COASTE | EDITOR’S WELCOME
DIFFERENCES AND DIVERSITY DO NOT
I don’t know. Maybe I’m not comfortable with COASTE being just a “luxury coastal lifestyle media” that exists on the periphery of mainstream society, where clearly here in Lee and Collier Counties, Florida — we’re an elite periphery, observing and pontificating on the existential joys and mindless pleasures of living, visiting or playing in paradise. Not when there’s such diversity in America today. A diversity that seems to be compounded by both political parties, seemingly intent on creating division and dichotomy. It saddens me that our beautiful, wonderful, great country is so fractured by people of power who seem intent on not doing the right thing, the common-good thing, but the politically correct thing. I may be old fashioned or just old, but that sentiment seems exceedingly wrong and ostensibly selfish. Please understand: I espouse no party affiliation, I assign no particular blame. I just recall my editorial a couple issues ago in which I noted that, by the time our magazine went to print, we’d have a new president and the course of our country would forever be different. So, I could say that everything’s perfect or close to, here on the coast of two of America’s wealthiest counties. But it’s no different here than Any County, Any State. The disparity between wealth and just- getting-by is no different here than anywhere else, whether you’re filthy rich or dirt-poor, whether you’re staying in a thousand-dollar- a-day resort or crashing a couch. We must all work together to NOT make America great again. But to keep this country as great as it’s always been. And that means conversation, listening, compromise, and a focus on the most important ball any American politician needs to keep their eyes on: You and me. So locals, visitors, commiserate, consume, convive and know that here, at COASTE, we will hope that all are treated with equality and respect. Have a great vacation.
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John Sprecher Founder | Editor
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