Birds on the Brain

Then in college I began to gain a more critical perspective. I learned that Oklahoma used to be one of the most radical states in the union, boasting a large population of Wobblies and other radical socialist activists who were discontent with giving the fat cat corporations all their farm land and money. It was so populist that when colleges created entrance requirements that kept some people from being able to attend, Oklahomans defiantly founded more colleges with lower and lower requirements so that more people could learn.* (I’m sure some people would scoff at that as stupid, but barriers to entry are quite a big deal when you come from a largely lower class and underfunded state.) This history helped me appreciate the things about growing up Okie that shaped me. My defiance against a state and federal government that doesn’t provide for its people and actively stymies their progress is pure indignant Okie populism. The same spirit that drove Woody Guthrie to write “This Land is Our Land” drives me to dig in my heels in the South and be a constant, obnoxious presence for my state government and any conservatives who have the misfortune to encounter me conversationally.