I’ve always felt that North Carolina was the most beautiful state in the Union. The towering trees that canopy the highways; the stately brick homes that dot the hillsides; the clean, fresh air. Some say North Carolina is a “Red State,” but coming from Southern California, I consider Carolina a “Green State.” I’ve never seen so many trees in all my life. I really enjoy this place.
Since I’ve been here, I’ve tried to get a sense of the general mood of North Carolinians. In general, I’ve found people to be extremely kind and generous with their time, especially in giving directions. (The road signage here is ridiculously confusing.) Other than Charlotte, the place to live is the Research Triangle. Raleigh is a very nice city, with beautiful homes and a lot of things to do. Durham is smaller, blacker and sleepier, and has somewhat of a bad reputation. (”Don’t do Durham after dark.”) Chapel Hill, with its open highways and majestic trees, is a wonderful setting for a major university. I’d live there in a heartbeat.
On Monday, I went to Duke University’s immaculate campus. It is perhaps the most beautiful college campus I have ever seen. The castle-like, arched doorways and stone walls give it a distinctively European, ic feel. Duke students come from the richest East Coast families, not North Carolina, and their pretentious airs are apparent to any keen observer. Duke is distinctly out of place in the State of North Carolina, neither embraced by the citizens (who favor the Tar Heels), nor putting out any particular effort to be embraced. From loud cursing while clad in swim trunks, to arrogant smirks while wearing khakis and a blazer, Duke students, encapsulated by the fortress of the campus, couldn’t be further away, culturally, from the surrounding black Durham.
People seemed uncomfortable talking about the case, but most people took a “wait and see” approach. Most whites I talked to had no particular love for Duke as a school, so really felt no affinity for the students. Many blacks I talked to leaned towards believing the students were guilty. One black woman I talked to said that she heard people will riot if the charges or dropped or the students are acquitted. (I found this to be not a credible opinion.)
Now I’m in Winston-Salem, and I’m off for my first visit to a Wal-Mart!!!
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