I spent lots of my formative years in Ohio, from junior high, all the way up until after college. I've fallen in love many times in Ohio, got my college degree in Ohio, and got my first job in Ohio. I still know many people who live in Ohio, happily, and I still can think of no better team to root for than the Cleveland Browns. This one is difficult sometimes, but this is what I do. I learned how to drive in the University of Dayton Arena parking lot, and still get disproportionally excited when I think about the prospects of the upcoming Flyer Basketball season.
Whenever I hear Dayton mentioned in any form of popular culture, I think, Wow! Once, a character on the show "Family Ties" was said to have been found hiding under a school bus in Dayton. Cool! Tornadoes once tore through downtown Dayton on an episode of "The Simpsons".
Alright! My former film and video teacher, Yellow Springs-based Steven Bognar, made a t-shirt design that got honorable mention on the "This American Life" website. No way! And, remember the Dayton Peace Accords? Whoa!
What I hear far too much of, though, is things like the recent list of "Fastest Dying American Cities", which includes, among others, Dayton, Youngstown, Canton, and, yes, Cleveland(?).
I really want to be able to cross back into Ohio sometime, with a clear conscience, without having to think about this person's face.
Man, oh, man, 2000, and 2004, Ohio? Oh, boy. Now, I know there are a lot of circumstances that brought (a little more than half, well, maybe) of Ohio to vote this way in the past, but I really don't think Ohio (and America) can afford it again. I also know that heavily Democratic districts have recently seen reeeeally funny schenanigans come Election Day, and know several folks who waited over 6(!) hours in line to vote last time around (Who can do that?), in a Republican-run Ohio process. I also know that everyone will still have to fight to make sure their vote is actually counted. But it's worth it, Oh, it's worth it, and I have faith.
Birthplace of Aviation, I know you know that you know that the McCain-Palin ticket does not speak for the problems facing you, and that, basically, it is McBush-Alaskan Cheney (minus the experience), all over again. Agents of Change? Come on, we're not falling for that, based on what, exactly?
Ohio needs again to rise up, and be the sensible, proud, and productive self I know it is. I know it's a complicated place politically, but I can't bear to see it die, in a continued economic and civic meltdown. Let's put the "O" back in Ohio, Ohio. I wanna come back, sometime, and show you to my family...
