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[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

>  One might think that the bringer of some better way or
> better resouces would be greeted with gratitude.  No.  Don't expect  
> it.  Not even
> if it is really needed.

You may as well be writing from Iraq.

Poor but proud. Fits traditional Ozarkers, too.

There is a story that I believe to be true about an elderly lady who  
lived in our neighborhood. A team of students from the university  
were doing a survey of the hill people of southern Missouri. As they  
questioned this lady, they quickly realized she was by their  
standards very poor. They told her that she would qualify for many  
government programs then available. She listened politely to their  
suggestions and then replied, "But that would be taking charity,  
wouldn't it?" The students were nonplussed.

Alas, a dying breed. A substantial percentage now take all the  
government money they can get.

Ironically, a strong majority vote Republican. The Republican party  
has a reputation of being the party of small government, of low  
taxes, of minimizing government programs, of leaving people alone to  
enjoy traditional American freedoms.

The older people cling to that belief.