August 23rd was the "big day" for the Huckabees. The day they would give up their downtown mansion for a manufactured (or mobile) home. However, this home is no trailer. It's basically a mobile mansion. The triple wide home was donated by Champion Homes but it would ordinarily cost around $110,000.
From the tour of the home first lady Janet Huckabee gave the media, it looks as if it is indeed a beautiful home. There is nothing "redneck" about it. Janet Huckabee hopes that Arkansas's first family can help dispell some of the "trailer park" stereotypes and stigmas.
Can they help? Arkansas is already considered redneck, backwards and hillbilly to many people. It's hard convincing my northern friends that we're not when many reports and comedians are calling the Huckabee's new home a "trailer". Why do mobile homes get such a bad rap anyway? I've been in many manufactured homes that are nicer than my own home. It's hard to convince someone of this fact when they are laughing and saying "my gosh, you really are an Arkansan aren't you?".
I am an Arkansan and I'm proud to have our governor live in a manufactured home. Many governors would probably be to snobbish and egotistical to live in a "trailer", even for a short period of time, because they would be afraid the media would call them "rednecks" or "hicks" (being from Arkansas, the Huckabees are probably used to that anyway). The fact is, mobile homes may be cheaper than site built homes but there really isn't much difference in the quality of their appearance.
To further back up my claim that mobile home stereotypes aren't true, I offer you these links. Take a look at some of the modern manufactured homes available to purchase. They offer an inexpensive and convenient way to own your own home (and yes, they are real homes). Personally, I was amazed at how nice some of the homes look.
Oh yeah, and please leave your trailer park humor at home when you visit the state :-)
