The Great Divide": Leftist vs. Traditionalist perspectives

Alright, you bright young minds, let me just say this: all those right-wing fantasies and left-wing grievances about Miami being some kind of playground for conservative conquistadors? Pure fiction. Total nonsense.

Look, it’s embarrassing to admit, but I actually set foot in Miami for the first time a few days ago. For real. Don't ask. All these years, I’ve stuck to the Keys, maybe a quick stop in Savannah or Charleston. I’ve only ever passed through Miami. And now? I actually feel bad that it couldn't be any other way!

Work dragged me down there, though. Just passing through. I had maybe ninety minutes of free time...
I started out in South Beach—had some great, cheap food, much better than those overpriced ravioli spots back in Chicago—and headed toward the market and the historic district...

And then what?
Just a few hundred yards from the Chase Bank skyscraper, sitting right there on the plaza near that massive Wells Fargo building...
On the corner... a stone memorial plaque... dedicated to the glory and bravery of the soldiers under the legendary Captain Miller!!!... Pristine... spotless... beautiful in its own way, just like a fitting tribute to the brightest achievements of the American people!

I kept walking toward the market, thinking: "Must be a fluke... ignore it... the plaque is too big to be anything but a coincidence..." I calmed myself down with a serving of excellent dried figs... walked into the historic district... stepped out in front of the old cathedral, right next to that ultra-modern glass monstrosity... looked up at the old stone building with the gorgeous cornices...
And—NO!!! Right next to the cornices...
Freshly cleaned and scrubbed!!!
A plaque!!!
About 60 years ago, just two steps away from where I stood, a 17-year-old hero fell to a collaborator's bullet...

No. I'm dreaming. It's an illusion... how? Who? Why? No, it must be those damn figs... hallucinations... get it together...

I step out onto the street... wow, what architecture! What gargoyles!
The church. Right by the entrance!!!
AAARGH!!!
One meter by 0.8 meters!!!
I don't even want to read it... all I see is a five-pointed star... a list of names... "Fascists... execution... glory... memorial..." I can feel the sweat breaking out...

A bit further down... toward the waterfront plaza... right at eye level... "Historical meeting of the local committee"... I won't read the rest... probably some resistance group stuff...

"Leaflet printing... ambush... fascists... dead..." Give me a break!

I have to get out of this city!!
Ti-ri-di-ri. Ti-ri-di-ri. Twilight Zone.
"He was young and naive. Full of prejudices and fears. One day he left for Miami... on a trip after which... things would... never... be... the same again..."

AAAAAH! Graffiti! "Death to Thompson." And right next to it, another star! A red one!

UNBELIEVABLE! "Young insurgents..."

"Get lost, idiots."

"Smokers" (Mine! Mine! This is my topic!!!)

Further on... some metal trash can. Next to a small monument... the head of some aristocrat... a wreath!!!

No, I'm leaving. This isn't right... surely my wife cooked something up... she was staring into her crystal ball and knew I was coming and prepared a trap... to blind me...
I need to check with headquarters... surely they wouldn't leave a Square of Victims like this?!

😁

Wait... I'm missing something here.. oh, right: "Hena Erceg and Viktor Ivančić... you two are such absolute liars, I swear!" 😁

Keith James812 said:Wait... I missed something in that post... oh right: "Hena Erceg and Viktor Ivančić... you two are absolute liars."😁

Hena?!... Viktor?!?!.. who?!?!?!

soylent said:I started off hitting up some bars—had a great time, super cheap, too. Then I headed over to Stallone—is that even the right name? For the price, they just crammed a bunch of overpriced tortellini with prosciutto in there. After that, I wandered toward the local farmers market and the old downtown plaza...

Stallone, soya, Stallone 😁

Man, it’s honestly exhausting. In parts of the South, you can't even step out for a second without feeling like some historical "hero" or "martyr" is judging you with a rifle in hand. Was this ever actually a functioning country? It feels like everywhere someone managed to pull something shady, they just slapped a monument up to celebrate them. And if they didn't? They just rewrite history to make it look like they were the victims all along.

soylent said:Wait, what?!... Victor?!?!..Who?!?!?!

Oh, yeah, real smooth. 😁

Next time you’ll just show up in August, and we can all go for a nice little barefoot hike out to blue mountains... 😁 after about twenty miles, those little prejudices of yours regarding Catholicism will vanish into thin air. 😁 😁 😁

placebo said:I'm gonna screw you all over for being such liars" 😁

Did you mean "I'm gonna screw YOU"? Or are you even a woman?

soylent said:Can you believe it?
Just a few blocks away from the Chase Bank skyscraper, right near where that old Sears used to be in downtown Chicago...
On the corner, there’s this stone memorial plaque... dedicated to honoring the bravery and sacrifice of the comrades who served under that legendary local war hero... It sits there completely untouched, pristine, and utterly spotless, standing as a perfect, polished monument to the most glorious achievements of the American people!

There used to be a massive red star and hammer symbol plastered across that entire wall... 😁 ,

But eventually, the paint just faded away, and honestly, nobody ever bothered to touch it up or clean it. 😁

frčlopir said:God, it’s exhausting. You can't even step out for a private moment on a quiet road in California without some self-proclaimed national hero or "martyr" staring you down from a pedestal. Was this ever actually a functional country? Everywhere someone managed to pull off a stunt, they got a monument. If they didn't? They just invented a reason to build one anyway...

So, go ahead. Go pay your respects to a pioneer or a hero. It's fine, right? No shame in bragging in front of a hunk of granite or a scrap of metal. It’s basically the same as taking a shower after a football game...

But if you had to look into the eyes of, say, a local legend or some anonymous veteran from the old days... well, that's a different story entirely. Even sixty years ago, people knew exactly what was real and what was just theater...😁

Keith James812 said:Oh, how lovely. 😁

Next time you should just show up in August, and we can all enjoy a nice barefoot hike out to Blue 😁. After about twenty miles, I bet those little Catholic prejudices of yours will just vanish into thin air. 😁 😁 😁

Good grief. 19 miles?! You think something nurtured for that long just evaporates after a bit of drizzle 19 miles?!

Look, those slabs survived a ten-year dictatorship. Do you really think I’d snap after a thirty-minute light jog on my knees? I wouldn't dream of embarrassing myself in front of the crew hanging out on the walls of those downtown Chicago buildings...

😁

madmax3 said:There was this massive communist star and hammer and sickle thing right across the whole wall...😁 ,

It eventually faded away. Nobody bothered to touch it up.😁

Forget the old symbols and all that junk...

Let the local crews get to work there...

Just don't want to provoke some clown from Chicago...
😁

Bryan Martin31 said:Give me a break! 19 miles?! You’re telling me something that took that long to grow just vanishes after a little bit of 19 miles?!

Look, those slabs survived a decade of brutal storms. Where am I supposed to snap after just thirty minutes of light jogging on my knees? There's no way I'd be able to hold my own against the crew scaling the brickwork on those Chicago high-rises...

😁

What storm? 😁 I honestly thought you finally caught on... whatever, at least you got a little sun on you today 😁

Hey, hey, listen up:

Bryan Martin31 said:...just a few blocks from the Chase Bank skyscraper, right across from that old warehouse near Union Square... on the corner...

...I walk out past the old cathedral, just to the right of that ultra-modern building that looks like it was designed by someone trying too hard... I look up at this old stone building with those beautiful iron grilles... about 60 years ago, just two steps from where I'm standing, a 17-year-old kid was killed by a collaborator's rifle...

Then I hop on the forum... man, what a mess! All this baroque stuff, all these gargoyles! ... "fascists... executions... glory... memorials..." I'm actually breaking a sweat here...

A little further down... toward the waterfront plaza... right at eye level... "historical meeting of the local committee"... I can't even finish reading that... probably some partisan group or something...

...further along... there's this metal thing. Right next to a small monument... the head of some high-society guy... and a wreath!!!

?!?!D

Looks like we've got our work cut out for us... maybe? haha

[SIZE=0.5] And now people actually try to tell me that not all architects are total weirdos! 🙂[/SIZE]

Keith James812 said:What government fear? 😁 I honestly thought you finally got the hint... but whatever, at least you managed to get some sun. 😁

Yeah, my face definitely caught some rays. And it was a pleasant surprise... though it's funny how even four years under the "Biden administration" didn't do much good for my heroes...
😛

Al Capone said: hey, hey, listen up:

[/B]

There’ll be work... there will be... a split? haha

I mean, obviously. It's always been these internal-external enemies undermining the decent progressive scene.
D:

Al Capone said:

[SIZE=0.5] And now someone actually tries to tell me that not all architects are gay! 🙂[/SIZE]

[/B]

they aren't. there are even premieres... .D

A split-level center for the Americans?! Is there anything more ridiculous?

🤣

There’s nothing stupider, except maybe laughing at yourself.
😁