This will probably get moved to R&R. That's fine. In fact, I'm half tempted to move it to R&R myself. But... I wanted to announce... I mean, wow. It's good... I mean, there is not gonna be a lot of coverage on how good it is.
And if I sound flustered typing, you can imagine what I sound like vocally. I've said about one wordy durd over and over and over. Loudly. Because hell HAS frozen over. I.... I can't believe this.
This is the county where Judson is. Jim Crow laws are still in effect. I know. I was there. I have eaten in not one, but TWO restaurants where I was unable to bring my suitemate with me because of her skin color (and those were the only two restaurants in town). In 1998. The worst part is, NOBODY COMPLAINED. There is NO racial tension. It's scary.
We are talking about a place where I have heard, with my own two ears, a black woman
defending George Wallace. (I'm sorry. But when a grown man physically blocks a child's path into a public school, it is NOT because he's bowing to the demands of the constituents.)
Anyone will tell you that I'm proud of my state... I'll be the first to say it... but Alabama has done some very, very ugly things in the past. And as of a decade ago, those things were still going on to ZERO complaint. It's part of the reason I hated that particular area so much.
And now... well... here it is. I can't believe it. If it's true, it's a miracle of racial relations... and in a place where it was probably needed the most. A county-wide
paid holiday... in honor of Barack Obama. And it seems... to be true.
I guess people really have been paying attention... and I'm... well, a vote's not a loud voice, but it's an important one nevertheless. I want to raise a toast to true racial equality and harmony in 2009, and the entire 21st century. Jeff, out with the champagne!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081203/ap_on_re_us/obama_holidayhttp://sweetness-light.com/archive/alabama-county-creates-obama-holidayhttp://commissioneralbertturner.com/
