Yankees and Rebs

I've spent the last few days in Connecticut visiting family. My beautiful mother-in-law lives here now, although she's an Alabama girl through and through. So, I hear a lovely contrast between the unfamiliar Connecticut accents all around and the polite, deep southern lilt in her voice.

Earlier today, she jokingly noted that there is no memorial to the Confederacy in the entire state of Connecticut! We all laughed, but I don't remember seeing any memorials to Union soldiers in Alabama, either.

Thinking about this further, I noted that in both Connecticut and Alabama, small town squares and public areas have monuments to the soldiers and heroes of every other war, and they stood shoulder to shoulder, side by side, as Americans.

I know, I know, so what's my point? Easy. More binds the fabulous Yankee state of Connecticut with the grand deep southern state of Alabama than separates them - and I think that's cool.