thank God...

...that the South no longer dictates the outcome of presidential elections. NYTimes article explores the diminishing power of low-income, uneducated white Southerners in politics as evidenced by the failed Clinton and McCain bids for president.

Most of the comments from the interviewees, such as how the Obama administration will cause blacks to be more aggressive or that Obama voters should seek penitence, did not surprise me. I spent some of my formative years in the rural South and often my family received threats from neighbors in our all-white neighborhood. As for Southerners and the seriousness of their politics, I found that out the hard way when I was physically assaulted by fellow classmates in the second grade for wishing that Ross Perot would become president in the 1992 elections. (For those who were not there, Ross Perot was the independent party challenger who threatned to siphon Republican votes from Bush I which would result in a Clinton I victory. I was seven or eight at the time and only picked Perot because he was the underdog and felt bad that he did not have many friends....).

Anyway, I think the era of Southern-strategy and catering to hard-working Americans (read Caucasian and barely-educated) is overdue for its demise.

as for the pic....yeah, it might be offensive, but....of course, not all white Southerners who dropped out of high-school look like this....it was more illustrative than anything else

5 comments:

  1. SOLOMONSYDELLE said...:

    Oooh, you know you wrong for that picture, girl!

    I completely understand why the so called 'hardworking' America has controlled politics for as longa s it has. But, what is undefendable is the fact that the right wing has used fear and divisive politics to pander to the South and foster absolutely lies and policies which have been beneficial to the rich and not their base.

    Sorry you got 'jumped' for supporting Ross Perot. WOuld that have happened if you supported Clinton, do you think? Just curious.

    take care.

  1. ...great post...and the pic is spot on!!...that's exactly what they look like...some do have some nicer clothes...jokes aside, salient points raised...i too am glad that time passed and hope it keeps passing...why should the uneducated (not even talking bookswise only) be deciding life for everyone?...

  1. Jaja said...:

    Interesting take!

  1. doug said...:

    Man, I would like to comment on your views about "redneck politicking" but more importantly....Good grief!!!! Is that picture real???!!!

  1. Artsville said...:

    Have you shut down your nollywood critique blog? I can't seem to find it.