The Midwest and Mr. Obama
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Regarding Eli Saslow's June 30 front-page article, "In Flag City USA, False Obama Rumors Are Flying":
I was born in Tiffin, Ohio, and grew up in Findlay -- "Flag City USA." I support Sen. Barack Obama. In many ways, I am a "typical" Midwesterner: I attended church with my parents, joined the marching band at Findlay's only public high school and worked as a waitress to earn money for college. However, I also volunteered at Findlay's Black Heritage Library, started a gay-straight alliance at my high school and questioned the Pledge of Allegiance -- and I was not alone.
I never did share the beliefs of my fundamentalist neighbors, but I learned something from them: hope. Hope is a Christian value, and hope demands a willingness to change. Towns such as Findlay stand to benefit the most from Mr. Obama's proposed policies, and, considering the present downward economic trends, many people there would be willing to put their reservations aside. Young people are especially ready for change, and those from older generations are willing to listen, if you speak their language and appreciate their perspectives.
Mr. Obama's campaign won't change minds overnight. But it may be surprised to find that towns such as Findlay harbor a few avid supporters.
AMY STULMAN
Philadelphia
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It is obvious to me that reporter Eli Saslow came to our city with an agenda -- to show that only unenlightened racists who believe wild and untrue stories about Sen. Barack Obama could possibly be against the candidate. Mr. Saslow chose an older portion of town with older residents and then ascribed their supposed views to our entire city.
The article quoted a college student as saying that when she and a colleague go door to door campaigning for Mr. Obama, "People tell us that we are in the wrong town." The implication is that this town would never vote for Mr. Obama because he is an African American.
