Those who know me-- know me to be fair, honest and balanced concerning the history of Bonnie & Clyde. However not all who study this history, exhibit what I believe a requisite impartiality-- in order to report events "as they were" vs the way some wish events to have been. In fact, dealing within the history of America's most notorious 1930's outlaws-- may be one of the most polarizing experiences in all of historical studies.
Sometimes impassioned debate concerning Bonnie & Clyde history, spills over into verbal combat and even physical threats being made-- within Bonnie & Clyde cliques concerning the most miniscule of detail. For it seems those passionate about this history, choose sides faster than a pick-up basketball game-- ripe with loyalist images of either the "ruthless yet venerable" outlaws or "Saint-like" lawmen to cajole even the calmest of individuals into uncharacteristic action.
This brings me to the topic of birthdays. Bonnie & Clyde aficionados familiar with this blog surely know-- I rarely bring to the fore any reminder of birthdays within this history regardless of individual. I do so deliberately-- for I don't feel it right to highlight birthdays within an historical forum. I leave that to those, who feel idolizing Bonnie, Clyde, their cohorts or the "God-fairing" adversaries who fought them-- the right thing to do concerning this history. I do not.
It does seem, those who immortalize Bonnie & Clyde-- almost always post birthday wishes for the loving but murderous pair, without mention of the many they killed-- and thus ignoring birthdays those folk's & families never got to celebrate, within years surely lost in having been snuffed out by members of The Barrow Gang. Of course, those with a soft spot for Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow-- will wheel out any number of "esscuses" for the actions of their heroes, in having killed others so callously or out of "necessity".
"They just had to kill you see-- but the way they killed wasn't murder, it was self-preservation". And so goes some twisted logic. But you know, with a suicide pact in place-- at any time, Bonnie & Clyde could've ended their suffering and the suffering of others due to their actions.. but apparently-- that thought never came to mind, or if it did-- gained no traction.
However, I will point out and I believe most fairly-- that economic pressures caused by The Great Depression, "were" surely catalysts for lawlessness and a monumental skewing of normal social norms-- a mutation of admirable human behavior into much less than such, perhaps unequaled in at least American history. So is it right to celebrate the birthdays of Bonnie & Clyde?? For their families.. of course. But for the rest of us, in deciding whether or not to celebrate the birthdays of those who deprived so many others of their big days-- a question that perhaps merits thought.
That being said-- as many have so passionately reminded us of the birthday of Clyde Barrow having just past-- I once again find it a good thing, to remind all of those who lost their lives at the hands of the iconic outlaws many wish to ascend to pedestals-- at least when birthdays roll around.
It does seem, those who immortalize Bonnie & Clyde-- almost always post birthday wishes for the loving but murderous pair, without mention of the many they killed-- and thus ignoring birthdays those folk's & families never got to celebrate, within years surely lost in having been snuffed out by members of The Barrow Gang. Of course, those with a soft spot for Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow-- will wheel out any number of "esscuses" for the actions of their heroes, in having killed others so callously or out of "necessity".
"They just had to kill you see-- but the way they killed wasn't murder, it was self-preservation". And so goes some twisted logic. But you know, with a suicide pact in place-- at any time, Bonnie & Clyde could've ended their suffering and the suffering of others due to their actions.. but apparently-- that thought never came to mind, or if it did-- gained no traction.
However, I will point out and I believe most fairly-- that economic pressures caused by The Great Depression, "were" surely catalysts for lawlessness and a monumental skewing of normal social norms-- a mutation of admirable human behavior into much less than such, perhaps unequaled in at least American history. So is it right to celebrate the birthdays of Bonnie & Clyde?? For their families.. of course. But for the rest of us, in deciding whether or not to celebrate the birthdays of those who deprived so many others of their big days-- a question that perhaps merits thought.
That being said-- as many have so passionately reminded us of the birthday of Clyde Barrow having just past-- I once again find it a good thing, to remind all of those who lost their lives at the hands of the iconic outlaws many wish to ascend to pedestals-- at least when birthdays roll around.
John N. Bucher-- Hillsboro, Texas 4/27/32
Eugene Moore-- Atoka, Oklahoma 8/5/32
Howard Hall-- Sherman, Texas 10/11/32
Doyle Johnson-- Temple, Texas 12/26/32
Malcolm Davis-- Dallas, Texas 1/6/33
John W. Harryman-- Joplin, Missouri 4/13/33
Harry McGuinnis-- Joplin, Missouri 4/13/33
Henry D. Humphrey-- Alma, Arkansas 6/26/33
Major Crowson-- Huntsville, Texas 1/16/34
Wade McNabb-- Near the TX/LA border 3/29/34 **believed by some (including me) to warrant inclusion in this list
E. B. Wheeler-- Grapevine, Texas 4/1/34
H. D. Murphy-- Grapevine, Texas 4/1/34
Cal Campbell-- Commerce, Oklahoma 4/6/34
Along with all who now have passed concerning this history-- may God rest your souls in peace.
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