My Dear Soul Mates

Liberals. Progressives. Democrats - from the far left to more conservative than most Republicans: 

Once again: There is not a day that goes by that I do not read posts from you using derogatory language that stereotypes poor and working class people.

People who would never utter a derogatory racist term or make a homophobic comment feel completely free to make negative assumptions about huge groups of diverse people and huge regions of the country.

And, they feel completely entitled to deride the poor and the working class without knowing one damn thing about the people that they are trash talking.

In the last 2 days, it was comments about the "ignorant toothless hillbillies that elected Trump," and the "redneck racists" that were at a rally. These are not useful descriptive terms. These are classist terms. Classist.

One comment was on how terrible the "redneck racists" at a rally looked and dressed. Fashion reviews from a rally?

Dearest Liberal Friends: THEY CAN SEE YOU! THEY CAN HEAR YOU! Yes. Poor people. Working class people. Toothless people. Hillbillies. They do have computers. And, smart phones. And, TV. Cable! Who knew?

Do you really think that you have 2,000 friends and not one of them is from a poor or working class background?

When I chastised the commenter for stereotyping, she kindly let me know that "most rednecks are racists." Another stereotype. I will let the admissions committee at the Country Club know that they have competition.

Remember the lessons on how stereotyping is just lazy thinking? It applies to your thinking about poor and working class people, too. Who knew?!?

Oh, and those huge blocks of the country that liberals love to hate (Texas, "The South," Appalachia, etc. etc. etc? They are not a monolithic group. Stereotyping, again.

Here are some convos that I have had: Stereotyper: Wow, there are some hilbillies there.

Vivian: I am a hillbilly.

S: No, you're not.

V: Yes, I am.

S: You are not like "them."

Now, substitute the word "Jew" or the word "African American."

Shocking though it may be:

My father in rural Eastern KY had cable 25 years ago. I live 3 miles from the Janesville city limits and have none.

My mother was a school teacher and my red neck father was a union construction worker that sent 3 girls to college.

They were "yeller dog Democrats" who told me that they wouldn't sent me to college unless I registered to vote as a Democrat.

My mother worked to organize a union.

My little town had doctors and lawyers and teachers and writers and police officers and builders and ... poor people.

Oh, having no teeth is not a fashion statement. People have no teeth because a dental implant can cost $2,000 but it just costs a few bucks to have your teeth pulled.

So... how's the "winning hearts and minds" thing going?

I will never believe that you are pure of racism and homphobia as long as you despise poor people.

Why some of my best friends are poor redneck toothless hillbillies.

We need more love in the world, less judgment and no name calling or stereotyping.

V