MARTIN LUTHER KING MEMORIAL

Seems a shame the US seems to have forgotten his words - this is just one of  twelve panels

A PEAR FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON'S GARDEN AT MOUNT VERNON

Picked from the fruit garden, allegedly, but the evidence has been eaten

VIETNAM MEMORIAL

Old pictures, medals, other memorabilia are just left there.  These photos must be at least 30 years old and when it rains next time they will be gone. 

It made me cry....not a lot but I remembered Dylan Thomas from 'Under Milkwood':  "Oh my dead dears"

TUESDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER

So a day in Washington.  Starting with a visit to George's farm at Mount Vernon; 15 miles south of the modern city.  Truly a great man?  Well certainly a polymath of sorts - farmer, brilliant general, inventor, statesman, and a man whose wife's favourite slave ran away.  He found her and begged her to return.  She agreed so long as she was freed.  He refused. Still on his death his Will instructed that all his slaves be freed.  So it was OK when he didn't need them any more.

Still cannot find anyone to have a good old heated debate with; and its not for lack of trying,  They're all too polite.  A nice couple (40's I would guess) at Mt Vernon suggested the choice facing Americans today was analagous to the choice facing Jews in Nazi Germany: take either the left passage or the right passage.

Here is Kawther Elmi (pronounced Cow-ther), a Park Guide on duty at the Martin Luther King Memorial; which is just open.  In fact the opening ceremony had to be cancelled a couple of weeks ago  due to a hurricane.  Kawther is Somalian (an ex British colony she reminded me), a student of art amongst other things, fascinated by the Romans and Greeks legacy to modern civilisation, works as a guide to earn a living, thinks FDR was the man and the US should get back to his mindset, could not stop laughing at the idea of a Lord Mayor, was hugely concerned at the attacks on the Labour movement in the US, told me the Tea Party and their like get traction because Americans are easily scared, and despite all the objective evidence remains a huge optimist for the future.  I did my very very best to depress her and failed miserably.  I think she was supposed to be on duty for the whole hour we talked.  What a gal.