Let me begin by making it clear: I love my home town, my neighbors, my state. But there are times when the insights that I get by simply observing my fellow Northern Michigan residents scare me...both for their sake and for the implications that might be drawn for our national politics.
It’s the small things that stick with you. Twice in the past month I’ve been in a grocery and strayed perhaps a yard or two from my basket and purse. Realize, this is a small town, a rural area with more bear than crimes...and some very nice lady scolded me: “You know, you could be robbed!” The second kind advisor admitted right away, “Of course, this isn’t Detroit.”
Then there was the great car salesman who packed me into my new vehicle and said: “You go down to Detroit often. Remember, the wheels are locked. The tool is in the glove box...” To him, “Detroit” was a fearsome place.
I’ll stop with those two examples. But I could go on and on. The vast majority of conservative neighbors in this area are terrified of “the other” who lives in those cities in the south.
They are also convinced that they must vote Republican against all logic. What crime you see here is motivated by abject poverty—the sort you don’t see, in rural homes far behind on the rent... where the teens raid summer homes for stuff they can fence. In pharmacies, where laid-off 50-somethings can’t afford their scripts.
Why so Republican? Fear! My dearest neighbor’s pregnant daughter is “squatting” with her laid-off husband and three other children in one bedroom of the in-laws. My neighbor’s daughter moved across state with her handicapped child for a job, but couldn’t handle the child care and job, so she’s coming home without any income. And both will “choose life” and vote GOP because of the single issue they think counts: abortion. The GOP candidate for state senate sent me 3 flyers today. The ONLY issue that she mentions for these people is abortion.
This isn’t a diary that will be filled with facts. But it should be clear: There are very strong studies like www.psychologytoday.com/… that show that the most definitive characteristic of conservative voters is fear.
When we sensitize ourselves to it we can perhaps understand. But how do we cope?
I’ve tried. I’ve sat with neighbors and discussed the terrible trauma we felt when we had to counter government rules (in Florida) when we had to make end-of-life decisions with a family member. I’ve tried to push the idea of “privacy.” (NEVER say “choice”). I’ve tried to remind my good neighbor who has no health insurance that Canada has 1/7 the abortions of the US because they do good sex ed and give complete health care. I’ve tried to discuss our own family situation. (I have a son with a major pre-existing condition, who would be dead today if he didn’t have access to “Obamacare.”) But the inevitable reaction is simply a stony silence.
In my bottom drawer I have a ~8 year old booklet from the NRA about gun safety. It is full of drawings of white home owners countering dark-skinned invaders and shooting them. The gun safety course in this town still uses this booklet, and is often led by a state policeman who spends about a quarter of the time railing about gays and liberals.
I know from my soul that this year’s election is a test of the nation’s morality. I know that the issues here are very complex. I know, too, that the progressives (like most of those on this site) are sincere thinkers.
But perhaps we overthink. We cannot act from fear. How can we counter the very real fears of our neighbors and friends? Give me a clue!