Hope in Texas

We're continuing to get only visible positive reactions to the truck – and in Texas no less! What joy and hope! The last time I was in Texas, and only going rapidly thru the panhandle, I was inundated by f.u.'s and swerving truck drivers! This time, the negatives are pretty tight-lipped and silent.

When we stopped to get gas, two white truckers bounded over and gave me a 'teamsters for kerry' bumper sticker - I’ve made a row along the “imprison bush” side of the truck of bumper stickers folks are giving me!

Finding a health food store in Amarillo, Texas turned out to be a mixed blessing. It used to be a traveler could count on finding all the diversity in town at the health food store: folks of color, dykes, earthmamas, lefties. The same could be said for espresso shops.

Well in Texas, it looks like the christians have taken over the health food industry so when we pulled into the parking lot of the health food store, we are received mostly with polite nods. And christian white wimmin who didn't want to talk, who were voting for bush, and didn't want us to pass out any information or disturb the folks eating organic vegetables in the deli!

Okay.

But our reception at the local Starbucks was completely opposite: a late 30's, large white man with long brown hair tied back in a straggly ponytail, rushed out from behind the counter to open the door and welcome us in! Everyone was all grins and welcomes and “Glad to see you's!” Everyone was registered to vote and our welcomer, after heatedly talking about how ignorant, uninformed and blind most Texans are, abashedly admitted that he was one of the stupid Texans who four years ago voted for bush!

I asked him how he went from a bush supporter to an adamant opponent of bush and then to a kerry supporter. He said four years ago, he was uninformed, he didn't read, listen or talk about what was happening. His eyes and ears were tuned into the propaganda he was receiving, and yes, part of that was fox ‘news’. He wasn't looking for the truth. But now he is and he's spreading the truth whenever he can as well!!!

There is hope, and in Texas no less!