Believe me, I understand. I grew up in Oklahoma. I used to tell people, when you grow up in Oklahoma, you either grow up a redneck... or there's no chance in Hell you'll EVER be a redneck.
I am the latter. I grew up in horror of the small-mindedness we all know about, the mentality that brings about phenomena such as Oral Roberts and James Inhofe and Tom Coburn. I escaped it as soon as I could, and just didn't refer much to where I came from.
But you know what? I miss it terribly. And not just the land... I miss the people. And I still consider myself an Oklahoman.
I do understand, I really do. I understand the temptation to think of this as Flyover Country filled with Flyover People that just don't really matter much, especially if you live in a faster-moving, more aware part of the country. I understand the temptation to lump them all into a pile of bumpkins that we needn't feel sorry for because their dumb decisions have led them to where they are today.
That's simply an incorrect (and startlingly un-Progressive) view of the situation and the people. That's a glazed-eyed abdication of thought about the subject, not a position. That's the kind of thing the Other Side does when talking about, say, Detroit.
What got me motivated to write this was a couple of comments in yesterday's diary about the Oklahoma storms... one (that the author happily apologized for later) opined glibly that perhaps it was God taking revenge on Oklahomans for caring so little about others. Another asked what was the fuss all about, don't they have storms there all the time, aren't they used to this, isn't this diary just being alarmist?
Between then and now, at least six people died of the storms.
Think about that for a second... six PEOPLE died. Not six rednecks, not six ignorant hicks, not six Red Staters... six PEOPLE. Including one little boy.
What does that tell us about the errors in our thinking? Let me list two points that come to my mind:
1. You don't understand what it's like, weather-wise, to live in a place where killer tornadoes threaten you for large parts of every year. Unless you live somewhere like Florida, you cannot understand. Weather in Oklahoma is as serious as a heart attack. You DON'T joke about it. It's not funny.
2. You don't understand Oklahomans. You really don't. Yes, we suffer from a huge burden of ignorance, lack of education, lack of sophistication, made infinitely worse in recent years by that cancer on American society, Fox News. But in the midst of that are some of the best people in the world.
Can you tell me the ONLY place in the United States where a nuclear plant was cancelled in mid-construction by a combination of protests and citizen action? Inola, Oklahoma, that's where. A combination of protests and legal actions by CASE and Carrie Barefoot Dickerson STOPPED that sucker in its tracks. I was one of the damn hippies who helped just a little by playing benefit concerts and such. There is NO Black Fox Nuclear Plant today because of Oklahoma progressives. So when you think of Oklahoma as being this monotone dark red color, you are wrong. There are liberals there, good strong ones, and they are under siege. They could use a little help.
Oklahoma Progressives are some of the toughest anywhere. We HAVE to be. And let me tell you, every time I hear someone wish harm to my state, every time I read of someone dismissing Oklahoma as hopeless, it's a slap in the face to those of us who may have it a lot harder than you do, as far as living and talking about your political views in everyday life. Ask Woodie Guthrie.
So next time you're tempted to feel superior to all those dumb hicks in flyover country... grow a little and understand that you are doing what the OTHER side does, judging people you've never even met. Some of whom, I guarantee you, you'd be very proud to know.
Updated by WestTexasLiberal at Fri Apr 15, 2011 at 12:25 PM PDT
Update: Death toll raised to nine people, including three children. Nine people who were everything in this world to someone, whatever mark they put on a ballot. Don't hate... ANYONE.
Wow, the rec list? I'm speechless. Thanks everyone!