Jazz for aficionados

are you American?

Cheers

Keegiam, your point is very well stated; the Republican Party played Southerners like a banjo, all they had to do was throw something into a bill about Black people and they got the poor Southerners vote, even when it was against their own interest.

Their racist stupidity affected all working class people adversely; the Democratic Party even shifted to the right in order to get their vote, plus the unions were weakened. Strong unions and a strong Democratic Party would have fought tooth and nail before allowing all those manufacturing jobs to leave this country. Those jobs meant people without a college education could earn a decent living.




I missed the bus that the VA provided to get from JB (VA facility in deep south county where rich people live) to the VA in the city. This meant I had to catch public transportation back to North County where I live, that’s a long way with many bus transfers to get home, did not have a clue how to do this.

After walking and finally reaching a bus stop, and catching a bus, I sat next to a young white gentleman and told him my dilemma. He was very helpful and told me that he would guide me as far as he was going. We had a long ride, and a long pleasant conversation. The reason I mention race, is because his story was the same as any young working class Black man who couldn’t afford to go to college.

In deep South County, they can’t get anybody to work fast food places because no rich parent would allow his kid to work at one even if the kid wanted to. This young man told how much travel time it took to get from where he lived in the city, to his job, and that at times he felt like all he did was ride the bus and work, but that he lived in a nice apartment (which took most of his check, no money to party) and he felt that it was worth it.

He also gave me detailed instructions on how to transfer to various buses that would get me home. His informative conversation in regard to the life of a young working class person made the long ride to my next transfer stop quite pleasant; but deep down, I felt pain because I knew a young intelligent man like him should have been in college, not working in a fast food joint on a nowhere job.

In the 80's "The American Dream" was alive and well; I know, because I sold The American Dream; 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage, a playroom, in addition to the living room of course; all in a nice subdivision where the kids could play and ride their bikes in safety.

acman3 ,
Never heard of the young lady but she sure has a lot to say!Thanks .