Do We Disrespect Rural America?

[spedtr90]

44. I'm a rural American

College educated, like many of my neighbors, even those who farm. Trips to Vegas and winters in Arizona and Florida are common. Some are doing very well, and some struggle. Some elderly living on Social Security and others living well and leaving big sums to community and church. The food shelf gets traffic from residents and seasonal workers.

I've lived here almost 40 years, and it's always been a red area, but it became RED after Obama's election. Conspiracy and "humor" e-mails began flying, Rush and FOX became trusted news sources, and it got worse every year. At the same time I've also watched college-educated, city-living, high-salaried family members drift far right; raising their kids on FOX and fear. In their eyes, I'm the uneducated. I know this because they send and share their "news" with me. It pops up in social gatherings. Since Obama they've decided America needs God, and God is Republican. Social issues - gays, abortion, prayer in school, godless liberals, union thugs, black thugs - are THE issues. They were wary of Trump at first, but got past it because "he'd surround himself with good people", and "good people" laid hands on him and prayed. Shifting the Obama hate to Clinton was seamless. The mainstream media fell fast too. Most abandoned it long ago. I do believe it started because they could not handle the reality of a black president, and that led them into the arms of the right. Black customers, black friends, black classmates - fine. President - not fine.

I've never stopped debunking the things I'm told, sent, and shared on social media, but it doesn't matter. They shrug it off. I don't believe this happened from a lack of education. They've been radicalized by right wing media and eventually by one another. The stuff they believe is mind-boggling, and they believe it so firmly it is terrifying. They created a bubble, and there's a lot of hate in it. Obama may leave, but that they've been living on hate for 8 years, and it will need somewhere to go. I'm not optimistic at all.