RED, WHITE, BLUE, AND OTHERS

In 1973, coming from a comfortable middle class suburb of Boston, I found myself in a simpler rural New Hampshire. The plan was to stay a couple of years, gain the experience schools in Mass. wanted and then return to find a job there.

The differences from where I grew up were profound, yet some 47 years later, I am still here in NH.

The heavily conservative New Hampshire was then demographically white - 99 percent. It was nothing I thought about until a few years into my stay. I went back to visit my folks, and they sent me out to the local KFC. I was a bit taken aback when I walked in and saw black, Asian, and Hispanic people working there. I thought, "Whoa! I've in New Hampshire too long."

As of the last census (2010), NH is still 93.9 percent white. Over the years, NH has turned from a red state to a blue state with the first state to have a woman governor and full Congressional delegation!

Over the past few years under tRump, the political split has changed from a hairline crack to a grand canyon. There is no middle ground and no discussion. Whether they admit it or not, there is a hardcore group that fervently wants a straight, white, male-dominated, Conservation, Christian country. There is no reasoning with them. It's pretty scary.

Since I got here, the contemporary wisdom was outsiders are welcome, but don't bring your ways here (spend your money and go home). From the beginning, there was a so-called Town-Gown conflict. The locals resented the educational community and their kind. One local guy I knew referred to them as "the tweedies" (because the college types wore tweed jackets, but I am sure you knew that).

Anyhow, what seemed like an attractive Mayberry, North Carolina, became more like a Neshoba County, Mississippi. While thoughts may be the same, fortunately, the actions are not.

Yes, I am painting with a broad brush here, but....

Anyhow, what's been happening in recent weeks in the U.S. hearken back to the late 50's  early 60's. In spite of what I thought, attitudes never went away. They just went to sleep.