A Sioux City Education

FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2010

Living in Sioux City has been an education. Before moving here I had always lived on the East Coast. I am a Yankee through and through. I lived in New England for a while, but mostly near or around two giant cities: New York and Philly. Naturally it wasn't very hard for me to find people with similar political views and social values. I had and still have many, many friends with some conservative beliefs as well. But they tend to be more moderate and centrist. It was much easier to carry on a dialogue with my friends "back home".

Sioux City is a place made up of neighborhoods. There is a small downtown area, maybe ten blocks square, that is trying to be the center of Sioux City. But, alas, it's filled with empty storefronts and closed down restaurants. There are some good bars, a theater, a coffee bar or two, and some stores here and there. They are hanging on and trying to make it work. Good for them.

Unfortunately, the center of Sioux City seems to be the mall, and all of the clusters of shopping centers that are built around it. These shopping centers contain all of the big box stores that every single American town and city now have. I won't list them; you already know them. I have to wonder seriously about a city that won't support a cool, hip downtown area. To be completely honest, it's a bit disheartening.

Not to mention that most of the people I meet here are Republican, Christian, and very, very conservative on social issues. Not everyone, but a majority. I stay away from these subjects with my neighbors and friends here. I don't need to convince anybody of anything. We don't agree, period. It's okay. The only time I felt outraged here was when I read an article that described a town hall meeting about health care reform. The crowd booed when Sen. Ted Kennedy's name was mentioned. The meeting was on the day he died. That got to me. A man who worked in public service his whole life, working tirelessly for civil rights and for social programs that have helped millions of people? Booed. Yuck.

People here wear their politics on their sleeves. Bumper stickers, yard signs, references in conversation. I have learned to hold my tongue when we disagree. When those issues aren't right in my face, I like the people I'm meeting here just fine. Hardworking, wholesome, beer drinking people. Friendly and surprisingly open to people who are different. I really like them. Good people, Christians who understand the lessons of their religion: tolerance and compassion. There are tons of charity missions done here in Sioux City by local churches and youth groups. Warms my heart.

That is why I was so surprised by the vehement opposition to health care reform, specifically the public option. I asked a friend of mine what bothered him about it and he said something to the effect that he works hard and pays taxes and he doesn't want immigrants to use his tax dollars for their medical problems. Doesn't this seem counterintuitive to Christian beliefs and values? I asked him about charity and good will towards our fellow man. What if it was an immigrant baby that was sick, would you turn it away? Of course he wouldn't. I know him and I know he wouldn't. It doesn't fit; doesn't make sense.

Ah well. I hold my tongue and enjoy these good people for themselves. I'm making some really good friends here, even if their politics make absolutely no sense to me. I'm sure they say the same about mine. And then we'll go have a beer.