---
title: The Red Scare
categories:
- culture
- personal
content-tags:
- politics
- bush
- usa
- migration
- fave
---

![The monkey still has a gun!](/media/2004-11-04-the-red-scare/kid_sinister.jpg)
The people of my city were powerless to stop the [destruction of their history][2], and just [turned down][3] a chance to [finally take fate into our own hands][4] because we were [told][5] change is [evil][6].  Pecuniae obediunt omnia.

My state, meanwhile, has chosen to [prioritize highway construction][7].  And most of my time zone participated in the red tide of ["values"][8] and fear that [saturated rural America][9].

So, we've failed to take the gun away from the monkey.  How best to handle the armed primate, then?  Run.

Short of a [marriage of convenience][10], though, it's quite [difficult to leave][11].  Even if I did, as [Barry Crimmins warns][12], I risk just becoming a victim of our foreign policy.  Furious George has a big gun.

I could just retreat to a more [like-minded][13] part of the country, but then I'm still buying the ammo and living under Ashcroftian principles.  At least until someone [redraws some borders][14].

   [2]: /2004/10/23/lost-century.html
   [3]: http://stlcin.missouri.org/bdelection/ballotDetails.cfm?ElectionKeyId=2&ViewType=issue&RecordId=2
   [4]: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=13135584&BRD=2207&PAG=461&dept_id=444748&rfi=6
   [5]: http://www.columbiatribune.com/2004/Oct/20041021News016.asp
   [6]: http://jimski.nopaper.net/space/start/2004-11-10/2#purgation_ii
   [7]: http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2004/10/11/editorial3.html
   [8]: http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/bennett200411031109.asp
   [9]: http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/vote2004/countymap.htm
   [10]: http://www.marryanamerican.ca/
   [11]: http://harpers.org/ElectingToLeave.html
   [12]: http://newyorker.com/archive/content/?040809fr_archive01
   [13]: http://www.vote.wa.gov/general/leading.aspx?o=1000KER,1000BUS
   [14]: http://mena.typepad.com/dollarshort/2004/11/canada_20.html
