The first time Nancy and I were in Paris we stayed on the Rue Monge. A tiny room on the 6th floor of the Hotel Monge with just enough walking space around the bed to be able to access the very small bathroom. There was a two person elevator just outside the door and it was cosy, fun and exciting. The airlines lost our bags, so we were scrambling, amid the fun, to buy a few key items . . fortunately, virtually everyone in Paris spoke English, so it wasn’t a problem. . . for us.
But, it was for an American who came in to the lobby and demanded that the hotel staff do something about . . wait for it, his luggage that the airlines had lost. He was outraged, abusive, and very loud. Truly, the epitome of the Ugly American.
Several thoughts . . we got our bags in the next few days and were able to communicate in English for the most part. I don’t know about the Ugly American gentleman, but it would have been harder since the hotel staff wouldn’t speak English with him. And, secondly, I just assumed that this person, despite the literature at the time, was just a one-off, an anomaly.
So, this brings me to what I fear the most about the election. It is not the realization that DJT could be re-elected (and, we have to keep working hard to make sure this doesn’t happen), it is that the United States is made up of a lot more Ugly Americans, 40% of the United States could be of the UA variety.
When I watch news reports of interviews of DJT supporters, they remind me of the Kim Jong Il variety. Cultish in nature and unable to ferret through the complexities of the modern world, so they head back to idol worship.
I have been saying, mostly in jest, that we would take a hiatus for four years and travel the world if DJT wins. But, the dilemma is that there would still be the ignorance of 19th century thinking when we return. I have often condemned Jeff Flake, et al. for not standing up to Trump, thereby giving him cover for his petulant, if not illegal, follies. Someone needed to stand up to him and it certainly didn’t turn out to be the cowardly Republicans.
So, what to do? I guess we should wait until after the election to decide. 😊