I just read a fascinating Wikipedia entry about an ancient skeleton that was discovered just in 2002 in Amesbury, an area in the vicinity of Stonehenge.  These bones have been labeled “The Amesbury Archer” and date back to 2300 BC.

Mankind has traveled so far, yet, who we are, the essence of our being, hasn’t budged.  If we can understand what was driving the people of Stonehenge, we can probably understand our own selves a little better.  In evolutionary time, The Archer, and the builders of Stonehenge are our next of kin who we saw just yesterday.

This video says that there is a link between the origin of Stonehenge and The Amesbury Archer.  The Wikipedia entry says that “research using oxygen isotope analysis in his tooth enamel” showed that the Archer came from “a cool alpine region of central Europe.”  The evidence shows that The Archer was an outsider to the region.  Yet, he was buried with the quality and quantity of artifacts that would indicate that in his short life he had risen to a position of great influence and wealth.

I image there are several good novels that could be dreamt up — centered on The Amesbury Archer.  Since he was buried just three miles from Stonehenge, it is interesting to speculate that maybe he was an early leader that helped inspired the whole thing.   A novel about the Archer could speculate how these ancient relatives of ours thought, what motivated them to want to build Stonehenge.

It is interesting to consider what drove the people of that time to accomplish something so glorious.  Maybe the Archer was a visionary leader who inspired them.

Our earliest relatives tell us about the power of a shared vision.

In writing the article on gerrymandering, I was surprised to discover that, according to the Dispatch article written in May 2006, Republicans DeWine and Husted staked out the high ground on the issue of reapportionment.  The Dispatch, in the article I quoted, says that the Reform Ohio Now group supported the Republican proposal, but Democratic Assembly members refused to support it.

I’m wondering if in the intervening years, particularly after the election of Governor Strickland, Democrats ever tried to stake out a credible position, a high ground, about reapportionment?

Reapportionment is an issue that won’t go away, and, it seems to me, it is an issue Governor Strickland should get squarely in front of.  I think voters would reward Strickland if he would show positive leadership on this important issue.

Strickland should take a problem solving stand and show leadership in creating a plan by which reapportionment would strengthen our democracy.

By showing leadership on the issue of reapportionment, I believe, Strickland would gain a lot of political capital, a lot of widespread support.  Ohioans want their democracy to work.  It is failing miserably here in Montgomery County, and the reason it is failing is directly tied to how Ohio reapportions its legislative districts.

Governor Strickland has a big opportunity to show leadership and gain a lot of public support by taking a pro democracy stand concerning reapportionment.