Saturday, September 20, 2008
Small town values
I just attended the memorial service of a close relative in a town with a population of 1,500. A large number of neighbors and townsfolk attended, in addition to family members. After the service, we all moved to the nearby town hall, for a meal of homemade lasagna, salad and brownies.
Although the families were Christian, they weren't "Christian." There was a brief prayer and a mention or two of God, but no officiating religious figure, no religious doctrine, and no murmuring about the lack of any of that.
No one advocated censoring books in the local library, or breaking down the constitutional separation of church and state.
The man whose life we were celebrating was a WWII vet; there were American flags, including a veteran's flag folded into a triangle, but there was not a buzz about "my country right or wrong," or supporting the Iraq war. There was talk of peace.
There were deer-hunters in the assembly, but also vegans.
My sense is that there was a diversity of opinion on such matters as choice and shotgun weddings for teenage children. There were even Obama supporters among the attendees.
My impression of small town American values was of a place where people could vote their conscience, agree to disagree, and come together at a memorial service without shoving their beliefs in your face.
To the GOP handlers of Sarah Palin who wish to portray small town America as a monolith of intolerant, super-religious, right-wing, wildlife-killing, book-burning opinion -- you can kiss my a**.
Although the families were Christian, they weren't "Christian." There was a brief prayer and a mention or two of God, but no officiating religious figure, no religious doctrine, and no murmuring about the lack of any of that.
No one advocated censoring books in the local library, or breaking down the constitutional separation of church and state.
The man whose life we were celebrating was a WWII vet; there were American flags, including a veteran's flag folded into a triangle, but there was not a buzz about "my country right or wrong," or supporting the Iraq war. There was talk of peace.
There were deer-hunters in the assembly, but also vegans.
My sense is that there was a diversity of opinion on such matters as choice and shotgun weddings for teenage children. There were even Obama supporters among the attendees.
My impression of small town American values was of a place where people could vote their conscience, agree to disagree, and come together at a memorial service without shoving their beliefs in your face.
To the GOP handlers of Sarah Palin who wish to portray small town America as a monolith of intolerant, super-religious, right-wing, wildlife-killing, book-burning opinion -- you can kiss my a**.
Comments:
<< Home
I'm glad you guys worked the logistics out for the service.
And thank you for the more realistic view of what "small town America" is really like.
Love to B.
And thank you for the more realistic view of what "small town America" is really like.
Love to B.
I guess I just don't see the relation between small-town life and the GOP. As a very conservative Republican, I abhor book burnings and I've never been hunting. I also completely agree with everything you said in your post about voting the way you feel is right but not shoving your values in your face. I think most groups are characterized by a few extremists that give the rest of us a bad name. The same can be true of Democrats. :)
I am sorry for your loss. From your previous posts, sounds like he was quite a man.
But why not amend your last paragraph to include "elitist liberals"? Because, really, isn't that the image the GOP handlers are manipulating so successfully to the n'th degree?
To the GOP handlers of Sarah Palin and the elitist liberals who wish to portray small town America as a monolith of intolerant, super-religious, right-wing, wildlife-killing, book-burning opinion -- you can kiss my a**.
Of course, the mirror doesn't always allow folks to view themselves so clearly,; perhaps we all tend to see what we want to see; and it's the bad guys are always on the "other side."
But why not amend your last paragraph to include "elitist liberals"? Because, really, isn't that the image the GOP handlers are manipulating so successfully to the n'th degree?
To the GOP handlers of Sarah Palin and the elitist liberals who wish to portray small town America as a monolith of intolerant, super-religious, right-wing, wildlife-killing, book-burning opinion -- you can kiss my a**.
Of course, the mirror doesn't always allow folks to view themselves so clearly,; perhaps we all tend to see what we want to see; and it's the bad guys are always on the "other side."
"But why not amend your last paragraph to include "elitist liberals"? Because, really, isn't that the image the GOP handlers are manipulating so successfully to the n'th degree?
Referring to the "clinging to their guns and G-d" line, conveniently delivered in San Francisco...
Referring to the "clinging to their guns and G-d" line, conveniently delivered in San Francisco...
"To the GOP handlers of Sarah Palin who wish to portray small town America as a monolith of intolerant, super-religious, right-wing, wildlife-killing, book-burning opinion..."
It strikes me as nonsensical that the GOP would want to portray much of their base in such a negative way. What I have seen is the MSM and liberal elites promoting that caricature. What is odd is that when you saw first-hand how normal small town folks are, rather than examine your own prejudice, you lash-out at Republicans--as if it is their fault that you didn't know how nice and diverse small-town folks are
It strikes me as nonsensical that the GOP would want to portray much of their base in such a negative way. What I have seen is the MSM and liberal elites promoting that caricature. What is odd is that when you saw first-hand how normal small town folks are, rather than examine your own prejudice, you lash-out at Republicans--as if it is their fault that you didn't know how nice and diverse small-town folks are
@dbp--
It strikes us as ridiculous, too. That's why it's worthy of comment when they do it. But Palin insisted on portraying the small-town culture in that way, so what can one do? Wait for conservatives to repudiate all that? We did. Still waiting.
Meanwhile, it's good to see that the portrayal is so often wrong.
It strikes us as ridiculous, too. That's why it's worthy of comment when they do it. But Palin insisted on portraying the small-town culture in that way, so what can one do? Wait for conservatives to repudiate all that? We did. Still waiting.
Meanwhile, it's good to see that the portrayal is so often wrong.
[url=www.perfect-replica-handbags.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.allforhandbags.com]Handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-balenciaga.com]balenciaga replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-chanel.com]chanel replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-chloe.com]chloe replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-fendi.com]fendi replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-gucci.com]gucci replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-hermes.com]hermes replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-louisvuitton.com]louis vuitton replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-miumiu.com]miumiu replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-prada.com]prada replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-ysl.com]ysl replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.replica-handbags-chanel.com]chanel replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.replica-handbags-gucci.com]gucci replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.replica-handbags-louisvuitton.com]louis vuitton replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.balenciaga-replicahandbags.com]balenciaga replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.chanel-replicahandbags.com]chanel replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.chloe-replicahandbags.com]chloe replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.fendi-replicahandbags.com]fendi replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.gucci-replicahandbags.com]gucci replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.hermes-replicahandbags.com]hermes replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.louisvuitton-replicahandbags.com]louis vuitton replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.miumiu-replicahandbags.com]miumiu replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.prada-replicahandbags.com]prada replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.ysl-replicahandbags.com]ysl replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.replicabags1.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.highreplica1.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.fake-designer-handbags.com]fake designer handbags[/url]
[url=www.discount-replicahandbags.com]discount replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.handbags-shopping-mall.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.replica-handbags-stores.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.high-quality-handbags.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replicahandbag.com]designer replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.replicahandbags86.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.fashion-replicahandbags.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.99replicahandbags.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.fake-replicahandbags.com]fake replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.fake-designerhandbags.com]fake replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.i-eluxuryhandbags.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.handbagsrooms.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.allforhandbags.com]Handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-balenciaga.com]balenciaga replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-chanel.com]chanel replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-chloe.com]chloe replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-fendi.com]fendi replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-gucci.com]gucci replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-hermes.com]hermes replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-louisvuitton.com]louis vuitton replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-miumiu.com]miumiu replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-prada.com]prada replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replica-ysl.com]ysl replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.replica-handbags-chanel.com]chanel replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.replica-handbags-gucci.com]gucci replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.replica-handbags-louisvuitton.com]louis vuitton replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.balenciaga-replicahandbags.com]balenciaga replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.chanel-replicahandbags.com]chanel replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.chloe-replicahandbags.com]chloe replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.fendi-replicahandbags.com]fendi replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.gucci-replicahandbags.com]gucci replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.hermes-replicahandbags.com]hermes replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.louisvuitton-replicahandbags.com]louis vuitton replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.miumiu-replicahandbags.com]miumiu replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.prada-replicahandbags.com]prada replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.ysl-replicahandbags.com]ysl replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.replicabags1.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.highreplica1.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.fake-designer-handbags.com]fake designer handbags[/url]
[url=www.discount-replicahandbags.com]discount replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.handbags-shopping-mall.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.replica-handbags-stores.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.high-quality-handbags.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.designer-replicahandbag.com]designer replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.replicahandbags86.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.fashion-replicahandbags.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.99replicahandbags.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.fake-replicahandbags.com]fake replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.fake-designerhandbags.com]fake replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.i-eluxuryhandbags.com]replica handbags[/url]
[url=www.handbagsrooms.com]replica handbags[/url]
I would just like to say to all my fellow Entrepreneurs…just remember that persistence is the key to success.
audi-parts
audi-parts
wow really good informision got lot to learn. looking forward for more informative posts from you.
French Online Course | French Language Course | Online French Courses
Post a Comment
French Online Course | French Language Course | Online French Courses
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
