Mother Was a Democrat

Mary Kate Nolin Wise was not just a democrat, she was referred to in Mobile, Alabama talk show circles  in the 60's and 70's as The Lady Democrat!  And, since most of the talk show hosts in that day were somewhat conservative, I guess they got an earful when they started cutting down her heroes such as George Wallace.

Mother felt strongly about certain issues and didn't mind expressing them when the occasion came.

I know it pained her to see me come home from college and the Army with a bent toward being a Republican.  She felt I had been brainwashed by the world around me.

Actually, I don't remember when I became a political conservative.  I do remember the feelings I had while serving in Vietnam watching the likes of Jane Fonda fraternizing with the communists in North Vietnam while we were dying from their bullets in South Vietnam.

Then, I noticed how Lyndon Johnson created special busing programs in the South, my homeland, to integrate the schools while leaving the northern schools alone to do as they saw fit.  Why the double standard?  Here I was fighting for all America, not for just the Northern section's rights to govern themselves.

Then, I saw in the news the riots and burned buildings from disorderly blacks in my home town of Mobile while I was far away fighting for people to be free and decent, not disorderly and destructive.  It appeared that the Democratic Party was the Party of political dissent at the expense of those who didn't believe their way.

Mother and I never discussed these things too much out of respect for each other's feelings.

I believed in the strength and courage of George Wallace to stand in the school house door to keep law and order in the South.  I began to see the U. S. Government as an oppressive arm under the Democrats that wanted to shove the yankee ways down our throats, just because they could.

I still recall his calling out those "psuedo-intellectual pointey-headed liberals" who were running the White House and calling the anti-South shots to force us to become liberal in our politics and thinking.

Dad never talked much about politics.  All I knew was that he liked to watch "Hard-Ball" on TV on Sunday nights.  I couldn't see how he could watch several people talking all over each other in an online shouting match.

Mother and Dad were conservatives.  They were God fearing Christians who believed in hard work and family values.  Dad even voted for a Republican State Senator because he was a solid conservative.

Dad's cousin Jack Wise, was a Republican.  He was a public accountant who got his degree from the University of Alabama. He had also served in two wars, WW II and Korea.  He came to eat supper with Mother and Dad most every Sunday night.  It was not smart for Mother and Jack to talk politics.  Dad and Jack could talk some, but Dad just wrote him off for the most part.  Dad told me once that he was never around any Republicans growing up in the country in Smut-eye.  There was only one Republican up there, ole Arthur Nolin, one of Papa Nolin's relatives.

Jack Wise epitomized the relationship between Republicans and Democrats in the South.  We were different in philosophy of how to live life, but we were still family.  Blood was thicker than politics.  They all loved each other.  Mother was trusted by Jack to be the Executor of his estate when he died.

I fought in a war where Communist Forces were invading the people of South Vietnam.  They killed thousands.  Jack fought in Korea where Communist Forces were invading South Korea.  Thousands lost their lives their and Jack almost lost his.

So, when a political party harbors Communist sympathizers, my basic instincts tell me to run from it.

I am torn by many issues that the party politicians use to gain power.  I feel as if I have a Republican's mind and a Democrat's heart.

Two of my favorite people in history are Booker T Washington and George Washington Carver.  They were two friends and business associates who started Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, not too far from my home town of Elba, Ala.  To me, Booker T. represented the work ethic of a Republican and George Washington Carver represented the academic thinking of a liberal Democrat.  However, George Washington Carver was a strong Christian who gave God credit for his gifts and blessings.  That is not a  tenet of today's Democrat party.

Clearly, the political party's of today are not those of yesteryear when Mother and Dad were dyed-in-the-wool democrats.

But, rest assured, if The Lady Democrat felt some injustice or corruption was being carried out by either party, the world would know about it on Mobile Talk Radio.

Coming Out of the Swamp

In this world of instant dialog via the internet, one can relieve some anxiety or just get it out on the table when the truth is being smoked over with big bucks and big mouths.

There are many old timers like me who are finding it hard to just sit back and see egos and predators run amuck in the world your loved ones are entering.  Some of us are speaking out where ever and whenever an opportunity presents itself.

This blog is for those who are seeing no hope in the plans and possessions of man.  Every where we turn, there is another man or woman who is on a power trip to control a lot of people.

Swampcat stands for Southern White Anglosaxon Male Protestant Courageous Ageless Teacher, or any other words you want to describe a Son, Husband, Father, Grandfather and friend to those who just want to do the right thing.

Swampcats are scarce and becoming a rare species.  People like me have only a few years to provide some history and learnings to help those coming behind us.  We come from different educational, financial, political, religious, and southern region backgrounds.  We blend and mix well with others from different racial and ethnic backgrounds.  We appreciate diversity and the need for spice in our lives.  We love having fun, but take our charge to put others first and protect the weak and unsuspecting very seriously.

Swamp life can be very peaceful.  Not many want to invade your space and crowd you out.  They get spooked about our towering cypress and low hanging spanish moss.  Snakes and gaters spook them real bad.

Like any of God's creatures, if you leave them alone and don't try to trap or move in on them, there is no trouble to be had.  On the other hand, those who want what you got, better bristle for a fight.  When that happens, the Cats will come out of the swamp and defend what God has given us, love, life, salvation from our sins, truth, freedom and hope in His provision.

More to come from the paw of  The Swampcat.