Brilliant Thoughts

Brilliant Thoughts In Passing Born London, 1933. Mother Canadian. Father a British civil servant. World War by Ashleigh Brilliant Donald Lee Margerum II childhood spent mostly in Toronto and Washington, D.C. Berkeley PhD. in

American History, 1964. Living in Santa Barbara since 1973. No children. Best-known for his illustrated epigrams, called “Pot-Shots”, now a series of 10,000. Email ashleigh@west.net or visit www.ashleighbrilliant.com D onald Lee Margerum passed peacefully at home in Montecito, California on May 24, 2020. He Thought Crime and Hate Crime lived a long and beautiful life, and was ready to leave this life as his health declined. I n 1949, the British writer, George lived in Germany throughout the war, Don was born on March 29, 1926 in Orwell, published a novel titled and continued to philosophize when Ferguson, Missouri to parents Donald 1984 – the name of a year which it was over, with an academic reputaCameron Margerum and Ida Lee Nunley. was then as far in the future as it tion more or less intact. His early years were spent in Ferguson is now in the past. The society he There is a song I have always liked, with his younger twin brothers, Dave and depicted has been characterized as a called “The Vicar of Bray,” which covDale. Don was interested in science and “dystopia,” meaning the opposite of ers a period of English History, from aviation from a young age, flying model a Utopia. about 1660 to 1720 – i.e. a single lifeairplanes and building toys for himself

The name “Utopia,” the title of a time – in which there was a change and his neighborhood friends. His interbook by the English statesman, Sir of regime no less than five times, ests led him into a degree in electrical Thomas More, (whom you may involving, each time, both religious engineering, initially from University of know, from representations in various and political changes. In each verse Missouri, and then to Northwestern for his Master’s Degree. After serving in media, as the “Man For All Seasons”) of the song, The Vicar of Bray retains the Navy, Don married the love of his life, Barbara Barden, and they moved is actually a pun, meaning either “No his church position only by ostensibly to California to start a family and a new life in Los Angeles. Place” or “Good Place” – depending changing his religious and political Don had an illustrious career, making many bold moves that got him on how you spelled it in Greek. But views. To give you a taste of this bitnoticed by various aerospace engineering firms and held several microwave the rulers of society in Orwell’s 1984 ing piece of wit, I will quote just the patents. His chapter in the book Microwave Scanning Antennas was a profeswent so far as to create their own lanlast stanza, in which King George I, a sional accomplishment of which he was very proud. guage, called Newspeak. And one of Protestant from Hanover, is now the He eventually founded his own company, Raven Electronics, in Burbank, the words in its extensive vocabulary reigning monarch: California where he and his team worked to develop proposals for governwas “Thoughtcrime,” meaning to harment defense contracts. bor thoughts not in accord with the The illustrious House of Hanover, and Don and his wife Barbara moved to Santa Barbara in 1978 when Don was doctrine of the regime. Protestant Succession, approached by Raytheon, where he worked until retirement. Not long after

In a kind of anachronistic irony, To these I do allegiance swear – while moving to Santa Barbara the family purchased a small wine shop called Thomas More himself, some four they may keep possession –the Wine Cask and over the next 30 years his initial investment grew into a centuries earlier, was guilty of that And in my faith and loyalty I never revered restaurant and food and wine destination. very crime. Although he had mainmore shall falter, Don was an avid tennis player and sailor, enjoyed chartering boats for tained a good personal relationship And George my lawful King shall be – family vacations and sailing competitively with his son, Doug. He loved with his sovereign, King Henry VIII, until the times do alter. fly fishing and pursued the outdoors every summer at their cabin in and had risen to the position of Lord Colorado. He loved his involvement with the Aspen Institute, his passion High Chancellor of England, he was We, in this country today, are for undergrounding electrical utilities in Montecito, his book club, his in strong disagreement with Henry’s encouraged to believe that thoughtMen’s group, the Unitarian Society discussion groups and VISTAS lifebreaking away from the Church of crime was just a figment of Orwell’s long learning. Don loved all sweets, especially coconut ice cream, and Rome, and with his divorcing one wife imagination. You can think whatevalways had a full cookie jar. in order to acquire another. Thomas er you like, we are told. But when Don is survived by his wife, Barbara, children Hugh (and wife Carol), More generally kept these thoughts it comes to expressing unpopular Doug (and wife Marni), and Amy (and husband Gilchrist), his four grandto himself – but, despite very strong thoughts, we run into speechcrime. sons Lyle, Slater, Remy, and Evan. pressure, including imprisonment, Yes, I know, freedom of speech is a The Visiting Nurse and Hospice providers at VNA Health in Santa Barbara and the pleadings of his own famicherished American ideal. But a new provided exceptional care in Don’s final days, and in lieu of gifts, donations ly, he refused to sign certain papers concept has emerged – that of hatecan be made to VNA Health or to the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara.•MJ signifying his approval of the King’s speech – which gives us hatespeechactions. This was ruled to be tantacrime. Even in 1984, hate, per se, mount to treason – for which, in 1535, was not criminal. In fact, there was a Santa Barbara Life Beachball Contest he suffered the penalty of death by daily period of Two Minutes of Hate, beheading.

In the years since then, Thomas More has been canonized as a Saint by the Catholic Church – and even the for expressing antipathy towards the ruling party’s enemies.

The kind of hatespeech which many countries – even democracies – now

Find the beachball and tell us what page it's on in this edition of the Montecito Journal - Visit SBLIFE.COM with the correct beachball page number and enter to win Dinner for and a romantic cruise on the Condor Express! 2 Soviets included his name publicly on ban, although they define it in difCongratulations to our May winner - Kimi Mater an obelisk celebrating revolutionary ferent ways, usually concerns broad thinkers (presumably for his “comdislike of certain ethnic, religious, or Brought to you by: and munistic” attitude towards property cultural groups. Antisemitism is the rights, as expressed in “Utopia”). But classic example. But hatespeech can the thinking of “politically incorrect” thoughts remains a hot issue into our even apply to individuals, in such forms as online bullying. WENDY GRAGG own time. When brute force is at the disposal of those in power, open dissent becomes, to say the least, a risky

Our thoughts cannot yet be mechanically read – although that time is surely coming. But even today, in 805. 453. 3371 business. In Nazi Germany, there were our Sweet Land of Liberty, not all Luxury Real Estate Specialist for Nearly 20 Years millions who survived only by not hatred is illegal. In fact, a recent revealing their true feelings. Martin President (George H.W. Bush) pubHeidegger, the great German philoslicly expressed his hatred of broccoli 4 – 11 June 2020 opher, however, managed to stay on good terms with the Hitler regime, • The Voice of the Village • – and was not impeached. (But what if it had been a hatred of peaches?) •MJ MONTECITO JOURNAL 27 Luxury Real EstateSpecialist Lic #01304471 www.DistinctiveRealEstateOnline.com