AFTER THE VOTING?

[KarenJoyceKleinman]

What do you think will happen after the voting, between now and January, when a new president will be sworn in?

[QI Elf]

Supposedly Texans are so afraid of Obama's upcoming inauguration that they're buying as many guns as possible in case Obama reforms gun laws. I think the NRA is too powerful in this country and doubt there will be any real change in this area, but the thought people would react in this manner terrifies me. Ken from Texas, or anyone who knows, can you add to this, please?

[KarenJoyceKleinman]

If that is at all true, it will be the older Texans doing that; according to the research I did on the internet they younger set all over America is excited about the upcoming inauguration. People with guns will stockpile them for ANY reason at all, and have done so throughout the years. The REAL issue is...how will they USE them. Having them just sit there in their homes may be cause for concern for their children more than society. Children in those homes often have fatal accidents.

[Ken]

Many Texans don't need a good excuse to buy guns. I suspect the NRA's phony stories about Obama taking/taxing guns and bullets was dreamed up by the gun manufacturers and people who wanted an excuse to buy more guns. I used to tell my daughter that she should leave cookies out for Santa because that story got me some fresh cookies. Some myths are more fun than others.

I spent Friday at "Canton Trade Days." It's a outdoor flea market that brings together many of the people who make rural Texas so interesting. These people are an endangered species and act accordingly. Only a generation ago the world looked very different to them. They could live out their lives on ranches or in small towns with little interaction with the larger world. They might venture into Dallas or Houston to go to a big mall or baseball game. However, they'd stay on the highways and not really experience these cities. In general, they kept to themselves and felt safely insulated from much of the change going on. Now they seem to be realize that the outside world is upon them. Federal courts have tried to integrate their schools and push prayer out (I know you're saying that the Supreme Court ruled on these things decades ago, but we're definitely only a time delay here). The Mexicans (largely illegal) that used to work on ranches and farms are now working (some legal, some not) in the chicken plants and other jobs in town. Black families are increasingly wanting/demanding to move out of "their" part of town. These smal towns are shriveling up and their children are moving away looking for better jobs.
They cling to their guns and religion around here because those issues are linked to traditions and identity that they feel are threatened. I suspect they fear that Obama doesn't respect their way of life and will try to force change because seen change come hand-in-hand with people of color. You have to be pretty gullible to actually believe that Obama really wants anybody's hunting rifle. However, Black equals change and change is not always welcome.
Rural Anglo Texans are slowing coming to grips with the reality that they are the new minority. Their way of life is not longer by default "the American way." That's not an easy change to accept.

[KarenJoyceKleinman]

Ken, your response is AWESOME and REALLY informative. Thank you so much!!!

[QI Elf]

My apologies for replying so late, but thank you for the very intelligent response, Ken. My source is the BBC, and I wondered how widespread this problem is. It sounds as if such a response will definitely not be isolated in Texas.

[Joshua]

I'm getting invitations to town hall type of meetings so the Obama followers can stay involved. I still say, though, I'd like to see more of Sarah Palin in her swimsuit.

[Harmony Cha]

The Sarah Palin picture in her swimsuit was doctored. That wasn't her. People all over the world are hopeful now that Obama was chosen.