I just got back from Athens, Ga., and among the things which most struck me about the town that REM made famous was the strong support among black barbershops for Barack Obama.
It was a stark contrast from white barbershop windows in Virginia and North Carolina which are more likely to endorse Yosemite Sam for president.
There were at least five or six black barbershops in downtown Athens which had Obama signs in their windows. Other windows had images like this one perched in front of their stores, while another one had a photograph of Obama getting his hair cut by a black barber.
Haircuts have perhaps had more of a political impact than usual this election cycle as a result of John Edwards' infamous $400 haircut in a California hair salon, which arguably helped him lose the election to Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Though one has to wonder if former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has recieved some pricey haircuts as well.
The black barbershop seems to be a unique cultural experience, perhaps one day I'll find one here in North Carolina though I may feel just a tad bit out of place!
Useful Links:
http://www.blackbarbershopdirectory.com
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment