Inclusiveness and unity
First published in “The Daily Journal,” August 3, 2022, https://www.smdailyjournal.com/opinion/guest_perspectives/inclusiveness-and-unity/article_22db207a-12e3-11ed-9cfc-fb16ad56a5b4.html
In July 2022, I completed a 5,137 mile motorcycle trip to St. Louis and back. This particular trip was shorter than others I have made, but this trip was particularly memorable. I met dozens of folks at gas stations, restaurants, and motels in Red State America, and I made some observations and formed some conclusions about inclusiveness and unity.
In Eureka, Nevada, another biker, Mike, invited me to join him for breakfast. We talked a lot about motorcycles until Mike halted our conversation. He signaled our waitress that he wanted to buy breakfast for a down on his luck local, but she waved him off. Someone else had already paid for the meal.
The next day, near Granada, Colorado, I passed a lone walker headed east. I remembered Mike’s compassion and pulled over. The walker saw me waiting and his body tensed. I removed two frosty bottles of water from a saddlebag, and he relaxed. He accepted the water with a simple, “Thanks, brother.” David was on his way to Wichita, Kansas. He remarked that he walks from Colorado to Kansas “every couple of years.” David looked rough around the edges, but I found him articulate and interesting. I wished him luck and continued riding east.
In Hutchison, Kansas, I walked into a gas station and was greeted by a young woman dressed in traditional Amish attire. A mechanic named Larry introduced himself as a fellow motorcycle rider. He was planning a trip to Lakeview, Oregon. I shared with him a story about my visit to Lakeview and the extraordinary roadside assistance I received from a Lakeview biker. Before we parted ways, Larry unashamedly offered to pray for my safe return to California. I thanked him and told him that I would pray for his trip to Oregon.
Riding west, I stopped in Kadoka, South Dakota for a cold drink. While I chatted with the cashier, Aubrey, we watched a young boy drop some coins on the counter to pay for a large fountain soda. The boy did not have enough money, so I laid a couple of dollars on the counter. His beaming, “Thank you, sir!” was worth a lot more than two dollars.
Aubrey mentioned an increasing number of locals appear to be shopping at her gas station even though prices are higher than nearby stores. They seem to value the opportunity to connect with others in a familiar setting that promotes community. The next day, in Sheridan, Wyoming, I met Don at a gas station. Don said folks are worried about things like gas prices but joining together can help them persevere. I commented that my trip has been made more enjoyable by meeting so many gracious people. Don smiled and said it must be the “Midwest hospitality.”
Last stop… Austin, Nevada. Just east of town, I passed a jack-knifed big rig and a damaged pick-up. First responders were on scene. After checking into my motel, I moseyed over to one of two restaurants in town. I told the proprietor, Sarah, about the accident. She heard a Sheriff’s car go by with siren blaring but she did not know about the crash.
Another local, Kim, came into the restaurant and pulled Sarah aside. A look of complete sorrow enveloped Sarah’s face. The two women hugged each other and cried. Minutes later, Sarah walked over and told me the pick-up driver, a 22-year-old local, had been killed in the collision. I felt awkward but seeing people come together in a time of extreme sadness was comforting… for them and me.
On my trip, I met lots of folks focused on taking care of their families. They are worried about things like gas prices and the economy, but not one person made any reference to politics or said anything disparaging about others with a different ideology… not one.
I believe folks in Red State America are generally more accepting of different political opinions than their Blue State cousins. Inclusiveness must include diversity of thought… that is a crucial step toward unity. While there are rabid partisans on both sides, I’m fairly confident a conservative motorcycle rider would get a liberal dose of progressive philosophy if they were riding through the far West. With progressives describing conservatives in derisive terms… and a media that supports a liberal agenda… we should not be surprised the vocal left largely excludes the right from meaningful and productive dialog. Even so, it looks like one side is ready to try unity.
Copyright © 2023 by Ray Fowler
