What’s the Matter With Kansas?
M. Akins-Dexter - Hartford
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
THE GREAT LEGEND of Kansas once asked that question. In his 1896 Gazette article, his answer to what is the matter with Kansas was “nothing under the shining sun.”
To paraphrase that question, I ask, what is the matter with small towns? It is nearly impossible to get service people to come to one of the outlying communities. They don’t like the drive so we are penalized with those who will not come or those who don’t call or don’t show as scheduled. We pay dearly for choosing to live in a small town. Our needs are the same; our expenses are greater as we have to drive to a larger town for everything necessary…medical services, groceries, household needs, often schooling, work, and even increased utilities. We pay service charges for every visit made by a service-based business.
We are encouraged to ‘Shop Emporia!’, to keep our money local. I believe in supporting the local business owner, but they need to make it possible to support them.
What is the matter with small town Kansas? Nothing.
If you offer a service of going to the people, then go to the people you are supposed to service.
M. Akins-Dexter
Hartford
sundancekid (anonymous) says...
Although dated, this a very insightful and applicable article. Unfortunate, yet accurate and inevitable.
"Slow Death in the Great Plains"
The Atlantic Monthly - June 1997
http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/97j...
"A sizable swath of the country's heartland is undergoing a severe drop in births that, if it continues, could empty many small towns in just one generation."
For more information on Rural Flight:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_fl...
August 4, 2009 at 1:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
the poorest country in america is not in appalachia or the deep south. it is on the great plains, a region of struggling ranchers and dying farm towns. maybe thats partly how chase county got 9.4 million stimulus money. in 2004 thomas frank wrote a book called whats the matter with kansas. he said, that kansas was a statewhere small farmers cast their votes for a wall street order that will eventally push them off their land; and where a group of frat boys, lawyers, and ceos has managed to convience the country that it speakes on behalf of the people. now that the other party is in power, i wonder what he thinks/? he probably says, what a revolting development this is. nuff said.
August 4, 2009 at 10:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )