Pretentious Navigation Through Cultural Crises

Dear Editor,

I wish the Chowan Herald had stood up against the destruction of our community instead of openly celebrating it. 

I left Edenton in ignorance and eventually settled in Washington D.C.  It’s a great town, but I soon realized that all the metropolitan sophistication in the world can’t beat a good old Rocky Hock watermelon! 

“No place like home” became more than a tired cliche’.  D.C. is famous for the cherry blossoms–a gift from the Japanese–though cherry blossoms will never be as familiar or lovely as the crape myrtles that line Edenton’s streets.  Even the ducks that frequent the waterfront feel like long-lost friends.  Men shake hands on the street…stories are exchanged…jokes are told, and in the main…life in Edenton is good.

Her beauty attracts people from all over the country.  It’s our culture, our way of life.  It’s something beautiful that I’ve come to miss.

This culture was constructed by the blood, sweat and tears of our forefathers who derived a strong sense of community and work ethic from their Christian traditions.  Describing Edenton without including Jesus Christ would be disasterous–almost like a black and white picture of the Wessington House in the springtime.  To miss all the vibrant colors would be a tragedy…similarly, this town and our way of life bare the image of Christ.  To overlook Him would be a tragedy.

Yet this is what the Chowan Herald has done in publishing the article:  “Navigating the ultimate identity crisis.”

Edenton men can clearly see the threat to our cherished small-town culture posed by a Wal-Mart or an Outlying Landing Field…(and they rightly seek to defend her honor!)

Dear Editor, I propose to you that glorifying sexual perversion as normal and acceptable is more destructive to our community than 100 Wal-Marts!

By legitimizing anti-Christian morality and sexual perversion, the Chowan Herald is helping destroy the very foundations that built this beautiful community. 

With metropolitan ideas come metropolitan culure…and it will not be long before Edenton becomes just another suburb…bereft of her beauty. 

Please don’t contribute to this.  Stand up for the people of Edenton!  Oppose non-Christian morality, and help maintain Edenton’s status as the South’s prettiest small town!

Edenton Through the Shaky Lens of Shotgun’s New Camera

I recently bought a new digital camera that I’m able to carry around in my pocket. It’s got a lot of good features including the ability to take motion shots. These days, that’s not really impressive, however…I like knowing that at anytime I can record my surroundings and post them to the world. (This may come in handy in cases of observed police brutalities or possible crime scene investigation.)

I love the small, family-oriented town of Edenton (where I grew up.) So, while I was home recently for a visit…I put my new camera to work. It’s hard to take steady video, so I apologize if anyone gets sick from watching this…

By the way…I’m not the greatest dulcimer player in the world either…so take it easy on me. (I’m playing a dulcimer my dad built!)

Enjoy a small taste of Edenton NC:

This Movie Was Filmed in MY Hometown!

It promises to be interesting and worthy of critique (I just need to get my paws on a copy!)

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/2571016/dog_days_of_summer_movie_trailer/

More OLF Nonsense

I linked to an article yesterday that discussed the steps NC was taking to protect itself from the Navy’s “OLF” proposals.

Mr. Rebels2 responded to the article.  He had this to say:

I can not think of any reason that the people of Gates County would not want a OLF . Maybe one reason is that they do not want anything new comming to the area . Or is it that the jet noise may upset their deer hunting or the growing of their drugs .My father was a pilot in the Navy and I am sure if he was still alive today ,he would welcome the Navy to the area with open arms . I hear the noise from jets (Navy ) everyday .I do not complain about it .To me and to many it is the sound of freedom .So get you head out of the sand and wake up .

I responded:

I can think of a good many reasons why the freedom loving people of Gates county would like to stay true to their Southern roots by upholding and defending their agrarian and rural culture from an oppressive federal government.

While I certainly applaud your patriotic sentiments, I cannot support the further expansion of a statist war-machine, especially when the Government is raping the paychecks of our grandchildren just to stay afloat.

We need to return to the foreign policy of our fathers…reduce the policing of the world, shrink this massive federal government, and preserve the dignity of rural communities.

It’s talk of this sort that “sounds like freedom” … not loud and oppressive “Jet-noise.”

NC Tries to Slow Down Big Brother

And how glad I am for it!

For the past few years, the Navy has been eyeballing North Eastern North Carolina in the hopes of building a new “Outlying Landing Field” here. 

I am against this for many reasons…(and I assure you, none of them include an unhealthy concern with the migration of geese.)

See this article for more details about how the NC legislature is trying to fight the Navy on this issue:

http://www.roanoke-chowannewsherald.com/news/2009/apr/06/olf-bill-clears-committee/

In an age when our pay checks are being raped by the federal government, the last thing we need is more expansion of a military war machine…especially at the expense of the calm serenity and peaceful communities of NC.  I’m opposed to the expansion in principal, as well as opposed to it coming to NC. 

I was stationed in Virginia Beach (with the Navy) for six years.  I worked for Fighter Squadron VF-211 and am familiar with the way flight lines and air bases work.  I know why the Navy feels the need to expand, and I know that many of the fears of North Carolinians concerning the OLF are unfounded.

None of this changes my opinion that it is wrong in principal.

(I’m going to do a really in-depth post / polemic arguing against the OLF later on…my point here is simply to highlight how the NC legislature is fighting it, and to give a brief introduction to my feelings on the issue.)

God bless you Bill Owens (Representative from Elizabeth City) and Annie Mobley (Ahoskie) for sponsoring this NC House Bill 613.