One State, Two State; Red State, Blue State

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Not too long ago in a land far, far away, it was hot; I mean like walking in to a life-sized convection oven or inhaling directly from a blow-dryer. July in Las Vegas is nearly unbearable and those who live there hurry in to their air conditioned cars to arrive at their air conditioned jobs and shop in their air conditioned malls returning to their air conditioned homes. (Oh but it's a dry heat) Most people living in Vegas stay away from surreal insanity of The Strip, and I know that for certain as one who just moved from there. Swimming pools and palm trees in every yard may be a vacationers dream, but the overall quality of life there is greatly lacking, in my opinion.

We left home where it was 128 degrees on July 4th and averaging about 115 degrees all summer, to the Rocky Mountains, where I am told it gets to 60 below 0 in the winter. (Oh but it's a dry cold) I must admit to being a bit intimidated by that thought, but I immediately felt at home here. I've lived in 6 western states now and having been raised on the "Left Coast" by a long-line of Democrats, I am experiencing a different reality than I've ever lived before. In my new town it seems to be a good mix of political ideologies but I am learning, especially by driving to some of the neighboring small towns, why it is that the large urban cities along the coasts tend to vote differently than those who have miles between neighbors like here in Wyoming. Of course I knew that the "Red States" comprised Middle America and I thought I knew why that was, but not until I actually lived here did I really 'get it'. The fact is, when you have to drive an hour ½ to get to the nearest town, and your nearest neighbor is at least acres away, your world outlook is quite different than the struggles that the millions piled upon each other in the cities have.

People hunt here: Now you may laugh at that statement, but, I get it now-- I think I really do. They were raised hunting; they look forward to it every year; they eat the meat all year long. It's a right-of-passage; it is as much a part of their upbringing as the suburban weekend soccer games in the fall and watching professional sports teams or rock concerts in large arenas were for me. It's not in me to hunt, therefore I don't eat meat; and I could never understand before why anyone would want to kill an animal, but, living here and seeing the large Ford and Chevy pickups drive by with antlers sticking out of the beds, I am learning that it is simply a way of life. They don't question it or think about it, they just do it! And how wonderful it is that there is a place left in this country that is so full of wildlife, clean air, and SPACE that they can do it!

Folks here work on the ranch; they go to church on Sundays and they hug like long-lost friends when they see each other daily at the post office. Though they have much more space here around them, I think they see the world as much smaller. From what I can tell, many of them have not been to a city bigger than Casper or Idaho Falls. They probably think they understand why it is that the City Folk vote the way they do like I thought I understood how they viewed the world before moving here.

Though I feel like I am living in a bubble or like I've stepped back to the 'Old West', I can't say it's a bad thing. I had my old Toyota 4Runner stolen from my driveway 3 times in 6 months in the Seattle area prior to moving to Las Vegas; I notice here that people don't even lock their cars! Although it has been an adjustment, I am not missing the rest of the crowded, every person for him/her self, get out of my way or I'll run you over world, but now I have two perspectives on it all.