Over the past few days and weeks, Sarah Palin, all her homespun hokum oozing out like a staph infection, has gone on and on about Real America. Apparently, Real America is a place where they have more GOD than the big cities, more love for America than the big cities, and vote Republican all the time. Palin, it has been observed, thinks that a small time mayor does more than a community organizer, and she would know because she's from Real America, Wasilla. Now, I have in-laws that buy into this Real America argument, and see anyone voting for Obama to be a member of the so-called Liberal-Elitist-Left-Wing-America-Hating-Welfare state that is ruining this great country. My sister-in-law went so far as to call Obama "Satan". Well, let me tell you about the Fake America, for those not in the know and those that have forgotten.
Fake America is a place that, even in the midst of an economic downturn, still goes to church, faithfully, and will pray for the homeless man begging for change on the corner, after giving them food they just brought at the supermarket. Fake America is a place that helps out the elderly neighbor, whose been bedridden for months after breaking her hip. Her neighbors will cut her yard, cook her food, take her to her doctor appointments, and take her to church, wheelchair and all. Fake America is a place where you will see a kindly white couple with five adopted black children, all crack babies, and not even blink an eye. Fake America has war protesters and war supporters sharing a coffee and debating the issues without anger. Fake America has crime, of course, but they have those that aren't even affected by the crime that will visit the family of the victim and have prayer vigils for both the victim and the suspect. It's the brother in the sagging jeans and bandanna that greets you with a hello and opens the door for you. It's donating to the Shriners, even when you don't have a dime, and someone paying for your coffee when you're in uniform. It's the "scary" inner-city, where you will still find kindness, and where we recognize what divides us and we try so hard to rectify it. We see gay couples and don't care, just like we see interracial couples and don't care. Fake America produces some of the best soldiers, some of the brightest teachers, and most of the best law-enforcement officers. We are diverse, and we are unified. Ask anyone from Kansas City, MO about Precious Doe and see what I'm talking about. Now, we may dislike what our government does, and we may not all vote for the Republican of the Month, but we are as Real as any small town on the map. We love our kids, pay our taxes, work our jobs, and we still make time for (MLB) baseball and (Sara Lee) apple pie. Now, i come for a big city, and I'm not versed in the ways of small time life, but i refuse to believe that the life I've lived, in the cities I've lived, is any less American because it's been in a city. To Sarah Palin , and any one that believes like she does, i say "whatever."