JW's who come from families that lived through the Depression.

by Glander 3 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Glander

  My parents and Grandparents were JW's who came to California, Grapes of Wrath style, from Texas and Oklahoma and experienced the double and triple whammy of the depression, the dust bowl and when the war came several went to prison for 2 yrs. My father suffered serious physical assault for holding the Watchtower on the street.

  I have almost finished reading "The Worst Hard Time...the untold story of those who survived the Great American Dust Bowl" by Timothy Egan.

  Powerful compilation of real individual stories of hardship. I can see how those under the thrall of JF Rutherford could cling to the apocalyptic cult out of absolutely hopeless outlook of that time.
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  Violia

  Both GF's died early largely due to such extreme stress the great depression brought on. GP/parents lived through real persecution due to being jws, including prison, mob attacks. I can myself recall the first few years in school the hatred of teachers as they punished young kids b/c they did not salute the flag. Those who served time in prison were criminals and treated as such.

  My father could not watch the movie "grapes of wrath"b/c he had lived through it and it was just too painful and real. Living was often one meal at a time and was mistakes not made and sometimes sheer luck.

  I hope this country nerver has to see another Grapes of Wrath . We are a weak bunch and not sure we would survive. Our parents and GP are a part of what Tom Brokaw called " The Greatest generation" .

  I will get the book you mentioned, thanks. I can still see the fear in my fathers eyes when he tried to recall the horror of those times. It was so painful he could barely speak of it, His goal was always to pay off all your bills and "hunker down " and try and live through it all. We would call that ptsd now.

  And yes the traveling colpoulters ( sp ( as they were called at that time) gave hope of a new system where tears would be no more. they gave hope to folks who were as down and out as Joad in GOW.
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  Violia

  here is Wiki on the Dust Bowl , there is a picture on the right hand side that has come to typify the Great Depression and the displaced families due to the dust bowl. What a environmental disaster it was. I saw some discussion on the book asking if perhaps hurricane Katrina could be compared to the Dust Bowl . I think that is a possibility.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_Bowl

  also here is a discussion with the author . I thought this was very interesting.

  http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/readers_guides/egan_worst.shtml
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  Violia

  Glander,

  I am nearly through reading " the Worst hard time" by Timothy Egan. I knew a bit about the stories from the Dust Bowl, but it was much more awful than I could have imagined. I can still see the fear in my dad's eyes at the mention of that time period, his youth.

  " Hunker down" an expression I heard a lot and noted it is used in the book at lot.

  Thanks so much for the link to the book. This should be required reading along with the " Grapes of Wrath".

  wow Boise city OK really was No man's land.