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Title: Obama on small-town PA: Clinging to religion, guns, xenophobia
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URL Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mayhi ... -surprise-that-ha_b_96188.html
Published: Apr 11, 2008
Author: Ben Smith
Post Date: 2008-04-11 19:39:50 by christine
Keywords: None
Views: 6278
Comments: 263
Obama on small-town PA: Clinging to religion, guns, xenophobia Huffpo's Mayhill Fowler has more from Obama's remarks at a San Francisco fundraiser Sunday, and they include an attempt to explain the resentment in small-town Pennsylvania that won't be appreciated by some of the people whose votes Obama's seeking: You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them. And they fell through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations. That's a pretty broad list of things to explain with job loss.
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 169.
#2. To: christine, *Obama 2008* (#0)
I see Clinton and McKooK have picked up on this. We hill billy white trash of small town Pa. do own guns, always have, do go to Church always have, and we do dislike slicks from Chicago or any other large city that pass by with their arrogant mouth. "antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment" You bet, we now have blacks, all from the eastern cities, and every one of them are on welfare, living in taxpayer subsidized housing, not a one of them work. Tell you what slick, up front, hundreds of us changed registration just to vote against you on April 22.
I think Philly has had Blacks for many years. At the end of the 18th century, Philadelphia was a city of hope for African Americans. Pennsylvania had passed the first gradual abolition act, and Philadelphia was home by 1790 to some 2,000 free blacks. Some had bought their freedom after working during the Revolutionary War, some had been freed because by slaveholders moved by revolutionary ideals. All had hopes for the future in the new country built on the ideals of independence, but doubts as to whether the declarations of liberty and equality would apply to them.
He's not talking about Philly. You talk like you know something about Pennsylvania...do you?
Black migration into the city was heavy from the end of the Revolution until about 1815. People came from rural areas in a hundred-mile radius around Philadelphia, as well as from the South, attracted by job prospects and the promise of living among other free black people. Refugees from the revolution in St. Domingue (later Haiti) and fugitive slaves added to the influx of blacks in the city. Philadelphia was over 90 percent white, but its black community helped buffer the hostility of whites and provided an alternative to rural isolation. Many blacks were able to find work as mariners, day laborers and domestic servants. Many also worked as entrepreneurs, often serving a predominantly black clientele. Both men and women often worked to support their families. While some destitute blacks lived near the river, a few prospered and were able to invest in income-producing property. By 1796, black communities were growing along the northern and southern borders of the city. By 1830, all of the city's 14,500 black people were free, while the white population had grown to 150,000. After 1799, a small but growing number of black professionals included doctors, teachers, clergymen, hairdressers, shoemakers, bakers, tailors, sailmakers, teamsters, food caterers, carpenters, musicians, and many other professions. In 1811, the city directory listed 81 black men who owned their own businesses; by 1816, the number was 180. Most women worked as domestic laborers, but some were teachers, or owned their own businesses. Together these people created a black middle class. more from that link I posted yesterday... www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part3/3narr1.html If there were Blacks in Philly before 1776, it should not be surprising there are Blacks in the rural areas as well. I have ancestors from PA, Germans who settled there after being burnt out of Catholic strongholds during the 30 Years War. My interest in PA is more historical than anything else. Cyni was attempting to make it sound like Blacks had just arrived in PA, I linked to some history that shows that is not the case.
robin... I think if you read back you will see I refer to myself as....hill billy white trash........that hardly encompasses Philly which is nearly all black.
So why did you insinuate that Blacks are new to PA?
I'm not sure where Cyni is talking about but blacks are new to certain areas. The Pocono region has become a Western suburb of NYC (2 hours away), with low taxes and new tracts of reasonable, new cost housing. There is, or was, a complete absence of crime b/c of the gun culture is exceptional strong.
Same with Switzerland, but then they also have a relatively to very well-off homogeneous population. I once saw a 60 Minutes (I think) segment on how the Swiss got rid of their Gypsy crime problem; in the 1950s they kidnapped all the children of Gypsies and adopted them out to good Swiss families. Brutal but effective (I'm not in favor of such methods, but it's better than the Nazi solution for Gypsies).
True, they aren't under active invasion by 3rd worlders nor do they have politicians like Mayor Nutter of Philadelphia who removes law (never mind constitutional rights) with the wave of his hand.
Swiss row over black sheep poster BBC News, Geneva A political row has broken out in Switzerland over a campaign poster from the right-wing Swiss People's Party, aimed at deporting foreigners - residents without Swiss citizenship - who commit crimes. The poster, which shows three white sheep kicking a black sheep against a backdrop of the Swiss flag, can be seen all over the country ahead of general elections at the end of October. Swiss People's Party poster The controversial poster bears the slogan "For more security" Immigrant groups in Switzerland, left-wing parties and the United Nations complain that the poster is blatantly racist. The Swiss People's Party, currently the largest in parliament and leading in the opinion polls, is pushing for a new law which would authorise the expulsion of foreign families, should any family member be found guilty of violent crime, drugs offences or benefit fraud. Over 20% of Switzerland's population is foreign. Most have been in the country for many years, and around a third of them were born in Switzerland. Swiss citizenship remains very difficult to come by, and being born in the country does not give the children or even grandchildren of immigrants the right to be Swiss. Crime figures The Swiss People's Party claims that foreigners commit more crimes than the Swiss, and says this justifies deporting them and their families. In fact, crime statistics are not at all clear, partly because not all Swiss regions count crime in the same way. A recent study by the Federal Department for Foreigners found that while, at first glance, foreigners appear to be committing more crime than the Swiss, foreigners, especially young men, are also more likely to be charged - whereas young Swiss may be let off with a caution for the same offence. The study also found that young foreigners living in Switzerland were more likely to be unemployed and living in socially deprived backgrounds, than the Swiss. But despite the complex nature of the problem, the blunt approach has clearly struck a chord with many voters. Matthias Mueller, spokesman for the party, says the campaign has attracted huge support. "We've had an unbelievably positive response," he said. "It shows just how necessary our campaign is." Storm of criticism But now that the poster is visible all over Switzerland, there has been a storm of criticism too. Swiss Jewish groups say the symbolism of the poster, and its use of colour, is frighteningly reminiscent of Nazi propaganda. "I think it's a disgusting way to conduct politics," said Alfred Donath, president of the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities. "It is entirely contrary to Switzerland's humanitarian tradition, and really not the way we should do things." Meanwhile the United Nations special rapporteur on racial discrimination, Doudou Diene from Senegal, has asked the Swiss government for an official explanation of the campaign. The Swiss People's Party, which wants to pull Switzerland out of the UN Convention against Racism, and abolish the country's own Federal Commission on Racism, is dismissive of UN opinion. "The UN should not be meddling in internal Swiss politics," said Matthias Mueller. "We have got freedom of speech in our country. Obviously [Mr Diene] has not understood our culture of democracy. I would suggest he reads up on it." Video withdrawn The Swiss People's Party is used to criticism of its tactics, but this time there are signs it may have gone too far. Another poster, showing veiled Muslim women accompanied by the question, "Where are we living, Baden or Baghdad?", is now the subject of an investigation to determine whether it violates Switzerland's anti-racism laws. Meanwhile, a campaign video showing what it is claimed are young hooded foreigners committing violent crimes was withdrawn after the Swiss youngsters who actually took part complained they had been told they were taking part in a crime-prevention video. And across the country, hundreds of the black sheep posters have been defaced, many with a single word - "Shame".
"We've had an unbelievably positive response," he said. "It shows just how necessary our campaign is." People can't be trusted to decide for themselves. That's what the government is for, to decide what's best for them. They aren't intelligent enough to make the right decision.
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Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestThey complain (particularly about their governor and Clinton surrogate Ed Rendell, who doesn't seem as popular as the media make him out to be), but they endure.
#4. To: robin, christine, Jethro tull (#2)
And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.
#5. To: Cynicom (#4)
#109. To: robin (#5)
(Edited)
I think Philly has had Blacks for many years.
#113. To: angle (#109)
#116. To: robin (#113)
Cyni was attempting to make it sound like Blacks had just arrived in PA,
#117. To: Cynicom (#116)
#122. To: robin (#117)
So why did you insinuate that Blacks are new to PA?
#124. To: Jethro Tull (#122)
a complete absence of crime b/c of the gun culture is exceptional strong.
#129. To: robin (#124)
Same with Switzerland, but then they also have a relatively to very well-off homogeneous population
#149. To: Jethro Tull (#129)
True, they aren't under active invasion by 3rd worlders
#169. To: DeaconBenjamin (#149)
Matthias Mueller, spokesman for the party, says the campaign has attracted huge support.
Replies to Comment # 169.