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In reply to the discussion: If The Dems Made A Concerted Effort To Appeal To Rural Voters What Would You Recommend They Do?.... [View all]OmahaBlueDog
(10,000 posts)One of the more interesting phenomena in the Midwest is the growth of pockets of non-white population. Let me explain. In many Midwest towns, you'll see strictly white people; in others, you'll see a mix of whites and Native Americans. This is not terrily different than it's been for 150 years. However, as packing plants and food processors and renderers have moved out of big urban areas, an interesting thing has started to happen. Towns like Fremont, NE and Denison, IA and Gibbon, NE have developed substantial Latino populations, and in some cases Somali populations. They are sometimes uncdocumented (less common now than 5 years ago) or are on work visas. It's caused a lot of resentment. Partly this is fueled by simply being unlike the people who've grown up in these towns. However, it's also fueled by resentment. English speakers complain they can't get promoed to crew lead jobs because they don't speak Spanish. "Why" they ask" should I have to learn their language?" This is what has caused much of the anti-immigration backlash in places like Fremont, NE.