Muslims and Jews.....reflect on this.....

Think about this..............

Prior to the 9/11 attacks (I am a survivor) I never thought of Muslims as anything other than just, simply, "people".

After 9/11, after the shock of the attack and what I experienced that horrific day began to ease somewhat, I thought to myself: "This incident is going to taint ALL Muslims, no matter WHERE they reside."

I was so right.

Most certainly, since then, there have been numerous terrorist attacks by Muslim extremists (focus on the word "extremists"), but, think about this, how many deranged people of ALL colors and faiths have conducted senseless mass shootings both here and abroad, in recent years?

Common sense dictates the the majority of Muslims are good, decent, law-abiding people, just like the rest of us "good people".

Jews......

The past few years have seen a dramatic uptick in attacks on Jewish people, as well as temples and synagogues.

Why?

I, certainly, have no answer to this.

Jews once immigrated to this country in massive numbers to escape the injustices of religious persecution and the horrific pograms.

Here, it seemed, they could leave all of that ugliness behind them, and build new, prosperous lives in their adoptive homeland.

Surely, there was ALWAYS anti-semitism here (and elsewhere) nut never to the extent that it has been here the past several years.

Even the President is now trying to stop the ugly scourge that is targeting so many innocent people.

Then, their have been all the anti-Asian attacks, especially since the COVID pandemic.

Prejudice.....of ALL kinds......has NO PLACE in our society.

Sadly, I must admit that, I feel that is long as there are people, there will be prejudice.

How senseless, stupid, ignorant, and cruel.

If people would just STOP looking at the DIFFERENCES between us, they MIGHT just see that we ALL have more in common than they realize, or, might want to admit.

If we EVER needed tolerance and brotherhood in this world, we surely need it NOW....in helping one another heal and together work to build a better world for future generations......

"Live long and prosper"

 

What happened to YOU and the USA is really not fair GG. People like me can get away with being completely simple minded here in the UK. I only ever noticed the 'M' word on television and I would have had too much of a short attention to follow it if it would have been mentioned around me in the street. And... Then... HEADLINES! I have never not noticed the 'M' word ever since. As for the 'J' word... I knew they were in the war and I knew they had something to do with Jesus. You can see here that these nations got more complicated for me, the further East they are. The rest of us is having our stay here upon planet Earth compromised by primitives who simply wont let go!

 

Working in New York as I did for nearly 25 years, I was surrounded by people of all different colors, races, and ethnic origins.

None of this mattered in the least to me; as long as these people (the ones I knew personally) treated me with the same decency and respect that I gave to them, nothing else mattered.

I just thought it all part of the rich human tapestry that made such a great city so very interesting.

Growing up, I would look at the photos in "NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC" and would imagine myself meeting all of these people from so many far-flung corners of the world.

Even as I grew older, skin color was secondary; the person himself was what would interest me.

One of the books I have on London buses (and I have many) shows a restored "B"-type London double-decker (hundreds were sent to France during WW1), restored to its wartime green drab (for the 100 year anniversary of the War, 2014), carrying a number of Sikh men, in WW1 uniforms, representing the Sikh soldiers who fought for Britain during The Great War.

I thought this was something truly out of the ordinary, and was giving so many people a sense of a part of British history not normally recalled.

Read about the histories of the Muslims, Sikhs, and Jews, and you will find much of tremendous interest, and find yourself quite enlightened.

EVERY ethnic group that ever was during the history of our planet has had its heroes and heroines, its innovators and great leaders, our evil-doers and our radicals.

I think that, personally, we MUST start to LEARN from each other, put differences aside, and at least TRY to pull together to TRY to build a better future for us all.

I, most certainly, would rather have FRIENDS of many colors, than ENEMIES of many colors.

How much of great value we could all LEARN from each other, if we just cast prejudice aside......

"Live long and prosper"

 

I have always wanted to go to New York City. How easy is it for an Englishman to buy a commercial property? Is there any New York beaches?

 

I don't see why a foreigner can't buy commercial property in NYC. You just need to file the right paperwork and pay taxes, unlike some billionaires.

Yes there are many great beaches in NYC, long island and jersey. Not sure how clean they are now, but probably cleaner than before. You can fish in Hudson river again I hear.


Of course none of these attractions still exist there.

Coney Island is famous, with rides and boardwalk. Brooklyn, queens have nice ocean beaches that extend out on long island.

 

Love it Toker! I want some of that.

 

What you see in that SPECTACULAR 1950's-era photo of Coney Island was the old, famed "STEEPLECHASE PARK", which closed down forever in 1965.

Everything in this wonderfully nostalgic old photo is, sadly, now gone, with the exception of the old Parachute Jump.

This famed and popular attraction was originally built for the 1939/1940 World's Fair.

After the Fair closed, the Jump was disassembled and moved to Coney Island, where it was reassembled and proved a popular attraction for decades.

It was shut down in the later 1960's, and, for years, sat idle and rusting, its old cables flailing in the wind.

Today, though it no longer operates as an amusement ride, it has been restored, and, at night, puts on a vivid, magnificent light show in all the colors of the rainbow, being visible several miles off-sh

Coney Island for many years, was known as "The Nickle Empire" since it then only cost a nickle to travel out to Coney via subway and elevated trains.

I well recall both Steeplechase and the Parachute Jump from my much,much younger days, 60-odd years ago.....at least i got the memories.......

"Live long and prosper"

 

....just as I have always wanted to go to London, a historic and fascinating city I've read so much about over the years, that I feel like I've visited several times!

"Live long and prosper"

 

You deserve to come see the Royal Old Observatory and see the magic of the Planetarium with your own two eyes.

 

Believe me, mate, if I had the money, I'd be aboard a CUNARD liner and be on my way "across the pond"!

My FIRST stop would HAVE to be the London Transport Museum at Covent Garden (they'd have a VERY difficult time getting me to leave!)

"Live long and prosper"

 

One thing I see in both today's New York and modern London is that one can. literally, travel about the globe, and not have to leave the city!

So many cultures representing so many different parts of the world.......this is what, I feel, give BOTH cities so much international intrigue and appeal to visitors from abroad.......

"Live long and prosper"

 

I bet the answer is in your zodiac reading.

 

Online, I have read much of the bus drivers and conductors (last conductors served aboard the famed "Routemasters" in 2005); many, beginning in the 1950's, came from Caribbean countries.

In later years, Hindus and Sikhs were also running the buses; there are very interesting historical stories online, about the first Sikh and Hindu "bus men" in Great Britain....VERY interesting and most enlightening.

Few modern-day Londoners, I am sure, have never heard of Joe Clough; back in the "GENERAL" bus days of the early 1900's, he became the FIRST black motor-bus driver in London.

Talk about a "pioneer"........

"Live long and prosper"

 

You might be right!

However, given the state of the world these days, I am MORE than happy to just stay at home and read, and travel to London (and elsewhere!) without having to leave my premises.....

"Live long and prosper"

 

I have probably heard that guy pop up a few times but I am yet to see him get the google tribute.

 

See:

Joe Clough - Wikipedia *

*(click on link)

 

Here's a very detailed article on Mr. Clough (w/photos)......

Joseph Clough: London’s first Black bus driver | London Transport Museum *

*(click on link)

 

"The Turban-Wearing British Bus Driver Who Changed The Law" (VERY interesting and inspirational historical story from Birmingham, with many rare photos)......

The turban-wearing British bus driver who changed the law

 

Another very interesting historical story (in the same vein as the previous) can be found online, taking place in Manchester, back in 1960.

Literally, fighting for one's faith and dignity "aboard the buses".......

 

Even buses were very different back then. You could hop on them. Some of those are still in service.