Day: February 25, 2023

Sanditon Character Review: Captain Declan Frasier

The schedule for the Character Review posts will be changing to Friday (or Saturday at the latest from now on).

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the book and the television show Sanditon. Read at your own risk if you have not watched the show. There is something to be said about a well-written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front of us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

It’s hard to watch the one you love love someone else. There are only two things that can be done. The first is to try to move on. The second is to hope and wait that this person returns your affection. In Sanditon, Captain Declan Fraser (Frank Blake) is in love with Alison Heywood (Rosie Graham). But Alison only has eyes for another soldier, Captain William Carter (Maxim Ays).

Like Colonel Brandon before him, he is a stalwart to the end. Captain Fraser knows Captain Carter’s history, but remains silent. When he and Alison initially meet, he acts as if he doesn’t care. She thinks he is rude. Though he drops breadcrumbs about his feelings, Alison cannot see that he loves her. It is only after Alison nearly drowns and is saved by Captain Fraser (Captain Carter cannot swim), that truths are revealed. When we last see the Captain and Alison, they are married and looking forward to whatever life may bring.

To sum it up: Sometimes we have to get to know a person to truly know them. The slow revelation that is Captain Fraser reveals an honorable man who loves deeply and puts others first. This maturity and understanding mark him as a man worthy of Alison, but a husband (and future father) who knows where his priorities lie.

Which is why he is a memorable character.

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I Agree With NJ’s Media Literacy Bill

Media literacy is defined as follows:

The ability or skills to critically analyze for accuracy, credibility, or evidence of bias the content created and consumed in various media, including radio and television, the internet, and social media.

Last month, New Jersey lawmakers passed a bill requiring media literacy as part of the K to 12 curricula. The statement from Governor Phil Murphy is as follows:

“Our democracy remains under sustained attack through the proliferation of disinformation that is eroding the role of truth in our political and civic discourse,” Murphy said in a statement. “It is our responsibility to ensure our nation’s future leaders are equipped with the tools necessary to identify fact from fiction.”

With misinformation (also known as fake news in some circles)becoming the standard over the last few years, it is easy to become consumed and question reality. While there are many Americans who are lost to these lies, we can still educate the next generation to prevent them from spreading even further.

In the Garden of the Righteous: The Heroes Who Risked Their Lives to Save Jews During the Holocaust Book Review

What is right and what is easy are two different things, specifically when it comes to making difficult decisions. Sometimes, you have to follow what you believe is right, even when it goes against the grain.

In the Garden of the Righteous: The Heroes Who Risked Their Lives to Save Jews During the Holocaust, by Richard Hurowitz, was published last month. The author tells the story of individuals who put their lives and the lives of their families in peril to save as many Jews as they could. Among the people profiled are Irena Sendler, Aristides de Sousa Mendes, and Gino Bartali.

Hurowitz did his homework. Each person is given the full workup. Their tales are told in human terms, revealing the person behind the story. Their bravery is one for the ages. They knew that the Nazis were bloodthirsty and barbaric. And yet, they put the lives of others before themselves. For that, they are true heroes and deserve the title Righteous Among the Nations.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

In the Garden of the Righteous: The Heroes Who Risked Their Lives to Save Jews During the Holocaust is available wherever books are sold.

The National Day of Hate is a Warning We Ignore at Our Own Peril

Red flags exist for a reason. They tell us that something is coming up that we need to pay attention to. If we choose to look away, we may not be able to prevent disaster.

Today, according to some Neo-Nazi groups, is supposed to be the National Day of Hate. As of last night, there were no specific locations or people named as targets. That does mean, however, that we should not be on our guard.

Across the country, Jewish institutions and law enforcement are on high alert.

If this is not the sign we need that antisemitism in the US (and the rest of the world in general) is right in front of our faces, then I don’t know what else needs to be said. I don’t want to be an alarmist unless it is necessary. But this is a necessity. It is akin to the Nazis burning books in the 1930s while the other nations remained silent.

Like many Americans, I was taught to believe in a nation of tolerance, equality, and understanding. While it is not all sunshine and roses, I still hold some hope that our ideals can still be achieved.

Today, that hope has faded a little. I don’t want to give in to the haters, but being afraid to go outside is a sure sign that they have won. The only way to stop them is to come together and say that they are not welcome in this country.

If they think that they have won and I will change to fit their perspective, they are wrong. I a Jew and I am proud of who I am. If you don’t like it, you know where you can go.

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