Sunday, April 17, 2005

The five dead people I'd most like to have lunch with

And I'll clarify that I intend this to be celebrity or semi-celebrity types.

1. John Marshall - He basically set up the separation of powers doctrine as we know it. I'm in complete awe of his mediative ability; that he could come up with a plan that has worked as well as it has, and lasted as long as it has with only occasional bumps. I know there are detractors, and people who think the Judiciary is too powerful, but I also know most of them answer to the word "Congressman."

2. Shaka Zulu - the man took a tribe of 1500 Zulus and in less than 10 years turned it into a nation of over 200,000. His tactics were astounding, to the point that the battles usually were over before they started. I'd love to hear his theories on tactics. interesting tidbit, "Shaka" comes from the word "i'shaka" which means "intestinal parasite," because his parent's marriage wasn't recognized as valid, which made her pregnancy (of him) morally wrong.

3. W. A. Mozart - Brilliant musisian. Party animal. Died too young. 'Nuff said.

4. John Levitow - Lowest ranked airman to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor (not posthumously). I understand it affected his life in ways one can't imagine. I'd like to know what pressure comes with being rewarded and immortalized (he has a leadership award named after him in the Air Force) simply for doing his job. That sounds like I'm selling him short... he did his job exceedingly well and saved several lives, acting reflexivly to through an ignited phosphorous bomb out the door of his plane. He didn't set out that day to become a hero, which is what I meant by "simply doing his job." I'd like to hear what it's like to have lived in his shoes.

5. The Pope. I know he's a recent one, but he was a man whose company I can't imagine not enjoying. I'd be intrigued to hear him speak on most topics. Perhaps someday.

5 comments:

red.hot.mamma! said...

my top 5 would be:

1. emma goldman- i bet she has some great stories to tell.
2. margaret sanger- so i can thank her for planned parenthood & all those free pap smears & birth control i got as an undergrad.
3. billie holiday.
4. alice paul - thanks for the right to vote!
5. bella abzug- feminist, lawyer, civil rights advocate, founder of the women's political caucus.

actually, it's hard to pick from all the phenomenal women throughout history, but those are the top 5 that come to mind.

red.hot.mamma! said...

my top 5 would be:

1. emma goldman- i bet she has some great stories to tell.
2. margaret sanger- so i can thank her for planned parenthood & all those free pap smears & birth control i got as an undergrad.
3. billie holiday.
4. alice paul - thanks for the right to vote!
5. bella abzug- feminist, lawyer, civil rights advocate, founder of the women's political caucus.

actually, it's hard to pick from all the phenomenal women throughout history, but those are the top 5 that come to mind.

Sam said...

1. George Washington: our greatest President and the only reason we aren't speaking British right now. Or something like that.
2. Clarence Darrow: the finest American trial lawyer of all time, and an early ACLU free speech advocate.
3. Robert E. Lee: greatest military mind of all time (sorry Napoleon and Guderian).
4. Ben Franklin: he loved women & alcohol and hated government & taxes. Tell me he wasn’t the first Libertarian.
5. Hitler: I know I'll take some flak for this, but I honestly don't understand how a single person could be so absolutely evil. It would be interesting to see how someone could possibly do such horrible things for years.

particleman said...

1. Noah
2. Dostoyevsky
3. Galileo
4. Gates
5. Cobain

Steve said...

I like these lists.

RHM - Great list. I somehow wasn't too surprised by the names.

Sam - Hitler. I must admit I considered adding him to my list, as well, for basically the same reason. I disagree with you about Lee, though. I think Shaka was superior (just my opinion).

P-Man, I like it. Dostoevsy and Tolstoy are two of my favorite authoris.