Gilroyans review state of nation at fireworks show

While they watched the fireworks explode overhead, many people at Gilroy High School said they thought the country was not going in the right direction. Those who thought it is going in the right direction and those who don’t have a very similar answers, Trump.
Lounging on a blanket near the Gilroy High School baseball diamond, Bobby Jean Wood, her husband Mike Wood and Melissa Gonzales snack and relax while they wait for the fireworks. “Overall, the country is going in the right direction, but there are pockets of people who are trying to do the opposite,” said Bobby Jean Wood, 36, who tried to stay apolitical when asked to elaborate. “Without getting political, because I don’t want to? So I’ll say no comment.”
Behind home plate, with his camera on a tripod, his bike nearby and wearing a bike helmet, Matthew Weski was getting ready to film the fireworks. Wesk’’s answer was a bit more measured than many others.
“I think we still are in the right direction, but we’re starting to veer off because of the president,” said Weski, 53. “I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, though, but I don’t think he’s using the advice his staff gives him. Unless he’s got some hidden strategy we don’t know yet, like to shake things up a bit and re-establish a base of negotiations with countries like China, but who knows. It’s kind of scary.”
“I think the people are going in the right direction, but I’m not so sure about the government,” said Jim Prince, 60, and Mariah Prince, 51, who echoed her husband’s opinion.
Some answers were succinct.
“I just think the president we have and the people he has hired are not doing a good job,” Cindy Cepeda, 42, who was pushing a stroller carrying her 4-year old daughter Daniella.
There were others who were eager to elaborate on what they thought about the country’s direction and what issues they felt most strongly about.
“I think leaving the Paris Climate Accord was a huge deal and I don’t get why he would just leave,” said Abdel Leon, 19. “The whole idea behind the Paris Climate Accord is that we are part of a whole huge force of nations who believe in climate change and want to make a positive impact.”
One senior member of the crowd and a rabid consumer of national news coverage, Lea Vlasdelica, held nothing back when asked if she thought the country was going in the right direction.
“Everything Trump has done from Medicare to taxes will help the rich and the people who need it the most will have nothing or very little,” Vlasdelica, 89, said.
The president wasn’t without his supporters though, including Dave Hill who sat with his family near the third base line by the softball field.
“I feel that from the leadership down we’re starting to move forward in a lot of ways,” Hill, 56, said. “There are a lot of areas we need to work together on, but I believe we’re in the right direction. Baby steps right now and I hope we keep going that way.”
“I like our president,” said Fernando Sanchez, 67. “He must be doing something right for everyone to get so riled up about it.”
Some pined for the days of the Obama administration, such as Jay Lehman who sat with his son Jason on lawn chairs and voiced his concern over the danger posed by North Korea.
“I’m going to say it’s a 50/50 kind of thing,” said Lehman, 37. “Just seeing everything how it is now, it wasn’t like how it was when Obama was here. We have this North Korean problem now and all these other problems and I don’t feel it was like this before.”
There was optimism though, that wasn’t based on politics. For Diva Dhingra, the American Dream is alive and well.
“I’m happy here,” said Dhingra, 35. “I’m from India and I have everything I need here. If the common person is happy, then I think that’s the way to go.”