Reply #8: Brave girl ! Born and raised in Appalachia, I just had to chuckle at [View All]

[K Gardner]

your experience. Dead spot-on, I might add. For those unfamiliar with Appalachia, it would take time that I don't have right now to adequately explain the "mindset". It is really not so much as perceived by some to be "ignorance", but a singular distrust of "outsiders".

An outsider can be anyone. Northerners, for example, are still outsiders.

The mountain heritage is strong, stubborn and independent. Very slow to adopt new ideas or change long-held beliefs. Proud to a fault. But these people have hearts of gold. It is a strange conundrum. Obama will do badly in W. Va. Probably not quite as bad in KY, as that state is really progressing.

Still, about a year into President Obama's first term, they will start to warm towards him. It will take awhile for trust to develop, but once they see that he is not against them and he is not a danger, they will adopt him like a second cousin twice removed! Mark my words.. even Appalachia will come to love Barack Obama.

Thank you for what you are doing ! :hi: