammuda had invited Arafat's Fatah group to join his umbrella organization; now it appeared he would have to cede leadership of the whole organization to the shadowy man. In Cairo, the Chairman tendered his resignation and Arafat was named his successor by acclaim. Behind the scenes, President Nasser smiled to himself. Speaking to an aide, he pointed to Arafat, saying, With this clown at the helm, we'll never have to worry about a Palestine taking the place of Israel. Better the enemy you know...

1982 (Coming Home)

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

Muhammad had been in the United States for twenty years, leaving his home town in Syria to find a better life in America. And he'd found it, too. He'd started as a cab driver, but he had managed, with the help of relatives back in Syria, to eventually start his own limousine service. Telephones back home were expensive, so he relied on letters to hear the latest news. So when the letters stopped coming, Muhammad got concerned. He booked a flight to Damascus as early as he could and arrived back home on Valentine's Day. He tried to get a bus ticket to his village, but they told him no buses were stopping there. Muhammad was confused. Why not? he asked the man from whom he tried to purchase his ticket. Didn't you hear? the ticket seller asked. Assad moved into Hama two weeks ago to get rid of the Brotherhood. The ticket seller lowered his voice to a whisper. They say no one survived, he said in sotto voce. Muhammad turned without a word away from the ticket counter. He wondered whether any of his family were left. He wished he'd never gone to America in the first place. That way, wherever they were, he would be with them.

1979 (The Imam Returns)

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:01:00 +0000

Reza was stunned. Just two weeks earlier, the Shah had left for medical treatment, and it had become rapidly clear that he was never returning. No more SAVAK. No more torture. Iran would perhaps as a republic. But earlier that day, the Imam had landed in Tehran after fourteen years in exile. And the news was reporting that six million of Reza's countrymen had met the Imam at the airport. Were they insane? Didn't they know what the Imam would do if he got a hold of the country? It would be like Saudi Arabia — only worse. Reza put his head in his hands and wept. He wept for his country — and he wept for Islam.

1919 (January 31)

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:08:00 +0000

When forty thousand workers marched on the city, Secretary Munro knew the situation was serious. This had already happened in St. Petersburg, he thought to himself, and they were tearing up Munich and Berlin as he spoke. He would allow no bloody Bolsheviks to take over his beloved Alba. The first order was to call out the police, which he promptly did. When they arrived on the scene, they were overwhelmed by the number of people they saw, but they tried nevertheless to keep order. Shinwell addressed the crowd on behalf of the workers, and when it appeared that the crowd might explode, the police moved. Lister and his grandfather were at the top of the stairs of the St. Andrew's Halls, and in marching to apprehend Shinwell, Lister's grandfather was knocked down the stairs. The crowd saw what happened and descended on the police. The riot had begun.

1661

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:54:00 +0000

The King had been dead for twelve years, but nobody had forgotten what the Lord Protector had done to him, so, even though the Lord Protector had also died — three years earlier — the new King (the son of the former) had decided the Lord Protector should be hanged, drawn, and quartered. The King had sent men to the Abbey to unearth the corpse. Now they had set up a scaffold at Tyburn and brought the body, along with those of Bradshaw, Ireton, and Pride, for its final reward. They had dragged the Lord Protector's body the two and a half miles to the scaffold. Now they hanged it, though it was unclear how long it should be hanged, the purpose of the hanging here not to kill the person, but rather to bring them close to death. (The Lord Protector was, of course, already quite dead.) Taking the body down from the noose, the Lord Protector's body was castrated and disemboweled, the bits burned before his cold dead eyes. Finally, the Lord Protector's head was cut off, as well as his arms and legs. The Lord Protector's remains, such as they were, were tossed into a common pit along with those of the other regicides. It was a good thing the monarchy had been restored; otherwise, England would have been flung into barbarism.

1998

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:55:00 +0000

Eric was waiting outside the clinic, his hands sweating in anticipation. He watched as women walked in and out. He couldn't believe what had become of American women, so many of them having sex outside of marriage, getting pregnant, and having abortions. It seemed the lesbians were the only women keeping their babies. It was disgusting. Nobody respected life. He looked at his watch. He needed to get moving. The bomb was packed with nails; there would be a lot of shrapnel. He didn't want to get hurt.

1986

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:17:00 +0000

It had snowed that day, so we were let out of school early. My sister was already in college by that point, so when I got home from the bus stop, she was waiting there. The news was on the middle of the day — never a good sign. Did you hear what happened? she asked me. No, what, I said. The space shuttle exploded on takeoff, she said. It's terrible. They're all dead. At first, what she'd told me didn't really sink in. I had never been that interested in the space program. But now these men and women were dead. By the evening, President Reagan had spoken on television and my mother had recounted with Grissom et al. had died on the launch pad in the sixties. And I realized by the time that I went to bed at night that, as long as we continued to try to build a Tower of Babel, we'd be punished for our actions.

661

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:50:00 +0000

The prophet's cousin had been attacked by an opponent two days earlier while praying in the mosque. The wound was not deep, but the assailant's sword was poisoned. Near death, the prophet's cousin called his son to his sick bed. I had decided to forgive my assailant if I were to live, he told his son, but it is clear now that I will die. I will avenge you father, the son said. No, the father interrupted. Do not strike him any harder than he struck me and do not attack any of his followers. If he dies from the stroke, then so be it. If he recovers, then either way, I am avenged. The son asked, And who will lead the faithful when you are gone? The prophet's cousin said, Let is pass to the tribe of . . . But before he could finish his sentence, he died.

1808

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:44:00 +0000

Governor Bligh woke up in a cold sweat, visions of Fletcher Christian in his head. Remembering where he was, he rose and went over to his desk. He remembered he was to summon Macarthur to have him answer charges. When he arrived in his office, he was informed that Major Johnson had ordered Macarthur released. A few moments later, sentries arrived and put Governor Bligh under arrest. This is mutiny! the governor cried out as he was being led away. Mutiny, I say! No, one of the sentries pointed out. This is not mutiny. It's treason.

1327

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:36:00 +0000

Queen Isabella had told her son that he was now the King of England. But the King my father is still alive! young Edward protested. The King your father, Queen Isabella responded, is a sodomite and a weakling. It is you that should be king. Edward continued to protest. But I am still a boy, only fourteen! You are old enough, Queen Isabella assured him. Besides, she continued, you will have me and the Earl of March to help you. And what of the King my father? Edward asked. The Earl will see to him, Queen Isabella said. The Earl smiled. So did Edward. If he was king, he could take care of the Earl.

1918

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:31:00 +0000

I don't understand! the commissar yelled out. How can we just erase two weeks? We're not erasing them, the chairman said. We're adjusting the rest of the world. We're on the vanguard! the commissar continued. The rest of the world should follow us! But w can't do that, the chairman said. And why not? the commissar asked. The acting finance minister stood up. Look at it this way, he said. If we move the calendar back two weeks, that's two more weeks of pay that the people will demand from us. If we move the calendar forward, however, we get two weeks' reprieve from state salaries. The commissar nodded. I withdraw my objection then, he said.

1533

noreply@blogger.com (Marco Kaufman) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:22:00 +0000

The new queen had been late with her period before, but she was waking up nauseated. The king was certainly potent — that much was sure. She had resisted his advances until he had married her, but the marriage had not been made public yet. She pondered the fate of predecessor, still considering herself married to King Henry and referring to herself as the Queen. She was a sad woman, and all because she could not give the King a son. But I will, Anne, thought to herself. I will give Henry a son and I will be the Queen of England for the rest of my life. She thought she felt the baby kicking her, but then she realized it was too early for that.