New Sprawling History of the American West is Packed with Fresh Insights
In the tradition of Guns, Germs, and Steel, author and cultural historian Dr. Larry Len Peterson explores the politics of hate and racism against the backdrop of Manifest Destiny in American Trinity.
“I had been haunted by the question of who were we as a people and who are we as Americans and a nation,” Dr. Peterson says, “and I believe a nation is defined by the people who create its history.”
Wide-ranging and brimming with fresh insights, American Trinity focuses on how the West was shaped by three implacable forces: Christian imperialism, Thomas Jefferson’s Doctrine of Discovery, and Euro-American hubris as embodied by George Armstrong Custer.
Profiling dozens of notable individuals and cultures and showcasing the "Father of the West," Thomas Jefferson, and "Son of the West," George Armstrong Custer, Dr. Peterson presents a deeply insightful study ideal for anyone interested in the American West. “Shining the light on all the dark corners of American history is painful,” he says. “Unfortunately America’s dealing with Native Americans in almost every area of life has been an abject failure.”
However, in examining these failures, American Trinity encourages readers to discover a deeper understanding of our national history and human nature. The painstaking and detailed research collected from multiple academic disciplines yields a formidable compendium that brilliantly illuminates the influences, factors, and forces that culminated in the collision of European and Native American civilizations and the bloody aftermath.
Written in a scholarly style, yet easily accessible, American Trinity emphasizes the tragic history of American Indians, while connecting their treatment to other cultures in prior centuries such as the Jews, enslaved Africans, and beleaguered Christians. “This history is important,” Peterson says. “When there is no knowledge of the past, there cannot be a vision of the future.”
American Trinity (ISBN: 978-1-59152-188-4, $34.95, Larry Len Peterson 2018) is available at local bookstores and gift shops, through online retailers, or from Farcountry Press at 1.800.821.3874, www.farcountrypress.com.
About the Author
Larry Len Peterson, recipient of the 2016 C. M. Russell Heritage Award, is an award-winning scientist, physician, cultural historian, and author. Above all, he is a searcher. Peterson grew up in Plentywood on the Great Plains of northeastern Montana.
He graduated from the Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU) in Portland and completed an internal medicine internship, a residency in the visual field of dermatology, and a NIH research fellowship. He has published in numerous scientific and medical periodicals, including the prestigious The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Molecular and Cellular Biology and The Journal of Clinical Investigation. Peterson is the recipient of The Henry W. Stelwagon Award (College of Physicians of Philadelphia) and The Sommers Research Award (OHSU) for outstanding scientific research, among many others.
His distinguished biographies include Philip R. Goodwin: America's Sporting and Wildlife Artist; The Call of the Mountains: The Artists of Glacier National Park; L. A. Huffman: Photographer of the American West; Charles M. Russell: Photographing the Legend, A Biography in Words and Pictures; and John Fery: Artist of Glacier National Park & The American West. He is a member of the Western Writers of America, Western History Association, and Little Big Horn Associates.
He is the recipient of two Western Heritage Awards, the Scriver Award, The High Plains Book Award, and the Will Rogers Gold Medallion Award. Dr. Peterson lives with his wife, LeAnne; two Vizsla dogs, and two horses, on their Spirit of Winter Ranch near Sisters, Oregon.
For signings, contact the author at bigskycltn@aol.com.
About Farcountry Press
Celebrating more than 35 years in business, award-winning publisher Farcountry Press specializes in softcover and hardcover color photography books showcasing the nation’s cities, states, national parks, and wildlife. Farcountry also publishes several popular children’s series, guidebooks, cookbooks, and regional history titles nationwide.
Farcountry produces more than 50 books annually; the backlist has grown to more than 300 titles. Visit www.farcountrypress.com or call 1.800.821.3874.
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TOMORROW Weber County Kicking Off Voting Program to Honor Veterans
Weber County, UT – Official launch event: Friday, July 28th, 3PM at the George Wahlen Veterans Home.
Weber County Elections office is launching a voter outreach project that allows the voters in our community to honor the veterans in their life.
Vote in Honor of a Veteran is a national program that over a dozen States have launched, and is endorsed by the National Association of Secretaries of State. The Weber County Commission supports the Weber County Elections office in piloting this program for the State of Utah. There are plans to implement the program Statewide in the future. No date for that has been set at this time.
Ricky Hatch, Weber County Clerk/Auditor, expressed his enthusiasm about the initiative stating, “We are extremely excited about the launch of the Vote in Honor a Veteran Program. This program honors those who served our country in the past by taking an active part in our country’s future.”
How the Program Works
A voter submits the name of a Veteran that they wish to honor. The voter is also encouraged to submit a picture and a short tribute which Weber County Elections will post on its Facebook page. The voter is given a lapel pin that was designed for Utah by Symbol Arts of South Ogden.
Kick-off Event
July 28, 3PM, George E. Wahlen Veterans Home, 1102 N 1200 W, Ogden UT 84404.
This event will include Boy Scout Troop 63 performing a flag ceremony and a few remarks from Weber County Clerk/Auditor, Ricky Hatch. Julie Hayes is the contact person for the George E. Wahlen Veterans Home. Julie Hayes: Julie.Hayes@AvalonHealthcare.com.
Challenge Coins
Weber County has worked with Symbol Arts to develop a Challenge Coin that we can offer to members of the public for $5. The Challenge Coin is a popular memento among Law Enforcement and the Armed Forces. It will also be unique to Utah’s Vote in Honor of a Veteran program. The $5 fee will be reinvested into replenishing the supply of coins. The Elections Office plans to offer the coins at voter registration drives and community events, including the Weber County Fair. Please visit the Weber County booth at the County Fair, August 9-12.
Weber County Elections would like to publicly thank Symbol Arts for their cooperation, including the donation of the Artwork and the waiver of set-up fees. Symbol Arts has been incredibly helpful and patient during this process.
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MoveOn: Only way to keep ‘skinny repeal’ from becoming law is for Senate to reject it; assurances of conference committee ring hollow
It would be ‘reckless, immoral, cowardly’ for senators who oppose bill to vote for it
Statement of MoveOn.org Washington Director Ben Wikler:
“Any Republican who votes for “skinny repeal” is endorsing its verbatim passage into law. To vote for a bill in hopes that it will be changed in conference is legislative malpractice.
“Given that the Senate has proved unable to pass any other repeal bill, the House will understand that passing “skinny repeal” could be their only shot to defund Planned Parenthood and rip away health care coverage from millions of people. This bill could easily be passed by the House and signed by President Trumpwithin 48 hours. Even if a conference committee is appointed, the “skinny repeal” will remain the fallback option and the bill most likely to become law.
“It is hard to imagine anything more reckless, immoral, or cowardly than senators jeopardizing the lives of 16 million people by voting for a bill that they actually oppose, with fingers crossed in the hopes that someone else will stop it.”
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Weight-Loss Royalty Recognized as Winners by TOPS
State and Provincial Royalty and International Division Winners Lose Nearly 10,000 Pounds
MILWAUKEE, WI – A key element in any journey to better wellness is recognition, no matter if it’s for a small victory or you have reached the final goal. Members of TOPS Club, Inc.® (Take Off Pounds Sensibly℠), the nonprofit weight-loss support organization, were recently honored for their weight-loss endeavors at the organization’s annual International Recognition Days (IRD) event.
This year’s IRD, with a theme of “Sparkle Like a Diamond With TOPS,” took place Fri., July 14, and Sat., July 15, at the Little Rock Marriott adjacent to the State House Convention Center, in Little Rock, Arkansas. The festivities recognized TOPS award winners who, with determination, perseverance, and support from fellow members, achieved the greatest weight loss in 2016.
Jennifer Noyes of Thunder Bay, Ontario, was crowned 2016 International Queen with a total weight loss of 178.25 pounds. Bob Lee of Valdosta, Georgia, was named the 2016 International King, losing a total of 140 pounds. TOPS royalty are men and women who, at the end of the year, have officially recorded the largest weight loss from their starting weight, regardless of the time taken to reach their goal.
Noyes first joined TOPS in her 20s, and although she lost almost 100 pounds, life got in the way and she managed to gain back double the weight. “It wasn’t until my 30s that I got serious,” she said. “I remember walking into a new TOPS chapter and stepping on the scale, only to find out that I was too heavy for it to weigh me. After the meeting, I got into my car and cried. At that moment, I knew I needed to change. I went out that same day and bought a bathroom scale that would weigh me and showed up the following week with it in my hand, determined to start my weight-loss journey.”
Noyes started by setting small, healthy and attainable goals. “I cut back on portions and made healthier food choices,” she said. “I added some exercise—first walking, then swimming—and now I have my license to teach Zumba. It wasn’t an easy journey, believe me, but I was able to reach my goals through determination and support. I wouldn’t have been as successful if it wasn’t for the support of my TOPS chapter and my family.
“My weight has always been a lifelong struggle for me and, as a result, caused me to be shy and withdrawn,” Lee said. “I have lost varying amounts of weight many times—as much as 100 pounds during some periods. But the weight always came back. Then, I just stopped trying. I thought that the up-and-down cycle was worse for me rather than maintaining my weight in one place.”
Lee’s wife joined TOPS first. She asked him to help her with healthy recipes. as he does most of the cooking. “She was very successful in her weight-loss journey, but I wasn’t,” Lee said. “I was still cooking differently for her than for me.”
At some point during his wife’s journey, Lee was reminded that TOPS is not a diet, but a support group. “Thanks to TOPS and my TOPS family, you can now see the results,” he said. “I know that if I keep doing what I am doing and pass on what has been given to me so freely, I will keep what I have.”
“It is wonderful to celebrate our members’ weight-loss successes at IRD,” said Barbara Cady, TOPS president. “Recognizing their achievements is a crucial component to the TOPS weight- management philosophy. It demonstrates that ‘regular people,’ just like you and me, can make astonishing modifications to their health—without special foods or stunts.”
International Runners-up, and their respective amounts of weight lost, are as follows:
International Division Winners are members who lost the most weight of all TOPS members in their weight division during 2016. Each member was entered into a weight division with others in a similar starting weight range:
Division 1: an adult member’s starting weight for the year was at least 300 pounds but less than 400 pounds.
First Place:
Linda Migliaccio, Trenton, New Jersey, 123.8 pounds
Neil Mulligan, Nanaimo, British Columbia, 116.8 poundsSecond Place:
Maria Gallo, Pedricktown, New Jersey, 120.2 pounds
James Williams, Virginia Beach, Virginia, 113.8 poundsDivision 2: an adult member’s starting weight for the year was at least 250 pounds but less than 300 pounds.
First Place:
Eva Tinker, San Diego, California, 137 pounds
Jeffrey Barribeau, Greendale, Wisconsin, 114 poundsSecond Place:
Warren Vincent, Savanna, Illinois, 85.8 poundsDivision 3: an adult member’s starting weight for the year was at least 200 pounds but less than 250 pounds.
First Place:
Bonnie Brimeyer, Dubuque, Iowa, 91.5 pounds
Daniel Koehler, Westboro, Wisconsin, 59.4 poundsSecond Place:
Nadine Pacey, Blue Ridge, Alberta, 85 pounds
James White, Saint Augustine, Florida, 46.4 poundsDivision 4: an adult member’s starting weight for the year was at least 150 pounds but less than 200 pounds.
First Place:
Lorraine Abram, Sombra, Ontario, 56 pounds and Florence Kettle, Dunnville, Ontario, 56 pounds
Darrell MacKey, Mt. Middleton, New Brunswick, 31.8 poundsSecond Place:
Anne Meagher, Bluffton, South Carolina, 55.2 pounds
John Nonneman, Carrollton, Illinois, 27 poundsDivision 5: an adult member’s starting weight for the year was less than 150 pounds.
First Place:
Lisa Mahlke, North Branch, Minnesota, 28.8 poundsSecond Place:
Carolyn Nolan, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 28.6 poundsDivision 6: a child’s age at their starting weight for the year was at least 13 years but less than 18 years.
First Place:
Tori-Beth Kelly, Fort McMurray, Alberta, 37.6 pounds
Cody Krebs, Poteau, Oklahoma, 39.4 poundsSecond Place:
Emily McRae, Summerside, Prince Edward Island, 35.4 pounds
Daniel Vickery, Redlands, California, 25.2 poundsDivision 7: an adult member’s starting weight for the year was at least 400 pounds.
First Place:
Francis Quinn, Houston, Texas, 97 pounds
Jeffrey Yersich, Chicago, Illinois, 136 poundsSecond Place:
Crystal Moore, Lincoln, Nebraska, 91 pounds
Marty Schram, Windsor, Ontario, 93 poundsDivision 8: a child’s age at their starting weight for the year was at least 7 years but less than 13 years.
First Place:
Lily Costello, Hartland, Maine, 12.2 poundsDivision 9: an adult member’s weight-loss surgery is still in effect.
First Place:
Rebecca White, Penn Yan, New York, 173.8 pounds
Michael Cochran, Muskegon, Michigan, 120.4 poundsSecond Place:
Gerenia Powell, Lakeland, Florida, 144 pounds
Sean Miller, Strongsville, Ohio, 106 pounds
State Royalty and their respective amounts of weight lost, includes:
Alabama Queen: Eunice Bellingrath, Huntsville, 152 pounds
Alabama King: Philip Crawford, Attalla, 18 poundsAlaska Queen: Sharon Headley, Anchorage 51 pounds
Arkansas Queen: Bonnie Wiles, Fayetteville, 123.75 pounds
Arkansas King: Joseph Giannini, Fairfield Bay, 31 poundsArizona Queen: Rita Gould, Peoria, 113.25 pounds
Arizona King: J. Wayne Holden, Phoenix, 104 poundsCalifornia Queen: Robin Kimball, Salinas, 104 pounds
California King: Tim Berthiaume, San Diego, 76 poundsColorado Queen: Carol Worden, Loveland, 83 pounds Colorado King: Lyle Peterson, Rangely, 20.4 pounds
Connecticut Queen: Leslie D’Angona, East Hartford, 114 pounds
Connecticut King: Patrick Tamborra, Salem, 43.4 poundsDelaware Queen: Bonnie Baker-Waishes, Lewes, 88.5 pounds
Florida Queen: Barbara VanKessel , Homestead, 129.75 pounds
Florida King: Odus George Paugh, Orange Park, 115.5 poundsGeorgia Queen: Jean Dobbs, Covington, 59 pounds
Georgia King: Bob Lee, Valdosta, 140 poundsHawaii Queen: Margaret Raymond, Makawao, 26.5 pounds
Idaho Queen: Pauline Patheal, Jerome, 59 pounds
Idaho King: Allan Ansell, Boise, 14.5 poundsIllinois Queen: Helen Lisak, Crete, 157.5 pounds
Illinois King: Stephen Pensoneau, Fairview Heights, 65.25 poundsIndiana Queen: Michelle Sailing, Evansville, 97.5 pounds
Indiana King: Joseph Critney, Columbus, 50.25 poundsIowa Queen: Donna Gelski, Marion, 61 pounds
Kansas Queen: Laura Davis, Lyndon, 67 pounds
Kansas King: Michael Soles, Valley Center, 19 poundsKentucky Queen: Joyce McHodgkins, Radcliff, 79 pounds
Kentucky King: David White, Bowling Green, 33.25 poundsLouisiana King: Bruce Walker, Boyce, 57.4 pounds
Maine Queen: Cindy Bailey, Bangor, 85.8 pounds
Maryland Queen: Alice Shipley, Fallston, 31 pounds
Massachusetts Queen: Ann Kantzian, Brockton, 64.5 pounds
Michigan Queen: Kathy Repetto, Sterling Heights, 115 pounds
Michigan King: Randy Brzezinski, Traverse City, 53.8 poundsMinnesota Queen: Lynn Craig, Maplewood, 161.8 pounds
Minnesota King: Neil Olson, Detroit Lakes, 24 poundsMississippi Queen: Jannette Patrick, Iuka, 45 pounds
Missouri Queen: Karen Chaffin, Lebanon, 73 pounds
Missouri King: Timothy Mallard, Springfield, 114.5 poundsMontana Queen: Lucile Hall, Eureka, 37 pounds
Montana King: Milton “Mickey” Boykin, Stevensville, 13.5 poundsNebraska Queen: Janet Matulka, Lincoln, 75 pounds
Nevada Queen: Esther Ortega, Las Vegas, 65 pounds
Nevada King: Donald White, Pahrump, 80.75 poundsNew Hampshire King: Francis Martineau, Manchester, 34.25 pounds
New Jersey Queen: Ronnie Millett, Maple Shade, 26.4 pounds
New Mexico Queen: Tamara Mattson, Las Cruces, 77.25 pounds
New York Queen: Josephine Gast, Patchogue, 115 pounds
New York King: Dennis Bechmann, Jamestown, 85.2 poundsNorth Carolina Queen: Lou Bond, Hickory, 130 pounds
North Carolina King: George Smith III, Fayetteville, 27.4 poundsNorth Dakota Queen: Joann Enger, West Fargo, 75 pounds
Ohio Queen: Rebecca Hautala, Mentor, 111.8 pounds
Ohio King: Bill Armstrong, Fremont, 61.75 poundsOklahoma Queen: Judy Woodard, Midwest City, 59.5 pounds
Oklahoma King: Cody Krebs, Poteau, 39.4 poundsOregon Queen: Alice Halse, Sublimity, 118.5 pounds
Oregon King: Joe Luper, Molalla, 69.4 poundsPennsylvania Queen: Diane Adler, Pittsburgh, 101.75 pounds
Pennsylvania King: Bob O’Hara, Oil City, 138.25 poundsRhode Island Queen: Linda Schadler, Middletown, 91 pounds
South Carolina Queen: Crystal Moore, Florence, 82.4 pounds
South Carolina King: Bob Brennan, Summerville, 18.8 poundsSouth Dakota Queen: Arlene Kingsley, Aberdeen, 138.8 pounds
South Dakota King: David Piersall, Rapid City, 77.5 poundsTennessee Queen: Janice Stout, Elizabethton, 95.4 pounds
Texas Queen: Janet Stewart, Trinity, 103 pounds
Texas King: Terry Kime, San Angelo, 71 poundsUtah Queen: Mary Lou Beck, Tooele, 85 pounds
Vermont Queen: Carla Allen, Hardwick, 37.25 pounds
Virginia Queen: Betty Turner, Collinsville, 81 pounds
Virginia King: James Williams, Virginia Beach, 132.80 poundsWashington Queen: Cheri Jackson, Enumclaw, 113.25 pounds
Washington King: Stephen Tate Jr., Port Orchard, 39 poundsWest Virginia Queen: Flora Hileman, LeRoy, 114.75 pounds
West Virginia King: William C. Gorby, Moundsville, 93 poundsWisconsin Queen: Jenny Lou Jerving, Middleton, 108.5 pounds
Wisconsin King: Daniel Koehler, Westboro, 54.4 poundsWyoming Queen: Kathy Conover, Cheyenne, 71 pounds
Provincial Royalty, and their respective amounts of weight lost, includes:
Alberta Queen: Nadine Pacey, Blue Ridge, 84.5 pounds
Alberta King: Steve Belmore, Calgary, 28 poundsBritish Columbia Queen: Sharon Ward, Creston, 100 pounds
British Columbia King: Rick Folsom, Blue Ridge, 84.5 poundsManitoba Queen: Linda Johnston, Winnipeg, 55.6 pounds
Manitoba King: Lyndon Davy, Winnipeg, 65 poundsNew Brunswick Queen: Suzanne Welland, Saint John, 104 pounds
Newfoundland & Labrador Queen: Margo Cranford, St. John’s, 86 pounds
Newfoundland & Labrador King: George Anderson, Searston, 58 poundsNova Scotia Queen: Christine Davies, Dartmouth, 60 pounds
Nova Scotia King: Ervin Olsen, Yarmouth, 50 poundsOntario Queen: Jennifer Noyes, Thunder Bay, 178.25 pounds
Ontario King: LeeRoy Swackhammer, Bloomfield, 77 poundsPrince Edward Island Queen: Lisa Cooke, Oleary, 96.5 pounds
Quebec Queen: Margaret Clay-Jacob, Cowansville, 65.5 pounds
Saskatchewan Queen: Doris Draeger, Saskatoon, 55.25 pounds
Saskatchewan King: Gunter Niklas, Regina, 39.5 pounds
TOPS Club Inc.® (Take Off Pounds Sensibly℠) is the original weight-loss support and wellness education organization. Founded in 1948, TOPS is the only nonprofit, noncommercial weight-loss organization of its kind. TOPS promotes successful weight management with a “Real People. Real Weight Loss.℠” philosophy that combines support from others at weekly chapter meetings, healthy eating, regular exercise and wellness information. TOPS has more than 125,000 members – male and female, age seven and older – in thousands of chapters throughout the United States and Canada.
Visitors are welcome to attend their first TOPS meeting free of charge. Membership is affordable at just $32 per year in the U.S. and $48 (CAD) per year in Canada, plus nominal chapter fees. To find a local chapter, view www.tops.org or call 800-932-8677
Other Participating States
Many other States participate in this program and each operates it in a unique fashion. States participating include California, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington. A special thank you to the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office for their assistance in implementing Utah’s program.
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