Red Blue Road Trip - Van Buren, Missouri - Oct 31 - Part 12

Van Buren is an extremely small town in the Ozarks nestled on the Current River in southeast Missouri. The river provides the majority of the town's economy through tourism, as the local timber industry has cut back with the decline in the housing market. The town is deeply conservative as is the surrounding area which will be key if McCain is to win the state.

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[widgit007]

How sad Bush and now possibly McCain have made the US less safe and wasted so many lives and yet the people paying the price for their dishonest, dangerous policies are so believing of their lies they still support them. How sad so many common people in the US support the republican agenda to exploit them and redistribute their wealth to the richest 1%.

[weepingforbrunnhilde]

Why is it that people who live the farthest away from plausible terrorism targets are the ones most concerned for their personal safety from terrorism?

Do these people really believe Bin-Laden has his eye on the Good People of Van Buren, MO?

What are they so afraid of?

[evankristos]

I love it when people ask liberals who support equal rights, racial equality, an end to homophobia, a woman's right to choose (and the list goes on and on), to reconcile with those who would restrict my rights. I am not Obama, so I feel no need to accept people who seek to deny me basic rights. I respect that Obama will have to make those compromises to govern. But I honestly have nothing but contempt for people who have put this country through these past eight years by voting Bush.

[weepingforbrunnhilde]

It's not about better or worse, though I do think it's fair to say that people in small towns who don't go out of their way to learn about the world, are ignorant about the world.

"Ignorant" isn't a pejorative in this context, only descriptive. Some people speak several languages and are comfortable in many cultural settings, some aren't. Some in small towns are curious about other cultures, some are indifferent, some are resentful.

[weepingforbrunnhilde]

Having lived both in Brooklyn and in small-town Iowa, I think you're talking about conformity.

Small towns (though not only small towns) tend to have an ethos of conformity rather than diversity.

It's not good or bad, it is what it is. Conformity carries both virtues and vices, as does the kind of diversity one finds in cosmopolitan cities.

[weepingforbrunnhilde]

I understand your grievance and the hurt feelings at being relentlessly dismissed as unAmerican, but in the interests of unity and conciliation, I would urge you to try to get a handle on your feelings and not lash out with such vitriol.

It's simply not productive.

If you honor the president-elect you've voted for, you'll honor his call to heed your better angels, for all our sakes.

One people, one planet.

[weepingforbrunnhilde]

What are you talking about?

Just asserting a thing doesn't make it so.

Would you care to marshall some evidence?

Again I ask, why should people in the "heartland" be so concerned? You've not even attempted to answer my question.

[iheartmcg]

That's not what I meant at all. All I'm saying is that there aren't alot of minorities, or openly homosexual people, or people with different backgrounds, or people with different lifestyle choices like you have in a large metropolitan area. It's harder to think outside your own personal view points when everyone around you has the same ideals. I didn't mean it like I'm coming to save u with my vote or that people in VB are ignorant, I think there are wonderful people that live in VB.

[cntrygal98]

"the disconnect from the rest of the world"?

Are there no newspapers, televisions, internets, people who travel, are educated, etc? To say that "most" of the residents have a skewed reality when it comes to political choices, is the height of arrogance. I suppose we should count ourselves grateful that people like you go away and vote to save us poor ole ignorant folk.

[cntrygal98]

Are you so naive that you are not aware of why people in the heartland should be more concerned about terrorism. Yes, to get the publicity, they will go to a large city, but to do the most harm , they will attack the heartland.

[cntrygal98]

"the disconnect from the rest of the world"?

Are there no newspapers, television (cnn, etc.), internet, persons who have been educated and traveled to other parts of the world? To say that "most" of the residents have a skewed reality when it comes to political choices, is the height of arrogance. I suppose we should be thankful that you left so that you can vote to protect us poor ole ignorant folk.

[jhip87]

What evidence does anyone have that McCain would be more willing to promote issues important to the flourishing of small towns? Just compare the two candidates' economic plans; it's rather clear that the contrary is true.