Why Americans should thank the French for their Freedom.
I believe I find myself indeed grateful for the experience I enjoyed as an employee of Eastern Air Lines. For nearly 12 years, I had the distinct pleasure and advantage of an education from traveling. Not just domestic travel but to Mexico, the Carribbean and to Europe.
After visits to England, Spain and Portugal, it was my conclusion that we in the United States were very fortunate to enjoy a unique Freedom & Democracy..
We were fortunate to have understood the value and the cost of Liberty. It’s been said ‘Freedom Isn’t Free’. It sounds truthy because there is a cost to Freedom. Someone paid the price and for many the cost was their lives.
Many Americans don’t realize that our freedom came as the result of Revolution. So many wonder why Americans tend toward a certain attitude of independence. Some say we are quick to anger and ready to fight on the world stage. If you examine our history as a country you see the pattern continue right through the Westward expansion and our conflict with the real Native Americans, the Indian tribes across the country to the West coast. We come from a History of violence. We have experienced the pain of a war, a Revolution fought on our shores. Every Independence Day on July the Fourth, we celebrate it.
In America we have experienced the bloodshed between brothers in the Civil War and the cost of war in lives lost and in the suffering it brings. Not just to one generation but to countless others to follow.
I must admit that during my experience with my travel, I would often ask of others what their experience was like traveling to other countries and to the cities they were impressed by. I guess, I was looking to the experience of others that might allow me to focus on making plans to visit some countires over others.
I found it Interesting that many people I spoke to were very unfavorable to the French and to Paris in particular The common theme it seems is that they were treated with little regard. I consistently heard comments that lead me to belove the French opinion of Americans was very low.
We were considered, unrefined, uneducated and lacking in all manner of social grace and value. I heard many stories of how they were treated with contempt and rudeness. After hearing this repeated over a course of time, I admit that I came to believe it as true.
My youngest Son, James Douglas completed his undergraduate work in Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the Fall of xxx
He decided he wanted to continue his education by pursuing a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology. He applied to Drexel University in Philadelpahia as well as American University in Washington DC.
Since I was living in Northern Virgina working for Dominion Energy, the Statewide Electrical Utility, it was my hope that he be accepted at American University. We took a trip together to Drexel University in the November of 2017. It was a great opportunity to spend some time together and to explore this great historical city. We went to Philadelphia Hall, the site of the Liberty Bell and to the grave site of Benjamin Franklin to name a few of the highlights. It was a memorable occasion that we both enjoyed and especially the unique time shared together.
As fortune would have it, he was accepted into both programs but ultimately selected to go to American University. Upon his completion of the program, he was offered a fantastic opportunity with General Dynamics and worked at Water Reed Hospital for almost two years.
James had made friends with several individuals during his experience at American University. It seemed that his closest friends had all be offered opportunities outside of Washington, DC. In far flung locations like Hong Kong, Costa Rica and South Africa. After a while he grew restless in DC and became frustrated with the cost of living and the lack of close friends. He shared with me that he wanted to take a trip. He wanted to do some traveling to visit some of his friends from American University and was trying to figure out how he could fit all the stops in with a limited amount of vacation time. I had suggested he asked for a Leave of Absence from his job and this was something which he indicated he would consider.
He invited me to lunch one day and we met at the Union Market in Washington, DC. I thought it was unusual that he had brought his LapTop computer. He began to share with me all of his frustrations with living in DC. Many of which I already knew from previous conversations. He talked about his idea of traveling and went on to say that he had put together a spreadsheet.
What he was describing was essentially a trip around the world. On his spreadsheet he had mapped out his trip beginning in Western Europe, moving East to Thailand, S Korea and Japan. He had determined his budget and believed he could make it happen with his current savings, selling his car and staying at hostels and traveling by train and on a budget.
I was at once thrilled and excited for him and admired his sense of adventure, while at the same time experience anxiety at the thought of him traveling to Nepal to hike to Everest Base Camp.
It was July when he began his trip and I went with him to Washington National Airport where he began his journey. I told him that he was embarking on a journey of a lifetime and if were ever to going to make such a trip, it was now. It was extremely difficult to say goodbye but we had agreed that at some point in his journey, I would meet up with him and share part of his adventure.
It was Labor Day weekend when he called me. I was on the Island of Ocracoke in North Carolina when he called. I was happy to be able to get a signal long enough to have a conversation. We decided that I would fly to London, take the train under the English Channel into France and meet him in Brussells Belgium. From there we were to go to Paris France or to Amsterdam. I lobbied strongly for Amsterdam and this was primarily because of all the negative things I had head about Paris and France fro so many years.
James was quite persuasive and ultimately, Paris it was.
We had a terrific time in Belgium. By this time it was mid-November and the city of Brussells was decorated for Christmas. We took a side trip by train to Bruges which is just north of Brussells. It was a beautiful and historic city and we both throughly enjoyed it.
A few days before Thanksgiving, we caught the high speed train in Brussels that took us into Paris. James had arranged a stay at an Air BNB in the Montmarte Arrondissement. The day we arrived was clear and sunny and at various points on our trip around the city we could clearly see the Eiffel Tower. Our accommodations were excellent with close proximity to the Metro De Paris.
Walking the street of Paris was a unique experience. Everyone we met, smiled and greeted us. Since we were so close to Thanksgiving, we began to explore how we might enjoy a traditional American Thanksgiving meal in the this grand city.
It was quite a challenge but we ultimately decided on a restaurant called ‘Breakfast in America’. We had a wonderful time and it was great to see there we so many other Americans there seeking the same experience we were.
Over the following days, we went to the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre Museum, the Champs-Elysse and the Arc De Triomphe.
During my studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte as a History major I had done a tremendous amount of reading.
Reading on so many topics as my focus was on American History. I had recalled there was a statue to the Marquis De Lafayette in Paris. It was the idea of a man named Robert Thompson. His plan was to create a challenge to American school children in the late 1800’s with the idea of raising enough money to build this statue as a way to acknowledge the gift from the French, the Statue of Liberty in New York harbour. The sculpture was to be designed and built by American, Paul Bartlett. It was in 1908 the statue was complete and placed in the Queens Court Park adjacent to the Champs-Elyssee in the 8th Arrondissement.
On the base of the statue it reads: Erected by the Youth of the United States in Honor of Gen. Lafayette.” Below the statue are the word “Paris” and the date 1900, separated by a star.
For those who know their history of the American Revolution, it is clear that without the aide of the French, there is no America. Though the efforts of Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, the commitment of money, ships, troops and arms was secured to subdue the British threat to Massachusetts and the American Colonies.
It was a most noteworthy day for me to stand there and view the Statue. The Marquis De Lafayette with his right arm raised with sword in hand is quite imposing.
It is a reminder that the young 13 colonies were not alone in their hope for Liberty and were joined in the cause and the spirit of the purusit of democracy and freedom by men like Lafayette. The desire to throw off the impending threat of British rule, the rule of the King and the Monarchy that raises the prospect of tyrannical rule.
It warmed my heart then and even now when I think that that the French had belief in our vision of a government by the people to ensure Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
