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When I used to visit New York I stayed at the Edison Hotel on West 47th Street while most of the people that I was meeting stayed at the Americana Hotel, and some at the Waldorf Astoria, because they liked to show off paying ten times more than me to stay out of the hotels and be in meetings and then just sleep a few hours.I was paying much less money, and after my good friend, the now late Cuban singer Miguelito Valdez (Mr. Babalu) got me an even better deal next door at the Century Paramount, I was paying even less money for a room that some time I didn’t even use.
Both hotels, The Edison and The Century Paramount, are located in the heart of Madison Square in the heart of Times Square.
Today, I am back at the Century Paramount and I am surprised to see how elegant and fancy they have made this historic (to me) New York hotel and how expensive it is even if I did not pay for it this time.
I am sitting here on the top floor and my window is open because the temperature must be around 75 or 80 degrees and the view is breathtaking; lots of memories come to my mind including that tragic day that had destroyed the life of so many people; even after thirteen years it is still fresh in everyone’s mind.
I opened my computer and started reading Maramis’ column for this week’s edition of the Las Vegas Tribune where she mentioned the day of September 11 as a possible reason for why the 9/11 Patriot Day Debate was not as expected, but like I always say, everyone is entitled to their opinion in this almost-free country that we live in.
I think that something short of 200 people total, at an event that was also impacted by the emergency session of the legislature, could be seen as some kind of a boycott of a Rolando Larraz-related event… or maybe a Las Vegas Tribune event. But I still think that people are ready to listen to, and to dig into, the plans and backgrounds of the
candidates.
I wish I would have been able to be there, but it was not possible. I had planned this trip almost three months ago and there were too many people involved to make everyone change their plans for the capriciousness of others and the lack of communication among many of us in this organization.
I believe that the September 11th date should not be a day on which to have events or demonstrations; it is a day on which to meditate, to remember that tragic event and those who lost their lives that day; to pray for the families left behind by the victims of that terrorist act and to thank all members of the United States Armed Forces for their service and for the job well done in protecting the country.
Every time I see a holiday used for picnics, barbeques and a day at the lake, with people merely enjoying an extra day off with pay, and no one takes the time to teach our children the meaning of that extra day off, it is sad to me.
No one is thinking about talking to the new generation about the sacrifice of those who were involved in any of those particular days off because all they think about is the extra day off, from teachers to everyone else down the line; no one talks about the meaning or the reason for that extra day off, be it a happy day or a sad day.
There is New Years Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, which are federal holidays (whether or not everyone gets them off); then we have the State holidays, Ethnic and Religious holidays, plus other celebrations and
observances; but I am willing to bet, even though I am not a betting man, that I know — and probably better than the younger generation — the meaning of these so-called holidays.
First of all, our teachers, under the pretense of being underpaid, are more interested in preparing for the extra day off (notice that I didn’t say the holiday celebration) than teaching their classes what holiday they are about to celebrate and why that holiday is taking place.
I am not even going to mention the staff of our public officials that are ready to take off the day before the holiday, and the day after the holiday as well.
Again, I’ll be willing to bet that most of those born in the beginning of this century, year 2000, don’t even know why adults are talking about the September 11th episode.
And for those who are talking about the “tragic event” of September 11, maybe we need to remind the elected and public officials what brought up the “tragic event of September 11” and when they talk about putting their guard down, opening the border and, most popular of them all, Immigration Reform, they need to think about these who live here and vote instead of thinking of those who are not allowed to vote unless they are friends of Harry Reid.
I have a lot of Mexican friends, but the problem is not the Mexicans who come here to work and be part of this great nation — in fact Miguel Barrientos and I talked about this during his first radio show on Radio Tribune last Wednesday — the problem is that there are too many chameleons standing by the border pretending to be Mexican to gain entrance to the American territory with the idea of causing problems and destroying this country.
It is time for the American people to realize that the country is being taken over more and more by enemy forces and that has to be stopped if the American people want to gain control back of their nation — a little bit of the nation is being taken over here and there by someone, and a little of the American people here and there are letting that happen.
Me, I am happy to be on my way back to Las Vegas where my roots are and where bad or good, we can call it the best city of them all, and I call it home sweet home.
My name is Rolando Larraz, and as always, I approved this column.
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Rolando Larraz is Editor in Chief of the Las Vegas Tribune. His column appears weekly in this newspaper. To contact Rolando Larraz, email him at: Rlarraz@lasvegastribune.com or at (702) 699-8111.