And when I say I love the South, I mean that with a requisite mindful of qualifiers.
What I love about the South: Its natural beauty (as say, opposed to the mid-West), its culture of generosity, how everyone says hello with a smile, and of course the all american accents.
The qualifiers? Well, can't escape the biggie first, and that's the history of biggotry and closed-mindedness of these geographical regions. Yes, biggotry exists in all places and on various planes of subtlety, but there's no question that the South deserves recognition first and foremost for this ugly scar on an otherwise beautiful nation. The effects of segregation and the poor attitudes of the South can still be vividly felt in the atmosphere as thickly as a second helping of apple butter and greasy grits. Additionally, as entertaining as it was to listen to Southern preachers on the radio speak of "The Power of Now" and "A Course in Miracles" as works of Satan, I'm just not feeling too hopeful that the bible belt will evolve it's understanding of spiritual wisdom to universal proportions anytime soon. Somebody up there needs to take off that belt an' give 'em biggots a big old whuppin' I tell ya.
I'm also not one for the deeply ingrained meat eating culture of the South. Far from being any sort of vegetarian activist (I say let people eat what they eat and suffer the consequences), I'm still slightly disheartened at the lack of options in the South besides the meat of tortured animals, and the culture of celebration around it.
For those of us used to the more refined tastes of the coasts (and I say that with satirical wit along with deadpan seriousness), I must report there is definitely hope though. For one, there are emerging light centers in the South where you might not expect them. I've mentioned Denton (TX) and Wichita (KS) already, but I also witnessed nice things happening in Boone (NC), Atlanta, Gainsville (FL), Roanoke (VA) and Charleston (SC).
Speaking of Charleston, now this is a town that took me way by surprise. Besides the unending streets full of incredible gourmet restaurants, unique architecture and street musicians, I had to do a double take when I saw two women walking hand in hand down the street. I knew this was no ordinary place when out on the highway there was a huge billboard saying "Discrimination is so gay. Gay rights are civil rights too." Huuuhhh? This is a billboard in where? South freakin Carolina!? And California of all places has banned gay marriage? Strange world, but there's hope yet in unexpected places that people may one day just be allowed to be.
Spent the last week driving up from Florida and had my first road trip friend tag along. She flew down from NY, and we spent the majority of the trip camping in West Virginia (I just had to see for myself that this was indeed a real state). The journey was full of learning experiences, the biggest for Julie was that she was no country gal, but a true urbanite. I'm not sure the exact point she realized it, but I knew it for certain when everytime she hit mud or water on the hiking trail a requisite gutteral squeal emerged, or maybe it was when she used a quarter gallon of our last drinking water to clean the already clean pasta strainer just one more time before immersing it in boiling water. Her fate as a city girl for life was sealed when the first topic of conversation amongst her and her roomates upon returning home was comparing what they shopped for the last five days. (Laughing inside loud - I do have permission by the way to post all this). Thanks Julie for being such a good sport, it was fun spending time together, though next time you are definitely absolutely getting behind the wheel.
Recent Comments