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November 6, 2020: Living in a Red State

Alaska is a so-called red state, meaning the primary voice of the populace is Republican. It’s for this reason that every day, I think about moving to a blue state, that is one in which the values of those around me are more similar to my own. In some ways, this would be a breath of fresh air.

I have three horsey friends and they all have their red leanings. Or so I am thinking. All have remained mum when it comes to talking about their political viewpoints. Their heads are buried in the sand. We have never done the values exchange; instead, we’ve elected to stay within the safe confines of our verbal horse paddocks. This pains me because I want to articulate my thoughts on the very important subjects of climate change,


Along the highway

women and civil rights, education reform, declining farm and small business-related economies, and high health care costs, just to name a few.

However, I know that if I espouse my viewpoints that I will no longer have any horsey friends. I can’t risk having this happen, so as best I can, I continue to keep my thoughts to myself. However, I am outraged and livid about the current state of affairs in this country and in this state. I am convinced that history is repeating itself. During World War II the majority of the citizenry turned a blind eye to what was going on around them. It wasn’t that they didn’t know, nor were they misinformed; it was that they were in a state of denial. The same thing is going on here.

Maybe it’s a good thing that I live in a red state because otherwise I might think that things are less dire than they are. And they are dire. We have, for instance, a governor who has slashed the educational budget to shreds. We have two senators who are all pro-development, and they have no qualms about opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. We have a congressman, well, he’s just a dinosaur, but sleeping dinosaurs do at times wake up from their slumber and raise their ugly heads.

The brightest and the best Alaskan college age students are leaving and going Outside to further their education. College isn’t the only option, but what we are being left with are scores of uneducated mouth breathers. The smartest of the lot will end up driving forklifts. And the dumbest of the lot? I shudder to think. They will continue to argue for the right to bear arms. Me, I am going to argue for the right to arm bears.

One of these friends recently suggested that I start putting up horse-related podcasts. At first this sounded to me like a good idea. Then I got to thinking about it. On my end, it would be easy to blather on about a subject of interest. It is harder to give voice to one’s thoughts in writing.

I also eschew Facebook and texting, which I suppose in time may further distance me from these friends.

What to do? It’s only a matter of time before my friends raise their heads and see the light of day. Let’s hope that then, its not too late.

Next: 308. 11/7/20: Dog and Pony Show, Metaphorical and Otherwise

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