"The unteachable ignorance of the red states"

[FrankRizzoXD40]

Originally Posted by Jane Smiley

The election results reflect the decision of the right wing to cultivate and exploit ignorance in the citizenry...I suppose the good news is that 55 million Americans have evaded the ignorance-inducing machine. But 58 millions have not...Ignorance and bloodlust have a long tradition in the United States, especially in the red states...The error that progressives have consistently committed over the years is to underestimate the vitality of ignorance in America...The history of the last four years shows that red state types, above all, do not want to be told what to do - they prefer to be ignorant. As a result, they are virtually unteachable...Listen to what the red state citizens say about themselves, the songs they write, and the sermons they flock to. They know who they are - they are full of original sin and they have a taste for violence...The history of the last four years shows that red state types, above all, do not want to be told what to do—they prefer to be ignorant. As a result, they are virtually unteachable.

The unteachable ignorance of the red states. - By Jane Smiley - Slate Magazine

Jane Smiley is a blogger for Huffingtonpost.com and a pulitizer prize-winning novelist.

Red staters are "full of original sin and have a taste for violence?

"Ignorance and bloodlust" have a "long tradition" in the red states

What causes some seemingly intelligent modern-liberals to think this way and express such vitriol towards those in the red states?

I wonder if similar excuses will be used if the dems cast this election into the trash.

Judging by her comments (especially those below), I wonder if Obama has already hired her as a speech writer.

Originally Posted by Jane Smiley

Third, and most important, when life grows difficult or fearsome, they (politicians, preachers, pundits) encourage you to cling to your ignorance with even more fervor.

...compared to...

Originally Posted by Barack Obama

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.

They are going to have to pry my ignorance from my cold, dead hands.

What is causing this elitist, condescending attitude to be displayed by several modern-liberals today?

What do you all of you "unteachable", "ignorant" red-staters think?

Frank

[justgotback]

Originally Posted by Jane Smiley
The election results reflect the decision of the right wing to cultivate and exploit ignorance in the citizenry...I suppose the good news is that 55 million Americans have evaded the ignorance-inducing machine. But 58 millions have not...Ignorance and bloodlust have a long tradition in the United States, especially in the red states...The error that progressives have consistently committed over the years is to underestimate the vitality of ignorance in America...The history of the last four years shows that red state types, above all, do not want to be told what to do - they prefer to be ignorant. As a result, they are virtually unteachable...Listen to what the red state citizens say about themselves, the songs they write, and the sermons they flock to. They know who they are - they are full of original sin and they have a taste for violence...The history of the last four years shows that red state types, above all, do not want to be told what to do—they prefer to be ignorant. As a result, they are virtually unteachable.



Told what to do? That sounds like a real liberal talking point! The government knows what is best for us, so we just need to keep our mouths shut and be told what to do!! This infuriates me!

[XDConvert9mm]

I say let them keep talking, publishing and spreading this "word". This kind of stuff should help accelerate the Party's implosion.

[PackerfanXD]

I say we grab our guns, meet at the church and plan another a war...

[Etta Place]

Originally Posted by FrankRizzoXD40

The unteachable ignorance of the red states. - By Jane Smiley - Slate Magazine

Jane Smiley is a blogger for Huffingtonpost.com and a pulitizer prize-winning novelist.

Red staters are "full of original sin and have a taste for violence?

"Ignorance and bloodlust" have a "long tradition" in the red states

What causes some seemingly intelligent modern-liberals to think this way and express such vitriol towards those in the red states?

I wonder if similar excuses will be used if the dems cast this election into the trash.

Judging by her comments (especially those below), I wonder if Obama has already hired her as a speech writer.



...compared to...



They are going to have to pry my ignorance from my cold, dead hands.

What is causing this elitist, condescending attitude to be displayed by several modern-liberals today?

What do you all of you "unteachable", "ignorant" red-staters think?

Frank

Are you aware that this article is over three years old and has to do with the 2004 election? I'm curious why you dug it up.

[XD 9 Loaded Sub-Compact]

Originally Posted by Etta Place

Are you aware that this article is over three years old and has to do with the 2004 election? I'm curious why you dug it up.

I think regaurdless of time frame what Frank was "digging" this up for was to show a repetition in theme and thought. Hints the thread name "unteachable"

[Etta Place]

Originally Posted by XD 9 Loaded Sub-Compact

I think regaurdless of time frame what Frank was "digging" this up for was to show a repetition in theme and thought. Hints the thread name "unteachable"

Well, is there a connection between this author and Barack Obama?

[Frenchy]

The article is dated, but the mentality is still there. We deal with it every election cycle.
I do believe however that this is not a mainstream Democratic thought process, but supported by a large percentage of those on the Left.

[FrankRizzoXD40]

Originally Posted by XD 9 Loaded Sub-Compact

I think regaurdless of time frame what Frank was "digging" this up for was to show a repetition in theme and thought. Hints the thread name "unteachable"

Bingo.

Frank

[FLSTFI Dave]

Originally Posted by Jane Smiley
The election results reflect the decision of the right wing to cultivate and exploit ignorance in the citizenry...I suppose the good news is that 55 million Americans have evaded the ignorance-inducing machine. But 58 millions have not...Ignorance and bloodlust have a long tradition in the United States, especially in the red states...The error that progressives have consistently committed over the years is to underestimate the vitality of ignorance in America...The history of the last four years shows that red state types, above all, do not want to be told what to do - they prefer to be ignorant. As a result, they are virtually unteachable...Listen to what the red state citizens say about themselves, the songs they write, and the sermons they flock to. They know who they are - they are full of original sin and they have a taste for violence...The history of the last four years shows that red state types, above all, do not want to be told what to do—they prefer to be ignorant.As a result, they are virtually unteachable.

The Author sounds like a Typical Elitist Liberal who thinks only they have a brain and the rest of us are stupid and untrainable.

I do have a major problem being told what to do, and what to think. Especially when it is by the Government or some Elitist who thinks they are better than me.

Funny, the Blue areas like Detroit, New Orleans and Chicgo have much higher crime rates, much higer welfare rates and so on than us dumb red states.

Looks like Obama sure took clues from her with is statement stereo typing us. But then again, most Elitist Liberals look at things that way