rooprect, I disagree with some of your assumptions. Actually Goodman's band was integrated, Lionel Hampton joined Goodman in 1937. Being a woman would have many good points then, but you are right about the limitations. There were some women physicians, some women professors, but they were fairly rare then. On the other hand women were glamorized much more than now, and treated with a lot more deference as well. Political correctness is not about manners at all. In fact I would go so far as to say it is the opposite of good manners in that you say a lot of platitudes, but not a lot of truth.
Although I write this missive three years after you wrote yours I see an America that is becoming more polarized and divided along ethnic, racial and political lines than ever in my 52 years.
On the whole we lost some things, we gained some things. But in my view we lost so much more than we have gained. We mostly lost the reverance for God, notice how the soldiers lept to their feet when the "Lords Prayer" was sung. Also, notice how much more literate people were back then. Young men and women could have fun together without the expectation of sexual relations, thus the rule about non fraternization. I think we have also lost the ability to appMostreciate beauty in so many ways. imagine if you will stars coming together today in a similar effort. I highly doubt many would bus tables, take out trash or check coats. Most are too damn puffed up with themselves to do such menial work. Notice in this movie some of the greatest do so not with disgust, but with gusto. It was a very different time and althogh a lot of the performers were wealthy they still knew where they came from. Contrast that today with the spoiled brat attitudes of "Hanoi" Jane Fonda, or more recently George Clooney making fun of Charlton Heston's alzheimers disease, and Jim Carey and his rants regarding political issues.
I further submit that you are wrong regarding Hollywood returning to a more wholesome attitude if we actually get honorable politicians in office. I think you are very naive. There is loose in America today an undercurrent of apostasy, not only forsaking all that we once valued, but actually mocking things that are wholesome and true.
Just my two cents. God Bless ya and yes, I have always thought I was born mch too late and this was my era.
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