Hale fellow well met

7 comments

• 
  Buzz B. , 12:07pm July 12 2015 | Flag as inappropriate

  bobbleheads are for baseball, not real heroes.

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  Eric Metaxas, 12:59pm July 12 2015 | Flag as inappropriate

  I am staggered and profoundly grieved by this... Wow. Here below is what I posted on my FB page today. (https://www.facebook.com/eric.metaxas)

  ***

  Imagine Trayvon Martin as a Bobble-head Doll. Imagine Matthew Shephard as a Bobble-head Doll. Imagine Martin Luther King, Jr. as a Bobble-head Doll. Imagine Daniel Pearl as a Bobble-head Doll. Imagine Harvey Milk as a Bobble-head Doll. Imagine Dietrich Bonhoeffer as a Bobble-head Doll. Imagine the Prophet Muhammed as a Bobble-head Doll.

  When I received my copy of the Yale Alumni magazine two nights ago I was staggered and profoundly grieved to see that the Class of 1975 had as give-aways for their recent reunion created Bobble-head dolls of Nathan Hale, whose statue -- with feet tied together and arms bound behind his back in the moment of his execution -- stands outside Connecticut Hall at Yale, where he graduated in 1773. In that moment as he faced death, so beautifully commemorated by that state, he uttered one of the noblest things any American has ever said: "My only regret is that I have but one life to give for my country." It is a holy moment in our history, that a 21-year-old would die for his country and say such a thing. Even the British were moved by his noble bearing, before and during his moment of death.

  That the YAM so blithely reports on this exquisitely thoughtless desecration of this martyr to the cause of freedom is deeply disturbing and horrifying. May the Class of '75 and YAM reconsider this in a light more befitting Nathan Hale's life and death.

  Eric Metaxas (Calhoun, Class of 1984)

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  Frank Keefe, 1:55pm July 12 2015 | Flag as inappropriate

  im a Brit and have never heard of Nathan Hale...his last words before my country executed him were incredible and noble...Now I dont know what a bobblehead doll is but it looks rediculous and to associate it with such an American hero shows how far America has fallen....no longer are some Americans ashamed of doing things like this I guess this is the nation and people Obama was going to unite....let me tell you as a Brit this shameless act shows it hasnt happened unless of course Obama is united with Yale that this piece of bobble head rubbish is one to be proud of.

• 
  Chris Parker, 1:34am July 13 2015 | Flag as inappropriate

  Seriously? I think someone forgot to do their homework.

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  L R Bellmore Jr, 10:24am July 13 2015 | Flag as inappropriate

  I don't see this as an insult to the Memory, History of our Nation and the Sacrifice of such a great Hero of our Independence. Many US Heroes, Leaders, Film and Sports stars are memorialized with bobbleheads.

  If the Yale Class of '75 intended a bobblehead to denote Nathan Hale as an imbecile, to denigrate a Hero of our battle for Independence from Britain to form our Nation, a choice to discredit a Great American, then I purchased one to demonstrate my honoring his memory.

  Long Live the Republic of these United States and all that Nathan Hale represents to this once great Country. As Nathan Hale pronounced "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!"
  
  Live Free or Die!
  L R Bellmore Jr JD MBA BSME

• 
  Arthur Greenwald, 11:08am July 15 2015 | Flag as inappropriate

  To the Editor,

  I was disappointed to read that Eric Metaxas, '88, was offended by the Nathan Hale bobblehead figure created for the 40th Reunion of the Class of 1975.

  As the person most responsible for the project, I can say that Mr. Metaxas is the first to raise any such objection. Indeed, we've received hundreds of compliments from alumni, the AYA, Woodbridge Hall and even the descendants of Bela Lyon Pratt, who sculpted the original statue.

  It’s obvious to most people that this figurine is by no means a caricature of Hale, the historic figure. It's clearly meant to be an affectionate likeness of an iconic campus landmark. In fact, we worked closely with the manufacturer to balance accuracy with a touch of whimsy.

  Frankly, we’re proud of the final product and honored that it’s already been embraced by other reunion classes and alumni organizations.

  Sincerely,

  Arthur Greenwald
  Reunion Co-Chair, Yale Class of 1975

• 
  N. Miller, 9:06am July 16 2015 | Flag as inappropriate

  Mr. Bellmore:

  Nathan Hale did not say "Give me liberty or give me death!"

  Those words are attributed to Patrick Henry.