In the recent Republican debate, Ted
Cruz made this comment: “Well, look, I
think he may shift in his new rallies to play ‘New York, New York’ because
Donald comes from New York and he embodies New York values.” Of course, Trump was all bent out of shape
over that one and Cruz did catch a lot of heat for the comment, with people jumping
down his throat to force him to elaborate.
In his elaboration he “tap-danced” around what he REALLY meant, but
diplomacy kicked in and held him back.
Well, since Cruz didn’t say it, I
will, because I’ve experienced New York at its worst!
I was married to a New Yorker
once, and let me tell ya, the sparks flew ALL the time because I don’t back
down when someone tries to push me around and constantly tell me what to do! But my first experience with “New Yorker
values” was when, as a young soldier (who did NOT make much money
in those early days!), I was returning to the US from a tour in Germany, and I
had to travel between airports in New York to catch a flight to my final
destination. (The Army had paid for my
travel from Germany to the US, but because I was taking vacation en route to my
new duty station, I had to pay for my own fare to Missouri, and was short on
cash. I
didn’t have a credit card in those days....)
I remember that the cab fare between
airports was $19, and because I had only a $20 bill cash left to my name, I gave
the cab driver the $20 and refused the change, apologizing for the tiny
tip, and telling him I couldn’t help it because it was all I had on me. Well, while I realize they enjoy their tips,
nothing on earth says we HAVE to tip them. But instead of just letting it go,
this illustrious cabbie, after retrieving my suitcase from the trunk, sauntered
over to another cabbie who was parked behind us and shouted loud enough for me
to hear: “Hey, look man, this SOLDIER (in
those days we had to travel in uniform) here gave me a whole dollar tip on a
$19 fare! Isn’t that just so special?”
To which the other cabbie replied equally as loud, “Wow! Why don't you take it out in trade and make her give you a b--- j--!” And then they stood there and cackled like a
couple of moronic hyenas.
Honestly, I was so floored by
that comment that I just stood there rooted to the spot and burst into
tears. It was late at night and I was
dead tired after having traveled for 24 hours with no sleep, and this lack of
compassion absolutely devastated me. It
was then and there I decided New Yorkers were all rude and crude and hateful
and I would never show my face in New York again – ever! (Unfortunately, I did, because I eventually married
a loud-mouthed New Yorker with his New York accent and his New York “values” -
which ultimately became the death of our marriage.)
Regardless, although I’m absolutely positive that NOT every New Yorker is a manner-less Troglodyte, what I learned from this was that many New Yorkers' "values” are: Every man for himself, and don’t forget to be as rude and crude and loud-mouthed and pushy and snotty
as possible to get your way, because everybody else in the world
is stupid and nobody matters but you!
So....as far as I’m concerned, nobody
can deny that Trump, like those two New York cabbies, makes MANY off-color,
childish, inappropriate, rude and crude schoolyard bully comments – and YES, I DO agree with Cruz that Trump DOES embody “New York values!
I was born in NYC, and raised on LI. I knew exactly what Mr. Cruz meant and I actually clapped my hands when he made that statement.When I married my husband and I couldn't get out of the "greater NY area" fast enough. We did not want to raise our children in such a rude place. We moved up to Central NYS. The people could not be anymore different, and they always talk about how the "city" is causing the world to think all New Yorkers are crude,self-centered, sarcastic etc. Believe me the Upstaters get made fun of by the city as well. They say "nothing lives west of the Hudson River". I would like to apologize for the way you were treated. I only hope you get to see the huge difference in the culture between up and down staters. I am positive that many of the people in our small hamlet were cheering the comment by Mr. Cruz and knew exactly that he was speaking of the city and not them.Even Gov. George Pataki came out in a long defence of Mr. Cruz. He is also an upstater and had to deal with their "attitude" regularly.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your comment! You are correct - that "attitude" seems to be only in NYC and not in the rest of NY. Too bad, really, because it's a beautiful city with much to offer.
DeleteAs for those two cabbies, too bad I didn't know God back then, for I would certainly have smiled and said something like this: "Even though you guys live to be rude, crude and mean to people, God loves you, anyway. But He doesn't love your behavior and so you'd better start learning that one day you WILL stand before Him to explain yourselves. On that day it will be too late to give your life to Him, and you'll end up separated from Him forever. Open your Bibles to discover how to have eternal life...or eternal death. Your choice."
And then I would have simply walked away, knowing that they would cackled and chuckle over my comments...but never forgetting them. And I would have been content in the knowledge that now, on Judgment Day, they wouldn't be able to say, "I didn't know!"
Sorry for any typos - I'm not awake yet! That last paragraph should read:
DeleteAnd then I would have simply walked away, knowing that they would cackle and chuckle over my comments...but never forget them. And I would have been content in the knowledge that now, on Judgment Day, they wouldn't be able to say, "I didn't know!"