Footprints In The Sand

by D.S. Matteau

The images in the right, under this title, are screenprints taken from publically available websites that mention Thom White and his work. Some of them have notes added in red. Some of the very people who appear to have been his friends in life were adamant that he not be remembered in death. I never understood this. I finally decided that it does not matter. What does matter is that those few who have denied that he even existed are proven wrong. No human soul that has lived on this good earth can be expunged.

I, myself, cannot sort friend from foe among the people who surrounded Capt. White. Some of them were frightening in real life, and continue to be. That is why I finally decided to post the screens as I find them. If anyone objects to having a certain name visible in the body of the screen, I can easily block it out. Just post a comment to me requesting that the name be covered in the image.

My use of those screenprints is common jounalistic use protected by free speech and unconnected to any monetary gain. The single charity named is the scholarship fund that was set up in Massachusetts by Capt. White's professional colleagues who are not connected to this blog site in any way, and whose link I chose to place out of simple respect for those who wish to remember Capt. White in a tangible way. I receive nothing from that link. I did not ask their permission to refer whoever reads this blog over to them. I do not need it. It is my right to exercise free speech and to identify any direction a visitor might choose to take. It is their right to accept or reject visitors' donations as they choose.

I received a note from their email system referring to my announcement of this blog as "spam". No one from their organization contacted me and the rejection did not appear to have been an automatic filter. If someone representing that organization wants to correct any misunderstanding, they can post a comment here to that effect.

Because my search for information about Capt. White's death happened after 9/11, new rules began making it difficult for private citizens to discover the circumstances of a friend's death. I was uneasy with what was said to me about the circumstances surrounding Thom White's death. Almost no one has been willing to speak about him. I cannot sort out whether certain people deliberately lied to me, or passed on lies that they themselves received.

The biggest lie is that Capt. White never existed. That is the one lie this blog can overcome.

Another lie is that his work did not matter. That is the second lie this blog can overcome.

A third lie seems to be that a few strange individuals can claim ownership of other peoples' lives and memories just by using cult-like tactics to break up and damage their relationships in society. That may be the most important lie that this blog will overcome.