Ship of Fools
Today my wife and I are flying home from a wonderful trip to French Polynesia and New Zealand. In all my years of traveling abroad, I have never returned home with such trepidation. We were aboard a ship during the “trial” of Donald Trump. MSNBC was among the limited cable channels available and we watched it until we couldn’t take it any more.
Americans were in the minority among the passengers and the few we met were as horrified as we are at what has happened to our country. We met several delightful Canadians who were openly concerned about the decline of the United States they once admired.
One Canadian couple told us about a dinner they attended with the captain, crew and selected guests. One couple, outspoken Trump supporters, ruined the evening for everyone by professing Trump’s greatness. Some Canadians took them on and the captain had to request that politics not be discussed at his table.
New Zealand is everything I once thought America could be. They are years ahead of us in renewable energy and leaving us far behind in environmental protection. They were certainly very welcoming and, from what we could observe, very happy to be where they are. Their society is very diverse. The native culture is central to the lives of New Zealanders. They embrace the indigenous culture and celebrate their diversity.
During the cruise, I was often reminded of the book, “Ship of Fools” about pre-war Germans on an ocean liner. I wondered how many Germans, who were not potential victims of Nazi persecution, left their country out of disgust at how Hitler and his cult were destroying Germany.
If home is where the heart is, I’m afraid I’m leaving mine in New Zealand.
= new reply since forum marked as read
