Obama and The Bitter American
Last Friday, presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama made the following comment while campaigning in Pennsylvania, in advance of their primary election next week:
"You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them.And they fell through the Clinton Administration, and the Bush Administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not."
"And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."
Of course, the press managed to concentrate only on the fact that Senator Obama called Americans "bitter," and then proceeded to castigate him for suggesting that these Americans look to the salves of religion and guns to make their lives better.
Predictably, the competitors for the Chief Executive's position chimed in. Senator John McCain yesterday decided to praise small-town America, who as he said, continues to provide the "raw courage" for the nation and remains "the source of our inherent goodness." Senator Hillary Clinton, also in Pennsylvania campaigning, was critical of the remarks, saying Obama’s remarks were “elitist,” “demeaning” and “out of touch” Saturday morning.
Give me a fuckin' break.
The truth of the matter is, Obama is right.
But Americans, by and large, don't dig anything that dispels our notion of invincibility, or calls into question the "pioneer spirit" and can-do attitude of the country.
There is an anti-immigrant wave afoot in this country, probably not seen on any national level since European anti-immigrant riots and violence a few years ago, or even anti-immigrant xenophobia of Nazi Germany prior to World War II. There is a backlash (justified in some cases) against the export of jobs to factories outside the United States, and there is a general dislike of "free trade" agreements widely seen as disadvantaging American workers.
A military life is the only way out to bigger and better, says the mother or father of one of the fallen. Their child wanted better, and the Army was the way, or so they thought, says the high school guidance counselor who remembers Jim or Jill fondly.
If that's not bitterness and resignation, what is it?
What you then hear, is a call to God, a call to the only dependable thing they know: their faith. Invariably, through their tears, or with stiff lips, the parents, family and friends of the deceased proclaim their love of God and Country. Listen closely, and you can help but notice bitterness that they've borne an inordinate burden in the name of "protecting freedom" because opportunity aside from the martial, has passed their town by.
Switch focus to rust-belt or inner-city America, where the perception is that "foreigners" are draining the coffers through their profligate baby-making and illegal entry into the nation. That same reporter can now interview this set of unfortunates and if one listens closely, you hear the derision, the venom in their voice and demeanor as they talk about the textile plant that employed a whole town, then was closed, and production moved to central America or southeast Asia. Or the La-Z-Boy plant that closed after 50 years and moved production to Mexico (as did one in Utah at the end of last week). Or the fact that all the faces they see hustling around are a rich bronzish red, and the language they hear "ain't American."
What you hear from these people is bitterness, and distrust of business and government, not to mention a palpable hatred for all things not red, white (primarily) or blue.
The word "bitter" wasn't the best choice for the frail sensibilities of many of my fellow Americans, but it was the best, most blunt choice to describe what it feels like to be disenfranchised from the only thing America has to offer: "a dream." Obama was trying to make a broader point that millions are never going to see their "American Dream" come true, because of the structural inequality of class (and race) in the US, and unless things change, their dreams will die, along with their small towns. Of course this message was lost on people because they don't want to face the truth. For Mr. Obama, I guess those are the pitfalls of being really smart: you see things others don't but, such soothsaying is met with how the same was dealt with back in the dark ages: skewer the messenger.
To say that his comments are "elitist" or are "demeaning"
seems to me to be a big time stretch. It's hard to paint Obama as an
"elitist" when the proof is in the pudding. Perhaps he's "elitist" for daring to give more than platitudes to changing inequality, but that's about it.
Far from being wrong, Obama is far too correct. But for people to accept his terms and see his truth requires them to acknowledge the lies they get told by their elected officials, and more distressingly, the lies they tell themselves.
Seems the "Denial" is not just a river in Egypt. It flows through much of America, too.
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Excellent commentary. I for one am sick of the way the media spins, twists, and (like the ass hole Lou Dobbs) knows exactly what the good Senator was thinking.
Here in Detroit, The Reverend Wright is coming to speak at an NAACP convention and sure enough, the suburban, right wing nuts have been weighing in through their letters to the editor talking about his hatred for America. They keep on with that same 60 second looped soundbite without getting to know what he preached and did with the rest of his life. I'm sick of it.
Joe
P.S. I also love your photography!
As a change candidate one thing that Obama had to consider was this: Is America Ready For Change?
Looking at the media's response to his true statements that small town folks can be bitter and do turn and find refuge in religion and guns; that African Americans especially those who suffered through the civil rights movement are angry and see the hypocrisy of the American Dream in action- I don't think Americans can handle the truth (in my best Jack imitation)!
Am I supposed to believe that because HRC does a photo op doing a shot of a canadian high end whiskey with some boilermakers she's more in touch? That she remember's fondly her grandpa taking her to shoot, now she's honestly an NRA advocate? Really?
Every time I hear Obama tell the truth, there is conversation that he has lost votes. I respect his truths. I respect the fact that he defers to my intellectual side rather than my more base, knee-jerk instincts. I enjoyed in the debate that when given an option to move beyond the muck, he did. This in stark contrast to HRC who needed to always go an extra yard knee deep in the same old sh*t. What's the problem with being an optimist and hopeful that America can be a great and wonderfully diverse place? If you don't mind me telling the truth- Nothing.
@Joe: Welcome to the 'Hustle! Please be a frequent guest!
Your point is well-taken. Most issues in this country cannot be distilled down to 10-second sound bites but the Rabid Right seem to know nothing else. Despite their claims of mental superiority, their attention spans are too short to allow any sort of deeper reflection on issues nor development of their own thought, so all they're left with is their misunderstandings and suppositions which are almost always different than reality. Sad, but what can you expect from folks that think Rush Limbaugh actually knows what he's talking about?
And thank you for the photographic love! It's much appreciated!
@Fred: Truth has been something the American public has been deprived of for such a long time, the prospect of actually dealing in the same is petrifying.
The brainwashing of America was started with the fight against communism progressed through the "wars" on poverty, drugs, and crime, and found perfection with the advent of the attack ad, and media disinterest in their own responsibility to seek to inform and enlighten. Unfortunately, a large percentage of the population seem to revel in their ignorance, and acceptance of the lies they read, see and hear daily.
The worst part: Most Americans KNOW instinctively that they are being lied to, but they insist on accepting the delusion in the hopes that magically things may change for the better, rather than proactively working for change in electing better representatives and leaders.
The biggest battle Obama -- and the Democratic Party as a whole -- face isn't with internal squabbling, HRC or even John McCain; sadly, it's with the very people for whom he'd be the best president.
Just discovered your blog. You seem to hit the nail on the head.
Just discovered your blog. You seem to hit the nail on the head.
thanks Verena! Welcome to the 'Hustle!! Please visit more, and become a part of our little community of free-thinkers!