Parables from (a not quite) Paradise, NV 89154
V. 1 The Nevada Public Radio Commentaries
by
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People of the world vote with their feet. They choose to come to America more than anywhere else. They think there are good things about America. We have a day to celebrate the good things about America. We should.
The 1975 film "Nashville," featured the song "We Must Be Doing Something Right to Last 200 Years." Although terrible song, its message deserves reflection. May I suggest a revised title, "We Must Be Doing Something Right to Last 225 Years?" On this July 4th we should identify things that we as a nation are doing right.
My son Tim met Carmenza Cespedes while the two served in the Peace Corps in Changinola, Bocas del Toro Province, Panama. Carmenza's mother came to Queens, New York from Colombia. She thinks America is doing something right. She says: No matter who you are, rich or poor, black or white, you go to a grocery store you stand in line, the first in line gets served first, no matter who you are.
Roy Kawaguchi appreciates that our liberties allow people to think and to express their thoughts--and others respect them even if they disagree. He came to Las Vegas seeking opportunities in tourism. He is happy that America has given him choices he would not have elsewhere.
Many pursue business choices for wealth, but not a selfish wealth. The quest to gain helps all because of something derided as "trickle down." But it is not that. It is a cascade as if a meteorite shower bringing increased value to society. With this spread of wealth all can be winners.
With possessions people have control over destinies, and so here masses feel good about themselves and good about life. Love of self is part of America. It is not bad.
With self respect and self love, we gain an inner sense that allows good feelings about others, love for others, a desire to help others. Americans give of their time, their wealth, and even of their lives to help others.
In 1862 at the age of 29 my great great uncle Richard Thompson left his family to join Illinois Volunteers and march to Tennessee to end slavery. He fell at Nashville. In 1967 when called, twenty-three year old Ronald Colwell of Samaria, Michigan answered and embraced Army life becoming an officer before he left for southeast Asia, before he gave everything.
Bob Bush gave in Viet Nam and he came back. He decided he should not stop giving. He is a builder in Las Vegas, but he has spent much time with Habitat for Humanity. Debbie Bush's family came from Mexico. She has one job for pay, but many jobs with love for others in the Family Assistance Center of University Church and with the Boys and Girls Clubs. She recruits volunteers. If you have a hand to offer, just hit www.debbiebush.com.
Those that give take risks. Risk taking is endemic with Americans; that makes Las Vegas part of the spirit of America, so much so that we are called All American City by Time and Newsweek magazines. Here and across our land people risk for changes to be better, and they encourage their country to change to be better.
We are a nation of nations, but not just a melting pot, we are a mosaic. In other countries people from elsewhere like the Cespedes family would be Colombian. Roy Kawaguchi would be Japanese. Debbie Bush Hispanic. Here they are that but they are Americans too.
Twenty-five years ago, in 1976, July 4th fell on Sunday. I attended Westwood Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan. We did not sing God Bless America or the Star Spangled Banner--maybe pastor Alan McCreedy didn't relished lines about bombs bursting in air. We sang "Finlandia." I was disappointed. But maybe Finlandia is a good song to sing on July 4.
It tells of a beautiful land with blue skies and wonderful people who love their land; but then it also tells that other countries are beautiful, and that other people love their lands too. Americans see beauty in entire world, and in wonderful peoples from other places who love their lands still, even though they came to America for respect, freedom, choices, the opportunity to be better, and opportunity to do better for others.
We've lasted 225 years. We are doing many things right. Does this mean we are perfect? It's July 4, you're damn right we're perfect!
—July 4, 2001
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About the Book
Parables from (a not quite) Paradise include 30 essays, most of which were first presented on KNPR, Nevada Public Radio. The essays allow Paradise resident (mailing address Las Vegas) Bill Thompson to beat his heart with praise for nation as well as the Running Rebels Basketball team, and to lift his brow of scorn for politicians who refuse to wrestle with fiscal problems and social maladies while hiding behind false concerns over bogeymen such as the nuclear waste issue. He raises the loveable sloth of the Amazon jungle to a pedestal where it can serve as a model for world peace. He decries casinos and unions for sitting silent as workers were laid off after the 9-11 tragedy, while he gives kudos to entrepreneurs Steve Wynn and George Maloof who kept building for the future. Thompson lauds the advantages of capitalism but advocates a government take-over of a local electric utility. He criticizes state officials and casino executives for neglecting compulsive gamblers, but he supports a limited lottery for Nevada. He saves his most cutting criticism for his "pet peeve," The Nevada grocery store casinos. The Parables from (a not quite) Paradise end where he began--in an autobiographical description of his family’s arrival as new residents of Paradise Valley in 1980.
About the Author
William N. Thompson, a native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, is a Professor of Public Administration at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). He joined the faculty of UNLV in 1980, after serving on faculties of Southeast Missouri State and Western Michigan Universities. While on a sabbatical leave in 1986-1987 he studied casino gambling throughout Europe and also taught with the Troy State University European Division. His Bachelors and Masters degrees in Political Science were awarded by Michigan State University, and he earned his Ph.D., also in Political Science, from the University of Missouri in Columbia. He held a Public Administration fellowship and worked with the Pension Administration in the United States Department of Labor, and he also was a candidate for the Michigan legislature, and he held the elective post of Supervisor (chief administrator) of Kalamazoo Charter Township in Michigan. His areas of study have included state constitutional reform, and public policy with emphasis on the environment, public pension reform, and gambling. He served as a research associate with the National Association of Attorneys General and wrote his doctoral dissertation on the political ambitions of state attorneys general. He lives in Las Vegas with Kay, his wife of 38 years. They have a daughter and two sons.