Sep 28
Jeremy LangleyCurrent Events
I have been quite upset over the last few months because I haven’t received one of those telephone surveys about the upcoming midterm elections. I say that with only a hint of sarcasm. As one with a degree in political science, I am fascinated with these scientific polls. My political science training, however, has just about ruined me because I tend to spend more time listening to the question to find that slant which is often present when the poll is conducted at a candidate’s expense.
The lady asking the questions was nice, but she really shouldn’t have been calling. She kept coughing and sniffling, so I encouraged her to take the rest of the day off. She had my permission. I’m sure her boss would understand.
She asked questions about my political affiliation. I tended to give her long dissertations as to how I felt about the state of our political system and how both parties seem to be off-base. In the end, I told her that all-in-all, I am a compassionate conservative. She said, “I’ll put you down as a Republican.” I said she could just simply list me as a follower of George W. Bush.
She asked which party I was most likely to vote for in November. I was dumbfounded. She was just plain ignorant at this point. She received another dissertation. She, again, decided that I would be voting Republican.
She asked who I would be casting my vote for in the ARKANSAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DISTRICT 4 election. WHAT?!?!? This survey is wasting my precious time on a STATE level race?!?!?!?!?!? I was a bit perturbed.
But then, she asked a question that really peaked my interest. “Do you consider yourself a born-again Christian?” I said “yes,” but what does that have to do with a state House race? She didn’t know. I don’t believe an atheist or agnostic could be elected in south Arkansas. For crying out loud! We even post the church affiliation of our elected officials on their biographies on the official Arkansas General Assembly website.
When all was done, I asked the nice lady who had paid for this survey and to whom the results would be made known. She claimed not to know but said she would find out in case anyone else asked. I asked her to call me back when she knew. My phone hasn’t rung again.
I’m still waiting.
Sep 25
Jeremy LangleyUncategorized
It’s game day!
For most folks around these parts, there is only one ballgame happening today. No. 10 Arkansas plays host to No. 1 Alabama in Fayetteville. I’ll probably listen to most of it, but I’ll be busy getting ready for the Southern Arkansas University Muleriders’ home opener against Valdosta State. The Muleriders look to pick up their first win of the season. Lucky for us, Valdosta hasn’t won a Gulf South Conference game yet this year. Maybe they’re vulnerable. I hope so.
I’m not going to get my hopes up too much about the game in Fayetteville. While I am 100 percent behind the Hogs, I’m also a realist. Not many Arkies join me in that category. I would rather be a realist and then go crazy when they pull off the upset. That’s not how almost everyone else does it. They get these inflated egos and then talk trash when Arkansas gets it handed to them by a superior team.
Arkansas is good this year. Are they National Champion material? I don’t know. Do they have what it takes to beat ‘Bama? Yes. Will they pull it off? Maybe. I actually voted for Alabama to win in an online poll. Again, I’m a realist.
So, if you’re one of the hundred thousand or so people who made the pilgrimage to the extreme northwest corner of our great state today, please do me a favor, when the Hogs lose, don’t come crying to me.
With that said, GO HOGS!!!
Sep 06
Jeremy LangleyUncategorized
Today is Founder’s Day at Ouachita Baptist University. I’m proud to be associated with OBU, and I’m proud to call myself an alumnus of such a great University. My “Ouachita Experience” is something that is beyond anything I could ever convey on blog, but this is an attempt.
Going to college at OBU was always somewhat of a dream that I never really expected to come true – mainly because there was a $20,000 a year price tag attached! While in high school, I attended summer leadership camps for the Arkansas Association of Student Councils at Henderson. We stayed in Newberry Hall which is on the Ouachita side of the street. I remember walking back to Newberry one night during the summer before my senior year in high school and seeing the Ouachita entrance sign. Something told me I would get to realize my dream, but I was still doubtful.
One of my high school teachers (Mrs. Jones) was determined that I would go to Ouachita. She had attended U of A, but she had close ties to OBU. Another of my teachers had a son in dental school who had graduated a few years earlier from OBU. They kind of ganged up on me. I remember walking into Mrs. Jones’ classroom the day that my scholarships came through allowing me to attend OBU. She was too busy to talk to me, so I left a note on her desk. She looked down and read it as I walked out of the classroom. She cried. She had won!
God knew I needed to be at Ouachita. There were so many personal battles that I went through while at Ouachita (not in any way related to the University), and God knew that there were people at OBU that he would put in my life to meet the needs associated with those battles. To this day, most of those people have no idea how much they helped me.
What’s best about my Ouachita experience is that even though I’ve been gone for more than two years, the experience hasn’t ended. I don’t expect that it will any time soon. I feel blessed that some of my former professors and Ouachita staff members that I met while a student can be counted as friends.
I work at a university now. While having a conversation with co-workers recently, I described the atmosphere at Ouachita and how much community I felt there. One of them said that they wished we had that here and pondered how to create it. I told them it’s not something you create. It’s something that comes from the people. Ouachita’s best asset is her people.
I could write all day about Ouachita. I could start naming names, but I’m afraid that I’ll leave someone out.
Happy Birthday, Ouachita! Here’s to many more!
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