To Orwell Today,
re: WINSTON BEGAN DIARY APRIL 4TH

Jackie,

4/4 struck a chord with me today too, although of a dissimilar clock-tick.

The Peace Symbol turned 50 on 4/4, which means that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was assassinated on the tenth anniversary of the peace symbol unveiling:

Three simple lines within a circle -- turns 50 today (supposed to symbolize, you know, peace). Washington Post, Apr 4, 2008

40th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr's death. Voice Of America, Apr 4, 2008

This also means that George Orwell prophesized Winston to scrawl "Down with Big Brother" on the 26th anniversary of the Peace Symbol and 26 + 24 (Nath's current age) again equals 50.

Best regards,
Jim Banholzer

Greetings Jim,

Thanks for pointing out those other April 4th significances, ie that MLK was assassinated 40 years ago on that day (ie 1968) and the so-called "peace symbol" came into being on April 4th in 1958 (50 years ago).

I actually never think of the "three sticks in a circle" as the peace sign. I use the two-finger "V" for "victory" sign interchangeably for peace (which when we think about it, they are, ie the ultimate victory would be peace or the ultimate peace would be victory).

The last communication Bobby Kennedy had with the world was to flash the "V" sign and say "And now on to Chicago, and let's win there". Just two months prior - on April 4th - he'd been the one to break the news of MLK's death to an audience of black people outside a factory who had come to hear him speak (and about which we discussed in an earlier email).

All the best,
Jackie Jura

PS - I noticed another April 4th significant event too. See CHESS MEN STRIP FISCHER

...conversation continues at RFK ON MLK ON APRIL 4