Swing Vote: Kentucky Feuds, Cheeseburgers and Pigs

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It’s safe to say there is internet connection in Kentucky.

 

It took only 2 hours for a visitor from Lexington, KY to check into StealingFaith after announcing the Swing Vote: Kentucky!  That’s the best time of any Swing Vote so far!

 

Way to go, Kentucky! You are a competitive state!

 

We haven’t had a comment from our visitors so we need to work on that, but our visitor from Lexington has been joined by readers from Louisville, and Middlesboro.

 

Welcome! We’re glad you’re here! Now, leave a comment to tell us about your state!

 

Until we get a comment from a new Kentucky friend I’m going to work off of some previous personal Kentucky experiences.

 

First, I met my first Kentucky native in graduate school. My friend was a runner with stinky shoes and our last names were alphabetically next to each other. We ended up sitting together during almost every class for two years. We became friends. I still like him. Even though he still runs and has stinky shoes.

 

He was from Owensboro. It seems there are a lot of towns with “-boro” in their names. I don’t understand why but it may have something to do with the predominantly Scottish ancestry of the residents. Owensboro had an encounter with rampaging cows a few years ago but they took care of it and I suspect you can visit Owensboro without bovine fear in the future.

 

Way back in the ’90s my precious Arizona Wildcats – you know the team coached by Lute Olson, my geriatric love? – they beat the Kentucky Wildcats for the NCAA Basketball Championship.

 

Yep. I still cherish that memory.

 

I also interviewed for a job with Murray State University. They assured me they wore shoes and had running water on campus, though their hillbilly accents made me a little uncertain.

 

Why is it southern accents make people sound stupid? Just ask Jeff Foxworthy.

 

I have had good experiences with Kentucky but I need to know more, I need some depth to my Kentucky affection. So, Google, do me right and get me some knowledge…

 

Not only is Kentucky known for breeding some of the best racehorses in the world, they know how to feed you.

 

Cheeseburgers were first served in 1934 at Kaolin’s restaurant in Louisville.

 

Get that – the cheeseburger! Kentucky! Who knew?! Don’t you love them more??

 

Kentucky has also birthed important men in American history: both Abraham Lincoln, President of the Union, and Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy, were born in Kentucky. They were born less than one hundred miles and one year apart.

 

The fighting for one side or the other didn’t start with Lincoln and Davis – far from it.

 

Ever heard of the Hatfields and the McCoys? The longest-running, most bitter family feud in our country?

 

Yep, Kentucky was involved. The Hatfields were from West Virginia, the McCoys were from Kentucky and when they got their dander up, nothing less than death would assuage the family honor, justice and vengeance.

 

Lest you think the story ended with the last trial in 1901 let me tell you in 1979, the two families united for a special week’s taping of the game show Family Feud, in which they played for a cash prize and a pig which was kept on stage during the games.

 

Yes, Family Feud and a pig. We are talking about Kentucky, folks. And media showmanship.

 

I don’t know which family won the pig.

 

Another political fact? More than 100 native Kentuckians have been elected governors of other states.

 

This tells me Kentucky may have a brain drain, all the leaders are flocking to other states to join the political system. Or maybe people in Kentucky are just pro-firearms and the politics can get dodgy. We’ll need a native to clarify for us…

 

Before I leave you for the day, I need you to know one more way Kentucky impacts your life in a real, relevant way:

 

Happy Birthday.

 

Yes, it’s true. The song “Happy Birthday to You” was the creation of two Louisville sisters in 1893.

 

Don’t you feel smarter? Don’t you love Kentucky?

 

Come back tomorrow for more facts about Kentucky in our Swing Vote: Kentucky! campaign! Send more friends from Kentucky to StealingFaith to teach us about their state! We’re waiting!

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4 thoughts on “Swing Vote: Kentucky Feuds, Cheeseburgers and Pigs

  • January 7, 2012 at 7:48 am
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    You might get more comments from Kentuckians if the tone you take toward us was less offensive and you didn’t perpeptuate negative steroetypes, even at your own expense. Also, the Appalachian dialect is not southern.

    Reply
    • January 16, 2012 at 9:03 pm
      Permalink

      So sorry you were offended – that is never my intent when I write. (Although, admittedly, I do consider sarcasm to be one of my love languages and I write tongue-in-cheek practically every day.) Thank you for letting us know about the dialect!

      Reply
  • June 2, 2012 at 10:49 am
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    I’d likee to learn more about the Morehead, Kentucky Feud
    with the families Logan, Martin and Tolliver.

    Reply
    • June 2, 2012 at 11:56 am
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      I’ll see what I can find out!

      Reply

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