I took this photo at the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit.
How it was and How it is...for me
By Ann M Lindaman ©
July 25, 2009
Recently I got an email that reminisced about how things were 100 years ago. I have a few of my own to share with the "youngsters"!
I remember always having a TV but I do remember that the first ones were black and white only didn't have a remote. Yes, you had to actually get up and turn the channel, but what was the point? There were only three channels!
I remember walking to the small family grocery store in downtown Detroit as a child alone and being perfectly safe. I was accompanied only by my grandparents dog who didn't have to be leashed and she would wait for me outside the door. This was the exact area of Detroit that had the race riots in 1968. My Uncles won't even drive down those streets now. That's so sad!
I remember our 35th President, John F. Kennedy. And I remember our Elementary school principal getting on the loud speaker on November 22, 1963 to announce that our President had been shot. They dismissed school. I was in the 4th grade. My teacher, Mrs. Lynn, was crying when we left school. We went home, turned on our TV's and watched a tearful Walter Cronkite tell us that our President was dead. You've all seen clips of the funeral. I watched it live. It was devastating to everyone, even a 4th grader.
One thing I don't remember, and wished that I did, is that John F. Kennedy touched me as a baby. My parents went to the Detroit airport to see him while he was campaigning in the late 50's. My mother shook his hand and he patted my head! So yes, that means the 34th President, Dwight Eisenhower was president when I was born!
I remember the night in 1964 that Ed Sullivan had the Beatles on his variety show! I also remember most adults were wondering what was happening to our youth, wanting to listen to those "long hairs"! They thought the Beatles would corrupt the youth of America! And Elvis, why he was just obscene, according to most parents!
I remember purchasing a record in 1965, which was a vinyl single record, played on a turntable, called the "Sounds of Silence". The artists were Simon and Garfunkle and my mother strongly expressing her hope that the record was actually "silent" since I'd been listening to the Beatles so much! By the way, that turntable was in the shape of a box and the only speaker was built into it. And we thought that was the greatest thing ever invented at the time!
I remember Janet (my best friend) and I dancing to the Beatles and singing along (and doing the moves) to the Supremes so many times that we were nearly perfect! STOP...in the name of love....before you break my heart! We had such a good time, especially when we dressed up in our "go go" pants and boots during rehearsal!
I remember witnessing a murder suicide in 1968. I was only 13 years old. It was very traumatic.
I remember gasoline being .25 per gallon. One dollars worth of gas would get you through the evening!
I remember cigarettes being .25 per pack as well! And of course, nobody had any idea at that time how bad they were for you!
I remember my Uncle being shot and murdered in 1972 in his furniture store in front of his wife and sister. It was such a devastating event for our family.
I remember registering as a Republican also in 1972. I was so proud to do so!
I remember my first vote in the Presidential Election. It was 1972 and Richard Nixon was re-elected after his first term which began in 1969 and ended in 1974 when he resigned and Gerald Ford was named President.
I remember Jimmy Carter being elected in 1976. He beat Gerald Ford who had run for a second term.
I remember Ronald Reagan being elected in 1980 and his swearing in ceremony on January 20th, 1981. I remember still believing strongly in the Republican party.
The rest of this is political commentary. I couldn't stop once I started writing...lol So if you don't want to read my opinion on the our two political parties, stop here! Warning! You may not agree and you may even get mad! Remember I warned you!
I remember George H. W. Bush our 41st President from 1989 - 1993 being elected. I also remember that it was during the 1992 campaign against Bill Clinton that the Republicans began to speak about themselves as being "moral majority". Perhaps they always had and I just didn't see it but I don't think so. They put people like Pat Buchanan and Pat Robertson out to be their voices and talked about how moral they were, the insinuation being that the Democrats were somehow immoral. It probably started in 1973 with the Supreme court Roe VS. Wade decision. At any rate, this is when I began to question my alliance with a party who felt they were better than others. I have never thought of myself as better than anyone else We are all equal in the eyes of God and it is He who will decide who is moral and who is not, not the Republicans. So I broke with the party, and voted for Bill Clinton twice! I now consider myself an Independent. I honestly respect the ideals of both parties, but certainly not the way they have been portrayed.
Was I disappointed with my decision? Well I can vehemently say that I was disappointed with Bill Clinton's behavior regarding extra marital activity and horrified that it took place in the oval office, which I consider sacred ground! But I wasn't disappointed with most of his policies and how he seemed to care about people. Jimmy Carter, even though I didn't vote for him, is a great humanitarian but was a weak President in my opinion. He was a kind and wonderful person, but I don't think he was really presidential material. Bill Clinton had all of it. I just wished he hadn't screwed it up by screwing around! I think it definitely damaged his credibility.
So the Bushes and the rhetoric of some of the self-righteous Republican party drove me to the "other side". I still believe in the fundamental principles of the Republican party: free markets, fiscal conservatism and personal responsibility. That's what I signed up for in 1972! But I also believe in civil rights, environmentalism and helping those can't help themselves. In my opinion, both parties should believe in all of those things as Americans. And I personally think that the two parties need to come together. Will that happen in my lifetime? I doubt it. Not until the Republicans get off the moral high ground that they elevated themselves to and let people figure those moral issues out on their own. Not until the Democrats realize that some Republicans also have some great ideas and they all start to listen to one another instead of making it seem as though we're in a political war. They need to come together to fix the economy, to fix health care and to help our country regain respect in the world again. To help undo the damage that I think the 41st President, George W. Bush has done to our standing in the world's arena. Now I really do think that there are Republicans that feel the same way I do but have decided to stick with the party no matter what. I can respect that but they need to speak up! They need to lead their party back to earth to where we all live. Where imperfect people live in an imperfect world. Nobody wants to have an abortion but there are women in situations who feel that is their only option. Who are we to tell them they can't? Compassion! Common sense! Where has it gone? So let's work on education and a health care plan that will allow us to eliminate abortions by eliminating unwanted pregnancy rather than accusing someone of murder or bombing clinics or killing doctors who are trying to help women in trouble! That's something both sides can work on and achieve rather than fighting over who's right and who's wrong.
Do I think that President Obama will accomplish all of this? I believe that he will try and I believe that he will get us part of the way there. I have serious doubts about his economic stimulus package but I have to wonder what a John McCain would have done. I have a feeling that he may have done the same thing or at least something very similar. I don't think we would have been happy with anything either of them would have done because something drastic had to come about.
Basically I think that both parties need to stop pointing fingers. There are bad politicians associated with both sides of the aisle. There are too many to count and that's the truth and that's one of the saddest things! Where have all the good guys and gals gone? They're out there, I believe they are! Let's find them and get them to Washington, no matter what party they're with!
I said it years ago that I think we should drop the two party system and rename the united party "Demoreps". That way candidates would have to campaign solely on merit and issues. And the House and Senate would have to stand for and vote for what they actually believe in. No, I don't want to do away with democracy; it's a great concept, and I still believe despite our issues right now, that I live in the greatest country on earth. However I don't think we have a true democracy right now. All we have is divisiveness, posturing, and stubbornness. What would our congressmen and women and senators do if they were out there solely on their own? With no "party" behind them? Maybe something good would happen. No finger pointing, just get to work and get the job done!
I have some more ideas on how to improve things in Washington but I think I've rambled on enough! I won't see any of this in my lifetime but maybe..just maybe if I get the my ideas out there among a younger generation it might spark other ideas in their young, imaginative hearts and minds and from that something good will come of it.
So it's 2009 and at 55 years of age, I'm actually going to say what I believe and not worry about pissing someone off. That's the way it is...that's the way I am and if you don't agree, I'm ok with it! We live in the United States of America and everyone is entitled to their opinion and to say it out loud! God bless the USA!
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