12/18/2005

Mississippi Happenings

Mississippi gets a lot of bad press. A lot of people think it's a state full of racist, ignorant people that don't even know what a book is and much less have actually read one. I had to put up with that attitude when I visited one of my young cousins in Chicago. When I started discussing T. H. White's books with her, her perception changed. She later admitted that she was surprised that my sister and I actually wore shoes.

I love Mississippi because it is a state that has a lot quirks. One of those being Wayne Brown, the director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation. Plans have been drawn up to replace the Ocean Springs - Biloxi Hwy 90 bridge that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. There is one hold-out to the proposed high-rise, six lane bridge, the city of Ocean Springs. A little background is needed for Ocean Springs. It is the coastal city with the mostest moonbats. The MDOT plan for the proposed bridge is taking into account several factors, the expected future growth and the marine traffic that passes underneath.

Here is a letter to the editor that Wayne Brown wrote in response to the latest protests by the Ocean Springs mayor:

The status of

Highway 90 bridges

Katrina's fury did blow, Highway 90 bridges did go;

MDOT hand, Did prepare a plan;

Cities three, Thereon did agree;

Supervisors five, Also jive;

With prompt reply, Federal Highway does comply;

To build bridges high, So ships may ply, While cars go by;

A lovely mayor with pride, Asks for a path so bikes may ride;

She so did pine, For lights so fine;

She decreed a bridge at ground, Where water and waves sound;

She also did rail, For an under-trail;

With canny duty, She sought bridge beauty;

with backs to wall, MDOT conceded all;

The mayor for four lanes then did plead, MDOT saw a six-lane need;

The mayor pouts, and seeks outs;

Traffic is bleeding, MDOT is proceeding;

While artists few, Sputter and spew.

WAYNE H. BROWN
Southern District Highway
Commissioner, Lucedale


I was laughing when I read this and thought it was a great response. Just one of the things I love about Mississippi.

4 Comments:

Blogger Esther said...

Surprised you wore shoes??? Good lord.

Reminds me of when Big Sister (who is only 43) went to visit colleges to see where she wanted to go and talked to a girl who was already going to this particular school. The girl told her when she first got there and told her roommate she was Jewish, the girl looked all over her head. The gal asked why she was doing this. The roommate was looking for her horns! She'd never met a Jew in her life and had heard we all have horns.

So you really do read books in Mississippi? ;) Gotta love people.

10:54 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

esther,

My cousin and I are about the same age. She had a chip on her shoulder, as did I (18 and all). I thought she was a snob and she thought I was a hick. I loved her mother but still cannot stand her.

Yeah, we actually do read books!;)

Outside the Beltway linked to the Kudzu Files story about rebuilding the libraries. This is part of what was posted:

While this immediately brought to mind the old joke, "I was arrested for smuggling books into Mississippi but got off because they couldn't prove they were books," it's a worthy cause.

It is kinda funny.

1:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"she was surprised that my sister and I actually wore shoes"

You do?
You've just spoilt the whole image of Mississippians I hade implanted by Hollywood. :-)

4:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

felis,

LOL

6:03 PM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home