Sunday, June 28, 2009

Hootin and Hollerin' with America

Around the forth of July in these parts, every city holds a rodeo. Our favorite is the Riverton Rodeo. Once a year, I shed my well heeled suburban snobbery for a cowboy hat, a pair of jeans, and a remembrance of my Western roots. I see a snapshot of America at its best. In this arena, hard work and patriotism is the religion. A hush even falls over the whistlin' stompin' hootin' and hollerin' crowd as the appears. Clean cut youth, families, and even the ancients fill the stands to honor skills that used to be a way of life for all of us here in the west. In lieu of dirty jokes, the announcer honors those in the crowd who have been married 25 years or more and it looked to be 1/3 of the crowd. How's that in America folks?

What bonds the kids to the rodeo is the calf chase. 3 poor calves covered with money face a terrifying mob of children all grasping for dollar bills.

We snuggle, we gasp in horror or amazement, we cheer bravery and heroism and we do it with good honest folks. God bless America.



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