#44 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Monday May 31)
Happy Memorial Day!
IT’S THE ROARING TWENTIES
The 1920s ushered in the jazz era. It was no accident, as there was pent-up demand to celebrate. After a world war and a global pandemic, people wanted to party. And they did so all around the country (often in speakeasies—as prohibition wasn’t repealed until 1933). There are parallels now in the 2020s. We are also emerging from a pandemic, underemployment and slow real-wage gains. One can only hope that, with economic expansion and prosperity, we will also emerge from the most poisonous political era of our lifetimes (although, sadly, I suspect there will be more drama before this is over).
And boy are people ready to party! We have been getting out more and it’s been fantastic to see people in public. Restaurants are crowded and streets are bustling with shoppers. It’s going to take a while for the retail industry to recover but restaurants are in full swing. Reservations are hard to get. Waiters at our favorite restaurants have a spring in their step and comment on how great it is to see the regulars return in force.
Weddings and b’nai mitzvahs are back on the calendar and people are ready to celebrate. I’m not sure we’re ready yet for the “bar mitzvah safaris” of yesteryear, as out-of-town celebrations will be slow to return. But it’s time to get out the sports coats and slacks and get used to dressing in something other than Lululemon and Patagonia.
One can feel the mood of fear and isolation giving way to a new feeling of community and camaraderie. On our walks, Andrea and I are encountering smiling faces and an abnormally high number of positive responses to “good morning” greetings.
There was an article way back in the pandemic, suggesting that the real loneliness that gave way to depression during the pandemic was not necessarily for those we are closest to but for the casual social contacts of ordinary life. We all found ways to stay in touch with our closest friends (courtesy of Zoom and distanced cocktails in the backyard). But we lacked the stress-free casual contacts—with baristas, people on the street, people at work. These casual contacts remind us of our humanity and our connectedness.
By the way, an easy way to remember a couple of constitutional amendments. Prohibition came in with the 18th amendment (the legal age for drinking) and was ushered out with the 21st amendment (the previous legal age).
PRESIDENTIAL “WINTER” AND “SUMMER” WHITE HOUSES
In answer to the earlier quiz about where presidents have gone to decompress and get away from Washington (Mark DiMaria and Peter Bain got most):
Roosevelt. Warm Springs, Georgia and Hyde Park, New York
Truman, Key West, Florida
Eisenhower, his ranch in Kansas (and he was a frequent visitor to “Camp David,” named for his grandson)
Kennedy, the “Kennedy Compound” at Hyannisport
Johnson, LBJ Ranch in Stonewall, Texas
Nixon, the “western White House” in San Clemente, California
Ford, Palm Springs (Vail, Colorado also was someplace he visited a lot)
Carter, the “Carter Compound” in Plains, Georgia
Reagan, his ranch in Santa Barbara, California
Bush, Kennebunkport, Maine
Clinton, East Hampton, NY
Bush II, Crawford, Texas
Obama, Martha’s Vineyard
The Other Guy, Mar-a-Lago
RESPONSES TO A MEMORIAL ON MEMORIAL DAY
Jerry Lucido, who was once on the faculty of the University of North Carolia, offers some thoughts about Southerners, Silent Sam and new commemorations:
Southerners. “Thanks for this loving memorial of your Tar Heel friend. The description reminds me of the many talented and underestimated folks from that area, so many of whom had such intelligence and a modesty about them.”
Statue of a Confederate Soldier. “Your story of Silent Sam is a great one, and I'm pleased that you saw it for what it was when you were there. They should have torn him down much before they did.”
An Alternative Monument. Jerry points to the counterpoint built near Silent Sam back when Sam was still there. It is the Unsung Founders memorial. It is dedicated to “the people of color bond and free – who helped build the Carolina that we cherish today.”
The University’s chancellor said at its dedication: “What we do today will not rectify what our ancestors did in the past, But this memorial, I believe, attests to our commitment to shed light on the darker corners of our history. Yes, the University's first leaders were slaveholders. It is also true that the contributions of African American servants and slaves were crucial to its success.”
Best, Glenn