Sorry, John Kelly, 'overwhelmingly rural people' are a big part of 'our modern society'

[.99center]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/news/wonk/wp/2018/05/11/sorry-john-kelly-overwhelmingly-rural-people-are-a-big-part-of-our-modern-society/

Speaking this week with NPR's Morning Edition, White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly said undocumented immigrants are “overwhelmingly rural people” who would not “easily assimilate into the United States, into our modern society.”

Kelly also cited immigrants' education levels, English-language ability and general workplace skills as potential barriers to assimilation. But the choice of “rural” as a detriment for integration into modern society is an odd one, given that it applies to nearly 1 in 5 current residents of the United States.

As of the 2010 Census, 19.3 percent of the U.S. population resided in a rural area, which the census defines as any area that is not "urban." The census uses a number of criteria to define “urban,” but in practice population density typically acts as a cutoff: More than 1,000 people per square mile is urban, while anything less than that is rural

[handmade34]

1. no need to apologize

John Kelly is wrong on every count and woefully inappropriate and a complete ass...

[hlthe2b]

2. and a signficant percentage of Trump's voters/supporters...

(though clearly not those who are likewise Latino)

[regnaD kciN]

4. Bingo!

If it wasn't for "overwhelmingly rural people," Donald Trump would be currently shilling for his own cable news network, promising 24/7 critical coverage of the second President Clinton…

[Pope George Ringo II]

5. To be fair, they do represent evidence in support of his claim.

Skin color aside, I'm also reminded that a big part of the history of the Industrial Revolution was moving to the cities in search of a better life. Modern American rural culture involves glorifying the rejection of that opportunity, and they express it every time they talk about reasons they can't stand the "big city." A bunch of Latin American immigrants willing to move to a foreign country in exchange for a brighter future really don't have that baggage and should be able to assimilate into modern American society in a way that rural Trump supporters really aren't equipped to do.

He's actually not wrong about our rural people, but honest ignorance with a willingness to learn is leaps and bounds better than a refusal to do so. And if we're honest, what percentage of these rural immigrants would likely work in agriculture anyway, before the second generation moves up the social ladder as other groups have done before them?

[greatauntoftriplets]

3. My European ancestors were all rural.

Only the Irish ones spoke English when they arrived.

[Lee-Lee]

6. That's a dog whistle for "native savages" or something

[lunasun]

9. + 1 sure is

[BannonsLiver]

7. A big part? Hell, they're governing us.

Right into the ground, I might add. The Dakotas with a combined population of 2 million people have four senators and more clout than California with 30.

[Achilleaze]

8. industrial corporate chemical farms have de-populated the rural heartland of the USA

The culture in the heartland has gone through a huge shift over the last 40 years - and the land needs to be re-populated. So many towns dead or dying.

Though republicans will not face the truth, there is room in the Inn for Baby Jesus - and all his relatives.

[TeamPooka]

10. Plus we need them for those rural agricultural jobs so they fit in nicely.