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I grew up in a town of 600 people in Montana and I can tell you that Snowman's description is not that far off. One needs to get away from the interstate, the McDonald's, the art and bead shops, etc. to find REAL small-town America. They are whacky places, still to this day. I visit my hometown every summer and am amazed to see it stuck in a time warp from my childhood. Even the fur trader at the end of Main St. is still there with his beaver, coyote and muskrat pelts for sale in front of the shop.

For me, the value of small town America is accountability. That is the underlying theme in Snow's post. Accountability is all but gone in most segments of American society, and for me, it is leading to the decay of our country and ideals. A return to these small-town values, with some moderation, IMHO would go a long way towards improving our society.