History of the Day: 11/24

Happy Evolution Day! On this day in 1859, Charles Darwin published On the Origin of the Species. Ever since then there have been those who mocked evolution, those who mocked those who mocked evolution, and, as always, those who mocked everyone. In other evolution history, Austrolopithecus afarensis, named Lucy after the Beatle's song, was found on this day in 1974. I suppose she had kaleidoscope eyes ... and was tripping.

On this day in 1963, Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald on live television. Eat your heart out, Jerry Springer! In other conspiracy news, Joseph Mobutu seized power in the Congo and became president in a coup sponsored by the CIA (showing their characteristic knack for choosing the worst person possible to back). The first thing he did was rename himself Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu Wa Za Banga or "The all-powerful warrior who, because of his endurance and inflexible will to win, goes from conquest to conquest, leaving fire in his wake." The next thing he did was rename the country Zaire. Then, he embezzled public funds, conducted public hangings, and generally acted like a tyrant for over thirty years until being overthrown by rebels in 1997. When questioned about his rampant evil, he replied:

When a chief takes a decision, he decides - period.

In other words:

I'm the decider.

Happy birthday to Baruch Spinoza, born on this day in 1632. His name is the Hebrew variant of Barack, which means "blessed." Baruch made the mistake of thinking, including postulating that only matter is eternal. If that is the case, then matter is god which is, of course, pantheism. Proving that Jews can be every bit as intolerant as anyone else, the Jewish community issued a cherem against him, kind of a writ of excommunication. It said:

With the judgment of the angels and the sentence of the saints, we anathematize, execrate, curse and cast out Baruch de Espinoza, the whole of the sacred community assenting, in presence of the sacred books with the six-hundred-and-thirteen precepts written therein, pronouncing against him the malediction wherewith Elisha cursed the children, and all the maledictions written in the Book of the Law. Let him be accursed by day, and accursed by night; let him be accursed in his lying down, and accursed in his rising up; accursed in going out and accursed in coming in. May the Lord never more pardon or acknowledge him; may the wrath and displeasure of the Lord burn henceforth against this man, load him with all the curses written in the Book of the Law, and blot out his name from under the sky; may the Lord sever him from all the tribes of Israel, weight him with all the maledictions of the firmament contained in the Book of Law; and may all ye who are obedient to the Lord your God be saved this day.

Hereby then are all admonished that none hold converse with him by word of mouth, none hold communication with him by writing; that no one do him any service, no one abide under the same roof with him, no one approach within four cubits length of him, and no one read any document dictated by him, or written by his hand.

Ouch! Baruch, who renamed himself Benedict (which also means "blessed"), later reasonably said:

I have laboured carefully, not to mock, lament, or execrate human actions,
but to understand them.

Well, that's his first problem right there! Even though he was hated by his peers, he is much beloved today. Jorge Luis Borges wrote this poem about him:

Time carries him as the river carries
A leaf in the downstream water.
No matter. The enchanted one insists
And shapes God with delicate geometry.
Since his illness, since his birth,
He goes on constructing God with the word.
The mightiest love was granted him
Love that does not expect to be loved.

Even Einstein, not known for his poetry or fits of passion, wrote the following lines in a copy of Zu Spinozas Ethik:

How much do I love that noble man
More than I could tell with words
I fear though he'll remain alone
With a holy halo of his own.

Happy birthday to Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the French artist born on this day in 1864 whose works you've probably seen. And another one to Scott Joplin, the Ragtime composer born on this day in 1868 and best known for Maple Leaf Rag and The Entertainer. On this day in 1572, John Knox died. He was largely responsible for the introduction and eventual dominance of Calvinism/Presbyterianism in Scotland. In his final will, he wrote:

None have I corrupted, none have I defrauded; merchandise have I not
made.

which sounds suspiciously like the 42 Negative Declarations of Ma'at. I wonder if he was a closet Egyptian. As for whether he was a good influence on Scotland or not, I relate this story. I visited several monasteries in Scotland. In one, there were some high crosses which had been smashed by Knox's people. In another, there was a head of a statue of Jesus which had been knocked off by others Knox had inspired, and thrown down a latrine. I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

Diego Rivera, another revolutionary, died on this day in 1957. He was the husband of Frida Kahlo, and a muralist.

Finally, Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of Queen (who was born in Zanzibar!), died on this day in 1991. Of his band, he said:

The concept of Queen is to be regal and majestic. Glamour is part of us, and
we want to be dandy.

He succeeded. I leave you with a fitting Queen melody: Who Wants to Live Forever?