A New American Dream

[JohnL]

While I enjoy humor, and can say I have actually seen Peter, Paul and Mary in concert (although it’s a odd but great story how it came about), I am a bit perplexed how plain or conservative Mennonites can make a “Leaving on a jet plane joke”. Is not that level of familiarity with PPM rather inconsistent with separation?

Let it be, let it be...

Just put the lime in the coconut and relax.

[JohnH]

While I enjoy humor, and can say I have actually seen Peter, Paul and Mary in concert (although it’s a odd but great story how it came about), I am a bit perplexed how plain or conservative Mennonites can make a “Leaving on a jet plane joke”. Is not that level of familiarity with PPM rather inconsistent with separation?

In BMA and Lancaster Conference (Martindale Dis.), it is completely normal to watch movies, listen to pop songs, play instruments, tune in the radio, and so forth.

I even heard about an ADC church where the youth were *gasp* dancing.

[ohio jones]

We used one of Peter, Paul & Mary’s songs in our wedding (brother in law sang it) - the Wedding Song- “There is Love”

I've always thought that song was just from Noel Paul Stookey, not the trio. I'm not going to bother looking it up now, though.

Paul wrote it for Peter's wedding, so I think it pretty much qualifies even if they didn't record it as a group.

[temporal1]

I'd never be able to tell you who sung it, but I know that line just from grocery stores. Radio's in homes or cars is not the only source.

True, our store is currently playing a lot of 70s songs but you’d have to hear them a lot to know the lyrics that well- I’m too focused at work or when shopping to really listen that close to song lyrics. On occasion, when playing other decades popular songs at work, I’m somewhat mortified & hope no one is really listening.

We used one of Peter, Paul & Mary’s songs in our wedding (brother in law sang it) - the Wedding Song- “There is Love”
(Can bring me to tears)

Found in the YouTube link description:

Peter, Paul and Mary perform "Wedding Song (There Is Love)" live at their 25th anniversary concert in 1986.
Now, two and a half decades later, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the formation of the group in the famed Greenwich Village, this joyous yet deeply moving live concert is being first released on DVD by Shout! Factory.
Get the DVD here: http:

"Wedding Song (There Is Love)" is a song written by Noel Paul Stookey in the fall of 1969 and first performed at the wedding of Peter Yarrow - Stookey's co-member of Peter, Paul and Mary - to Mary Beth McCarthy at St Mary's Catholic Church in Willmar MN: Stookey was best man at the ceremony which took place in the evening of October 18, 1969.

Stookey had written the song on a midnight flight between Peter, Paul and Mary concert dates in San Jose and Boston setting out to write a song for Yarrow's wedding which would convey Stookey's Christian convictions while respecting Yarrow's Jewish faith.

According to Stookey "the melody and the words [of "Wedding Song"] arrived simultaneously and in response to a direct prayer asking God how the divine could be present at Peter's wedding." (The first two lines of the song's second verse: "A man shall leave his mother and a woman leave her home/ And they shall travel on to where the two shall be as one", is largely a paraphrase of the text of Genesis 2:24: "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.") Believing he could not take personal credit for composing "The Wedding Song", Stookey set up the Public Domain Foundation which since 1971 has received the song's songwriting royalties for charitable distribution.

Lyrics: "The Wedding Song (There Is Love)"

He is now to be among you at the calling of your hearts
Rest assured this troubadour is acting on His part

The union of your spirits, here, has caused Him to remain
For whenever two or more of you are gathered in His name
There is Love
There is Love

Well a man shall leave his mother and a woman leave her home
They shall travel on to where the two shall be as one

As it was in the beginning is now and til the end
Woman draws her life from man and gives it back again
And there is Love
There is Love

Well then what's to be the reason for becoming man and wife?
Is it love that brings you here or love that brings you life?
For if loving is the answer, then who's the giving for?
Do you believe in something that you've never seen before?
Oh there is Love
There is Love

Hmmm mmm mmm mmm
mmm mmm

Oh, the marriage of your spirits here has caused Him to remain
For whenever two or more of you are gathered in His name
There is Love
There is Love

Before the world went completely mad.
Could these lyrics be written today? Soulfully conveying Truth over everyone’s airwaves?

Reading all this brings back difficult memories. There was tremendous rebellion in those years. Impulsiveness.
A lot of talent and beauty, too.

A lot of life is bittersweet.

[Bootstrap]

Back to the article. I'm not sure everyone who has weighed in strongly have read the article to see what it says.

The article does not describe the emigrants as belonging to any single political, ideological, or identity group. Some of these emigrants voted for Trump. The article clearly says that motivations are mixed and complex.

The article highlights a broad mix of people leaving the U.S., including remote workers in tech and finance, middle-class professionals, families with children, retirees seeking affordable care, students pursuing cheaper degrees, academics looking for stable research environments, and some women and Black Americans drawn by relocation networks.

The main drivers identified are lower cost of living, cheaper healthcare, safer environments (especially concerns about gun violence), better schools and education options for children, better work-life balance, remote work flexibility, and general political and social fatigue. The overall picture is economic and lifestyle motivation more than ideology.

They are moving primarily to Europe and parts of Latin America and Southeast Asia. The strongest growth is in countries such as Portugal, Spain, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic. Mexico and Canada remain major destinations, especially for retirees and dual citizens. Smaller but growing numbers are relocating to places like Albania, Romania, Thailand, Colombia, and Bali. Europe appears to be the main draw, particularly for families and professionals seeking a different quality of life.

FWIW, I lived in Berlin for 8 years and could happily move back. To me, some of the advantages the article mentions are real.

[JohnL]

We used one of Peter, Paul & Mary’s songs in our wedding (brother in law sang it) - the Wedding Song- “There is Love”

We had it sung at our wedding. It seemed like everyone used it at their weddings back in the 70s. Even heard it at a couple of weddings in the 80s. I still like it. It's way better than Puff the Magic Dragon.

[JohnH]

The article highlights a broad mix of people leaving the U.S., including remote workers in tech and finance, middle-class professionals, families with children, retirees seeking affordable care, students pursuing cheaper degrees, academics looking for stable research environments, and some women and Black Americans drawn by relocation networks.

The main drivers identified are lower cost of living, cheaper healthcare, safer environments (especially concerns about gun violence), better schools and education options for children, better work-life balance, remote work flexibility, and general political and social fatigue. The overall picture is economic and lifestyle motivation more than ideology.

They are moving primarily to Europe and parts of Latin America and Southeast Asia. The strongest growth is in countries such as Portugal, Spain, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic. Mexico and Canada remain major destinations, especially for retirees and dual citizens. Smaller but growing numbers are relocating to places like Albania, Romania, Thailand, Colombia, and Bali. Europe appears to be the main draw, particularly for families and professionals seeking a different quality of life.

So in that case, does that mean America could stop accepting asylum seekers, refugees, and so on from places like Albania, Mexico, Thailand, Colombia, and so forth? Since according to the claims above, those places are safer (less gun violence), better schools, and so on?

[Bootstrap]

Interesting that the article is the one thing people don't want to discuss in this thread. I'm interested in the article, and I will only be responding to posts that draw attention to the article and what it says.

[ken_sylvania]

Interesting that the article is the one thing people don't want to discuss in this thread. I'm interested in the article, and I will only be responding to posts that draw attention to the article and what it says.

Suit yourself. I don't mind.

[JohnL]

Suit yourself. I don't mind.

Men's Wearhouse is a good place.
Whatever floats his crackers.
Whatever floats his boat.
It's an Oasis of Free Will - Whatever