07/07/2005
stampa
invia
Five grain silos, two service stations, a track for goods trains, and a bar/restaurant.
Crawford is all here, a tiny dot in the middle of the map of boundless Texas.
More than a town, it is a crossroads between two state highways with a few houses
nearby. Nonetheless, the 750 in habitants of this non-place can legitimately say
that they have a neighbour who is the most powerful man in the world. Since 1999
George W. Bush owns a 6.4-sq. km ranch where he spends a good part of his free
time, above all in the summer. Having smelled business, the managers of the four
local shops started selling souvenirs. And so, today Crawford is a concentrate
of cowboy pride and post-September 11th American patriotism. If the current president of the United States doesn’t actually
appeal to you, this is not the right place for you.
Political pilgrimage. But obviously it is for many others. Every year throngs of thousands come all
the way to Crawford hopping to see Bush and his abode. To no avail: the ranch
– which the locals have renamed “the Western White House” – is isolated and all
you can see from the road is the roof half-concealed by the trees. When he’s there,
the president almost never ventures into town, and on those few occasions when
he does, he certainly doesn’t walk around alone. “Before they let him come in,
the secret service agents combs the restaurant in search of explosives, they frisk
everybody and shut down the petrol pumps,” said the hulk of a boy behind the cash
register at Coffee Station, the only place that serves food in Crawford. Despite the strictness of the
controls, Bush never disappoints his supporters during his public appearances.
The last time he ate here, he signed autographs for half an hour and posed in
dozens of photographs with waiters, town residents and tourists.
Visits from around the world. Yep, tourists. On this sunny day of June with the sun straight up and a temperature
of 35°C, not many are to be seen. Nevertheless, it isn’t the heat that is keeping
them away. “You should see how many there are in August, when they know that Bush
is here on vacation,” said a souvenir retailer. In taking a look at the guest
book, we see that a large majority are Americans and supporters of the president,
but foreigners and denigrators are not lacking. “We’ve had customers from Thailand
and New Zealand,” a Coffee Station waitress explained. There are even a few Italian names, the last two dating
to just a few days ago. And amidst the many compliments made to the president,
there are also criticisms and accusations. Recently someone wrote, “Bush lied
about the arms of mass destruction” and “Nobody died when Clinton lied,” two phrases
repeated everywhere by Democrat sympathisers prior to the elections.
Bush country. In spite of the onlookers from abroad and a few Democrats who came here to hurt
themselves, Crawford however remains a type of paradise for Bush fans. You can
buy everything in the souvenir shops, from a talking president doll to American
flags, from life-size pasteboard cut-outs of Bush to pins commemorating the victory
at the polls, from cups to baseball caps. The stickers celebrate the president
and his leadership in the war against terrorism: “Do you want to stay free? Vote
Bush”, “Freedom shall be defended”, “The right answer: George W.”, up to a more
threatening “America: love it or leave it”. Besides, many American tourists in
Crawford say they vote for Bush the man, because “he’s a good man”, “he’s a good
Christian”, “unlike other politicians, he does what he says”. And one of the virtues
that seem to be most highly appreciated is his firmness. “I think we were lucky
to have him as president in a difficult time like September 11th”, said the owner of Yellow Rose, the most popular souvenir shop.
The exception. Kay Lucas, who lives 30 kilometres away, probably would not agree. The woman
comes to town often to look after Crawford Peace House, a house bought two years
ago by a pacifist militant and turned into a dissident centre. Snubbed by the
locals and lately not used much, Peace House more than anything else is used as
a point of reference for the media and anti-Bush demonstrators when there are
anti-war protests. The last time, in February, local police arrested five demonstrators.
According to several witnesses, one official stated that wearing pins bearing
writing against the president was equivalent to organising a demonstration without
receiving authorisation from the law enforcement agencies.
All for one? Aside from the anomalous presence of Peace House, the sensation is that everyone
here is a fan of the president, but obviously that is not the case. Crawford is
part of an electoral district where the Republican representative last November
won the battle for a seat in Congress by the skin of his teeth. “I vote Democrat,
and I don’t like Bush,” said Lola, an elderly lady behind the counter of another
store. “And I’m not the only one. Lots of people will proclaim their love for
Bush because it’s better.” It’s not a coincidence that since George W. arrived
at the White House, this small Texas town has put on new make-up with the tourists’
money. Service stations and shops have been enlarged and renovated. Even a bank
has sprung up. But there are no hotels - none have been built. “It’s probably
because in any case Bush can no longer be president,” Lola noted. That’s true:
he can not exceed two mandates, and in 2008 the “Eastern” White House will have
a new tenant. And perhaps Crawford will have one more permanent resident.
stampainvia
The small town of Crawford is Bush’s emblem of America
From our correspondent
Alessandro Ursic
Alessandro Ursic
Five grain silos, two service stations, a track for goods trains, and a bar/restaurant.
Crawford is all here, a tiny dot in the middle of the map of boundless Texas.
More than a town, it is a crossroads between two state highways with a few houses
nearby. Nonetheless, the 750 in habitants of this non-place can legitimately say
that they have a neighbour who is the most powerful man in the world. Since 1999
George W. Bush owns a 6.4-sq. km ranch where he spends a good part of his free
time, above all in the summer. Having smelled business, the managers of the four
local shops started selling souvenirs. And so, today Crawford is a concentrate
of cowboy pride and post-September 11th American patriotism. If the current president of the United States doesn’t actually
appeal to you, this is not the right place for you. Political pilgrimage. But obviously it is for many others. Every year throngs of thousands come all
the way to Crawford hopping to see Bush and his abode. To no avail: the ranch
– which the locals have renamed “the Western White House” – is isolated and all
you can see from the road is the roof half-concealed by the trees. When he’s there,
the president almost never ventures into town, and on those few occasions when
he does, he certainly doesn’t walk around alone. “Before they let him come in,
the secret service agents combs the restaurant in search of explosives, they frisk
everybody and shut down the petrol pumps,” said the hulk of a boy behind the cash
register at Coffee Station, the only place that serves food in Crawford. Despite the strictness of the
controls, Bush never disappoints his supporters during his public appearances.
The last time he ate here, he signed autographs for half an hour and posed in
dozens of photographs with waiters, town residents and tourists. Visits from around the world. Yep, tourists. On this sunny day of June with the sun straight up and a temperature
of 35°C, not many are to be seen. Nevertheless, it isn’t the heat that is keeping
them away. “You should see how many there are in August, when they know that Bush
is here on vacation,” said a souvenir retailer. In taking a look at the guest
book, we see that a large majority are Americans and supporters of the president,
but foreigners and denigrators are not lacking. “We’ve had customers from Thailand
and New Zealand,” a Coffee Station waitress explained. There are even a few Italian names, the last two dating
to just a few days ago. And amidst the many compliments made to the president,
there are also criticisms and accusations. Recently someone wrote, “Bush lied
about the arms of mass destruction” and “Nobody died when Clinton lied,” two phrases
repeated everywhere by Democrat sympathisers prior to the elections. Bush country. In spite of the onlookers from abroad and a few Democrats who came here to hurt
themselves, Crawford however remains a type of paradise for Bush fans. You can
buy everything in the souvenir shops, from a talking president doll to American
flags, from life-size pasteboard cut-outs of Bush to pins commemorating the victory
at the polls, from cups to baseball caps. The stickers celebrate the president
and his leadership in the war against terrorism: “Do you want to stay free? Vote
Bush”, “Freedom shall be defended”, “The right answer: George W.”, up to a more
threatening “America: love it or leave it”. Besides, many American tourists in
Crawford say they vote for Bush the man, because “he’s a good man”, “he’s a good
Christian”, “unlike other politicians, he does what he says”. And one of the virtues
that seem to be most highly appreciated is his firmness. “I think we were lucky
to have him as president in a difficult time like September 11th”, said the owner of Yellow Rose, the most popular souvenir shop. The exception. Kay Lucas, who lives 30 kilometres away, probably would not agree. The woman
comes to town often to look after Crawford Peace House, a house bought two years
ago by a pacifist militant and turned into a dissident centre. Snubbed by the
locals and lately not used much, Peace House more than anything else is used as
a point of reference for the media and anti-Bush demonstrators when there are
anti-war protests. The last time, in February, local police arrested five demonstrators.
According to several witnesses, one official stated that wearing pins bearing
writing against the president was equivalent to organising a demonstration without
receiving authorisation from the law enforcement agencies. All for one? Aside from the anomalous presence of Peace House, the sensation is that everyone
here is a fan of the president, but obviously that is not the case. Crawford is
part of an electoral district where the Republican representative last November
won the battle for a seat in Congress by the skin of his teeth. “I vote Democrat,
and I don’t like Bush,” said Lola, an elderly lady behind the counter of another
store. “And I’m not the only one. Lots of people will proclaim their love for
Bush because it’s better.” It’s not a coincidence that since George W. arrived
at the White House, this small Texas town has put on new make-up with the tourists’
money. Service stations and shops have been enlarged and renovated. Even a bank
has sprung up. But there are no hotels - none have been built. “It’s probably
because in any case Bush can no longer be president,” Lola noted. That’s true:
he can not exceed two mandates, and in 2008 the “Eastern” White House will have
a new tenant. And perhaps Crawford will have one more permanent resident.
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