[afro-nets] DDT stories 10.01.06 (9)

["Jeff Buderer" <jeff@onevillage.biz>]

DDT stories 10.01.06 (9)
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Craig,

I think this is off topic a bit but I decided to post it because I think it makes an important point regarding some recent posts that were made in relation to your previous comments about Africa that Omololu reacted to.

First I have lived in the country most of my life - in the US midwest (SW Missouri). I grew up on a 500 acre farm with 200 hundred head of cattle. For three years I worked the fields doing all the chores a typical American farm boy would. And let me tell you there were plenty of redneck hothead cowboy types. However there were also many good hearted folk as well. In fact I recall my time at my grandpa's ranch as a youth fondly.

Yes there are also the "trigger happy types." Many are attracted to this stereotype of the American cowboy and many say this includes our president Bush. Yet I wonder how much he knows about what it means to actually work the land or animals for that matter (given his rich boy elitist east coast background)? From this reality many when the word cowboy or even country is uttered, react more to the "cowboy posers wannabes" who love their country music, whiskey, big pick up trucks, guns and of course bar fighting. They in making such stereotypical thoughts and assumptions, overlook the reality that many if not most cowboy folk quietly and doggedly live out their country lifestyles on their ranches and farms and are good, peaceful, genuine and friendly people.

These good all American country folk though, in not distancing themselves from what some might refer to as "hotheaded poser rednecks" have really much more in common with those in Islam who have let the Islamic extremists run wild so that they reinforce the stereotypes of Islam that are held by many in the West. To further connect the dots I dont see what is really different or unique about redneck cowboys (red state blue state politics is less about states and more about the distance between urban and rural perspectives and this is a global problem) as one would see in rural parts of the world where women are repressed, minority views are not tolerated and highly conservative views of sexuality and social interactions are strictly enforced.

So then possibly my comments are more relevant here when we consider the importance of more open and free societies (and this must involve not only political changes but social and culture ones as well to ensure that people are encouraged to live in free and socially liberated ways as reflective of their unique individual identity) in addressing challenging public health issues like AIDS, and overpopulation as well as the social issues that relate to them. For example the subjugation of women around the world is closely tied to unhealthy sexual habits and the challenge of keeping population growth down in regions where the needs of the existing populations are not even close to being met.

Jeff Buderer
mailto:jeff@onevillage.biz