EXCERPT: Not concerned with the book itself, Berry’s critique takes issue with Rich’s parroting of the now ubiquitous mainstream narrative: That the election of Donald Trump was primarily the result of a nostalgic, racist and sexist subculture that resides in a still-reeling-from-the-Civil-War, socially-backward and monochromatic “rural America.”
“This is provincial, uninformed, and irresponsible. Mr. Rich, who disdains all prejudices except those that are proper and just, supplies no experience or observation of his own and no factual and statistical proofs…
“…The business of America has been largely and without apology the plundering of rural America, from which everything of value—minerals, timber, farm animals, farm crops, and ‘labor’—has been taken at the lowest possible price.
“…It is true that racism, sexism, and nostalgia have counted significantly in the history of rural America until this moment. But to attribute the approximate victory of Mr. Trump only to those ‘southern’ faults, and to locate them only in rural America, is a driblet of self-righteous ignorance.”
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Excerpt:
That secret, as Bullock elaborates, is simple: “Spend time in places where people disagree with you,” he said. “People will appreciate it, even if they are not inclined to vote for you. As a Democrat in a red state, I often spend days among crowds where there are almost no Democratic voters in sight. I listen to them, work with them, and try to persuade them.”
The idea that you should actually engage in dialogue with people who might not automatically support you, and give them reasons to do so — especially after this election — feels revelatory.
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Excerpt:
Located just north of Zion National Park, Kanarra Creek Canyon has become one of Utah’s busiest hiking destinations, but the two-mile trail to a slot canyon and waterfalls also introduced at least 40,000 people to Kanarraville’s watershed last year.
“It’s being loved to death,” Ence said. “Last year was over the top. Nobody could believe it. On Labor Day we estimated 3,000 people. It was a parade of people.”
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EXCERPT: The people in the counties and communities surrounding Moab and Grand County aren’t stupid. Up until the turn of the millennium, a few of Utah’s rural counties were democratic strongholds — back when the democrats championed the blue-collar working class. Millennials seem to have no idea that the Democratic Party was built on support for coal miners, steel workers, and every other union trade in existence. This pro-labor class didn’t defect to the republicans because they wanted to support the fat cats, and the boss man. These folks are labor, through and through. They defected because they had no choice. The democrats sold them out. And, the republicans were at least speaking their language.
Moab is becoming the capital of the retired professional, who read some environmental novel or another, and has decided to dedicate their retired lives to “the cause.” Which somehow now entails pimping tourism as the environmentally friendly alternative to the traditional industries that existed before they came. And, despite their adherence to science and objective reality, they completely ignore the fact that tourism has impacted the environment far more than the traditional industries.
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