Originally constructed to span the Trinity River in Arlington, this historic bridge was later relocated to Euless, where it crossed Bear Creek on Main Street. In the 1970s, it was replaced by a modern structure designed for greater traffic capacity. Rather than being dismantled, the bridge was preserved and moved to South Euless Park, where it now stands as a cherished historical landmark.
Iolani Palace stands as one of the few remaining vestiges of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi—a stunning architectural gem nestled in the heart of Honolulu. While its beauty is undeniable, the palace also serves as a powerful symbol and reminder of the colonization and forced overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom by the United States. It's a painful and shameful chapter of American history that must not be forgotten or glossed over.
I’ve always found it deeply ironic that the first official state visit by a foreign head of state to the United States was made by King Kalākaua of Hawaiʻi in 1874. Just 19 years later, the very kingdom he ruled would be overthrown, its sovereignty dismantled, and eventually absorbed as a U.S. territory—ultimately becoming the 50th state in 1959. The story of ʻIolani Palace is more than just a relic of the past; it is a testament to resilience and a call to remember the truth of what was lost.
For the enslaved people who toiled on these grounds, this tower was not just a structure; it was a tool of control. Its bell dictated their days, signaling when to work under the relentless Caribbean sun. Upon emancipation, most bell towers like this were destroyed, symbols of oppression too painful to preserve.
This one survived—saved because its owner was considered ‘nicer’ than most.
Coming from a state with its own deep and painful history tied to slavery and the slave trade, I have visited many places that played a role in this unimaginable chapter of human history. No matter how uncomfortable it is, no matter how much it hurts to confront the past, we must not turn away.
We must remember.
We owe it to those who lived and those who died in slavery—to acknowledge that they existed, that they were people deserving of the freedom that was stolen from them. We owe it to those torn from their homes and families, to those who perished on the voyage, chained in the depths of ships.
Yes, these are difficult truths to face.
But while history may not repeat itself, it does rhyme. The only way to prevent the horrors of the past from resurfacing is to teach them, to remember them. In doing so, we honor those who suffered—and, hopefully, we ensure that no one else, now or in the future, endures the same fate.
My state and country has a sad history of ignorance and racism. I am not proud of this portion of history, it is a sad fact that many of us still deal with in many ways. I have seen the racism of my own race, and I have experienced racism of other races. I will never understand the hatred that people can have for each other, and how one can think of other humans as inferior… this kind of thought escapes me. I once read that scientists believe that every human on the planet is at least 50th cousins to each other human on the planet. I like this, it means that if we all want to be or not, we are one family… we need to start acting like it. We need to learn to put differences aside, and past history into the past, and we need to move forward together. 
For most of my adult-life I have fought a loosing political battle to make downtown Jackson someplace to be proud of. Historically Jackson was a very beautiful city, the original plans called for every other block to be a park, and for all the streets running a certain way to be named after rivers. Today Jackson is a far cry from what it was meant to be, the downtown financial district is in basic need of revitalization, and our own short sightedness has caused our capital city to be a disappointment. We have no real skyscrapers, nor is there a real demand for them, we have large abandoned buildings downtown, we have no places to visit downtown, the only surviving planned park is the poorly maintained smith park, and we allow hoodlums to run free. I had hoped that Frank Melton would do something about this, and he has done some great things… as well a lot of not-so-great things, but nothing has been done to really turn our downtown into something that would draw businesses our tourists into the area, it is really sad that we are the largest, and ugliest city in our state. Our own politicians allow the “moral-majority” to run things, when what we really need is something to increase revenue so we can boost our economy and revitalize our capital city… why not put a few casinos in the Pearl River, or even God forbid in the ABANDONED King Edward Hotel? What could it really hurt? Except maybe a few Christian’s feelings that we would allow Satan a place to play in Jackson, and by Satan I mean those very Christians that spoke up against it, but would still go and gamble. Why not pass a bill that would bring businesses downtown, and allow the facades of some of the buildings to be rebuilt or revitalized, why not have some sort of downtown tourist center something to bring people and their money to Jackson,. Why let the coast and Vicksburg get all the money… why? It makes no sense. But that’s politics for you.