We in Sioux Falls tend to think we’re at least somewhat cosmopolitan. But then there’s those things that tend to blow our cover and establish that maybe, when you get right down to it, we still aren’t all that sophisticated.
The latest case in point? This headline on the local daily’s web page today: “World-renowned handbell ringer coming to Sioux Falls.”
To put it rather bluntly, I am not the type who wants to go back to the land; I am the type who wants to go back to the hotel.
Fran Lebowitz, Social Studies
The Radical must disagree, sorry.
Handbell Ringing is definitely NOT a hick thing. It seem kind of gay sometimes —NOT THAT THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT— but “hick” it is not.
Sen. John Thune: that’s hick. Very dressed up, gilded even, but still extremely hicky. But I digress.
Handbell ringing, at the top level of course, is actually a quite Blue -state activity. After all, The American style of English Handbell ringing was invented in lefty, liberal Massachusetts in the 50s, and brought to fruition by the Westminster Handbell Choir in Princeton New Jersey. New Jersey! New Jersey! (Today is a great day in New Jersey!)
Although the midwest is home to many fine lefties who are drawn to the handbell art because it requires the clearly non-Republican skills of humility and humor, the cutting edge handbell groups are from absolutely pinko locations: Portland, Oregon (Bells Of the Cascades), Raleigh NC (Raleigh Ringers), Minneapolis/St Paul (Twin Cities Handbell Ensemble), and, of course, SONOS (in that spunky, gay-luvin’, tree-huggin’ San Francisco Bay Area).
Note there are also LOT of Southern Baptist bell ringers out there, but the artistic pioneers seem to be all from absolutely blue areas. It’s a compliment to the art, eh?