Red State Rural Regulators

Early in the 18th century a group of farmers in North Carolina established a political identity for themselves that has become the ideology of today’s Red State voters. They were the Regulators of Orange County. They would be known today as values voters espousing the political orthodoxy of the rural and suburban middle class. They fought the corrupt elite as well as the ruffians who were not being properly restrained by the government. In other words, they were conservative populists who favored “law and order” and opposed political graft and over taxation. Later, they would found the first, Independent, self-government on the Continent at Watuaga. Colin Powell would probably consider them a threat to the electoral process! Why? In a CNN interview to air this weekend, Powell takes on modern day Regulator Sarah Palin as too traditional and too conservative for the future of the Republican Party.

Who is he kidding? What makes this Obama-supporter an authority on Republican politics? When it was rumored that he might run for president a few years ago, he willingly described himself as a “Rockefeller Republican.” Nelson Rockefeller represented everything that was elitist, corrupt, and WRONG with the Northeast, Liberal Republican establishment. As Gov. Palin might say, they were not on the side of the People. It took Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan to transform the party away from this country club mindset. Why on earth would anyone want to go back to those days? It’s interesting to note, Powell testified as a character witness for the corrupt and disgraced Senator of Alaska, Ted Stevens. Stevens was part of that corrupt establishment that Palin courageously confronted and defeated.

America has always exemplified the idealism of rural life. It breeds a tough self-reliance and love for freedom that tyrants find difficult to tame. There’s a populist ring to this middle class perspective. It extols a pastoral life that captures all of the best attributes of America’s rugged Individualism. From the original Pilgrims, who were Religious separatists, to the pilgrims in the John Wayne movies, American culture has been uniquely defined by the iconic, fierce Independence honed in the legendary Backcountry. From Daniel Boone to Sarah Palin, this common-folk, social structure has preserved our liberty. This is the reason Americans always root for the underdog…not the Rockefellers!

Colin Powell is a prophet from a different perspective. He warns the Republicans that they should take a “hard look” at themselves. He doesn’t like Gov. Palin’s rhetoric about “small towns.” Powell was offended by the implication that his New York upbringing was somehow not good enough. He points out that America is trending towards a more metropolitan, multicultural majority and has no future opportunities for those who wish to continue “shouting” about small town values! I would remind Mr. Powell that not all African Americans, Hispanics and Asians live in big cities! You don’t have to be white to appreciate rural life.

Colin Powell is free to choose his style of Liberal politics dominated by Big City machines like Gov. Blogojevich, but true Conservatives prefer something different.

Since the beginning of time, the wilderness and the countryside have proven to be powerful symbols for innocence, virtue and strength. By contrast, cities have been the places most associated with corruption, deception and the vanity of groupthink that leads to tyrannical power.

Gov. Palin has nothing to apologize for! Her statements regarding small towns echo the proud sentiments of an ideal, pastoral aesthetic. It seems rather rude and presumptuous of Powell to challenge her on this issue, but then again, there are a lot of people out there who have trouble with Gov. Palin’s convictions. Just last week someone tried to burn down her church in Wasilla. Over a million dollars in damage resulted from this hate crime. Pastor Larry Kroon answered the attack with a simple, rural, small town admonition: “choose faith, live with hope and keep caring about people.” To that I say Amen, and which way do I go to get out of town? (send comments to WFC83197@aol.com, or mail to POB 114, Jacksboro, TN 37757.)