From: "Greg Rushford"
To: ALL
Subject: Fw: Ruminations by Greg Rushford
Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2002 19:05:42 -0500

When I got to college, I was astonished to learn that there was a civil rights movement. I had been totally clueless during high school. When I later realized the indignities that Richard Pryor endured on the south side, I was ashamed. In our day, blacks couldn't even get hired as Peoria firemen; again, I was clueless.

It wasn't until I read Betty Friedan that I became aware that Jews weren't allowed to join Peoria country clubs. This really pissed me off, and shamed me for not having even known. (Later I named my son David, to show my respect for the Old Testament).

There's more, but you all see by now where I'm heading as far as the past is concerned.

But this year -- the first time I've really been back to look at Peoria closely -- I noticed that the place had also changed, and for the better. I left in the 1960s to find the world, which I certainly did. But now I realize that while I was gone, the world found Peoria. The place is a wonderful model, in fact, of the virtues and benefits of international trade. If Mt. Hawley country club catches fire on Saturday night, we can count on black firemen to risk their lives coming to our rescue.

No need to elaborate here, but I've been writing about some of this -- the globalization part -- in my Rushford Report.

I guess these ruminations prove at least one thing: once a nerd, always a nerd. Talk about the poor taste of bringing up divisive and emotional issues at a party! Probably I should have joked that There's Something About Mary was my favorite movie and just left it at that.

Best wishes to all,

Greg