Real America

There is one thing that I’ve grown tired of and it’s the idea that there is a “Real America.” No, one part of the US is not more “real” than another part. And as I’ve thought about this through this past year as the divisions have grown worse amongst people, I’ve wanted to ask people if the realize that the different parts of the US are all very different. I grew up in Minnesota and now live in Oregon. There are similarities, but the differences, are quite stark as well. I live in the west now and there is a wild west mentality to how the state government works and how people think of themselves. And if I were to move to Texas, I’m guessing things would be different there than what I know from Oregon or Minnesota. This has led me to believe that instead of saying we live in a melting pot, I prefer the Canadian idea of a quilt. All of these parts make up America, none is more American than any other.