Palmer Blevins Blog

Since my vacation to the South this weekend, I’ve been puzzled by something. During the entire trip, we saw only two Confederate flags flying in the air, three bikers who happened to have the Confederate flag stitched on their jackets, and countless cars with Obama bumper-stickers…even in the most remote places. Not once did we see a car/truck with a “Kiss My Rebel Ass” or “Proud to be a Rebel” or “the South Will Rise Again” bumper-sticker.

We were treated with the outmost politeness and respect. It was truly shocking when we went to a bar in the middle of nowhere in South Carolina, one of the bikers with a Confederate flag emblem, bought us dinner…talked politics, the economy and gave us names of people to talk to in regards to getting a job or place to rent in North Carolina if we so desired.

Contrast those experiences with the following.

On our ride home we went through Indiana and went through Champaign to Casa Blevins. We stopped at a gas station near Springfield and the attendant followed Samantha around like she was up to no good; despite her being professionally dressed, not speaking with an accent, and her having the required white-male escort (me) at her side.

Since being home we have seen 1 Confederate flag flying outside a house off of North Grand, 25 trucks with a Confederate flag decal and/or the catchy slogans mentioned above, and dealing with closet racists at some gas stations, banks, restaurants, etc., we’ve encountered almost daily here in Springfield and who don’t have the balls to say what they think/feel.

Is Illinois/Springfield more racist then the areas we visited and traveled through in the South? And if so, should Lincoln really be the posterboy of this town?