> Seth B Wrote:
>
> Wow Will, nice jab! But you digress. You’re really out of touch with the
> rest of the country. You should get out more. I know the metropolises
> contribute, and I value the productivity you mention. I’m typing on my
> iPad from the city, on an internet signal provided and generated by city
> resources. My money and mortgage are at city banks. I studied in the
> city, and spent most of my adult life living&working in cities. I could
> go on. But the truth remains, when resources are strained, cities will
> run out first. The rural folk have the resources and knowledge & space
> to save them. Currently, within yards of my home, tens of thousands of
> acres of wheat, peas, canola, and garbanzos are being harvested and
> shipped worldwide. Everybody around me has gardens and raises livestock.
> We don’t really need much you have to offer.
>
> Also out of touch is your idea off small town life. I can’t compare
> police brutality, in light of recent events, but a lot of small town
> cops are arrogant dicks. Try speeding through a small, rural town you’re
> not from. Cops here are great, to the locals. My town has a population
> of ~2500. Rent for a 2-3 bedroom house is $800-1400. Based on my recent
> appraisal, median home value is probably $250-300k. We have several
> openly gay & trans. And how can you not realize that most ag workers are
> immigrants? There are many, many 1st gen immigrants here and in most of
> rural America. Talk about reaffirming lack of human intelligence ;) And
> you know why our views of the protests differ? Partly because you can’t
> see the forest for the trees. You’re like a frog in a pot of water on
> the stove. Most of the USA can see what’s really going on, but you’re
> blinded by what’s in front of you. We can see the separation of the
> protests vs anarchy. We see the peaceful protesters and the opportunist
> rioters. For those of you in the midst, the lines get blurred.
>
> So, how about we appreciate the views out different windows, instead of
> criticizing them so much. We don’t all see the same thing when we throw
> open the shades.
Fair points - I've managed to reaffirm a point I often make against others - using my acute personal experiences to make judgements. I grew up in rural NH, cops were 100% fucking assholes. The big central town was just over 6000 with demographics of >96% white, 2% Asian and less than a handful of black families. I'll admit a lot of that was based on specific prejudiced individuals I've known in rural areas. There are definitely plenty of decent people in rural areas and cities, and plenty of angry hateful selfish assholes in both places too who still eagerly support our garbage president and the hate he promotes.
But we both make the same point, that people in cities and rural areas are both important, and that a big part of the divisiveness is inability for one to understand the struggles of the other. I just wanted to point out instances that can enhance that disconnect, and should not apply it as a blanket assessment of all rural areas in general
I very much reject the idea that rural areas are more important though, or that cities don't deserve equal voice, person for person, just because rural areas supply more basic needs.
