Someone I knew once remarked that they couldn’t go to the US on holiday. ‘Why?’ we asked.
They then went to cast the US as people as all to some variations of Ronald Reagan. Surely, we countered, they could imagine us all extensions of the personality of Mrs Thatcher? I think the point was made.
Let’s get this very clear. I love the USA. I love the landscape, I love the music and I love people. I don’t begin to like the policies of their government – but then I rarely agree with my own…that’s usually the way things are!
There are many reasons why I like the America but the main gist of it is this. I grew up enthralled by music. I loved the names. Raleigh, Memphis, Birmingham, Houston…..all the way to the promised land. I learned the geography from Chuck Berry. More than that I didn’t know. One day in 1975 or 76 an important political awakening happened to me. I had a geography teacher who had grown up in Poland. A very bright man he clearly knew a thing or two about life under Soviet rule and contrasted that with his experience of Scotland. At the time the US political system was hanging its head in shame. Ford was the president who had been sworn in to help the country recover from the shame of Nixon and Watergate. The geography man loved it all. What did he like most? He loved the fact that we all knew, that there was endless debate in public and that ultimately there was system (a constitutional system at that) of sorting it out. I often tell this story to people who tell me this country doesn’t need a written constitution – it’s good to know people like Gordon Brown are finally listening! He also knew what many of the left in this country liked to pretend they didn’t: that similar corruption could never have been exposed in the East.
The second thing that happened to me was going to America. I had to wait until I was thirty – but boy did I appreciate it more. New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Denver, Chicago, Washington were the only places I really got to know at all but they have all been amazing places to visit. The biggest impression that has been made upon me however has been the people I’ve met on these journeys. They have always been so generous, kind and welcoming and, call me very old fashioned here but it’s true, always so polite.
I say all this because I’m looking forward to seeing some of my oldest friends there in a couple of weeks time when we go on holiday. People we first met on a beach in Santa Cruz will all gather for a wee soiree with our old best pals and we’ll enjoy catching up over a glass or two of California wine. Roll on the holidays. In the meantime, to all of you stateside having a holiday, Happy 4th of July.
That is the view we all treasure and what we need to take very good care of now and always.
It is not the easiest right now and it would be so comfortable to just cut and run. In fact some of us are so scared and fed up they are doing just that. The number of US citizens immigrating to other countries is rising.
What it boils down to for some of us is that no matter where you go, there you are. A country or a constitution or a bill of rights is no good unless it is supported, honored and enforced for all citizens.
Santa Cruz will not be as warm as Phoenix, I hope, for you sake. Enjoy the breeze, the beach and the sunshine (I will pray to all of the gods that there is no rain).
Later, Peace
hi ricky,
hello from dundee – i wonder if on this day you could mention the late great jim morrison, who died on the eve of the 4th of july, 1971. even better perhaps you can add my two all-time favourites to your playlist tonight in his honour? love her madly (of course, by the doors) and mojo pin, by the also dearly departed but equally memorable jeff buckley.
mrs mojo
x
I grew to love America too from having travelled there. (I was twenty at the time of my first visit, and so sadly missed the chance to be able to buy a drink in Cheers by a matter of months!) I think before that I had some abstract notion of the country garnered from TV shows, movies and music that I loved, especially a burgeoning appreciation at the time for country music.
The catalyst for first going was to visit an uncle who had moved to work in New York, but from there I’ve visited a number of different parts of the country and loved them all: Nashville, DC, Washington State, Yellowstone, Chesapeake… these all stand out with some great memories for me, and it’s a stunning country in so many ways. It’s been a few too many years since I last went, but I have a dear friend in Connecticut who’s overdue a visit and so hopefully I’ll be back there soon.
I can be something of an idealist, and so there’s much that I find to admire in the American Dream and Constitution, if not in some of the political realities of today. It’s one of the reasons I love The West Wing so much too, I think! So I’ll sit back and happily take the friendly jibes I’ll get today from across the Atlantic. Happy Fourth of July indeed, and I think I might go seeking a bottle of Californian wine myself right now…
It’s very comforting to hear your positive sentiments expressed. I was thinking pretty much the same thing last night as I sat with my family under the stars on a gorgeous night in Missouri watching the fireworks – it’s the one day of the year where all of us put aside things to just be proud of our country. Crowd-watching, I thought to myself how great it was that young and old, wild and tame, rock, country, bluegrass, whatever – all of one thought. It’s always a night like no other, and thousands of cities all across the country doing exactly the same thing.
So, I got up to walk the Dragon Dog this morning at 5 a.m. should say he walked me……brought me home and promptly fell back to sleep, the dog not me.
Since my families roots go-o-o way, way back to the 1600s in this country (original members of Moms side of the tree came from Wales and Scotland) but they came here through North Carolina, settled in the Smokey Mountains, I talked my husband into putting the kids into an RV and going to visit all those places talked about in family stories, birth records, death certificates, marriage certificates, deeds….and possible jail records.
My Mom decided to go along, too. Which meant her German Shepard/Malamute went, too. This was when Mom was in the first throws of dementia (we were not aware) and her music tastes were changing. OK, Mom (75+), a 14 year old (given to imitations of George Bush, Sr.), a 10 year old (given to being our co-pilot) and my very tolerant, husband with a wicked sense of humor, and me…………………………………
I love my country and I have touched down in 35 of our United States. Each one different and with lots to learn and enjoy and a few things to make you say, “Yo! Wait a minute. That can’t be right!”
I learned through that trip that our family settled in some interesting places for interesting reasons and moved on for equally interesting reason.
4th of July and Memorial Day are important times to look at who and what we are and how we arrived at where we are today. It is a rich and complicated history and will continue to be if we are to continue at all.
However, I also look at my roots and I am no less proud of where “all my family hailed from and those who were here before the ships arrived.”
Thank you Ricky and everybody for the kind words, the good music…..and may you always feel welcome.
i know what you mean about the names of places etc.
it is strange but for most of us it was the culture of america that sucks us in as kids.
it was the music and the tv for me.
it is a shame that there is so much back lash to the americans as there is at the moment.
hang your head in shame.
and it is a shame! because we the people seldom agree with what our powers that be do, in our names. we hate it when the world turns and points it’s fingers and when britian feels shame we all feel shame. we don’t have a real say in what is perpetrated in our name or under our flag.
we should not have too feel this shame.
we as the americans have a fantastic population and some great culture and places.
it is a shame but unlike your self we don’t seem to sing about the places around us.
we don’t seem to generate the same vibe as the americans do.
boston, birmingham, new york etc. old british names there is no real mistique.
strip way the peoples and the cities are just cities
what makes america is’nt it’s politics or it’s buildings it’s the people.
what a great people they are.
god bless america
As Ricky knows, I have also said “God Bless America, somebody better…” Having lived and traveled over a large portion of the USA, born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio…..now living behind the ‘Cactus Curtain’ in Arizona, I do appreciate the kind words.
That doesn’t detract from the fact that we are out of sync with ourselves right now, dangerously so, and it is all our fault.
As a long time activist and even longer time music lover, I can say this without equivocation…..we are screwed up and only we can fix it.
Thank you for seeing beyond the political rancor cause some of us forget just what it is that we are all about. Many different people from many different places, all with the same basic needs.
Changing subject…..somehow Late Lounge needs to be continued…..someway…..the music and the chat are just too good to let go.