Driving and Life is 'off-road', currently sailing the Caribbean and enjoying a SMOOTH JAZZ CRUISE, populated by jazz
lovers from all over the world, but the majority are from the USA, the
birthplace of jazz. As is the nature of these events, it is a happy ship filled
with smiles and laughter and a shared love of music.
Everybody mixes easily, black,
white, Jewish, Catholics, Japanese, Aussies and Brits.
On board, from
the USA, there are Southern Baptists, Pentecostals from Oregon, Catholics from
New York, and of course Republicans and Democrats.
However, once you divorce all the
Americans on board from their personal politics everyone gets along famously.
You are greeted by everyone you pass on the decks and corridors, and everyone
has a smile on their face.
It is a great environment, and it reminds me that
during the Kennedy Presidency, John F. Kennedy exported American culture to the
world – music, theatre, art and community service – and in the vanguard were the enthusiastic and energetic members of the
Peace Corps.
It was glory days for America, as
the world embraced its jazz, rock’n’roll, hamburgers, jeans and a seductive attitude of
confidence and optimism. It’s a far cry from the Gunboat Diplomacy employed by
latter day politicians.
It is this confrontational
environment which pervades the USA today, along with the almost complete
political polarization of communities across the country.
When you’re travelling in the
United States today this nasty atmosphere is widely prevalent, and represented by
harsh personal judgements, depending on the politics involved.
Now, I know John Kennedy was a
Democrat, and even back then, political battles between the two major parties
were fought just as fiercely as they are today (well, maybe), but Americans
were more optimistic about their future, they were accommodating of each
other’s politics in a way that is definitely not the case in the current
climate.
Having lived in America for 12
years and been actively involved in the communities where we lived, I know all
about the change from good manners and tolerance, to today’s harsh realities,
and I sincerely feel sorry for the country. It seems to have lost the lustre which
accompanies optimism, confidence and aspiration.
I am not saying that a President
other than Donald Trump can restore the country, far from it, but it seems to
me that the Republican Party has done more to polarize the people, encourage
vicious personal attacks on opponents, and generally ridicule any sort of broad,
liberal and tolerant views.
With the rise of the Tea Party, and
the GOP’s almost seismic and continual shift to even more far-right
conservatism, I believe it will be a long time before the America I knew and
admired for its tolerance, and encouragement to strive for success, returns.
I think it will take the emergence
of a leader of the caliber of John F. Kennedy to re-energize, re-invigorate and
restore the American community to the welcoming and easy-going nature of ‘the
good old days’.
Sad to say that at the moment I
can’t see any statesmanship potential in the ranks of either party who could achieve that.
However, like I said, when you
divorce jazz-loving Americans on board the MS
Celebrity Summit from their personal politics you’re left with a ship full
of happy souls, just enjoying the music together.
It’s a great place to be, if only
for seven days.
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