Clinging to guns and religion? Yeah, I have to admit I saw evidence of that. Bitterness? In the rust belt of Pittsburgh? Hell yeah.
I guess this is similar to people in the North thinking, during the Civil Rights Era, that racism was a problem particular to the deep South. Then busing came to Boston.
Ignorant backwater Amurricans are everywhere, but whether you're Karl Rove or John Murtha, it isn't considered tactful for a public figure to say so.
That said, here is a little map of the Big Ten States (includes Pennsylvania) to cheer us all up. Blue states are now polling heavily toward Obama. Ahem.
I hoping PA goes big for Obama and other Democrats this year.
ReplyDeleteHillary managed to get to these people of Western Pennsylvania. They don't want anymore Republican leadership. They just want someone to listen to them.
I am from Almost Canada Northern Michigan, and the first day of Deer Season was practically a holiday.
ReplyDeleteThat's really all the interesting things I have to say today. :)
Doe season usually only lasted a couple of days. First day of buck season was usually the Monday after Thanksgiving so having it off just made it a 5 days weekend. Plus a shitload of kids took the day off anyway, so most schools just gave up and gave in.
ReplyDeleteI was born in Harrisburg, graduated high school in Lebanon, which I considered the most ass backward part of the world until I lived in the boonies of East Tennishoe. Thing is, it was a close contest. I met a kid who grew up a few towns over, in Palmyra, PA, and we used to laugh at the similarities.
It's still a beautiful state though.
You mean those weren't national holidays?
ReplyDeleteI was born & raised in the center of the political universe -- Scranton, then spent a few years in Harrisburg, followed by 10 years in Pittsburgh (before my move to Philly 20 years ago), so I feel I can speak to the psyche of the good people of Pennsylvania.
Guns, God & a dash of bitterness certainly cover many areas of the state.
Governor Ed Rendell ran into the same Murtha problem during the primary, voicing the truth about the citizens of the Commonwealth. John Murtha should have learned that lesson.
The racism that exists is mostly a product of ethnic conclaves that have existed in many of these towns. This, mixed with a deep religious & social conservatism (and reluctance to embrace change), is the genesis of the problem.
Yet, many are long time Democrats and it looks like they are finally ready to come "home" to the party in the end. I have my fingers crossed.