Like most peace-loving people, I was relieved by the news that a cease-fire had been negotiated in the recent war in Lebanon. I particularly appreciated that both Israel and Hezbollah were gracious enough afterward to concede that the other side had suffered a humiliating defeat.
With hostilities ended, however, the U.N. has been tasked with providing thousands of troops to maintain the peace. Unfortunately, many of the European countries participating in the peacekeeping effort have been dragging their heels about producing the promised soldiers. Admittedly, the 24-hour news channels haven’t been giving much attention to this story, most likely because none of the soldiers involved have been implicated in the JonBenet Ramsey case.
President Bush, however, has been on the case, openly questioning his European counterparts about the delayed deployments. This is one of those situations where the president’s limited travel experience shows. For as anyone who’s visited Europe during the late summer knows, the entire continent essentially spends the month of August on vacation.
“They want us to send thousands of soldiers? In August?” I imagine the French foreign secretary saying into his cell phone from his seaside cabana in St. Tropez. “Mon dieu — did you know it took me four hours this morning just to find an open patisserie! Have the U.N. call me back in September and we’ll see what we can do then.”
Of course, here in the U.S. we’re well aware of the disparity between American and European approaches to time off from work.
The news media regularly rub it in our faces with reports featuring headlines like, “Dutch government increases workers’ guaranteed annual vacation time from six weeks to 10 weeks,” “Denmark to reduce 40-hour workweek by labeling Thursday and Friday ‘optional,’” and “Belgian government to extend six months of paid parental leave to all new pet owners.”
Having less vacation time, Americans feel added pressure to squeeze the maximum enjoyment out of our comparatively paltry two weeks.
“Kids, hurry up and get in the car!” parents across the country are heard to yell. “We have to leave now if we’re going to see the world’s largest swizzle stick replica of the Eiffel Tower and the birthplace of Secretariat and still have time for the International Hog Calling Hall of Fame!”
The kids excitedly hop in, not so much for these thrilling destinations, but because they’re eager to plug in to the DVD players, Gameboys and virtual reality helmets that have turned today’s typical suburban family car into a traveling home entertainment center.
One unfortunate consequence of all these diversions is that kids now rarely play that time-honored long-distance driving game, “How Many Times Can We Say ‘Are We There Yet?’ Before Dad Bursts A Blood Vessel?”
My three children are making do without all these perks, however.
I have steadfastly refused on principle to outfit our minivan with such multimedia gadgetry. The operative principle being that these things cost money.
But additionally, I see no reason why kids these days need constant distraction.
When my sister and I used to pile into the family station wagon for our annual summer road trip, all we brought along was a “deck” of 49 playing cards, a hand-held AM radio with a broken antenna and 12 months’ worth of accumulated grievances to work out in the back seat.
Call me a patriotic American who loves his country if you must, but I plan to toughen up my kids so that they, too, will be able to survive on just two weeks of vacation time a year.
Then again, maybe we should just move to Belgium and get a new hamster every six months.
Examiner columnist Malcolm Fleschner hopes to commandeer a couple of those U.N. peacekeepers for his next family road trip.
