(originally published August 8th, 2005)

History can be a funny thing. The most recent history usually takes precedent in the minds of most people because they can put their finger on it more readily. Because of this, there are people who think the proliferation of personal computers is a bigger scientific achievement than man landing on the moon., Alex Rodriguez is better than Willie Mays, and Lord of the Rings is better than Citizen Kane.

It is in that vein that I acknowledge August 8th in three stages. I acknowledge the passing of Peter Jennings today at age 67, the first of the powerful anchorman triumvirate to leave even though he was the last to leave his post. I acknowledge this as the 31st anniversary of Nixon resigning the presidency in scandal and shame. And I acknowledge this as the 60th anniversary of the last atomic bomb dropped on anyone, in this case Nagasaki (although, for those in Japan, the bombing happened on August 9th).

I would venture to say that for the next 5 years Jennings will be most prominent in people’s minds. Whereas I respected Jennings, I don’t know that I could say this is as significant as Nixon resigning. And whereas I remember that, and how weird it felt at age 14 hearing that the president of my country was actually resigning, I really don’t think it was as significant as 150,000 people dying at one time.

Another part of me wonders if significance has to be given to one over the other. Each is historic in its own way, on its own merits. Is it really fair to try to compare each of these to the other, since they’re so different from each other?

Let’s just say that I’m sad for each of the events to have happened, and move on.