I wrote this a year ago. I am finally brave enough to post.
If I had been an editor or a news reporter, I would have
screamed for this story. But I probably wouldn't if I lived in the big cities
of Philadelphia, New York City or Boston or even the smaller cities on the
northeast coast. And never if I lived in California. Except I am from here and
being friends with many supporters of Trump, maybe I might have picked up on
the posts and the comments of how many signs for Trump/Pence there were as
opposed to Clinton/McKane. Well, there were the Hillary for Prison next to the
Trump posts.
One Hermitage neighbor counted four hundred thirty-five to thirteen on
long trip in western Pennsylvania. He also is in the military. Right there are
stories that journalists could investigate. How does the military vote? Who do
they want for their commander in chief? Instead of relying on their own opinion
about some words, most likely taken out of context.
But that is not the point of this piece. I do not want to write
about the bias of the media. I do not want to write about how lazy the
journalists are. I don't want to acknowledge too much about their short
comings. Except they really missed the ball with this story because they didn't
visit or live here.
I did something today, I never did in Emporium, but always
wanted to do. I got up early and took a walk. Harrison, my dog, was restless
and at a quarter to seven, leashed dog in hand, I left the house, the sun not
quite over the mountain on the east side of town. The rain with snow mix left
the forecast pleasing me with scattered clouds pink. The temperature cool, but
comfortable for me in a hoodie, a Penn State one, of course.
I head west toward the school. The sleepy town before waking
up struck me with the thought: these are good people only wanting their
small-town decency. The ones that didn't have to leave the area for work, like
my husband did many years ago. They want jobs. They want the closeness of the
family, many enjoying four generations. They want to watch their Steelers on
Sunday afternoon after church and dinner.
I near the school. I marvel at the sign announcing parent
teacher conference. They start at three thirty, one at six thirty and then nine
this morning. They have the decency to realize most parents work and they seem
to accommodate the parents. In Hermitage, I never got that courtesy. Either
very early before school started, when I needed to get the girls ready for
school or during the day. Even the elementary music concerts were during the
day to fit the teachers schedule. But I am digressing.
The Emporium school district used to consult the churches in town to
not schedule anything to interfere with religious functions. No sports on
Sunday because they knew the parents wouldn't let the kids go. At one time,
they also refrained from having events on Wednesday nights, a traditional
mid-week night for church, because week to week is not enough. I can't say for
sure they do this anymore.
I know even in this mountain town, they have had problems
with “Mexicans.” The European sounding names represent families here, whose
parents or grandparents immigrated the legal way. The stores in town were
started by such families. The new illegals do cause trouble with drugs.
I return to the home of my ninety-one-year-old mother-in-law.
I think, this is a place where people still put their birthday cards on the
dining room table. She has many, but not as many as last year on her ninetieth.
In years past, this town and many like it were split somewhat
evenly with the presidential election. I knew Tuesday evening, they were like
the rest of rural Pennsylvania and the rural Ohio I saw. A movement of anti-establishment, called affectionately the Trump train, rolled through this
country. I didn't think it would be enough to win this man the election. I kept
telling the Facebook crowd, this is what I am seeing. It may be anecdotal, but
this is what I am seeing. Don't be surprised if he wins.
They were. One likened it to as tragic as the world trade
towers coming down. Now we are smeared by those who can't understand the
disgust most people had with Hillary and Bill Clinton. NAFTA played a role for
those who could remember industry leaving the Shenango Valley. People want to
work. They see small business getting hammered with regulations and closing in
recent years. I do find it interesting that across the border in Ohio's
Mahoning County, with the six thousand Democrats who changed parties to vote
for Donald Trump in the primaries, it was one of only seven counties that went
for Hillary Clinton.
So, those who don't understand the vote and the election win,
don't see what I have seen. People have felt the failure of low paying jobs.
They see regulations strangling small business. Maybe they really don't hate
the rich, but only want to be able to pay their bills with decent jobs. Maybe
they all want more money in their pockets. Maybe they only want those truly in
need to get help. They see too many not working and liking it. They see some do
make more money not working, making it hardly worth working.
Prosperity could help with the supposed hatred they are
painted with. If we are a working America, we won't have time for the idleness
of name calling. If we are producing, we can concentrate helping each other and
the world as the promise of America is.
A cub reporter back, even in the summer, should have asked,
“Hey, can I go to what they call fly-over country and feel what the mood is? I
can write a story about Trump's appeal.”
A few pieces to at least get the disappointed ones to understand there
are opinions other than theirs. I tried with a few East and West Coast family.
They couldn't perceive there was even another view.
I guess that angers me the most. It always angers me. When
people don't see both sides. I am angry at the liberal media who didn't do
their work and fed lies. Generations spoon fed by this dribble, are scared when
even the president they adore has told them we live in the best country. And I
bet he never even had lunch with a deplorable, bitter clinger sitting in the
bars of the VFW halls. But I forgive him and the woman who won't be president.
As John Gleason proclaimed to DW in Meet
John Doe, “The people have spoken.”
We will be happy because we're tough. And in eight years,
another peaceful transfer to power will come to the other party. We'll be
working then in meaningful jobs. That is what Americans want to do: work and
live in peace with little interference from the government. Government only needs to protect us with the
armed services and local police and fire departments, help maintain the roads
so we can travel, and give us back choices about our health care. Open it to a free
market. And may abortions be limited and infrequent, not for the convenience of
the woman, but realizing another life is involved. And may all our eyes be
opened to what a great country we live in, because we wouldn't be able to
protest if we didn't live in freedom.
