I met Paul Lynde when I was a kid

[The Straight Story]

Paul was from Mt. Vernon, Ohio. I grew up in Columbus and my dad worked for Rockwell and traveled a lot.

We were at the airport, a fascinating place to me, wandering about after dad got his ticket and was waiting on his plane. And there was Paul. He was just like on TV, smiling that big smile, said hi to us and shook our hands.

I remember for many years being able to go with a loved one (x wife, dad, whomever) and wait with them until the plane landed. Hugging them goodbye as they departed. Meeting all kinds of interesting folks while waiting on the plane.

Now? I am seen as a potential terrorist or enemy of the state. I can't go past a certain point, even though for all the decades leading up to 9/11 people by the millions did - without many incidences.

I just don't get this. Are we that afraid of each other? I remember something along the same line - back when I was a kid I was not generally afraid of my neighbors, them having guns, and I and others did not think the education system sucked.

Now? Politicians tell us we are the greatest country in the world - but that our education system sucks (and that educators are the problem and they, the politicians, are the solution), fellow citizens are the enemy and could, at any time, rise up and become terrorists. They are gonna steal our planes and crash them, shoot us up, use meds for making meth, use a toy rocket to make a missile to attack planes, etc.

The only folks we are being trained to trust and believe in are those in government. The rest of us? Well we are not only suspected and potential terrorists but lazy welfare cheats, money sucking union folks, etc.

How did we get to this place where we are so afraid of each other and so trusting of people we have never met, never will meet, that wear suits and ties and have no connection to us? How is it we trust them more than each other? Why do we put more faith in what they say than people like, say teachers, when it comes to education?

I met Paul Lynde because at some point in our history we did not fear one another and I was able to sit and watch a plane come in to pick up dad and Paul. Something I am not trusted to do anymore.

[ixion]

1. Nice blog. I agree. We've lost numerous threads in our social fabric thanks to some folks need

for 'security', mostly gubermint folks.

There has always been slimy control weasels in the government, but they've been kept in check. In the past few decades, though, they've broken down the gates and stormed the citadel of our once great republic.

Now we're just one of many post-industrial security states. I don't recognize the US I knew as a child. :(

[Enrique]

2. on the other hand...

back then, Lynde had to stay in the closet because everyone would be afraid if they knew he was gay. I just saw an interesting thing on him on PBS, people said Lynde really suffered because of the homophobia.

[The Straight Story]

3. Not sure I see the connect

between what I was saying and gay rights. Do you think that gay rights is tied to terrorism/wars/not trusting each other today?

There are some good things from the 'good old days' that are not now bad because other things back then were bad.

[Enrique]

10. i mostly just wanted to talk about the show I saw.

maybe some other duers saw it. It actually wasn't just about Lynde, it was a series about the history of TV, and they had a segment on Lynde.

[mucifer]

4. Yes and segregation and racism were more prevalent than

now. I know things still have a long way to go. But, I can say at least here in Chicago these issues have improved for the better.

That said I do wish I lived with many people in an extended family the way more people did in the past.

[ThatsMyBarack]

11. Fuck Anita Bryant!

And SHE is still alive....

[Generic Other]

5. Uncle Arthur?

I thought he flew on a broomstick!!

[Quantess]

6. You are on the no-fly list?

[live love laugh]

13. Can you go to an airport gate without a ticket now? I think that's the point.nt

[madmom]

7. I too spent some of my formative years in Columbus. My girlfriends family used

to take us to the airport just to watch the planes come in. Yes it was in many ways a simple life, wish it were as uncomplicated now as it was for me then.:hi:

[gratuitous]

8. I think there are two parallel forces at work: Greed and fear

Greed, in that it profits certain powerful and wealthy people to keep the hoi polloi suspicious of one another. The more compartmentalized and atomized our society is, the easier it is to exploit those natural differences, and the more money it makes for some folks. Fear is the child of ignorance. While we are kept apart, we are also isolated from familiarity with those natural differences. There is a natural stand-offishness that comes from perceiving that someone is different, and those same forces vested in keeping us apart encourage that stand-offishness in greater and lesser ways.

Because it is in some ways natural, extreme versions are made to seem natural, as well. And it seems that we have entrusted many of our societal practices in the hands of the most pants-wettingest scared people, lest we get blown up in a horrific plane crash or public building bombing. We are conditioned to fear the greatest catastrophes, and once again, the people who benefit from that fear are the greatest proponents of making sure we stay fearful. Except, of course, for being informed and rightfully concerned about real, actual threats to our society and our individual well-being.

We'll have more on that last point, but first this word from the resource extractive industries!

[K8-EEE]

9. Only 15 years ago I used to take my toddlers to the airport just for fun

They had a jungle gym then at Burbank Airport. At the time we had no air conditioning and those 100 degree summer days with the little ones were tough. When it got too hot to stay home I would crash my parents' pool, or drive to the beach, or go to the movies or....airport JUST FOR FUN. We did this about twice a week in the August/Sept. Valley heat that is always the worst the weeks before school starts.

The airport was blissfully cool with lots of things to look at. We would walk around and get tons of exercise, have a bite to eat at the restaurant there, watch the planes take off and land, get home when it was cooling off. Man. It seems like 200 years ago, the difference now!

[xchrom]

12. i remember going out to the oakland airport just to drink

and watch the planes and people.

i remember my parents waiting with me for a departure or waiting at teh gate for a friend to come in.

used to be fun.

[hootinholler]

14. It's not about safety

It's about keeping fear alive.

You are spot on.

-Hoot