and it's not all one of Neandertal values. There is some substance to the argument that an overwhelming influx of peoples from totally different cultures will change our own culture. Stands to reason... and the changes will undoubtedly go beyond an addition to the menus of restaurants (the Italians gave us pizza, the Mexicans gave us tacos, for example, and Thailand, Kenya, China and India are all making contributions to our stomachs). Since it was English common law and Protestant work ethic that pretty well set up the United States in the beginning (yes, yes, others contributed, but that was the basic foundation), I for one can understand the deep-seated fear close-knit, insular communities have for the changes that are sure to come. 

Moreover, it is true that such alien groups may well demand special treatment or equality and, once established, may well try to overlord existing American values or arrangements in order to transform our native culture to conform more with their own. I remember in the early- to-mid twentieth century the exact same fears of cultural change were expressed about Jews, Italians, and, for that matter, Catholics (who were suspected of boiling Protestant children in their nunneries in order to provide the Host at mass).

Once these fears are openly expressed by leaders, giving them validation, they become a closed loop of ever increasing intensity, and end up in producing the KKK and lynchings, or pogroms, or worse.

Voices on the left also bear some responsibility in closing that loop. If the leading advocates for rural Americans are xenophobes, when the response bleeds over into a broad attack on rural culture, then polarization is inevitable.

Rural culture is disrespected across the board, and the consequence will be that the *only* voices for rural Americans are xenophobic. The fear part is quite real.

couldn't agree more.

You could have added Watkins Abbitt, who said basically the same thing in a letter to Gordie the other day, and is in the first Virgil Vigil thread.

Just sayin'.

Cheers!

(that's my next update.)

It seems that the inherent prejudices of the Republicans against most everyone else are bubbling to the surface more frequently these days.

Why?  I guess it's a reaction to the splintering of the Bush coalition, and the profound failure of Republicans to deal with any of the real problems of the world, from Iraq to the deficit to Katrina to climate change, punctuated by their resounding loss in last November's elections.  They seem to be circling their wagons in frustration, drawing inward and snapping out against whatever scapegoats they can find.

As Rob has emphasized, the most disturbing thing about this is the lack of any kind of condemnation from so-called "moderate" Republicans of the raw racism, anti-semitism and xenophobia coming out of the mouths of Goode and Hargrove.  This indicates to me that they are treating these statements as trial balloons to see which way the (foul) winds of their Republican constituencies are blowing. 

And if those winds blow toward nativism (as the many ugly statements of right-wing bloggers suggest)?  Will the Republican party drop the minority-loving smiley face that Bush and Rove painted on the party as of the 2000 Republican convention, and show a different kind of face to please their rabble? 

If so, it will hurt them most of all, but it will also hurt the country in the process.

posted the other day on RK under the heading Tell Me This Isn't True. You are correct in suspecting the resounding silence on Virgil et al coming from republican leadership is a good indication these are trial balloons.

The Republicans, especially since the arrival of Rove but before that, too, have shown an uncanny ability in tapping into the nativism and fears of average Americans, magnifying them and utilizing these fears to win elections and impose even further their hierarchical, authoritarian world view on the United States.

Lamenting that fact is not enough. What will the Progressives do, how will we handle this eruption of ignorant bigotry? Especially, how will we deal with it in a constructive way without offending the culture enfolding Virgil, yet tamp down the animosity and make Goode et al look like the ridiculous pr**ks they are, with whom no upstanding red-blooded American would want to be seen?