There are few phone calls more annoying than a survey. They always promise to be brief but in reality never are. Half this time is spent having the response choices explained, "Rate the following from 1-5 with one being your lowest approval and 5 being your highest approval" or "Would you say you're more likely or less likely to..." Running the risk of not having my voice heard I often just throw out a quick "No thanks" and hang up. I only wish my fellow South Carolinians would have done the same this past week.
According to a survey of 741 South Carolina residents, as conducted by Public Policy Polling, we are a state struggling to move out of the past and into the present. Of course, the rest of the nation already knew this. Here's what the poll revealed:
* 16% of those polled said that interracial marriage should be illegal. Another 14% were not sure. While some states move closer and closer to same-sex marriages three out of every ten of our statesmen aren't even prepared to allow a mix of races. Call me crazy but the fact that our only defense is to point out that both Georgia and Mississippi have even higher percentages isn't really all that comforting.
* 46% of those surveyed were "glad the North won the Civil War." Is it just me or shouldn't that six have had a nine in front of it? 24% wished the South had won while another 29% haven't had enough time yet (150 years) to decide. Only 60% of state Democrats and independents, where you will find many of our state's African-American population, were in favor of a Union victory. Who are those other 40%?
I could easily make a combination of jokes and snide remarks but, sadly, these numbers speak for themselves.
Oh no, by all means, jokes and snide comments welcome. Otherwise this is too pathetic and I might cry. Your picture of the kid from Deliverance is somewhat of a snide comment. Well played, my friend. Well played.
ReplyDeleteHow about our new state superintendent not wanting to take federal educational funds? That is another Civil War era thought, the whole state's- rights-we-don't-want-to-beholding-to-the-federal-government thing. We don't care what state education is in, we aren't going to fix it in any fashion using federal money.
I think the racist stuff is just going to take time. Enough old timers who think there oughter be a law preventin' race mixin' and other such abominations will have to die before the winds of change really shift.
Listen, this constant reader welcomes snide remarks.
Yes, yes, please, let's make a game of the snide possibilities!
ReplyDeleteQuestion One: How much was spent on this poll? And who funded it? and, dear Lord in heaven, WHY?
Question the second: Did Alabama do worse than us? Surely Alabama did worse, right? I can assure you Arkansas had similar results, if the respondents even understood the questions. (Yep. Lived there, so I can poke hard.)
One, Tuwhoooo, Thuh-rrrrrreeee: How many licks would it take to get to center of our Gubernatorial Pop? or our State Dupe-erintendent Pop? (Answer: The world may never know, as neither of them can see the center from where they are.)
What are they gonna do, fire me?