tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1057646105981087139.post3539975381339017065..comments2024-01-18T04:37:03.214-05:00Comments on Rustbelt Intellectual: MORE OBSERVATIONS FROM THE TOUR DE RUSTBELTTom Shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02186723526374103977noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1057646105981087139.post-33557658741528361612008-09-11T12:54:00.000-04:002008-09-11T12:54:00.000-04:00As someone who grew up in East Lansing and now res...As someone who grew up in East Lansing and now resides in Ann Arbor, I found your portrait of the state and its politics accurate.<BR/><BR/>I was up in the Traverse City area not long ago for a conference, and was stunned by the prevalence of Obama yard signs along the winding lakefront roads. I think we only saw a couple of McCain signs on the whole trip.kestenbaumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10266247714210657742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1057646105981087139.post-1129417725925993042008-09-09T08:16:00.000-04:002008-09-09T08:16:00.000-04:00Great article and I tend to agree with you. Howeve...Great article and I tend to agree with you. However, while the language used may be a convenient way to mask racial hatred, it also holds its own power. I'm thinking specifically of comments about 'elitism'. A similar charge was leveled against John Kerry for his 'high-fallutin' way of speaking. I have been troubled by this anti-intellectual strain in American politics for many years and would be interested to read your comments on the idea.<BR/><BR/>Also, it is interesting to contrast this idea of an undercurrent of racial distrust with very overt sexist remarks about Hilary Clinton. Many others have made this point, that sexism is still accepted (by whites, blacks, hispanics, everyone) but that racism needs to be hid behind other language.ccmoirahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05103350149206650128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1057646105981087139.post-46838852647052315692008-09-08T14:59:00.000-04:002008-09-08T14:59:00.000-04:00thanks for the tour!i'm a native californian, but ...thanks for the tour!<BR/><BR/>i'm a native californian, but i was raised republican by parents born near lansing and cleveland. i think your observations are on target -- that many people who should favor democratic economic policies are scared to death of folks who don't look like them. <BR/><BR/>my dad remained republican out of habit, although he was more of a populist, and had dear friends of other racial backgrounds. his beloved, long-time doctor was born in india, and his funeral was performed by his closest army buddy, a man of chinese descent. <BR/><BR/>mom kept a can of "goldwater" in the kitchen all through my childhood, and she instinctively hated anyone from a different background -- including my mother-in-law, who is armenian-american, and everyone descended from her, including my own husband and children. <BR/><BR/>what can i say, mom was nuts. but for people like my dad, getting to know others changed him and his attitudes.kathy a.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14479337952651746193noreply@blogger.com