They call this city the buckle of the Bible Belt.
Tucked in southwest Missouri, near Arkansas and Oklahoma, Springfield is home to 200 churches and five Christian colleges, including Jerry Falwell's alma mater, Baptist Bible. The Assemblies of God, a fast-growing force in the Pentecostal movement, is headquartered here. Local businesses include Divinely Inspired Cleaning, Integrity Imports and Grace Health Services.
Monday, October 09, 2006
GREETINGS FROM THE UPPER SOUTH
This whole idea of Missouri being in the Midwest? Apparently bogus. Monday's Washington Post includes a curious political story about Springfield. The hed -- A Balancing Act in the Upper South -- is topped only by this yawner of a lede:
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The southwest corner of Missouri has the feel of the South and for good reason. According to Daniel J. Elazar, author of The American Mosaic, we are part of the traditionalist political subculture--a subculture confined to the South and Southeast. Missouri, however, is home to all three subcultures, which includes the moralist (mostly the upper Midwest and New England) and individualist (much of the mid section of the country from the mountain west to Pennsylvania). This partly explains why Missouri often mirrors or anticipates national political trends--we're one of the few states that combines the three subcultures.
Upper south?
How about Lower mid-middle?
This story seems to be right on target. As much as I wish we didn't have such a namby-pamby reputation, the writer pretty much got the facts--all the way to the correct assumption that SMSU was renamed to MSU "bolster prestige."
I wonder if this reporter actually came to SW MO or if she did this over the phone...
I'm surprised Branson wasn't mentioned in this mix, with all their politically inspired, militaristic religiosity passed off as entertainment to make a buck.
By the way, I think of Spfd as Upper South every morning when I look out at my garden, grateful for all the consistent wonderful weather since the last part of August-But realizing that not unlike the persistent blistering heat of the past summer-this weather is also due to gradual climate change. Once again the ground has turned to dust and we are having to continue to water many plants almost daily. Several decades ago September was always umbrella month. Days on end of rain and jacket weather. You could count on it.
Anon 11:24- Ms. Murray came to Springfield to do the interviews for this story.
How was she, Ron?
Ouch
There is an interesting book called the "Fourth Turning" that calls the American driving force "tribalism". Church tribe, ethnic tribe, political tribe, .... and everyone else is part of another tribe and therefore can be ignored at best, and you can go to war with them at the worst.
In this respect I would say that Springfield is predominately southern tribalism. Not the people who read this, we have our own tribal leaders, like Ron, but the types who call the talk radio shows, who are the very typical southern redneck tribe, and who represent most of SW MO outside of an urban area.
Anon 405: Dunno. Didn't speak with her.
The Harpool stuff at the end of the story made it seem you might've been involved, Ron.
Hey anon 8:13--I'm thinking there is more than one person planning to vote for Harpool. Maybe the reporter was able to find one of them. Heck, she could just walk up to the door at one of the many homes with a Harpool sign in front.
Off topic: Did anyone notice that Catanese got booted from the Senate race beat? Ky3 said Cara Connelly is covering the debate in STL tomorrow!
Wow...well Cara will be better to look at, that's for sure!
And she'll be nearly as inept...
STOP PICKING ON CARA CONNELLY, YOU HORRIBLE BEAST!!! If you must pick on someone pick on someone deserves it...like Vincent David John Jacob Jingle Himerschmit Shotenkirk Shimmy Shimmy Ko-ko Bop Ramma
Lama Ding Dong Do Wah Diddy Diddy Gidyup Ooomp Pompa Oooomp Pompa Mow Mow
Hiyo Silver Away Banana Fanna Fo Fanna De Doo Doo Doo De Da Da Da (That's all I want to
say to you)Gabba Gabba Hey Gabba Hey (Now you're one of us) two all-beef patties special
sauce lettuce cheese pickles onion on a sesame seed bun, Itsy Bittsy Tiny Weeny Yellow Polka
Dot Jericho Joiner-Kersee Sammy Davis Junior.
Timmmmyyyy.... Timmy Trower... I want my money right now!
Your pal,
Les
Desdinova, what if the rest of us were to take up a collection to buy you a new joke?
You are rapidly approaching the point of being every bit as irritating as Mr. Schottenkirk.
PLEASE GET NEW MATERIAL. PLEASE!
Here is my question: When I was a kid Springfield was the "Queen City of the Ozarks." WHY DID WE STOP CALLING IT THAT AND BEGIN CALLING IT "THE BUCKLE OF THE BIBLE BELT?" Does "Queen City" make the fundies think we're gay or something.
My suggestion - change the name of Springfield to Branson North.
So i assume tht Desidenova is named Timmy Trower.
Ozarks Voice "The Cover Up"
The story of a six year effort started when I turned in 1800 signatures on a petition asking for the development of a technology park be placed on the Springfield ballot. The City said no then just like they said no in August of this year when 1300 signatures were turned in. They say it is appropriating money and the citizens can not do that with a ballot petition even though they allowed Sheriff Merritt to do it on this years November ballot because they will pay to enforce it. We do have a new petition going and it can be found at our website.
This project could bring more and better business and job opportunities for all of southwest Missouri. That is why we want people from across the area to consider joining the effort. To help or learn more people can go to: www.technologypark2006.org. We also think we need to include College of the Ozarks, Drury, Evangel, MSU, OTC and other colleges in the area.
Most say that MSU, the City and Roy Blunt stole the idea from our volunteer grass roots effort. Mainly the Jordan Valley Innovation is about research for military issues. That project is fine, but we need more general opportunities for the people of southwest Missouri since the world economy is moving ahead so fast. We would like to see research in agricultural, environmental and other general areas of new technology. We also talked about the incubator strategy which according to news story JVI was not included, but now they claim will be.
It is upsetting that the city continues to turn down a citizens led effort even though we have helped push the Technology agenda forward. They must be having many sleepless nights trying to figure out how to shut us down! We need more grassroots efforts so that the citizens can use the democratic process since we own the government. Free enterprise should allow business and the citizens to steer where government money goes in the economy. Letting the citizens have a say in their own destiny is something that must send chills down their spines.
Sincerely, Steven L. Reed lives in Springfield
Steven L. Reed
Springfield, MO 65804
417-849-4279 sreed@technologypark2006.org
The Technology Park rant's tedious reappearance in this blog shows the proprietor of this half-baked and thrice-rejected idea to be desperate, pathetic and obsessive. Move on, Steve.
I hope Mr. Reed's park has a swing set.
11:44
How many people really read this blog?
Maybe you all should get a life?
How many people really WRITE this blog?
Maybe we should all get a life.
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