One of them is a teacher relatively new to North Carolina, who recently changed school districts (and now teaches in a different North Carolina county). She reports:
It really is shocking how ignorant a lot of people are and scary that McCain/Palin actually seem to have a good shot at winning. I must say how refreshing it is to be working in Chapel Hill now. People seem so much more liberal there. I didn't think I'd notice a difference but I really do, even in school. Several of my students were absent a couple of weeks ago because they were at the Democratic convention—a far cry from my last school, where I had some students tell me that I must be a Democrat because I believe in global warming! I pointed out that global warming is a fact, not an opinion."Believe" in global warming...as though it's a matter of faith rather than scientific knowledge. Religion is quite a pernicious influence in this country—however more pernicious an influence Islam is in countries where that medieval religion predominates. The women who condemned Hillary Clinton were most likely influenced by the ancient Old Testament emphasis of much of Christianity.
In that school I was working alongside colleagues (female) who told me with no shame that Ms. Clinton could not be president because she's female and therefore too emotional. Shocking, really, and very sad. I pointed out that Hillary has bigger balls than Bush and maybe what was needed for this country was a little emotion. I felt as though my opinions were frowned upon as I'm just the snooty outsider! It is a refreshing change to be surrounded now by people with some sense.
Yes I agree there are alot of ignorant people out there who will
ReplyDeletevote for McCain & Palin and not give Obama & change a chance. I'm still hoping though that it goes a
new way. OBAMA & BIDEN 2008 !!!
Dawn
I'm not a political person, but I do love the way folks can take a side and give it all they can. Surprised you haven't gotten more into the election on your blog. Bush would get under your skin and you posted some steaming comments. You have shown a lot of restraint recently.
ReplyDeleteSteve in Germany
In a way, I've become less political myself. What passes for political discourse in America is, as my friend the school teacher observed, just too sad. I can no longer, as I used to, even find any entertainment value in it. I sometimes think that the most accurate metaphor for American culture is the behavior of adolescent school children.
ReplyDeleteI like the metaphor and I agree with you.
ReplyDeleteSteve in Germany
Apropos the metaphor, here's the final paragraph from today's New York Times op-ed column by Maureen Dowd:
ReplyDelete“R. D. Levno, a retired school principal, flew in from Fairbanks. 'She’s a child, inexperienced and simplistic,' she said of Sarah. 'It’s taking us back to junior high school [emphasis mine]. She’s one of the popular girls, but one of the mean girls. She is seductive, but she is invented.'”