My workweek started yesterday with an IM from Tom (who sits back to back with me in the office) with a link to a front page article from the Washington Post about Hometown, Ohio, where we both grew up.
I've always called it Hometown, Ohio in these blogs, but it has another more official nickname, Flag City USA. And I might as well just come out and give you its real name, Findlay.
The article, titled, 'In Flag City USA, False Obama Rumors Are Flying' focuses on one street in Findlay, and the various (admittedly older) residents who are quick to believe all the ridiculous rumors about Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama (that he's a Muslim for instance). Ohio is an important electoral state, and the name Flag City has a certain thematic resonance, so it's kind of a no-brainer to use it as a microcosm to address the national trend.
Speaking of no-brainers, the article is full of depressingly funny quotations like this one. "'I think Obama would be a disaster, and there's a lot of reasons,' said Pollard, explaining the rumors he had heard about the candidate from friends he goes camping with. 'I understand he's from Africa, and that the first thing he's going to do if he gets into office is bring his family over here, illegally. He's got that racist [pastor] who practically raised him, and then there's the Muslim thing. He's just not presidential material, if you ask me'."
If you haven't read the article already you can check it out here.
Me: I know it's a horrible idea, but I'm kind of tempted to write a letter to the editor of the Findlay Courier.
Tom: Yeah. I get that impulse sometimes, but then I think better of it. It's like getting into a debate with a bunch of fifth graders.
4 comments:
The Findlay Courier wrote a big editorial about how the writer owes the town an apology and a rewrite.
From a hick town myself (where the newspaper is also curiously the Courier) I can see how the non hicks could be embarrassed to be associated with the likes of Mr. Pollard.
The paper calls it a "Hit Job" the headline, then wades into the Rev. Wright non-issue itself. Kinda funny there Flag City...
I just saw this posted today:
Company: The Courier
Position: Ambitious, Curious Reporter
Location: Findlay, Ohio
Family-owned 22K daily doing it right seeks ambitious, curious, accurate reporter ...
Interesting opportunity...
I, myself, have been often tempted to write letters to the Lima News, (the bordering "city" to Hometown, Ohio). I resisted, because, well, my parents lived there and they already had to be the parents of an Ivy-league elitist liberal; it would have been mean to make them the parents of a know-it-all letter writer.
Now my parents have moved. Perhaps this is my time to shine... (Although Tom is unescapably, right, it's like arguing with 5 year-olds. Or better, the parents of a five year old whose answer for everything is "because I said so.")
Yeah Tom!
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