The other tsunami

Shortly after posting about rightwing support for Obama last night I spoke with a former student of mine back in Virginia who is now laying bricks for a living (liberal arts at work). He is a left learning sort, even fancies himself a bit of a radical. We spoke a bit about Obama, whom he supports in a big way.

I was surprised to hear that his father, a working class man who recently purchased a Filipino bride over the internet (a story that is as amusing as it sounds), was appalled at the very thought of a black president. As were everybody on the brick laying crew.

Yes, this is the South, so things are a bit different. But my sad feeling is that this is not unusual at all. It is always worth remembering that not everybody is busy reading elaborate endorsements and explanations and listening to carefully worded speeches. (I haven't seen US TV for months but can guess at the breathless idiocy of the coverage. Plenty of people are toiling along doing this that or the other, all the while just maintaining dull minded prejudices and not sensing this thrill of transformation so palpable to others. I would write that they are the opposite of latte swilling, volvo driving, NPR listening, NYTimes reading Obama supporters, but that is a cliche isn't it.