| Arkansas is an interesting political environment and where I cut my political teeth. This past election it provided Hillary with the largest margin of victory in the primaries yet voted unanimously to support Obama at the Convention (something Texas could not seem to bring itself to do). It's state party leader was assassinated weeks prior to the Convention. During the general election it went almost 60-40 for McCain with most counties giving McCain a better than 15% margin. It's governor is a Democrat, replacing the Republican Mike Huckabee, and is represented by 2 Democratic senators and 3 of the 4 representatives are also Democrats. As you can see it leans Democratic locally but Republican nationally.
I got my incentive for activism from my chemistry teacher who went on to serve in the Arkansas legislature as a state senator and ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor of the state later. She was my inspiration for striving for better things and gave me the drive to get involved to help change things
During my college years in Arkansas I voted for my first president in 1980. During that election cycle I saw Reagan's motorcade pass me in Little Rock and listened to my first presidential candidate, Gary Hart. I participated in Arkansas' one and only attempt at a presidential caucus in my home county of Saline. I stood for Hart in deference to my second cousin who led organized labor in a county heavy in union influence. I remember him telling me in the room he couldn't believe I would stand against my father's future by not standing for Mondale.
Later I became involved in the core of Democratic politics in Little Rock, helping campaign for and raise funds for Paul Tsongas. There I met my core of friends and the Clintons. When asked how I ended up meeting the Clintons I had to remark that Arkansas just wasn't that big. You couldn't avoid meeting the Clintons if you were involved in Democratic politics in Arkansas.
All this being said, Arkansas still has the old vestiges of a racial and conservative past that really has no place in America today. However, all politics is local so they have the right to express themselves in this dated viewpoint. My hometown paper, the Benton Courier, published two op-ed pieces by The National Review of which one was downright offensive. There were no other viewpoints in the paper which leads me to believe they don't tolerage balanced reporting. I see signs of progress when I talk to my family and nieces who have taken a more moderate view of politics. They see the changes and know Arkansas must change. It will probably only be accomplished generationally and not overnight.
I just wonder if we can ever really come back home to our political roots. Or do we adopt the political norms of our new homes and just count our heritage as just that, heritage. I would love to spend more time in Arkansas but I just find it hard to be able to accept such intolerance any more. I know Texas has similar outposts of this type of attitudes. There has been much debate over the politics of Orange County. I just find San Antonio and Texas a much better place to live and be a Democrat. |
