The South Dakota Humanities Council held a conversational forum at the Dakota Discovery Museum Saturday afternoon. Several open ended questions were asked about what makes South Dakota and the people who live there different from the rest of society and what makes them the same as everyone else. Quite a few people showed up, and Holabird Advocate Publisher, Jerry Hinkle, was one of them. During the introduction part of the forum, he described himself as a Holabird native, which prompted another participant to ask about Wayne "Breezy" Peterson. South Dakota is indeed a small world!

     So did the assembled company figure out who is the typical South Dakotan is? Not Really! South Dakota's infinite variety is found not only in it's nature, but it it's people as well. A South Dakotan is a product of the environment in which he or she is placed. From the flat prairie in the East, to the black hills of the west and even in the river valley that divides them, South Dakota as a diverse population made up of people form different ethnic backgrounds, different shapes sizes religions creeds and colors united by the invisible bond of a political boundary that sets it apart from the rest of the population.
     Over 700,000 stories are able to be told in this state. The book, which provided the reference points for the form discussion provides a drop in the proverbial bucket. Each State and Region of this nation has their own heritage that sets it apart, and yet people are people That's why someone could be able to come for a visit and end up staying here. President Calvin Coolidge liked South Dakota because it was less expensive to live here. E.E. Hinkle liked it here because even though the weather was troublesome, the pace of live was just his gait. He visited California during the wintertime, but preferred. the peace and quiet of the South Dakota prairie. Everyone who calls this state home has their own reason for doing so.

     There is an old saying that "Good fences make good neighbors" But in South Dakota, it's more like "Good neighbors make good fences" Neighbors come in handy when the cows get out or the barn is on fire. They are a cold drink of water on a hot day. 

     Dear Readers, I must confess that I never heard of Ms. Deen until she made news the hard way last week. This has become a hot button issue, and one that has a lot of people, myself included, shaking their heads. As offensive as her action were, I fail to see how putting her and her sins up on display for all to see has accomplished. The alleged comedians at the Daily Show making fun of her weight kind of made me sympathize with her just a tad, with a little bit of empathy mixed in. It's always interesting to see that even among the politically correct, it's still OK to make fun of fat people! All because she used a term that I'm quite sure did not apply to Jon Stewart.

        As for her losing the Food Network gig, I've seen some people express the opinion that the  network went to far, while others think that she deserves far worse. In this case, The network did what they thought was right, so I'll let them off the hook. Would I have done the same? Well, if she did her job, and did it well, I'd have kept her on unless their was no other. I mean, yes, it's true she used language that clearly the best of people should never say even privately, but truth be told, at that time I used the same language. I don't have the excuse that I lived in South Georgia before the Civil Rights movement. I just didn't know any better, and worse yet I didn't care. Now, I know better and I don't care to use that term, and I bristle when others use it, as I suppose we all should. Over time I learned that it wasn't right. Ms. Deen is learning that as well, but the lesson is going to be slightly more expensive for her. I hope that she, and others as well take this learning experience to heart and use it to become better people. God be with you and do the best you can!