Keith and I drove from the Chicago area to the Austin, Texas, area last weekend. After 32 or so winters in Illinois, we had decided to relocate to warmer climes.
But as we drove through Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas, with their conservative billboards, I began to rethink our move -- and what's left of my faith in the citizens of this country.
We had driven through Missouri five years ago to visit my sister in Tulsa for Christmas. This time I noticed fewer porn and religious advertisements. But there was one billboard that simply read "Jesus." Several feet before that was one seeking a sponsor. So as we drove past, the message we saw was "Rent Me Jesus."
Another billboard advertised an expired Sept. 11 Tea Party event.
An Oklahoma billboard gave a figurative high-five to the Arizona law requiring people who look like illegal immigrants to show proof of U.S. citizenship. The top line read "Oklahoma [heart]s Arizona." The second line, in a smaller font: "Oklahoma [heart]s Mexico, too." Sure -- just as long as Mexicans stay in that country.
Two of the letters on a Conoco gas station sign along the highway were reversed. This wasn't one of those signs with the magnetic letters that vandals remove to make curse words. This was the gas station's main sign, and it was very high. After seeing the political bent of previous roadside signage, I wasn't going to give this one the benefit of the doubt. It read "COONCO."
In Texas I was disgusted to see former President George W. Bush’s snide smirk on a billboard. He asked, "Miss me yet? How's that hope and change working out?" Please. As much as I'm angry with Obama and don’t plan to vote for him again, he's so much better than Bush.
Another billboard featured an unflattering portrait of President Barack Obama with the phrase "Socialist by Conduct."
Except for the Tea Party event, the names of the people or groups who paid for these billboards either weren’t written on the ads or they were too small to notice.
But some things are clear: They have money, they don’t know what the hell they’re talking about, and most are likely racist.
But as we drove through Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas, with their conservative billboards, I began to rethink our move -- and what's left of my faith in the citizens of this country.
We had driven through Missouri five years ago to visit my sister in Tulsa for Christmas. This time I noticed fewer porn and religious advertisements. But there was one billboard that simply read "Jesus." Several feet before that was one seeking a sponsor. So as we drove past, the message we saw was "Rent Me Jesus."
Another billboard advertised an expired Sept. 11 Tea Party event.
An Oklahoma billboard gave a figurative high-five to the Arizona law requiring people who look like illegal immigrants to show proof of U.S. citizenship. The top line read "Oklahoma [heart]s Arizona." The second line, in a smaller font: "Oklahoma [heart]s Mexico, too." Sure -- just as long as Mexicans stay in that country.
Two of the letters on a Conoco gas station sign along the highway were reversed. This wasn't one of those signs with the magnetic letters that vandals remove to make curse words. This was the gas station's main sign, and it was very high. After seeing the political bent of previous roadside signage, I wasn't going to give this one the benefit of the doubt. It read "COONCO."
In Texas I was disgusted to see former President George W. Bush’s snide smirk on a billboard. He asked, "Miss me yet? How's that hope and change working out?" Please. As much as I'm angry with Obama and don’t plan to vote for him again, he's so much better than Bush.Another billboard featured an unflattering portrait of President Barack Obama with the phrase "Socialist by Conduct."
Except for the Tea Party event, the names of the people or groups who paid for these billboards either weren’t written on the ads or they were too small to notice.
But some things are clear: They have money, they don’t know what the hell they’re talking about, and most are likely racist.
(Obama photo credit: Chris Curtis. Courtesy of CentralTexasNow.com.)
(Bush photo courtesy of "Flaming Zombie Monkeys.")
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12 comments:
Wow I should have known not to open this site. Obama is just as bad or worse than Bush, how heck do you say he is better? Oh let me guess you fit into the category of the folks that are below $200,000 income bracket, or maybe your in the I can go 90 weeks without looking for a job category living off the backs of the rest of us. Biggest waste of my time ever!
I live in central oklahoma, and goobers abound....and wherever anonymous is from there is at least one goober there.
They're everywhere....if you find someplace where they are absent...let me know.
veganelder Central Oklahoma?!?!? who would take anyone from there serious put down the crack pipe then comment
Anonymous, thanks for taking the time to comment on this even though this post wasted so much of your time.
Yes, I'm one of the majority of Americans who earns much less than $200,000 a year.
It must be awful to contemplate the government not renewing the tax cuts for your over-$250,000-a-year income. How ever will you make ends meet?
Anonymous - Regarding those folks who are 90 weeks without a job I know many of them. Close friends and not so close acquaintances who are all desperate for work at any wage... Sorry to say but you sound like an elitist who has some very wrong assumptions, probably self generated because it makes you and your "class" seem absent from any burden.
I am fortunate to be living comfortably, but it doesn't mean I have the right to criticize others who are having a hard time of it. There but for the grace of fate go I.
Lol--I don't know ANYONE who makes $200,000 or more a year! And my family members are very dedicated, hard-working people.
Tracy, Welcome to our Great State! I think you find Austin vibrant and wonderful place to live. You left a comment for me on my blog sometime back. I've wondered why those who left comments hadn't been back so thought I'd look at their blogs. I thought I'd give you a clue so you won't go through what so many go through when they move here from out of state. Texas is unlike any state in the nation. I urge you to learn our history as a state. We think of ourselves as Texan first and American second regardless of political or social beliefs. So make a trip to see the Alamo in San Antonio and the San Jacinto Monument just outside of Houston. I think then you'll appreciate our heritage and independent nature. Tread careful with talking to Texans about their state in a negative way. And like you I'm not a native Texan, but I always say I got here as soon as I could. I think some would take offense to the post your commenting on about Texas.
I'd also like to extend an invitation to you to come see us and our cattle at the Star of Austin Livestock Show. I'd love to show you one of the most wonderful traditions of our great state. The celebration of our agricultural heritage. We raise Santa Gertrudis and Lowline Angus as well as the cross of the two breeds. I'd love for your to see just how pampered our bulls and heifers are and how much we enjoy showing them. We will arrive late on March 15th as we will be coming from the Houston Livestock Show. We will be around all day on the 16th and our show is 9am on the 17th. We check out after the show.
If you think our Livestock Shows are all about livestock they aren't. Houston has wine competition at theirs. San Antonio celebrates their hispanic heritage at their show. And well Ft. Worth celebrates their cattle heritage.
If you haven't found the Downtown Austin Farmers Market it is grand place to be. Make sure you look up Texas Olive Ranch. IMHO the best in the country! My other favorite is Sunset Valley. Enjoy them both!
Again, welcome to our Great State!
Kim
I just read a fascinating book: "Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District - Longhorns, Cattle Brands, Barbed Wire and a Tin Bathtub" by Horace Craig. And while this book is supposed to glorify all the traditions of this "cattle state", each page is filled with information that confirms the brutality and recklessness of the livestock industry.
The original "cowboys" were vagabonds... The drovers would start out with a few thousand head of cattle and end their destination with double the animals... All procured by force and fraud against smaller cattle interests. The book also talks about the townspeople who had constant complaints about the dust, manure, smell and flies from the industry. (Sound familiar?)
All the towns these cattlemen passed through spawned the opening of 3 major businesses: Saloons, brothels and jails. They were a lawless group that disregarded both human and nonhuman rights. I don't know how any community can take pride in that kind of tradition.
"Not all traditions are worthy of admiration and respect. Tradition should never be an excuse for cruelty, and surely harmful practices should not be condoned just because they are cultural practices.”
Michele Pickover, a spokeswoman for Animal Rights Africa
@ working class hero:
I won't even argue about this anymore but I just want to let you know your comments show how detached you are from reality. I choose to live in NYC, and just for a update from the real world, you can not even have a decent place there and make less than 200k. So plenty of folks are making that kind of money, read a book or travel sometime you will see.
I just stumbled across your blog and found this post interesting. Like you, I got sick of the cold (in Vermont) and fled South. I chose Austin because I heard it was very vegan friendly and have found that to be oh-so-heavenly true. The rest of Texas may think I'm an alien, but Austinites seem to understand (and not be critical of) vegan lifestyles. Just in case you are having a tough time being vegan in Austin, check out veganaustin.org. Vegans Rock Austin is a social group and we just hang out, eat, have fun at a variety of different meetup events. The site is really useful with the restaurant/grocery store reviews and forums for just about anything vegan.
Anonymous, being vegan in Austin has been great! I do want to get together with Vegans Rock Austin soon, though. Thanks for stopping by!
Wow !! Holy Moley !! I never thought it possible . . . a whore's used tampon has come to life and grew a inept, inane brain and attempted logic... What an idiot !!
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