Snow mixed with rain forced me to spring for a hotel last nite – at least I had ‘free’ hi-speed internet. It is fuckin’ freezin’ in Wyoming – beautiful but cold.
I pull into a gas station – a flying j – to search for color alert signs. Wyoming has not been the bastion of liberalism & kindness towards others I would think a stunningly beautiful environment would foster in human beings. So I’m leery when a couple of younger white males pull behind my truck, leaning out the window to ask me something. I approach with what I hope is my normal strong yet friendly smile.
They want to know what I’m doing, what basta means, why I’m driving around Wyoming. I give them my CodePINK spiel with my mother’s day info – then the one who is doing all the talking asks me if I know the REAL reason we’re fighting in Iraq. I ask him to tell me.
The real reason we’re fighting in Iraq, Dave explains patiently, is so that environmentalists will allow drilling for oil in our own country. I nod as if I get it & ask if he means the wilds of Alaska. No, he says, here in this country. I nod again & say you mean the oil companies are trying to manipulate us into choosing cheap gas over protecting our environment.
He says we have plenty of oil here but environmentalists won’t allow us to get at it. I ask these young men if they know the history of oil in our world. They both shake their heads no & one says it was discovered a really long time ago. I say no not so long – 1860’s. They both agree that is like eons ago.
I ask them if they know where it was discovered, who had the largest oil supply, etc. I get to give my oil history lesson. I get to talk about the huge expense of getting more oil from under u.s. soil, & other soils. They listen politely.
I ask them if they vote. They both nodded. I ask them if they are going to help us get rid of bush – yes, they say surprisingly, & speak with vehemence about how he’s robbing everyone & getting very rich. Then they both quickly add, they are still going to vote republican. I leave them by saying, vote any way you want, but just vote for a peace candidate, not any more war mongers. They nod in seemingly agreement & drive calmly (for young white males in a pick up truck) off!
I pull into a gas station – a flying j – to search for color alert signs. Wyoming has not been the bastion of liberalism & kindness towards others I would think a stunningly beautiful environment would foster in human beings. So I’m leery when a couple of younger white males pull behind my truck, leaning out the window to ask me something. I approach with what I hope is my normal strong yet friendly smile.
They want to know what I’m doing, what basta means, why I’m driving around Wyoming. I give them my CodePINK spiel with my mother’s day info – then the one who is doing all the talking asks me if I know the REAL reason we’re fighting in Iraq. I ask him to tell me.
The real reason we’re fighting in Iraq, Dave explains patiently, is so that environmentalists will allow drilling for oil in our own country. I nod as if I get it & ask if he means the wilds of Alaska. No, he says, here in this country. I nod again & say you mean the oil companies are trying to manipulate us into choosing cheap gas over protecting our environment.
He says we have plenty of oil here but environmentalists won’t allow us to get at it. I ask these young men if they know the history of oil in our world. They both shake their heads no & one says it was discovered a really long time ago. I say no not so long – 1860’s. They both agree that is like eons ago.
I ask them if they know where it was discovered, who had the largest oil supply, etc. I get to give my oil history lesson. I get to talk about the huge expense of getting more oil from under u.s. soil, & other soils. They listen politely.
I ask them if they vote. They both nodded. I ask them if they are going to help us get rid of bush – yes, they say surprisingly, & speak with vehemence about how he’s robbing everyone & getting very rich. Then they both quickly add, they are still going to vote republican. I leave them by saying, vote any way you want, but just vote for a peace candidate, not any more war mongers. They nod in seemingly agreement & drive calmly (for young white males in a pick up truck) off!
posted by Xan @ 8:29 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home