The County Where No One Is Gay

[The Pecman]

Fascinating story about CNN reporter John Sutter's visit to a rural Mississippi country that had no same-sex couples listed on the recent U.S. census:

http://www.cnn.com/2....html?hpt=hp_c1

And yes: the reporter is gay, and he does eventually find at least nine people in the area (out of a population of 8000) who admit to being gay. A terrific story on the state of "The Southern Closet" in America.

[JamesSavik]

Of course he had to go to Mississippi to find the most rural county in a rural state to find ignorance and bigotry.

He wouldn't find it anywhere else.

[DesDownunder]

I'm not gay, but the gorillas I sleep with are.

[Cole Parker]

What struck me was the line about one person every 45-square miles. Since people tend to congregate, that leaves most of that state completely uninhabited.

C

[Lugnutz]

Check James basement.

[JamesSavik]

What struck me was the line about one person every 45-square miles. Since people tend to congregate, that leaves most of that state completely uninhabited.

C

There is a national forest in that county that takes up most of it. It one of the largest examples of virgin Southern rain forest in the world. It is stunningly beautiful with towering, ancient trees like oaks and pines and a fairy kingdom underneath with mosses, ferns and grasses. In their shade this time of year are dogwood and redbud that are due to bloom in the next couple of weeks.

Homochitto National Forest http://prdp2fs.ess.usda.gov/detail/mississippi/about-forest/districts/?cid=stelprdb5209590

One of the things you would find if you drove through the area are very small towns with old, run down homes, trailers and other buildings with splendid churches.

You will see roadside crosses and bill boards that say Jesus loves you.

Places to eat aren't fast food. They are old fashioned diners and they are wonderful. If you should stop and eat at one, you would meet a good fraction of the town.

You would see deer, wild turkeys and hogs- any time of day. In the dark of the night you can see the glow of the Milky Way and New Orleans in the distance.

The Natchez Indians lived there in the distant past and then the French. The people there now are their progeny.

[The Pecman]

Beautifully said, James. I've always felt that people are people everywhere, and the longer I live, the more I realize that we're all the same. It's only the bigots and schmucks of the world who want to deny it.

I lived a long time in the South, and some of the worst bigotry and poverty I ever saw was in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and parts of rural Florida. And yet I also sometimes encountered great kindness, sympathy, and (as you say) good food and beautiful scenery.

I'm awaiting the upcoming Supreme Court decision with a lot of nervousness...

[JamesSavik]

Fall in the Homochitto National Forest

Flowering Dogwood tree- grows wild and is much beloved.

que pasa?

[The Pecman]

Is that a flying squirrel, or just a surprised one?

[JamesSavik]

Is that a flying squirrel, or just a surprised one?

That's a fox squirrel.

[Lugnutz]

You know how you can tell it's Dogwood? By it's bark.