As a lifelong Southerner, I've lived with the embarassment of my region's past. Mine is the land of slavery and Jim Crow, the birthplace of American Fundementalism and the home of Bush, Cheney, Frist and DeLay. For our nation's entire history, the South has been an anchor on our nation's morality, although forcing us to hold on to the past.
Regretably, the South is also our most politically activist region. No New Yorker says "I'm going to vote for X because he's from the North-East," nor do Oregonians clammor for left cost candidates, but the South's regional prejudice has ensured that four of our last five Presidents have been Southerners, and the fifth opened his campaign by praising "state's rights" at the cite of a famous civil rights slaying. This grip on our nation's cojones must stop.
I've agonized over the choice between inexperienced Edwards and incoherent Kerry. Neither candidate stood up to Bush when we needed them. Neither candidate has shown the fight necessary to take down the entire GOP hate machine. Nonetheless, I've reluctantly decided the nominee must be John Kerry.
My reasons for this are simple: I'm sick as fuck of watching the South dictate our entitre political dialogue. I'm sick of living in a nation where Constitutional bigotry can even be an issue. I'm sick of having other people's religion cramed down my throat. A Kerry victory would properly marginalize the South. It would show them that they cannot maintain their stranglehold on the rest of the nation.
Of course I would not feel this way if I were convinced Edwards could win a single Southern state. Bush is a monster, and must be stopped by any means necessary. There is no evidence, however, that given the choice between a candidate who supports the "traditional" values of bigotry and anti-intelectualism, and one who simply speaks with the right accent, the South would pick the later. It's time the South's representation in our government becomes proportional to their population. As such, I support John Kerry for President.
Ebo
