"Rural, Christian, white America ..., don't trust people outside their tribe"

[SharonAnn]

http://forsetti.tumblr.com/post/153181757500/on-rural-america-understanding-isnt-the-problem

"As the aftermath of the election of Donald Trump is being sorted out, a common theme keeps cropping up from all sides-”Democrats failed to understand white, working class, fly-over America.” Trump supports 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 doesn’t matter how many people say it, it is complete bullshit. It is an intellectual/linguistic sleight of hand meant to throw attention away from the real problem. The real problem isn’t east coast elites don’t understand or care about rural America. The real problem is rural America doesn’t understand the causes of their own situations and fears and they have shown no interest in finding out. They don’t want to know why they feel the way they do or why they are struggling because the don’t want to admit it is in large part because of choices they’ve made and horrible things they’ve allowed themselves to believe.

...

What I understand is rural, Christian, white America is entrenched in fundamentalist belief systems, don’t trust people outside their tribe, have been force fed a diet of misinformation and lies for decades, are unwilling to understand their own situations, truly believe whites are superior to all races. No amount of understanding is going to change these things or what they believe. No amount of niceties is going to get them to be introspective. No economic policy put forth by someone outside their tribe is going to be listened to no matter how beneficial it would be for them. I understand rural, Christian, white America all too well. I understand their fears are based on myths and lies. I understand they feel left behind by a world they don’t understand and don’t really care to. I understand they are willing to vote against their own interest if they can be convinced it will make sure minorities are harmed more. I understand their Christian beliefs and morals are truly only extended to fellow white Christians. I understand them. I understand they are the problem with progress and will always be because their belief systems are constructed against it. The problem isn’t a lack of understanding by “coastal elites” of rural, Christian, white America. The problem is a lack of understanding why rural, Christian, white America believes, votes, behaves the ways it does by rural, Christian, white America."

[Wellstone ruled]

1. So much truth in your post.

Trumps message of blaming others for his short comings and beliefs worked.

[CincyDem]

2. Makes sense...and it leads to a question.

I can understand the tribal nature of rural, Christian, white American. It sounds like they threw their tribal weight behind Trump who, at last check, is not rural and is no Christian (by fundamentalist standards). That implies to me that the real tribal connection driving these folks is ... well... the white part.

The could look past the gold toilets and big city slicker con man who has been married three times after cheating on at least two of them. But somehow he still got the tribal support.

Help me out here - does Trump pass any test other than white.

[msongs]

3. celebrity who mouths off and gets away with it - unlike meek people who wish they could and dont

[BeyondGeography]

5. He hates, or pretends to hate, the same people they do

And he's angry at the world. So it's a go.

Show's you how far-gone they've gotten. Damaged people who are damaging everyone with their choices, because our collective margin for error in a world of increased scarcity and intensifying threats has been reduced.

[JudyM]

7. He seemed powerful and extended a powerful *feeling* of "things will be better, trust me," that

psychologically, emotionally, actually gave a *felt* sense of comfort and, crazily, hope. They liked that feeling and believed it, without thinking critically.

[CincyDem]

8. Preordained to accept someone as their Messiah ?

I wonder if being a happy fundamentalist requires some degree of mental lobotomy that totally disrupts critical thinking. I say that based on the premise that fundamentalism of any religion requires unquestioned belief - the antithesis of critical thinking.

[JudyM]

9. Check out this great post about research on liberals vs conservatives' critical thinking

ability:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1016172290

Basically, they fall for fake news and we don't. Same concept, probably, with acceptance of anything that's told by any authority figure.

[Sam1]

13. "...real tribal connection driving these folks is ... well... the white part." Except

that HRC is also white. Enough of the states that DJT won went for BHO last time to make me feel that race was not the deciding factor. HRC "preached to the choir" which did not include enough states to win the election. As she was the savvy insider I don't want to hear that she won the popular vote! In our Federal Republic, I am beginning to wonder about the Federal part, geographical diversity does make a difference!

[NRaleighLiberal]

4. It is horrifying, isn't it?

[Baitball Blogger]

6. They have country-song syndrome.

I think they get more sympathy from their peers if they have the appearance of dealing with overwhelming misfortune. Suffering binds them. Yet, they are expected to prevail, and if they don't succeed, it's someone else's fault. Not saying this is unique to their culture, but they do seem to be better than most in closing themselves off to anyone who might challenge their world view.

[Missn-Hitch]

10. Hear, hear!!

Well done. Exactly how I see it. I come from that bubble and know many of them.

[Paladin]

11. My sentiments exactly.

There's no point in pandering to this sort of mass racist-based ignorance. The Democratic Party should concentrate on urban areas, educated professionals, minority communities and women, with an intense effort at turning out the vote in all 50 states. Let Trump's ruinous policies do their work on the rural white segment of the population for however long he lasts in office; the smart ones will return to the Democratic fold, and those who choose to remain ignorant should be ceded to the republicans.

[Nitram]

12. Obama was right on the money with "clutching their bibles and their guns..."

[Gamecock Lefty]

14. No problem - I don't trust rural christian white america, either!

[Leontius]

15. More elitist bullshit

Way to reach out and bring people to the party.