...Quatorze Juillet yesterday took on an interesting note for me. As planned, Jane and I went to the brocante in Cajarc, with plans to continue on to the brocante in Limogne and lunch along the way.
Somewhere between arrival in Cajarc and wandering through the brocante, we ended up canning the rest and going back to Jane's for lunch and a little hanging out.
We sometimes watch movies and/or hang out at the pool.
Last time Jane talked about the Michael Moore movie "Roger and Me," and asked if I had seen it? I hadn't, but that particular evening I knew I wasn't in the mood.
When it came up again, I thought why not? Even so, I knew the story of the dismantling and eventual closure of the General Motors plant in Flint, Michigan during the 80's was NOT going to be light and airy. Not only was I correct on that count, it was even worse than I expected.
During the 80's, I was a new social worker in New Orleans. I was already very aware of what had happened to Flint and its people, but what smacked me in the face again was the longer term attempts to bring Flint back by throwing millions in development money at the City and trying to promote tourism.
All, while its people and former employees of the GM plant were being evicted from their homes and apartments and putting their whole lives out on the street before taking what little they had left with them to wherever they were going.
It was painful to watch.
Today, Flint is still struggling to just get clean drinking water!
This led us to conversations about where we are today in the states. As I watched, I felt that what happened in Flint in the 80's was really the beginning of the end. The attitudes of damn the workers, make more/the most money, feed the corporate coffers, and outsource all jobs in America to cheap foreign labor began, continued and hasn't stopped.
Looking back, this felt like a tipping point. Who was President during that time?
Nothing like sitting in the Lot on Quatorze Juillet with your friend and trying to figure out when it all started and who the Presidents were at the time. I was quite proud of myself. I could put all the American Presidents in their correct place during my lifetime, and then back as far as FDR. Who was President during that time? If you guessed Ronald Reagan...you would be correct!
Thank God for good friends, thought-provoking conversation, healthy food, good beer and wine, ice cream, cookies, AND la vie en rose en France.
Happy Monday!
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