Friday, February 18, 2005
Great Parrotheads In History - Volume IV: Theodore Roosevelt
This pre-concert portrait of our 26th President was painted by
Marvin Gardens in 1903, and today hangs in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.
Teddy Roosevelt (1858-1919) had that adventurous spirit that is so often found in Parrotheads of his ilk. Hey, the guy practically invented National Parks and wildlife refuges, places where people traditionally go to kick back and have a good time. In fact, I'll bet you didn't know that the first wildlife refuge came to be when Teddy designated Pelican Island, Florida as a bird sanctuary. The guy loved animals. He especially liked to shoot 'em and eat 'em, making him an early supporter of P.E.T.A. (People Eating Tasty Animals).
OK, so there was that whole thing with the Spanish in Cuba, and the charge up San Juan Hill during the Spanish American War. The Spanish have been getting their asses kicked by Parrotheads for centuries. But once he became president, he pulled our troops back out of Cuba, because he didn't think an American "empire" in the Caribbean was such a hot idea. Teddy understood that it's more of a fruit-drink and hammock kind of place, you see. In return, those pholks down there took our old American military fuel drums, turned them into steel pans, and started making the music with them that we all love today.
The Navy even named a ship after Teddy. Of course, it's an aircraft carrier. What else could it be? Nautical stuff, aircraft, Calypso music, the Caribbean, conservation, and national parks for laying out and enjoying life. How much more of a Parrothead can a guy be? Hell, one of his biographies is entitled "The Joy Of Life." The Crime Dog, as they say, rests his case.
