Monday, September 08, 2008

I am pondering (see earlier post)why no Southerner is in this Presidential race.

We often have a Southerner on the ticket, not this time.

Have we lost our zest in the public eye or did President Bush (by way of Up East) with his Texas cowboy drawl dry up interest in people from the South?

I don't know.

One November day, I stood on a Manhattan street reading the New York Times. A letter to the Editor complained that Southerners, particularly Mississippians, paid very little taxes to the Federal Government but received tons of Federal aid. Why should a New Yorker pay for people in Mississippi? Good question.

I'd be provoked if I lived in Manhattan and paid my taxes to help a state with few unions, hideous tort reform for personal liability, favored businesses over workers, refused to teach people to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancy and STDs, kept voting for non-progressive politicians, etc. etc.

Snake-holding in worship, literal understanding of the Bible, scared of women, beer-guzzling, racist, anti-intellectual, gun-totin', election buying....all these and more look like the South to people from around the country.

I am a Southerner. I'm jus' thinkin'.


St.Casserole, drinking coffee thinking deep thoughts

4 comments:

Joan Calvin said...

Hmmm, what is a Southerner? Is it someone who lives in a state that seceded from the Union back a few years ago? What about my Yankee friends who live in Cary (Corral Area for Retired Yankees to y'all non-North Carolinians) or Asheville? Are African Americans Southerners? Do you have to have read (or really lived Faulkner) to be a Southerner? I know one when I see em, but I'm not sure I can define one. I'm one, will always be one, but I sure love living north a whole lot more than living south.

1-4 Grace said...

Good ponderign Stcass...Interesting questions, JC.
I am also a Southerner, but dont necessarily fit all th typical southern personna...but I do have many of the traits. However,
I am not a card carrying meber of the NRA and I do not ahve any animals mounted in my home...
I ahve never chewed tobbaco and do not own a rebel flag.
I also ahve not, ever even once, been in the back of a flat bed truck (horizontal) with more emphasis on bed than truck.
I do like sweet tea with mint, fried okra, Hootie and the Blowfish, the SEC, and Pat Conroy.

Cathy said...

I love the label blogging outside of my knowledge area... I think I do that some too.

I do believe some of that stuff you mention happens up north too. Way north...

Unknown said...

I'm with Cathy, it sounds like you are also describing Alaska, as we are coming to know it.