It’s a crystal-clear fall Tueday so we head over to Sault Saint Marie, and we encounter small handmade expressions of a polarized nation: a handmade ‘Native Americans support Kerry Edwards’ sign…a stack of round hay bales, one on top of two on top of three, the ends painted red white and blue and labeled “one nation under god.”
We’re listening to ‘The Current’ on CBC Radio…first a half hour with the Montreal-based president of Medicins sans Frontieres, a pediatrician who lives her life helping small dying children in Darfur, in Afghanistan, in Haiti. In the next half-hour, it’s a thoughtful documentary on the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide.
Canadians are routinely listening to thoughtful radio about the problems of the world, their attentions turned outside their borders. Here on this side, we are a nation turning away from the world, presenting them a caricatured cowboy arrogance, take us or leave us. Marvel at our simplicity, our solidarity, our strength.
I find myself grateful for every Kerry Edwards sign we see up here, and come away with, in general, a bad feeling. I remember in 1988 I listened to the Vice-Presidential debate on the radio heading back to Georgia from Ohio…this time we’ll be at Doug and Ruthette’s…
September 28th, 2004 at 7:32 pm
So, anyway…
I’ve just returned to Atlanta from a week of long days doing volunteer work on behalf of John2 (sorry - no superscript to indicate both Kerry and Edwards - guess I need a Selectric). I told them that I’d take out the trash, clean the (dog-chewed) headquarters offices at 271 E. State Street, wash their cars… whatever they needed as long as it wasn’t illegal or immoral. Cowtown has changed a lot since I last spent much time there.
I did so many hours of data entry, “sifting” the lists of registered voters in good ol’ Franklin County to toss out the strong-Kerry/strong-Bush* responses for a second/third/fourth pass that I think I may have a mild case of eye strain. Spent a big chunk of one day on the phone lining up volunteer housing for dozens of folks from all over the country who are descending for the duration. Also helped with a set-up and tear-down for an appearance by Cisneros at an art gallery in the Short North… thought of Sammy as I looked at the Mexican art. (600 block of N. High — sorry don’t remember the name.) I also knocked on a couple of hundred doors — most no answer, but at least as many Kerry voters as Bush* voters. The undecideds were happy to take the literature and many of the strong-Kerry folks signed up as volunteers. Clumps definitely has the Atlanta “ITP”/”OTP” dynamic. Hilliard was not pretty. But “UA for Kerry” signs are all over Uppity Arlington… almost parity with the dark side… less-so South of Lane, but are we surprised? Many positive experiences in my canvassing, but only one negative one will stay with me — the kool-aid christianist who screamed Bible verses at me… it was in a Sec.8 complex for disabled people, and I think she needed her anti-schizophrenic meds tweaked. One mixed response was from a guy who said, “Good news: you got my vote. Bad news: I’m tired of talking about it and I’d like you to leave now.”
Driving back, one thing that struck me as I got out of Central Ohio is the LACK of bumperstickers on cars for either candidate… seems like every 4th or 5th car up there has some sort of identification — almost as many yard signs… those people know that they actually are living in the center of the Universe this election season.
Made a good friend - canvassing buddy named (no kidding) Bob Evans. He’s a Vietnam vet from California… Purple Heart recipient who sustained massive injuries in the jungle at age 20… no plastic patriot, that one. He worked for a non-profit for a couple of years at the Wall in DC. We plan to stay in touch.
Listening to Todd Rundgren (”Just One Victory”) as I type.
-TB