Yesterday I heard about a “graduate student instructor” at Berkeley who seems to be drinking too much kool-aid and I hope other rural Americans are taking note.
This “instructor” had quite a bit to say and most of it can be found here but the part that brought my blood to a boil was this:
I unironically embrace the bashing of rural Americans. They, as a group, are bad people who have made bad life decisions. Some, I assume are good people. But this nostalgia for some imagined pastoral way of life is stupid and we should shame people who aren’t pro-city.
Bad life decisions? Bad people? Shame those who are not pro-city? All of this simply because we have different lifestyles. Now, it seems, thinking differently, acting differently, living a different way of life but harming no one is deserving of “bashing”!
His words would be comical except (1) parent and grandparents are paying hard earned money to send children and grandchildren into some of these dens of liberalism/socialism that we now call colleges; and (2) many of the young people hearing this have never spent a week on grandma’s farm, gathering eggs, picking fresh tomatoes, listening to the cicadas sing at night and they will unequivocally believe these and therein lies the indoctrination of the future of this country!
When we left our last home in town, we promised ourselves we’d never live in town again. No more dogs barking all night right under our bedroom window; no more horns honking and loud music just after I’d fallen asleep; no one telling us what we could or could not do on our own property.
You may remember how hard it was to find a place when we got to Texas but we knew what we wanted and, that’s one of the reasons it’s so hard to leave, even though I want to be closer to the granddaughter and Vince wants to be on a lake. We love our life here.
I would love to know what the “instructor” feels is a good quality life. I’m definitely not saying you have to live in rural America to have a quality life but I am saying what constitutes a good quality of life for one doesn’t mean everyone has to agree and that, sir, is what America is all about!
We are not bad people! Yes, he said “They, as a group . . ” and he didn’t say “every individual” is bad. He even went so far as to assume there may be some good people in rural America. I can think of dozens of people we’ve met here who live a rural existence and I can’t think of a single “bad” person. Look at Vince . . a child of immigrant parents; who earned a full scholarship to Georgia Tech, then earned Masters degrees from Clemson and Tulane; worked every day of his life until he retired, never has had a run in of any kind with the law . . has he made “bad life decisions”? Well, he did marry me so let’s just answer that one with “maybe”! 🙂
When I think of the people who live in our immediate area, there’s a doctor, a retired successful business owner, several corporate executives who have retired in this area, there are teachers and insurance agents, many of whom work day jobs and come home and take care of land and animals and families. We are all good people who mind our own business, take care of our own and don’t expect anything from anyone . . other than to be left alone.
For those of you reading this, some of you are city folks, some are rural . . way more rural than we are. Don’t think because you’re living in a city, this particular guy’s rant doesn’t affect you. The way of life we once lived is over! People no longer know how to “live and let live”. If someone disagrees with someone else, whether it’s where they live, the size of their home, or the color or their shoes, it can lead to anything . . from harsh words to violence.
We had all better learn to take a stand, and stand up for those who are being ridiculed, maligned or whatever may be happening because no matter how much you try to not “rock the boat”, they’re coming for you too. Some of these people are not going to be happy until everyone is in lockstep with them and their beliefs.
I am proud of our lifestyle. I am proud of the people we are. I am proud of all the hardworking, honest, kind people who live around me and I wouldn’t trade my life today for any other way of living! Every time I think we’ll move somewhere closer to the family, I walk outside and realize this is the best place for us. It’s the lifestyle we’ve dreamed of having and I think if more people actually knew what they wanted in life, worked hard to get it and worked hard to keep it, things might be different.
The one thing I do know is that we, either individually or as a group (those around us) are NOT bad people and we have NOT made bad life decisions.
Whatever resources this guy thinks are being expended on rural Americans, he just might want to do a bit of cost comparisons on what it’s costing these days to keep some of the worst of the worst cities afloat!
Chris says
Where does he think food comes from? No farms, no food. I live in rural area and I don’t think I or my family, neighbors etc are not bad people.
Rebecca in SoCal says
That is what I was thinking: who does he think is going to feed all the city-dwellers?
Any classification of a group of people as “bad” is divisive and, well, a bad thing! And quite stupid in itself.
Judy says
Well said Judy, there are too many people in this day and age who are trying forcefully to claim their ideas are the right ones. Just don’t get me started.
Vicky in Bama says
I totally agree.
Dottie says
WOW – I’m truly dumbfounded…..definitely drinking too much kool-aid!
Linda in NE says
That young fellow needs to learn that if there are no farmers he might be mighty hungry. In my eyes he’s the stupid one and should never be allowed to teach other students. If that is the sort of nonsense being taught in those expensive 4-year universities maybe it’s time more parents send their kids to vocational schools. At least they will learn something practical and we all need auto mechanics, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, small engine repair, nurses, computer techs & a multitude of other professions. To be honest, when I have to spend the day in a small city of around 25,000 I am ever so glad to get back home.
Nelle Coursey says
Wonder where he thinks his food comes from? If it were not for farmers and ranchers, there would be no food or cattle or any other kind of meat for him to eat! He is an absolute idiot! Wonder how he got his degree? Sounds like he is missing a few cogs! And he needs to look around the city where he teaches and check out some of the “losers” there. I saw this on FB and just shook my head. No one with any sense will believe this deranged fellow.
Teri says
Unbelievable!! Thanks for sharing that! Love reading the comments…
Susan Nixon says
I’m going to guess he didn’t spend any time this week planting a garden! LOL It would be easy to dismiss him as an idiot, but you are right. Look where he’s teaching! Oh, wait. That’s Berkeley. Home of the rabid liberal. He’s probably a conservative there.
Susan Nixon says
P. S. I think, that to be fair here, people who live in cities and can’t grow their own food should have to pay higher prices for making that bad decision. Then rural America wouldn’t need “subsidized” health care. They could afford it.
Mare says
The instructor may be pushing the UN Agenda 21 plan. The concept is to move people into high density city environments in order to set aside huge swaths of uninhabited land. Just an ordinary 3 bedroom home on a city lot is considered underutilized as far as housing density. Unfortunately, some people really buy into this stuff. And unfortunately it seems like California leads the way.?
Judy Laquidara says
Agenda 21 was my first thought too.
keryn2013 says
The whole site you linked to is devoted to bashing liberals, and generating hateful feelings. It reads like a troll site, and if you link to those sites you just help spread the hate. Don’t get your knickers in a twist about people who may not even exist. Might I even suggest Fake News? Seriously not worth the space it takes up on the internet. Keep living your good life, and ignore the bashers on both sides.
Judy Laquidara says
I think you may have missed the point. I wasn’t endorsing a site but simply linking back to a quote the guy made. I read it on Twitter, not exactly a site devoted to bashing liberals, but wanted a quote that was more intact. I’m not sure why it matters WHERE I found the quote as much as it matters that a college instructor said it.
Me spreading hate? I think you may want to read my blog a little more often before such an accusation.
Ignoring those who say such things about good people and a wonderful way of living is wrong.
My blog. My thoughts and convictions and I’m still free to share them.
amy makson says
wow… it is very scary some of the ideas that are coming from our Universities today. Has this person never left a city to see the natural beauty beyond? The quiet, the lack of light pollution at night, etc. I love a nice visit to the city.. but it is wonderful to have a more quiet place to return for home. The beauty of this country is the amazing diversity of places, topography, plants and animals, and yes, people. We need to get back to a time when we all appreciated each other for our differences, not tried to make everyone be “just like us”. Thanks for sharing Judy.
w jordan says
This guy must be from California land of fruits and nuts. Maybe he needs to wake up smell the coffee. Everybody has a different dream of a place to live. The old saying is “Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it”.
carolyn says
My feeling is there are bad people in rural America, bad people in the suburbs and bad people in the cities…and very good, wonderful, generous people in all of those places too! To paint any one group with such a broad brush is just irresponsible, short sighted and wrong, no matter whether you are a liberal or conservative. It amazes me that there are people who do this and feel that they are right and that it is the only way you should think and act. I could never think and act like that! I’m grateful to those in rural and agricultural communities who provide the food in my grocery store…I’m not a farmer and never had a desire to be. I’ve never gathered eggs in my grandmother’s coop…just raspberries from her garden. My grandparents lived in the suburbs just like I do. I’m grateful to those who live in cities and work those jobs that I would never want to do, cities make me claustrophobic and although I enjoy visiting Philadelphia, I love coming home. I love life in my new small town. People should be happy with what they’ve chosen or work to make different choices. That’s what I think and I’ll shut up now…
LK Smith says
Just another example of educated ignorance.
QuilterBea says
Amen!
I have never been so frightened about losing my way of living than when listening to so,e of the garbage being spewed by so called scholars.
Joyce says
There are many college professors who are way beyond crazy. I’m not a conspiracy person, but…if you can brainwash the youth coming through Universities, you can change the overall opinion of the country. Fortunately, in general, voter participation by college students tends to be fairly low. Mr. “Stay in the City” can stay there, and leave the rest of us alone. He’s obviously forgotten the why the bulk of the United State is referred to as “fly-over” country. Look down from an airplane, and there are not very many highly populated areas! I don’t ever want to live in a big city again! I’m happy to be “stupid” (as he calls it!)
marcille irwin says
Judy, I think you said it all very well. Who knows, maybe by 2024 the presidential candidates running will be talking about how they are going to relocate people/families that they deem to have too large a home or property. If the liberals have their way, they will have already taken everything they can from those ‘bad’ billionaires that have too much money. We all know that they only use it for evil – paying people to work for them, donating to the ‘wrong’ causes, etc. Obviously, I’m not a fan of the liberals and their socialist agenda, but I will defend their right to say it. It does worry me terribly thinking that my children and grandchildren will have to suffer the consequences of the bad choices made by the likes of this instructor.