General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Rural living. [View all]Docreed2003
(16,890 posts)I grew up in rural TN north of Nashville. I now work in the community hospital where I was born in the town that folks I grew up around called "going to the city". I now proudly serve the same rural community I grew up in as a part of my patient base. So much of what you wrote I can completely identify with.
It really does hurt to see so much disdain for rural America on a forum like this. To write people off and insult them only plays into the misconception and stereotypes that some in the rural community have towards liberals.
We must strive to be a party of inclusion. We need leadership who are not afraid to put boots on the ground and actually listen and empathize with people from the tobacco fields of TN and NC, the corn fields of the Midwest, the economically devestated areas of the rust best, the fruit farms of California, the coal mines of KY and WV, the inner city struggles of places like Detroit and Baltimore and on and on and on. We cannot continue to claim to be a party of "the people" if we are making no tangible effort to reach all people. If we go out, get our hands dirty, and then fight like hell for all communities, then we can potentially begin to turn to RW tide in this country.