A Concise History of Kentucky

12 Today and Tomorrow in Kentucky

C H A P T E R T W E L VE Today and Tomorrow in Kentucky One of the reasons people look at the past is to help them understand where they might be going in the future. History can help societies plan for what is to come in the years ahead. But to do that requires knowing about the present—in this case, Kentucky’s strengths and weaknesses. That way, people can take the best parts of the past and the present and carry them into the future. They can also cast aside those things that have been detrimental or impeded progress. Studying the past can help identify potential problems in the future and make plans to deal with them. A Typical Kentuckian At the start of the twenty-first century, the typical person in Kentucky was a thirty-six-year-old white woman who was likely born in the state. (Kentucky had few foreign immigrants compared with the United States as a whole.) On average, people in Kentucky did not earn as much as the typical American, but the cost of living was less in Kentucky than elsewhere. Kentuckians were more likely to own their homes than the average American, and they made smaller mortgage payments as well. An income gap existed between earnings in Kentucky and earnings in the country overall. Kentucky in the year 2000 was still a poor state. It ranked forty-fifth of the fifty states in terms of people living in poverty. Almost one in six people in Kentucky lived below the poverty line, compared with one in eight in the whole United States. The state also had a very large gap between rich people and poor people. In health matters, people in Kentucky tended to be overweight, with high blood pressure. More of them died from heart disease, cancer, and accidents than did people across the nation. The commonwealth also had more people who smoked than any other state. On the positive side, very few people in the state had AIDS, and Kentuckians felt safe in their homes. 198 • A Concise History of Kentucky In the area of religion, Kentucky was above average in church membership ,but it did not rank particularly high.Half of all church members were Baptists; Roman Catholics constituted the second largest denomination . In politics, more people registered Democrat, although many of them voted Republican. On matters of the environment, Kentucky stood in the middle of the states in air quality. People used a lot of gasoline—the state ranked ninth highest—but overall did well in energy use. In short, at the start of the twenty-first century, there were both good and bad aspects of living in Kentucky. Saving Parts of the Past What are some of Kentucky’s strengths? What things should citizens try to take into the future? Kentuckians have a sense of place and a love of their home. That is one thing they may want to take into the future. More than 170 years ago, someone wrote, “Wherever the Kentuckian travels, he earnestly remembers his native hills and plains.” A hundred years later, a book told of “the Kentuckian’s love of family.” People have pointed to Kentucky writing, music, and folk culture as important things to continue in the future. One person asked, “Are we seriously intent on becoming a region of fast food, or will we eventually learn to cherish and preserve our folk culture?” Some people stress Kentucky’s difference as an asset. In a world where things seem more and more alike, people will be attracted to unique places. The state’s horse farms, forests, parks, waterways, friendly people, rich history, and so much more can give it a special place in America’s future. As one writer noted, however, “Distinctiveness may easily slip through our fingers.” Saving those things that have made Kentucky different may not be easy. Someone wrote that people must protect past strengths “from what has proved to be the greatest threat to everything in this planet— ourselves.” This does not mean that everything old should be preserved just because it is part of the past. Many parts of the past are best forgotten and left behind. Instead, as people go into the future, they should remember what has made Kentucky special. How the future unfolds is partly in the hands of people living now. They must use that power well. [18.117.186.92] Project MUSE (2024-04-25 09:58 GMT...