{"id":508,"date":"2015-05-01T20:45:13","date_gmt":"2015-05-01T20:45:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/?p=508"},"modified":"2015-10-15T04:19:16","modified_gmt":"2015-10-15T04:19:16","slug":"on-johnny-yuma-was-a-rebel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/?p=508","title":{"rendered":"On “Johnny YUMA was a rebel…”"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Nick<\/p>\n

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“Nick Adams as Johnny Yuma from the television program The Rebel<\/strong>…”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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Wikipedia:\u00a0 The first episode was set in early 1867, with Johnny “returning to his hometown nearly two years after the end of the war.\u00a0 His father, Ned Yuma … had been killed by a gang that took control of the town.\u00a0 Dan Blocker of ‘Bonanza’ fame plays the gang leader… ”<\/p>\n

Which is being interpreted:\u00a0 Who knew?\u00a0 Hoss<\/strong> as a gang leader?<\/em><\/p>\n

On that note, consider this from an old <\/strong><\/em>Seinfeld<\/strong><\/em><\/a>:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

KRAMER:\u00a0 You go to Tor Eckman…\u00a0 He\u2019s a herbalist, a healer…\u00a0\u00a0 JERRY:\u00a0 Eckman?\u00a0 I thought he was doing time?\u00a0\u00a0 KRAMER:\u00a0 No, no, he\u2019s out.\u00a0 He got out.\u00a0 See, the medical<\/span><\/a> establishment, see, they tried to frame him.\u00a0 It\u2019s all politics.\u00a0 But he\u2019s a rebel.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 JERRY:\u00a0\u00a0 A rebel?\u00a0 No.\u00a0 Johnny Yuma was a rebel<\/strong>.\u00a0 Eckman is a nut\u2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"HeartSee Seinfeld Scripts \u2013 The Heart Attack<\/a>.\u00a0 Which brings up another note:\u00a0 The only connection between Johnny Yuma and Jerry Seinfeld is that the latter finally<\/em> gave the former some long-overdue props<\/a>;\u00a0 “due<\/span> respect;<\/span> proper<\/span> recognition.”\u00a0 But that wasn’t the only Seinfeld <\/span>homage<\/a><\/em>:<\/span><\/p>\n

In [another] episode of Seinfeld<\/strong>, Kramer absent-mindedly sings the theme on the phone after he’s put on hold.\u00a0 It might have … been a bit of improv<\/a> by Michael Richards, an actor old enough to remember when the show starring Nick Adams originally aired.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

(See Hell\u2019s Unutterable Lament: Nick Adams was a rebel<\/a>, which added that the star of the series – Adams – died at the age of 36, in 1968, a mere seven years after the series ended.)<\/p>\n

Two points.\u00a0 One is that true<\/em> rebels tend to die young.\u00a0 (Think James Dean<\/a><\/em>.)<\/p>\n

The second is that we’re fascinated<\/em> by rebels, a term defined at least two ways.\u00a0 One way says a rebel is a person who “refuses allegiance to, resists, or rises in arms against the government or ruler of his or her country.”\u00a0 (Dictionary.com<\/a>.)\u00a0\u00a0 The alternate definition – and by far the more popular these days – is of a “person who stands up for their own personal opinions despite what anyone else says.”\u00a0 See Urban Dictionary<\/a>, which added:<\/p>\n

It’s all about being an individual and refusing to follow a crowd that forces you to think the same way they do even if it means becoming an outcast to society.\u00a0 True rebels know who they are and do not compromise their individuality…<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"\"You may think all this is something new under the sun<\/a>, or just the province of beatniks<\/a> and other weirdos.\u00a0 But consider Ralph Waldo Emerson<\/a> (at left), and what he said some 174 years ago:\u00a0 “Whoso would be a man, must be a nonconformist\u2026<\/em><\/strong>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 (See also \u201cI pity the fool<\/a>!”)<\/p>\n

But we digress.\u00a0 (Sort of<\/em>.)\u00a0 We were talking about Johnny Yuma, as a rebel who finally got some due recognition from Seinfeld<\/a> some 35 years after Nick Adams’ TV series ended. \u00a0 And as noted in\u00a0Hell\u2019s Unutterable<\/a>, above:\u00a0 “It helps that the theme was sung by Johnny Cash, a bonafide music legend…”<\/p>\n

(For a “live” performance see Johnny Cash “The Rebel” – YouTube<\/a>.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

As the lyrics noted,\u00a0 Johnny Yuma roamed through the west, wandering alone.\u00a0\u00a0 He had a dream he’d hold until “his dyin’ breath.”\u00a0 He would continue on, roaming, searching his soul and gambling with death, ever restless.\u00a0 He lived by his wits, and his speed handling a sidearm<\/a> – he was “panther quick and leather tough.”\u00a0 And finally, the key phrase:\u00a0 he “figured that he’d been pushed enough<\/em><\/strong>.”\u00a0 (See JOHNNY CASH LYRICS \u2013 The Rebel-Johnny Yuma<\/a>.<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Which brings up protest songs in general.\u00a0 (They’ve also<\/em> been around for a long time):<\/p>\n

\n

The tradition of protest songs in the United States is a long one that dates back to the 18th century and colonial period, the American Revolutionary War<\/a> and its aftermath.\u00a0 In the 19th century topical subjects for protest in song included abolition, slavery, poverty, and the Civil War<\/a> amongst other subjects.\u00a0 In the 20th century civil liberties, civil rights, women’s rights, economic injustice, politics and war were among the popular subjects for protest in song.\u00a0 In the 21st century the long tradition continues…<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

See Protest songs in the United States<\/a>.\u00a0 Which brings up the natural question:\u00a0 What’s all this protest about<\/em>?\u00a0\u00a0 “What’s all the hubbub, bub<\/a>?”\u00a0 Don’t we live in the greatest country in the world?\u00a0 Shouldn’t we be happy with we have?\u00a0 Shouldn’t we respect “law and order<\/a>?”<\/p>\n

Well, yeah<\/em>…\u00a0 But the problem seems to be that a desire for “law and order” tends to degenerate into a sense of complacence, if not arrogance.\u00a0 Or maybe it’s just a matter of “getting old…”<\/em><\/p>\n

Then there’s the fact that some political candidates – for example – “exaggerate or even manufacture<\/em> a problem with law and order … to generate public support.”\u00a0 And finally that law and order<\/em><\/strong> expression sometimes carries with it “the implication of arbitrary or unnecessary law enforcement, or excessive use of police powers<\/a>.”<\/p>\n

And speaking of arbitrary law enforcement, see The Rebel | Television Obscurities<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Yuma faced down intolerance, distrust, greed, confusion and revenge.\u00a0 Despite his rebellious nature, Yuma respected<\/strong> law and order and despised abuse of power.\u00a0 He stood up for the weak and downtrodden.\u00a0 He traveled alone and was often forced to work alone because he was the only one willing to stand up to the bad guys. (E.A.)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Which brings up The Establishment<\/a>.\u00a0 Remember that?\u00a0 Also known as The Man<\/a>?\u00a0 Either refers to a “dominant group or elite<\/a> that holds power<\/a> or authority in a nation.”\u00a0 And either can also be used to describe oppression<\/a><\/em>, and that<\/em><\/strong> seemed to be what Johnny Yuma pledged to face down<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The problem is:\u00a0 We Baby-boomers who once protested the Establishment – and who so loved The Rebel<\/strong><\/em> TV series – are now the major portion of today’s<\/em> “dominant group or elite.”\u00a0 And yet – somehow – there’s more than enough intolerance, greed and injustice to go around.<\/p>\n

So what happened?\u00a0 Why<\/strong> are injustice, intolerance and greed still <\/em>here?<\/em>
\n<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Maybe the problem is that people get lazy when they get older.\u00a0 Or maybe they just get tired sooner than they used to.\u00a0 Or maybe – over the years – they lose the drive to correct injustice they had when they were young.\u00a0 Or maybe they just get afraid to push the envelope<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As John Steinbeck put it, many men his age – he was 58 when he wrote Travels with Charley<\/a><\/em> –\u00a0 are constantly told to slow down<\/em>.\u00a0 And so they \u201cpack their lives in cotton wool, smother their impulses, hood their passions, and gradually retire from their manhood.\u201d\u00a0 And since these older men have “retired,” they want more than anything else to maintain the status quo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And maybe that’s why we need<\/em> <\/strong>young people, pains-in-the-butt<\/em> that they can generally be:<\/p>\n

Although the character Adams plays, Johnny Yuma, fought for the South, the designation \u201creb\u201d goes deeper than this.\u00a0 He is a symbol of rebellious youth<\/strong> \u2013 a loner, seeking something to hang his life on, wandering through the [] West of a century ago…\u00a0 I can find parallels for Johnny Yuma\u2019s search for meaning in the slum kid heading out into the streets of the city, aimlessly walking, seeking, or in young David with his slingshot walking toward Goliath..<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

See The Rebel | Television Obscurities<\/a>, emphasis added.\u00a0 And once upon a time, we aging Baby-boomers felt the same way, when we<\/em> were the rebellious youth.\u00a0 See for example “Another brick in the wall<\/a>,” in which Pink Floyd protested an “out-of-touch education system bent on producing compliant cogs in the societal wheel<\/em><\/strong>.”<\/p>\n

And now people our age are running<\/em> the educational system.\u00a0\u00a0 (See also irony<\/a><\/em>.)<\/p>\n

But in the end, maybe it doesn’t have to be that way.\u00a0 Maybe you don’t have to lose your dreams when you get older.\u00a0 And maybe you can even start something totally new under the sun<\/a>.\u00a0 Think of Abraham, the original patriarch<\/a>.\u00a0 After all, he was “75 years young” when he left the homeland that he’d lived all his life, and set off for parts unknown<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

But Abraham – you see – wasn’t<\/em><\/strong> an old geezer<\/a>…<\/p>\n

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\"File:Moln\u00e1r<\/p>\n

Abraham, leaving home and showing his “still-youthful vigor…”<\/em><\/p>\n

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The upper image and lead-in caption are courtesy of The Rebel (TV series) \u2013 Wikipedia<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

The “Seinfeld” image is courtesy of The Heart Attack – WikiSein, the Seinfeld Encyclopedia<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Re: Emerson.\u00a0 See also Self-Reliance – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

Re:\u00a0 “Hubbub, bub?”\u00a0 See the Falling Hare (Bugs Bunny cartoon) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Re: “The Man.”\u00a0 Interestingly, the American use of that term with that connotation came first in the Southern U.S. states<\/a>, where it “came to be applied to any man or any group in a position of authority.”\u00a0 It was only in the 1960’s that “use of this term was expanded to counterculture groups and their battles against authority, such as the Yippies<\/a>.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Re: Steinbeck on aging.\u00a0 See \u201cI pity the fool<\/a>!”<\/em><\/p>\n

Re:\u00a0 “parts unknown.”\u00a0 The reference is to the Glossary of professional wrestling terms – Wikipedia<\/a><\/em>.\u00a0 The phrase is found under “p,” and refers to a “vague, fictional location.\u00a0 Billing a wrestler as being from ‘Parts Unknown’ (rather than from his real hometown or another actual place) is intended to add to a wrestler’s mystique.”<\/em><\/p>\n

The lower image is courtesy of Abraham – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia<\/a>, with the caption:\u00a0 “A painting of Abraham’s departure by J\u00f3zsef Moln\u00e1r<\/a>.”<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    “Nick Adams as Johnny Yuma from the television program The Rebel…”     Wikipedia:\u00a0 The first episode was set in early 1867, with Johnny “returning to his hometown nearly two years after the end of the war.\u00a0 His father, Ned Yuma … had been killed by a gang that took control of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7,8],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/508"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=508"}],"version-history":[{"count":90,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/508\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1986,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/508\/revisions\/1986"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=508"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=508"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/georgiawasp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=508"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}