Proud moments in West Virginia

I saw the best sound byte ever on BBC News. A West Virginia voter was being interviewed and said, "We're not racist. We just don't like black people." I wanted to tell this moron to look up "racism" in the dictionary, but the dickweed probably doesn't know how to read.

I couldn't find that clip on YouTube, but I did come across this gem:

I can't believe that one woman: "He's a muslim" "I think we should have someone from America."

Someone was busy in her brother's backseat that day in civics where they mentioned the rules of who can be President.

ignorant fucking people!

That woman in the yellow top is incredible

"He's Muslim"

"Yeah, I do think it's a smear tactic" (to label him as a Muslim)

Wah?

I can't believe that people like the lady in the yellow shirt actually exist.
She's not really serious...right?
.....right?

bahahahaha

ARGH my identity politics are so wonderful sometimes. I live in Ohio, about 1/3 of my family is from (and still lives in) WV. Go Mountaineers.

I still feel like this is being overblown, however. I really feel like the "racist Yellow Dogs that will defect to McCain" segement is small nationally, even if it is bloated in West Virginia.

What if I vote for Obama?

i'm not sure what's more depressing--the fact that these people exist, or the fact that people are surprised by their existence. ignorance is a sign of how little we've changed; ignorance of ignorance is a sign of how little we're going to change.

Who has expressed surprise?

CherryCoke.

That's pretty disingenuous, even for what I assume to be a satirical one-liner.

As long as people are "different" from one another in any noticeable way, there will be those in society who hold the view that said difference is a quantifiable comparative factor. On this we agree.

This does not mean, however, that holding out the hope that we will one day educate ourselves past the meaningless of those distinctions is foolish.

In short, I poo on your sentiment.

in this thread, there are a few posts that i would say contain greater or lesser degrees of surprise. i'm not pointing out specific posters because i think this is a cultural shortcoming rather than a personal one. besides, i'm largely basing my statement on the reactions i've gotten when i relate my own anecdotes from my years in NC and WV. yes, Virginia, there is a gap-toothed hick who believes them black muslims oughtta git run out th'country, god bless.

i think it's foolish to think it will happen in a timely manner on its own. to be honest, i'm not quite sure what my point is, here. i just think there's probably a link between building and maintaining an awareness of the parts of your culture that you want to better, and seeing those parts of your culture better themselves. you can't do it for them, obviously--you can't go into WV and wave a magic wand that makes them all stop mistrusting them thar negros and gays. but i don't think they can do it alone, either.

satirical one-liner racist!

I posted this elsewhere, but what the hey.

I've had enough of that HUUSAYN!

Some of the most racist people I've ever met aren't from the south.

He should know. He's from Boston!

Exactly. Long Island's pretty bad too.

I find it pretty funny that the guy complaining about ignorance is perpetuating the "racist as gap-toothed hick" when the truth is a little more complex.

I've just never experienced shit like that personally.
I hear about it all the time from people and I know it exists, but I never actually watch people spew shit like that. Since I don't really hang around people who are like that.
I'm not really surprised or anything, more just baffled that people can really feel that way.

I feel bad for those people. It must be hard to be trapped inside the walls of ignorance like that.

Come on guys, Hillary KNOWS the Pledge of Allegiance and can sing "The Star-Spangled Banner", that's how you KNOW where she stands!

Wow, you need to get out more.

About ten years ago, a man in Georgia said this delightful gem to me:

"It's our God given right to own black people."

I didn't know what to say and just walked away. One of the few times in my life I have been at a loss for words.

And McCain has more experience in being a President than Obama does!

Wait, wha?

I suppose getting out more would be a good thing, but I'm not sure if it'd help me understand people like that.