Do We Disrespect Rural America?

[Maeve]

65. And this may get attacked as well, but I also come from a rural area

And for decades the 'best and brightest' have been encouraged to move away--"You're too smart to stay here; go to college and make something of yourself." Not saying all followed that advice, but in my class of 1973, almost all who stayed near home were the 'general studies' students, the ones who didn't take either the college or business tracks in high school. The factories mechanized or closed, half the stores on Main street are empty and everyone shops at Walmart because it has the cheapest prices. It's also one of the few places open. And the drug use has become epidemic in a way it never was back in the day. Which also means more break-ins, more crime in general, more need for health and social services than the system was ever set up to handle....