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The dark rigidity of fundamentalist rural America: a view from the inside
The dark rigidity of fundamentalist rural America: a view from the inside
rawstory.com
This has the feeling of truth, but I'm not comfortable taking it at face value, since it makes some pretty blanket statements. Any other "insiders" care to confirm or refute the claims?




Having some experience of hyper-religious communities elsewhere in the world, many elements of his experience ring true for me, too. But I would suggest that the non-negotiable exclusivity he witnessed was not a result of that hyper-religiosity, so much a necessary condition of its existence.
The anti-intellectualism he's experienced is also something I'm familiar with. Reasonable questions and interactions are not supplied with thoughtful answers. I was the target of a few shambolic 'interventions' that sought to bring me back to Sunday services with words like: "we just think you've gone too far, you've become too rational". (Yes, really).
Meanwhile record-breaking academic results with numerous award ceremonies attached were embarrassingly covered up, no celebrations or hugs. Don't tell anyone 'We believe the woman should be submissive'. And she should not know the workings of satellite constellations or understand Renaissance politics. She should stop using her maiden name! (A whole intervention just for naming, my god). The university was to blame for my curiosity and appetite for life. Get outta here with that nonsense!
I don't think he sounds bitter. When he says 'the first 24 years of my life' I sense how much older he is than that, now, and the benefit that time and distance has given his reflection. I sense he has much more to say on the topic, too. It is possible to be critical and not bitter, but if it makes one uncomfortable for other reasons, what can you do? There are others like @logospilgrim who write amply and eloquently about such topics and experiences.
My family has roots in rural Central and Northeast PA, the land of fracking and dial-up in 2016 -- don't laugh, it's as red as the Deep South, possibly moreso.
To keep things brief, stop excusing racism in these communities. Trump had momentum over Sanders from day one. Remember his day one presser?
Spare me the anecdotes of niceties -- "outsiders" aren't welcome.
Maybe this person is long-removed, but I have a difficult time believing they are from rural America because it reads to me as the stereotyped intolerant liberal view of red America, and that's not at all how I would describe my experience. I actually find it somewhat offensive that someone from there would speak this way about it. I spend time defending it and playing devil's advocate out of a sense of loyalty even as I disagree with a lot of the political views. I would never turn my back on it like this, and I'm the kid that found it too small when he was six and left for the city as soon as it was possible. I've literally been back ONCE.
People are a million times more polite and nicer in rural areas than in the city. You are rude if you don't wave to a passing car on a rural road, or say hello to everyone everywhere. They greatly value their families, hard work and independence. The ratio of Christian fundamentalists is a little higher, sure, but most are still very tolerant as long as you mind your own business. The city is cold, cruel, pretty mean and no one minds their own business.
Most of the people that I know with the most offensive, stereotypical redneck views comes from the city, and I think they do a whole hell of a lot of boisterous talking and greatly misrepresent these folks.
Yeah, I thought as much. I grew up in the suburbs of Charleston, South Carolina, and my experience was mostly the same. People are more religious, but that doesn't mean they're all intolerant. Maybe the author just grew up in a very fundamentalist community and is bitter about it.
It is not a story about rural America. It is a pamphlet. A liberal one. In my opinion, the whole "real life experience" is just a mood, that was chosen by the author. "Everyone who isn’t just like them has been sold to them as a threat and they’ve bought it hook, line, and grifting sinker. " When one reads something like this, it is quite evident, that it is not about real people. Out here, in the real world, there is no black and white. Nobody has just one side. I thought, nobody should be stigmatized, because he/she/they/ze does not like the idea of gay marriage or the BLM and happens to be living in a rural area. Maybe one would disagree with them, but people might have other virtues...the one thing that you don't like about them does not define them automatically.
Imho it is also quite telling, that the statistics tell a different story, but nobody cares. The savages and the christian cultists in the rural countryside are the wicked. They must be punished...
In the suburbs, Clinton lost 3%, in comparison to Obama. Trump remained at 50%, same as they had in 2012. In the rural/small town region, she lost about 3%, and he gained 3%. That means, 3 people out of 100. 4 years ago, when the Democrats won, everything was ok with the people, now they are the christian devils?