Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Editorials & Other Articles
Showing Original Post only (View all)An insider says that white rural Christian America has a 'dark, racist underbelly' [View all]
An insider says that white rural Christian America has a dark, racist underbelly
on February 19, 2020
By Forsetti's Justice, AlterNet
- Commentary
A common theme keeps cropping up from all sides: Democrats fail to understand white, working-class, fly-over America.
Trump supporters are saying this. Progressive pundits are saying this. Talking heads across all forms of the media are saying this. Even some Democratic leaders are saying this. It doesnt matter how many people say it, it is complete BS. It is an intellectual/linguistic sleight of hand meant to draw attention away from the real problem. The real problem isnt East Coast elites who dont understand or care about rural America. The real problem is that rural Americans dont understand the causes of their own situations and fears and they have shown no interest in finding out. They dont want to know why they feel the way they do or why they are struggling because they dont want to admit it is in large part because of the choices theyve made and the horrible things theyve allowed themselves to believe.
I grew up in rural Christian white America. Youd be hard-pressed to find an area of the country with a higher percentage of Christians or whites. I spent most of the first 24 years of my life deeply embedded in this culture. I religiously (pun intended) attended their Christian services. I worked off and on on their rural farms. I dated their calico-skirted daughters. I camped, hunted and fished with their sons. I listened to their political rants at the local diner and truck stop. I winced at their racist/bigoted jokes and epithets that were said more out of ignorance than animosity. I have watched the town I grew up in go from a robust economy with well-kept homes and infrastructure to a struggling economy with shuttered businesses, dilapidated homes and a broken-down infrastructure over the past 30 years. The problem isnt that I dont understand these people. The problem is they dont understand themselves or the reasons for their anger and frustration.
...(snip)....
Because rural Christian white Americans will not listen to educated arguments, supported by facts that go against their fundamentalist belief systems from outsiders, any change must come from within. Internal change in these systems does happen, but it happens infrequently and always lags far behind reality. This is why they fear change so much. They arent used to it. Of course, it really doesnt matter whether they like it or not, it, like evolution and climate change even though they dont believe it, it is going to happen whether they believe in it or not.
....(snip)....
Gays being allowed to marry are a threat. Blacks protesting the killing of their unarmed friends and family are a threat. Hispanics doing the cheap labor on their farms are somehow viewed a threat. The black president is a threat. Muslims are a threat. The Chinese are a threat. Women wanting to be autonomous are a threat. The college educated are a threat. Godless scientists are a threat. Everyone who isnt just like them has been sold to them as a threat and theyve bought it hook, line and grifting sinker. Since there are no self-regulating mechanisms in their belief systems, these threats only grow over time. Since facts and reality dont matter, nothing you say to them will alter their beliefs. President Obama was born in Kenya, is a secret member of the Muslim Brotherhood who hates white Americans and is going to take away their guns. I feel ridiculous even writing this, it is so absurd, but it is gospel across large swaths of rural America. Are rural Christian white Americans scared? Damn right they are. Are their fears rational and justified? Hell no. The problem isnt understanding their fears. The problem is how to assuage fears based on lies in closed-off fundamentalist belief systems that dont have the necessary tools for properly evaluating the fears. ........(more)
https://www.rawstory.com/2020/02/an-insider-says-that-white-rural-christian-america-has-a-dark-racist-underbelly/
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
29 replies, 4179 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (31)
ReplyReply to this post
29 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
An insider says that white rural Christian America has a 'dark, racist underbelly' [View all]
marmar
Feb 2020
OP
No kidding! Who knew...incurious, ignorant, gullible, magical thinkers would be bigots.
Thomas Hurt
Feb 2020
#1
Where I live, the racist bigoted jokes are out of animosity toward any and all nonwhite people.
Jamastiene
Feb 2020
#4