There is something very strange going on around here, in good ole Alabama. The right
wing is like a disease. Fox News is their tonic. They keep going back for more, the backs
of their necks are feeling all tingly and they are confused, scared, angry, and just pissed
off pretty much all the time.
Not just your old white folks, we are talking about 20 somethings, college students, teenagers,
although not as many. They may be breaking away from the old dogma of their parents, and
grand parents.
Funny thing thing going on, the really, really old, the over 80 crowd, they like Obama. I guess
is if I live to be 80 it is stupid to get all riled up about our new President. I mean, shit your 80, getting out
a good bowel movement, and eating, those are the topics of the day.
I was not born in Alabama. Native Alabamians pity me for this digression, and I will always
remain a Damn Yankee. And always get the question "Your not from around here are You?"
I never thought I would be grateful for growing up in Michigan.
I always thought of Michigan as boring, with no history, other than learning about indians,
and farming as a child. Michigan's disclaimer for the Civil War, they had the underground
railroads, helping slaves to freedom. Hell, I even lived in house that had a room in the
basement, and old rambling Victorian which according to local history was used in the
underground railroad.
But yet the High School I attended was all white and American Indian, no busing for
kids from Milford, Michigan. A nice little enclave for GM executives, at least in the
70's. But of course the John Birchers were there with their secret meetings. And blacks
were allowed to fish off the bridge in downtown Milford, but they better be gone
by nightfall. Or so I heard.
Then I come to Alabama in 1979. The land of Lincoln haters, and good manners.
Hot steamy summers. Cold wet winters. And folks still living the Ozzie and Harriet
life style. Except without the nice job or suit, or the nice house, or the education,
or the civilness.
That's not to say there aren't some progressives, and modern thinkers in Alabama, usually
they were born somewhere else, or are army brats. The locals, the generation upon
generation of Southerners are deeply conservative, not just socially but in every
respect.
Their form of Christianity is the type we called cults or holy rollers in Michigan. A joke,
not to be taken seriously. One of my daughter's best friends is a holy roller. He claims
to speak in tongues, and thinks he has a personal calling from god to minister to the
children of the world. I gently try to open his eyes, from topics such as gay couples
adopting children, some of these children have developmental problems,or aids, etc.
I ask her friend "Would you rather they fade away in a group home, or be with
people who will love them."
He had to agree of course it is better for a child to be in a safe loving family rather
than not. He still condemns gay marriage, because of the bible. He thinks if he
follows all the bullshit in one book, then his life will be cherry, but more important,
he will go to heaven.
Your living you life to die, and then go to heaven. Why don't you live it like it
is your only life, and do good works, because it is the right thing to do, not to send
you to heaven. Ignornance drives me crazy. And the final insult, this boy thinks
Obama is the Anti Christ. Well, you should be happy I tell him. He looks at me
confused.
Another father of my daughters friend is obsessed with Obama. He watches every speech,
and any other info he can find on the internet. Then he claims Obama is an idiot.
He was at the lake with his family, they wanted to watch a football game, but he wanted
to watch Obama, claiming he has to keep an eye on the guy.
Another fellow, a med student my 20 something son knows hates Obama. My son
asked why.
"He did drugs once." the med student replies while dragging on a joint.
My son is like "Wait, your smoking pot right now, WTF, what are your patients
going to think when you are a doctor. Hey, he smoked pot once!"
Another claims Obama has not kept his promises. My son explains it has only
been about 8 months, give the guy a chance.
And finally, the fear of Govt Run Health Care, OMFG.. What a bunch of @##%#^@&!
Is there something in the water that makes Alabama 50 years behind the rest
of the nation. Well, actually not behind Mississippi, they are always the scapegoat.
Even though we have a kick ass college football program in Alabama, there is more
to life than beer, football, and Nascar. But don't tell that to any self respecting Alabamian,
they might ignore you, or call you a Socialist, if they knew that word. More likely you
will be condemned to hell, and then they can dismiss you as an Anti Christ, Socialist
Obama lover. (code for communist)
Seriously, they have no idea what the difference between Socialism and Communism
are, not one clue.
As for me, if Obama is the Anti Christ, when are all these damn annoying Christy
folks going to float up to heaven and leave the rest Us of the hell alone?
Might change the way things are run in Alabama, for the good.
That way I can enjoy all the beautiful things about Alabama, like the wildlife, the flowers,
the balmy weather, the indian summers, it's a great place to live, if it weren't for some
of the people living here.
Sure could be better, much better for all Alabamians, even the
ones who hate or fear President Obama. They need him the most, and don't even know.
What we call ignorance, is called righteous in Alabama.