As most of my readers know by now, I arrived in Paris last November the morning after our presidential election. I snapped this photograph a few days later at a newsstand in Gare Lazare. I have held onto it for several reasons. Maybe I just was hoping for the best, didn't want to be political here or just couldn't really deal with it. Now, I feel is the time to share.
11 comments:
I can say that after the fact, it felt like America committed the nation state equivalent of suicide.
It's the people who believed in him the most who are going to end up the most hurt and angry because of him. And they don't grasp that yet.
Thanks for posting, Virginia. When we were in Paris last September, everyone was asking us how the situation even happened. Now what will they say?
I understand the resistance to getting political on the blog, but you're talking about the French reaction. When we were in Paris in 2006, we found ourselves lying more than once about our nationality ("no, no, we're Canadian!" Thank you, William.)
I never thought I'd miss GW Bush, or Bush senior, or Reagan. But I simply disagreed with them on some issues. They were still my presidents, they understood the Constitution and they cared about America. With the commander-in-thief-elect (I might have just coined that) I fear for the very foundations of our country.
I'm glad you posted this photograph. It is particularly timely, an unfortunately accurate, now. Petrea Burchard, see Adam Gopnik's essay posted 1-13-17 at newyorker.com regarding the distinction you make in the second paragraph of your above comment. IMHO, Your fear is well-founded. Leslie in Oregon
I am very glad you shared this. So glad. It is a wonderful way to describe what I have heard from my French friends and from the most significant number of my American friends. It feels like the end of democracy as we know it. And every day seems worse.
I want to think this is a horrible dream from which we will awake but I fear that is nothing but wishful thinking. (Perhaps we'll all engage, as Carrie Fisher once told of so well, in Wishful Drinking.)
I understand your aversion to getting political on the blog. I've avoided it too, although there have been references I hope people note. All we can do is do our best to ensure this doesn't last any longer than necessary. And a lot of praying.
I completely agree. And we must be vigilant to do damage control for the good of us all.
Thank you for stating my feelings about those previous Republican administrations so clearly. And your coinng of that term is perfect!
Thank you for posting this. I am committed to the grassroots efforts that must sustain us and help to mitigate the fear and hated that got this person elected.
Daily, I look forward to enjoying the photos on
this and other blogs/sites that highlight
various places I’ve visited around the world.
The focus of virtually all of these venues
is on beauty, history, lifestyles, etc. These
digital forums bring us together. In a world
increasingly bent on a divisive discourse they
emphasize that which unites us across geopolitical
boundaries. Hopefully this and the many other similar
sites will, in the future, stay apolitical.
every day he becomes more and more scary ... this attack on Rep Lewis is childish and ridiculous made worse because tomorrow is MLK Day ... and this morning i heard PE Trump's Chief of Staff a loathsome person say he thinks Pres Obama should tell Dems to 'grow up' ... i think its time Trump's lackies tell him to STFU
Great photo, thanks for sharing it (though I think I would have saved it for inauguration day)!
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