Another Day in America — July 3rd, 2017
Another almost perfect day. It’s July, the way July should be.
I am here in one of the best places in the world to be on this holiday. Now, that’s not unique. I think everyone from Boston to the Berkshires, and the Jersey shore are here, trying to find a place to park so they can enjoy the beautiful Cape Cod beaches and waterways. They can’t go to the beach in New Jersey because their marvelous Republican governor, in another moment of Republican cruelty, closed the beaches for the holiday mostly because he knows no one likes him any more.
Here on these waters everyone is out there, doing their thing. In the picture above, you can see the folks boating, boarding, kayaking and paddling. What you can’t see in the picture is what has changed over the last few years. So many different kinds of people are out here on boards, boats and kayaks. It’s clear that some of them are new to it, as many of the double kayakers don’t know how to paddle together and make their trip easier. My wife and I have become expert at keeping time and moving the craft swiftly through the water. Many of these folks are paddling in circles.
The Chinese couples seem to be new at this, as do the people from the sub-Continent. The lesbians, with their daughter, zipped by at a pretty good clip. There were two boats full of Black people, which is something very new to theses waters. There were also several people of many different colors fishing from the piers, bridges and docks, all standing, surrounded by red, white and blue bunting. It was a great day for those of us who are healthy and prosperous, even with the lurking fears of insecurity of what could happen between now and the next Independence Day.
Tonight we had friends over for a barbecue. We ate and drank. At first we talked about boats, beaches and previous barbecues, with other recipes. But slowly the conversation turned to the topics of our age; aches, pains and diseases. We all have some of each. If not now, then soon. That led quickly to a discussion of health care, and who has a plan that pays for what. How well did anyone understand the donut hole? And, the big question, what do people do who can’t afford to get the medicine, the device, or the treatment that they need? Which, of course, led to the discussion of why are so many Americans, so mean and uncaring? Is it genetic, or the result of our rotten educational system?
America, 2017: Money > People, especially people who seem, somehow different.
The discussion then turned to the section in Sunday’s NYT written by Gary Wills, about the Constitution. He clearly showed how often our present lawmakers, especially the ones who preach that they are strict constructionists who believe in the intent of the founders, regularly disregard what is clearly written in out most scared document. Our current President was mentioned, but only to wonder how it is that so many people can’t tell the difference between a bad reality TV show, and what is supposed to be the most important office in the world.
It was pointed out that Mr. Wills, again, highlighted how the flaws are written into the Constitution, and that Jeff Session is in a direct line from the representatives of the original slave states in the 1780s. The issues have never gone away.
Slightly after nine P.M. we began to here some booms outside. We wandered down to the beach where we were treated to a fireworks face-off by groups at either end of the beach. I am a fireworks junky, so I stayed for over and watched the bombs burst in air.
There will be more, and even better ones, tomorrow.
