Will’s Wisdom

"It’s great to be great, but it’s greater to be human.”

Will Rogers

I’ve Been Thinking. . .I wish I could have known Will Rogers.

Steve Gragert, director of the Will Rogers Memorial Museums in Claremore and Oologah, Oklahoma documents the history of Will Roger’s influence. “At the time of his death in 1935, Rogers was reaching 40 million people readers at a time.” That’s incredible! The population was only 120 million.

I admire the fact that Rogers traveled the lecture circuit, wrote magazine articles, authored books and produced his “Daily Telegrams” newspaper column. On top of it all, Rogers starred in 21 motion pictures that achieved considerable acclamation and made Will the highest paid Hollywood actor of his time. In fact, his market share was bigger than any entertainer’s past or present.

Why?

He could appeal to the common folk, challenge the political establishment, poke fun at the prominent and elite and he embraced a self-deprecating humor that appealed to the masses. His onstage showmanship drew in the masses who also followed his Sunday newspaper columns that eventually ran in 500 newspapers.

Ironically, the Oklahoma cowboy had atrocious spelling and even worse grammar which added to his humoristic appeal. His 10th grade education might have surfaced in his writing but despite that limitation, he had an inherent sense of what appealed to the American people and he spoke at their level.

Rogers performed and communicated at a difficult time in American history. Yet, he brought optimism, hope as well as a flash of humanity during the dark years of the depression. People sought out his wisdom, honesty and down-home clarity about issues that were impacting their lives. He wasn’t afraid to criticize what he believed was wrong and remain true to the issues he believed in. Many believe his candor influenced public opinion as well as national policy.

I love Roger’s often stated quotation: “I’m not a member of any organized party – I’m a Democrat.” There was more to Roger’s conviction than party lines. He was, without hesitation, always on the side of the working person – even after he became wealthy. Political officials welcomed him with open arms – yet I’ve got to believe they wondered how their conversations would reappear for the world to see.

It was almost like Rogers was looking into the future when he said: “The more you observe politics, the more you've got to admit that each party is worse than the other.” Regardless, Rogers was a true Patriot who believed in the American Dream.

“Be thankful, he said, “that we’re not getting all the government we’re paying for.” Roger’s honest, get to the point, no strings attached approach to Patriotism would be a welcome relief today. One of Roger’s classic observations was, “A senator got up today in Congress and called his fellow senators sons of wild jackasses. Now, if you think the senators were hot, imagine how the jackasses must feel.”

Who is the Will Rogers of today? Someone once suggested it would take the combined attributes of some our greatest comedians, commentaries, musicians and we would still be left short of the impact Mr. Rogers had on the thinking of his day. Who else could get away with saying, “The income tax has made more liars out of Americans than golf,” and still be loved?

His unfortunate death at 55, in the crash of small plane piloted by a well-known pilot preparing for the world’s first transpolar flight, was indicative of his adventurous spirit.

In the midst of current political struggle, corporate controversy, financial ambiguity, and questionable practices; where is the voice that represents the everyday American?

“Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip.”

Will Rogers