Several listmembers commented on Darlene's statement that her experience of finding records conntected with her accuser ancestors was "fun." Beth wrote: >Life moves on, and we truly haven't even the slightest clue as to what our relateds felt or of the despicable horror they experienced, we can only barely begin to imagine. But I have met some who don't even bother to think about that...just that they are related to a 'witch' killed in 1692, and what a 'great thing' that is, to them. So perhaps simple tolerance is the requirement, here. I read Darlene's comments with mixed feelings. I agree with Beth that simple tolerance is needed. It is *fun* to search for one's ancestors and successfuly find material about them. But sometimes it is also horrible. When I found the records of my great-great-grandfather's death, I was very excited to finally have them in my hands! But I was also horrified when I read that his upper quarter had been hit by shot and the arm had been amputated consequently. Since I had also read about ammunition used then, what kind of wounds it caused, and the conditions under which amputations were done--I'd even found the memoirs of a doctor operating in the same place a few days after my relative was treated--, I had a very clear idea of the conditions and suffering he endured before dying three days later. So while I understood Darlene's excitment at successfully finding records, I also reacted to her words with the same pang of disbelief, offense, and discomfort that others felt. Beth also wrote: >Were they to go to Salem and stand at the lip of the gully where the bodies of these unfortunate victims were thrown after their death by hanging, perhaps those people might just be able to feel more of a sense of what really did occur, those hundreds of years ago...I found the experience very overwhelming, very sad, very enlightening, in that sensing. As if their spirits were still right there....very present, very moving.That is what I took with me, walking away from Gallows Hill June 9th, 2002. I get similar feelings each time I go to Newburyport and look at the street where Elizabeth Morse lived and imagine her, week after week, dragging that ball and chain across the square to the church, escorted by the minister, forever branded like Hester Prynne only with a burden that impeded her every move, always an object of scorn and condemnation because some of her neighbors didn't like her. Those accusers must have been filled with hate, resentment, and envy to inflict such unending scorn and humiliation on her. And unlike the Salem witches, she has never been cleared. Nathaniel Hawthorne struggled all his life with the burden of knowing his ancestor had condemned so many people. I'm not saying descendants should carry guilt or blame. However, I think we all have a responsibility to see that the sins of the past are not repeated. The first step is becoming aware of those sins and the destruction, pain, and suffering they caused. The excitement and "fun" of recovering the past should be accompanied by knowledge of and sensitivity to the consequences of what happened. Some of the first settlers obviously hated their neighbors so much that they sought their deaths or unending humiliation. Belief in witchcraft was real, but what each historian has told us, over and over, is that *who* was accused had very, very little to do with belief in witchcraft and a whole lot to do with hatred and envy of neighbors. Francine _________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com