Watching Olberman (without Olberman) and I am particularly struck by the fact that Sarah Palin is in Hong Kong telling them that she represents the people from Main Street. Follow me below the jump while I reflect on this a little more.
Sarah Palin, Let me introduce you to my Main Street
Not to out myself too much, but I live in Passaic County, NJ. Where I live, it’s called Main Ave, and in my immediate area, Main Ave runs north to south through Paterson, Clifton, Passaic, Clifton (yes, it runs through Clifton twice), and I believe Nutley. It might even run a bit further south, but I tend to ignore street names (I’m a landmark kinda gal). This Main Avenue runs through two NJ cities: Paterson and Passaic. My father was born in Paterson and spent the first years of his life in Passaic Park, a conservative/Orthodox Jewish community. He grew up block from the same Main Avenue I mentioned above.
The Main Avenue in Paterson is also where the Passaic County Courthouse is located. There are businesses around, many people working, many people who can’t find a job. There are mothers who are trying to find better schools for their children while living in the boundaries of one of the most dysfunctional school districts in the state (if not the nation). The smells of foods from all over the world waft from storefront take out places. The song of many tongues (English, Farsi, Spanish, Arabic) can be heard. But, I am doubtful that Sarah Palin speaks of this Main Ave.
In Clifton, Main Ave received historic preservation funds to do a major facelift. There is one of the best pierogi places in the nation there, as is Corrado’s Family Markets that have fruits and vegetables from the entire world. You can follow the Sabbath by looking at who is shopping on which day (Muslim, Jewish, Christian). My favorite Lebanese restaurant is at one end of Main, my favorite Mexican place in the middle. The town used to be home to Italian, Greek, and Polish immigrants, who raised families and some eventually moved out, to be replaced by more families, increasing the diversity of an already diverse community. But I don’t think Sarah Palin is talking about this Main Ave either.
The Main Ave through Passaic and back into Clifton mirrors much of what I have mentioned above, but reminds me of old films of cities. It has that feel. There are factories, small businesses, houses, etc. The people are more diverse still, and many look as if they have seen better days. My vet, who has taken care of all my dogs, is on Main Street. One of the most beautiful parks I have ever seen is near Main. But I don’t think this is the Main Ave of which Sarah Palin speaks.
You see the difference between her Main Street and my Main Ave is that hers is a myth of an America that really no longer exists for the majority of Americans. More people live in city centers (and that includes the planned suburbs that have sprung up around them after WW2) than they do in rural areas. Her Main Street is one of simple folk, wanting simple things, who are patriotic because they never ask for more than what they are given and want to live their own lives independently. It is also a place where the "true Americans" live, not immigrants, not people who share different languages and cultures. For Sarah Palin, her Main Street is just another code for "white only."
On the other hand, my Main Ave is a code for the nation’s future, both demographically and politically. Sarah Palin thinks of this Main Ave as the end of the nation. I see it as our hope.