This discussion has me wondering about people not getting out and having some barbecue and sun this weekend.
I was just telling Mickey Z. offlist about my classical American barbecue experience today. Was trying to be sociable with some relatives and their guests. Just wanted to relax after having worked this morning.
One of the guests happens to be a part time Lutheran pastor. Nice guy, but most nice, older white guys around here are chock full of class and race privilege and nonsense they've picked up from right wing radio.
First the guy goes on about his daughter and her husband having gone off their vegetarian diets. He then ranted about organic food and what a rip-off health food is. He didn't get any argument from me, especially after the recent discussion on this list about Wal-Mart and organics. Then our pastor friend dismisses healthy eating and pollution, arguing that he knows people who had to breathe the smog of Los Angeles and lived to ripe old ages.
The guy then took a few swipes at socialized medicine and "illegal aliens." I picked up on the socialized medicine thing and stated that any medical care is better then nothing for those of us without health care. This guy then said that us younger guys who have good health could get away with not having access to health care. I foolishly jumped in at this point and stated that socialized medicine sounded good to me, since it works for millions of people around the world. This wasn't a good idea, because then I was met with arguments about trial lawyers causing healthcare prices to skyrocket and crap about socialized medicine not really working around the world.
I gave up at this point. It's hard to argue with a pair of older white guys--both of whom are getting social security and one who gets a military pension--who vehemently are opposed to socialized medicine.
This is another example of what I've started calling the "Hypocrisy Belt" to describe Middle America.
On a more postive note, I was working a street festival this afternoon. While walking around after my shift, I actually bought a corn on the cob on a stick from a booth called "The Corn Hole" which is being run by a local V.F.W. post. Ahh, and I bought some freshly brewed root beer too.
Chuck