... you might be a Bubba!
Gary Loftis
October 17, 2007
I am a Texas “good ol’ boy,” born, raised, and educated in Dallas, Texas. After nearly 21 years as an Air Force officer, following assignments in Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana, we settled in Florida.
I am an Evangelical Christian and I vote for conservative, Republican candidates ... when I get the chance.
We have saved systematically and spent carefully to give our children a respect for fiscal responsibility.
To the election managers in both parties, I am a “Bubba.”
Jeff Foxworthy has made a small fortune presenting scenarios in which “you might be a redneck.” His routine is humorous because everyone who does not take himself too seriously finds many of those scenarios very familiar.
A comedy routine is one thing, but a political strategy that marginalizes a large part of the electorate because it does not meet certain sociological and educational criteria flies in the face of the principles upon which our nation was founded. Yet, Bubbas, largely those whom the candidates fly over to get from one coast to the other, are derided as stupid and irrelevant in campaign decision making -- the objects of political jokes.
Who are those Bubbas? You might be surprised to learn that you are one. (My apologies to Jeff Foxworthy)
If you have read the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and you believe the men who wrote them chose words that meant what they intended, you might be a Bubba.
If you think you can make better decisions about how to spend your money than the government makes, you might be a Bubba.
If you think your elected representatives should pay more attention to your opinions than those of lobbyists, corporate and union presidents, and pollsters, you might be a Bubba.
If you worked hard, saved responsibly, and achieved some sort of financial stability in spite of government taxation, you might be a Bubba.
If you are a devout Christian who believes there is such a thing as right and wrong, you might be a Bubba. (If you further believe that the government should refrain from redefining right and wrong, there is no “might” about it!)
If you attended or sent your kids to a non-ivy university, and believe the education gained there is of real value in making important political and life decisions, you might be a Bubba.
Finally, if you trust your judgment over that of the media in selecting a candidate, and you believe opinion polls are nothing more that educated guesses, you might be a Bubba.
At the end of the movie Revenge of the Nerds, the entire Adams College student body and faculty witnessed an encounter between the jocks and the nerds. Most of the cast and most viewers were reminded that they possessed just a little bit of nerdiness. Nerd jokes suddenly were not quite so funny.
Perhaps it is time for all the Bubbas to acknowledge our "bubbaness" and step forward at the ballot box.
© Copyright 2007, Gary Loftis. All Rights Reserved.
I am an Evangelical Christian and I vote for conservative, Republican candidates ... when I get the chance.
We have saved systematically and spent carefully to give our children a respect for fiscal responsibility.
To the election managers in both parties, I am a “Bubba.”
Jeff Foxworthy has made a small fortune presenting scenarios in which “you might be a redneck.” His routine is humorous because everyone who does not take himself too seriously finds many of those scenarios very familiar.
A comedy routine is one thing, but a political strategy that marginalizes a large part of the electorate because it does not meet certain sociological and educational criteria flies in the face of the principles upon which our nation was founded. Yet, Bubbas, largely those whom the candidates fly over to get from one coast to the other, are derided as stupid and irrelevant in campaign decision making -- the objects of political jokes.
Who are those Bubbas? You might be surprised to learn that you are one. (My apologies to Jeff Foxworthy)
If you have read the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and you believe the men who wrote them chose words that meant what they intended, you might be a Bubba.
If you think you can make better decisions about how to spend your money than the government makes, you might be a Bubba.
If you think your elected representatives should pay more attention to your opinions than those of lobbyists, corporate and union presidents, and pollsters, you might be a Bubba.
If you worked hard, saved responsibly, and achieved some sort of financial stability in spite of government taxation, you might be a Bubba.
If you are a devout Christian who believes there is such a thing as right and wrong, you might be a Bubba. (If you further believe that the government should refrain from redefining right and wrong, there is no “might” about it!)
If you attended or sent your kids to a non-ivy university, and believe the education gained there is of real value in making important political and life decisions, you might be a Bubba.
Finally, if you trust your judgment over that of the media in selecting a candidate, and you believe opinion polls are nothing more that educated guesses, you might be a Bubba.
At the end of the movie Revenge of the Nerds, the entire Adams College student body and faculty witnessed an encounter between the jocks and the nerds. Most of the cast and most viewers were reminded that they possessed just a little bit of nerdiness. Nerd jokes suddenly were not quite so funny.
Perhaps it is time for all the Bubbas to acknowledge our "bubbaness" and step forward at the ballot box.
© Copyright 2007, Gary Loftis. All Rights Reserved.
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