Nancy and I have been VERY fortunate to be able to travel to so many countries from Central and South America, to most of Europe, to some old Iron Curtain countries, to the Mediterranean region, to Southeast Asia, to several countries in Africa, and to China. I am not bragging, just recounting. As I said, we are very thankful and fortunate. In every trip and visit to these countries, I have asked one major question to the people we have met, "What is your opinion of the United States and its people." Their responses is generally the same. "America is a great and rich country. The people are friendly, but the government is blind to what the people in our country really want from them as a country. We want a true and honest friendship that we can depend on when the time comes." Obviously, not word for word their replies, but the basic meaning is there. The latest response was, "Why did you elect Trump?" I agreed and explain our election system.
Every country we visit shows us how much of the world we did not know or were taught in high school or college. yes we were taught US history and things about our advancements in technology. We were taught what the government wanted us to hear. Just like a lot of countries have done. Example, in China, very few people know about Tiananmen Square massacre or the man who block a tank with his body in protest. Or in Peru, their Japanese ruler/president wiped Peru's entire history from schools and all books. Or that in Yugoslavia after the Nazis were ran out and Russia took over, living conditions got worse for the people. Or that Argentina and Venezuela invited and harbored many high ranking Nazis after Germany lost WWII. And some of the smaller trivia things like China contributed to the human race was the invention of noodle like spaghetti that Italy claims to have invented. Coffee from Africa and so many more, but I don't want to bore you.
And now, Trump says black slavery education should be taken out of schools? Like the historians are trying to rewrite the actuate US history? And making a National holiday for HIS birthday? No, he is the one trying to rewrite history, and we can not let him do that. I lived in the deep south as a young child and saw first hand the prejudicial ways black people were treated them, and 'Jim Crow' actions on blacks.
By traveling to all the countries we have visited, I have learned what good and bad the US has offered me. I love our country, BUT, I do not love the direction to present administration is taking it. We have a president who has been told not to do certain things but still does them, and no one is enforcing the rulings of the courts. Lawsuits can last for decades in the courts meanwhile the citizens suffer with heath care, lack of food and jobs, housing and natural disasters. One more thing. Adding his name to the Kennedy Center? Adding his name in front of JFK is so wrong!
After all the damage Trump has done, it will take years to bring the USA back to a world power that other countries can trust and feel safe saying we are their ally and friend.
Take care and stay safe.
