Small town = Small minded

There are good things about the South and there are bad things about the South, that's life. It doesn't make it right or wrong, it's just life. Waving at a passing car from your front porch - Good. KKK having its annual march through town - BAD! Someone asking "How Your Mama and Them doing?" - Good. A store selling racist propaganda on the town square - BAD!

Southern life is a mass of anachronisms and contradictions. We are a region steeped in archaic traditions and beliefs. Our traditions are neither all good or all bad, they just are. Here, you learn quickly that change does not come swiftly or quietly. You have to fight for progress from all angles; so it is best to choose your battles wisely.

I mention this because I have been griping about the local event going on in my town. (I won't use the actual event name, because I don't want to have to cuss someone out later if too many locals stumble across this blog.) This event like all others in the past are never planned with the general populace in mind. The entertainment lineup always looks like this: Bluegrass bands, 2 or 3 groups the play a "variety of music" which consists of beach music and a few general oldies. They stick a gospel choir in somewhere to keep the Blacks happy. That is the entertainment. This formula NEVER changes.

In my town only the upper-class people have a hand in planning local events. Oh they say everyone is welcome; they even complain that they can't get minority participation in planning events. What they never mention is that they hold the planning meetings during the week at 1 pm. When the working class people are at work. Just to make sure we don't give our input. We may try to change things.

This year, mother and I decided not to go to the event. I told mother, I am tired of these people taking our money, but refusing to provide diverse entertainment. It is not worth it! I know that they won't hurt from the loss of our money, but I will feel better about myself. I may not be able to change the town, but I don't have to be completely complacent.