[Liza's Note : This is an awesome post that I meant to promote to the front page before the holiday (soy) nog and mojitos got in the way. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.]

Rarely were Tennesseans so blunt the first time they met me. It was more likely something like, “Do you have a home church?” Which of course I didn’t in Maryville. There is no United Church of Christ in Blount County. In Knoxville, one is listed on Weisgarber Road.

During the late 60s, I served as Sunday School superintendent and my husband was treasurer in such a church located in a near-west Chicago suburb. Half of the children went to Catholic schools.

In the public schools, a large percentage of the children attended Catholic churches. When we had pancake breakfasts, mothers of the Catholic children thanked us for accepting their children.

Often the family had a “mixed marriage.”

U C of C history comes straight from the story of the Old North Church in Paul Revere’s time. They often work with other Christian groups to promote acceptance of all Christians.

During college days, I participated in an interracial fellowship group, hosted by Northern Baptists in Iowa City. Southern Baptists split from the national organization before the civil war, clearly over the question of race. In East Tennessee, one finds the denomination further divided with names like Missionary, Independent and Reformed.

Only occasionally do I meet with Baptists or others who express annoyance over increased rights of African-Americans. Even during the civil war, this part of the state sympathized with the North.

President Andrew Johnson’s home in Greeneville is an easy drive from Maryville. Our part of the state is solid Republican, Lincoln Republican.

Branch Taylor’s first volume of the “King Years” makes it clear how both Rockefeller and Jack Kennedy courted the Negro in 1960. When it came time for the SCLC and SNCC to explore voting rights it was the Highlander School in Tennessee who provided direction. Frank Adams, with founder Myles Horton, published a book in 1975 called Unearthing Seeds of Fire: the Idea of Highlander.

Labor and community organization was a part of the social tension in Tennessee since the 30s.

During World War II, ALCOA brought in black workers who settled and have prospered. Since the mid-thirties, the company had been obligated to pay their union workers the same rate as they did in the North.

After modernization of the plant in the 80s under former Secretary of Treasury Paul O’Neill, the number of employees decreased. One of the leading manufacturers now is Nippondenso, which is the employment preference of many. One can study Japanese in special classes.

When someone asks me whether I’m saved, I realize that they are telling about old-timey ways. I learned to do what good conversationalists are supposed to do –listen. It gave me a new understanding of colonialism.

I stick to my rule that one does not talk dogma with strangers.

Tennessee initiated gambling to hold off an income tax. The proceeds provide college scholarships to achieving high school graduates. Cities are allowed the chance to vote for retail liquor. Our city and those around us have embraced it.

Restaurants arrived like dandelions in the spring. The use tax approaches 10% in Tennessee and each city and county gets a share.

If we go out to eat, the server rushes to ask what we want to drink. Most customers stick with sweet tea, I observe.

We’ve gone modern.

In fact so promotionally modern that if you bring your church bulletin to a restaurant on Sunday, you will probably be given a dollar rebate.