‘Country On’—New Year’s Eve, Nashville, 2023
Commentary
(Following is a draft from the author’s work-in-progress “American Refugees: What It Means Culturally, Politically and Spiritually to Migrate from Blue to Red States” to be published by Encounter Books)
One of the pleasures of moving to a red state from a blue state, perhaps the greatest personal pleasure, is that you can be yourself. But it takes a while for that fully to set in, rather like Elizabeth Kübler-Ross’s five stages of grief, but in reverse.
That was true for me. Although I was publicly outspoken on the radio and in print literally since I relocated, and for years before as well, I frequently had my back up, as if I always had to defend myself just for being honest about my opinions. It wasn’t relaxing. Many others went in the opposite direction, remaining secretive about their beliefs long after their addresses had changed, some because they had personalities that disliked conflict and others for professional reasons….